Hey all,
So I came up with this because my players have managed to get themselves so far in debt to a major hitter I wanted something written down that they and I could refer to. So I am posting it here to see what others think about it and for anyone else to use if they want.

Obligation
Bonus: 20 to 40 BP
A character with the Obligation quality is indebted to a powerful individual or organization which has a detrimental effect on the character’s life. The individual or organization keeps asking the character to do “little favors” for them because of some past action on the characters part that put them so far in debt they will never balance the scales. Meeting the needs of the obligation should take up a fair amount of the character’s time, as well as some of the character’s money. The obligation should also be a hindrance in other ways—causing others to associate the character with the individual or organization, being asked to “hold” items, getting involved in the character’s affairs, being harassed by the individual or organizations enemies, dropping in or being called for at the most inopportune time etc.

The gamemaster should set the Build Point value of the quality according to the severity of the obligation and the demands likely to be made by the individual or organization on the character. This quality cannot be bought off with Karma, unless the obligation is first dealt with in role play. The character cannot escape the obligation owed to the individual or organization no matter how they may twist or turn. Attempts to escape the obligation will ultimately fail as the individual or organization always finds the character no matter what lengths he or she has gone to. What is required as fulfillment of the obligation should be decided between the gamemaster and player prior to game on.

For 20 BP, the obligation is an occasional impediment, the individual or representatives of the organization demand minor favors of the character unexpectedly, time, holding items, and occasionally side jobs.

Examples: Cult Leaders, the Moose Lodge, or a Gang.

For 30 BP, the obligation becomes more of a handicap requiring time and commitment on a regular basis to satisfy the individual or organization, the holder of the obligation becomes involved in the character’s affairs on a regular bases; the obligation often demands the character carry out time consuming jobs, running possible work past the individual or organization prior to the characters taking part, and letting them have first pick of items and equipment the character gets.

Examples: Parole Officers, the Mormon Church, or the military.

For 40 BP, There is an old saying, “your soul may belong to God, but your ass belongs to me” and at this level of obligation it is so true. In the characters past, they traded their independence to one of the 6th worlds ultimate heavy hitters that showed up like the devil from an old flat vid movie offering a solution to an unsolvable situation. The heavy hitter fulfilled their end of the bargain and the character is now their slave until the day they die.

The obligation at this level is all consuming. The character may be running the streets with a team apparently free but the reality is that his or her master has placed them there for a reason. Their actions are constantly under observation and any apparent free will is an illusion allowed by their masters.

Examples: Great Dragons, Megacorporations, or any returning moldy old god the gamemaster cares to place in the game.

"Sorry guys, can't go on the 'Run tonight, just got a call from my Lodge leader. Emergency Bowling Game." "You have to be drekking me." "Nope. Hey, come on, remember that intel they gave us on the last two jobs because I'm a member? And the Detective that got us out of prison?" "That got YOU out of prison." "And then I called the Lawyer. Time to pay back. By bowling."

Hehe. What night of the week can all emergency response SWAT members, and corp mages take a night off? Runner bowling night. The Tuesday night when runners converge upon Love Troll Alley, the bowling alley where they show their stuff and determine who is the ultimate Runner team, by competitive bowling. The only rule is: don't get caught cheating.

Sounds a lot like the Made Man Quality (with slightly different fluff), that only costs 10 BP.
It is in Runner's Companion.

I have to agree with TJ.

Its a negative quality and the character does not get any advantages such as the high level contact or the ability to use the holder of the obligation as a fence or black market resource as provided by Made Men. Where as with the Made Men quality both sides get something, the Obligation quality has the character giving everything and getting nothing.

The point is that there is no need for the Quality to be costed from 20-40 BP. If I was to use what you wrote, I would likely cost it at 5-15 BP instead (assuming that I did not just re-fluff the Made Man Quality with your fluff, which is what I would probably do any way). Yes, the Made Man Quality has a few benefits. Your version has a few drawbacks. But not 20-40 Negative BP worth of drawbacks. In fact, It is a lot more like made Man than you give it credit for. I am sure that the "organization" would be willing to do favors for the indebted individual, mainly so that they can KEEP him that way. You have a tie to an organization that is bigger than you. They are not just going to write you off. They will keep you so far in debt that you can never surface from it. Really, that looks like a Made Man to me.

No worries, though. It was just an observation.

This may not be what you want to hear, and obviously at your own table you're welcome to handle it however you want-but it reeks of metagame to me. Power gaming. At best I'd call it a 15 point flaw. And honestly it seems simply like a combination of existing flaws. If a player came to me proposing this I'd say no as it's written.

Now obviously at your table do what you will! If you use it as is, I'd definitely add to the definition of it a negative modifier for social interactions since everyone will likely know this person is owned by someone else-they're more than just a made man, but not nearly as well treated in social settings. I picture the treatment for a character with this sort of flaw ranging from the kind of contempt we have for junkies trying to wash our windshields to much worse.

I can see this happening in LA, where your ability to play (And cheat) affects your P2.0 rating.

I've done basically the same thing as Obligation with In Debt and Day Job.
I have a mage with In Debt, Day Job (10 hours) and Dependent (the lowest one). He owes a large debt to a Mafia Capo, and to pay it off, has taken his nephew as an apprentice. So he doesn't actually get paid for the day job, but he doesn't have to pay on the In Debt either.

And if he misses too many shifts, well... His nephew starts to suffer, shall we say, some unfortunate accidents.

You mark that frame an eight and you're entering a world of pain!

"I take that little gun of yours away, shove it up your hoop, and pull de trigger until it goes CLICK!"

, I strongly doubt it would go this way since it's the nephew of the capo, not of the character (tutoring him in magic is the way he was offered to repay the debt).

So the character takes a beating... That works too...