Cultural Keyword (Was: Run, alynx, run!)

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 09:42:27 -0800


> > Isn't the concept that cultural keyword is "things everyone can do
> > competently", as opposed to what you describe yourself as defining
> > what makes _you_ different?
>
> I kinda thinkm of the cultural keywords as in large poart BEING the
> things that make you different,. or more accurately your culture
> different. I don't think they are passive stuff that people ,merely
> know; these are the things that they do, and are concerned about
> doing well.

I won't get into the morass of predicting rules: I'm under NDA so I couldn't anyay, and they might well change tomorrow...

The Cultural Keyword is what makes your people different from the Dara Happans, or the Praxian Beast Riders, or whomever. However, it *is* the "oh, everyone can do XYZ" type of skill - to take a mundane example: in America "Everyone over 16 can Drive*", whereas in Asia that's not necessarily true. Not everyone in America drives well (though 85% claim to be "above average" drivers, which says something about something - mostly about self delusion in my book...), but everyone drives. Call "Driving" part of the "American" Cultural Keyword.

However, The Cultural Keyword does not define the character as much as the Ocupation and Magic keywords do -
The Cultural is "What everyone does" even if they don't make a living at it or specialize in it - all Heortlings can farm and fight, even if they do other things as their primary jobs. All Americans can drive, but only a relative few "make a living" at it (Chauffers, Bus Drivers, Long-haul truckers, Race-car drivers, etc). I'd give those occupations modified "Drive" skills in their Occupation Keywords - "Defensive Driving", "Drive Long hours", "Drive Really Really Fast", etc. So while Joe American can "Drive" with no augments, Bill RaceCarDriver can Drive and/or Drive Fast (He could have a high "Drive Fast" and a low "Drive" ability: when it comes to in-city driving he's no better than anyone else - no stoplights on the Race Track!) and can use one to modify the other.

Now, many young men put a few HP into "Driving", or even "Drive Really Fast" when they are still under 25 (see various Insurance companies for their "Male, 16-25" policy rates...) but this doesn't mean that *everyone* should have elevated Drive skills.

*Not me: check my Character Description in the back of HW. I am in the very small minority of "Those Americans over 16 and under 80 that don't drive"

Roderick

Roderick

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