Re: Re: Man Rune

From: John Machin <trithemius_at_...>
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 09:38:24 +1000

2009/5/19 Todd Gardiner <todd.gardiner_at_...>:
> One observation:
> A great gameplay reason that the Man rune never got a suite of powers is
> that there is not a lot of fun for the players in moments where their
> actions are compelled by another. It's one thing to control the cattle with
> Beast magic, and it's another thing when you summon and compel ancestor
> spirits.
>
> But it's quite a problem when players are controlled (or controlling others)
> through a single power on their character sheet, rather than through good
> storytelling. Without the possibility of resistance ("I refuse to follow the
> King's orders) and consequences for those choices ("there is now a warrant
> out for your head!") you might as well spend the night watching TV.

There is magic and cults that do this already in HQ1 (all the "leadership" cults have some "compulsion" magic - even if it things like Shout Down Another or Stop Argument). Players that choose these cults get to use them in contests to make others do what they want; just like players that choose Humakt get to use their abilities to make others do what they want - i.e. die.

Make Someone Totally Obey Me is likely to come under the provisions for "pompous magic" that "nstantly Decapitate My Foe To Death does.

What trotsky mentions about these abilities being subject to the same systems as other abilities is important too. It seems weird that people object to their characters being persuaded by mechanical operations, but are okay with them being killed by almost identical operations!

-- 
John Machin
"Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."
- Athanasius Kircher, 'The Great Art of Knowledge'.