Re: Changing rune affinities?

From: Jeff <richaje_at_...>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:46:38 -0000


> This strikes me as significantly less dramatic and therefore less fun. To say most BG are that way because they were born that way rather than having trauma lead them to turn to the goddess removes major options for storytelling. Especially considering that most games don't start before initiation, but after.

It is not because they were born that way - it is because of their experiences during their adult initiation. Harmast became who he was because of his extremely dangerous adulthood initation (which happened to parallel Orlanth's in more ways than is normal) - his older brother died during it (or succumbed to Chaos, depending on the version).

These rites awaken the Heortling's magical affinities and for probably 99% of Heortlings, they are the most important magical event in their life.

That being said, if the dramatic requirements of the story suggest that a hero should rededicate her runes, by all means do it. If after a traumatic event, a hero decides that his Movement Rune should be rededicated to Death and that he plans to leave Orlanth for Humakt, do it (but make sure there are plenty of consequences).

> Further, without digging through a whole lot of tertiary materials I don't have the spare cash for, I'm certain I don't have enough info to really run initiation quests. Nor am I terribly thrilled by the thought of running them, since the whole point is to end up with the starting character the player wants! Awkward if he fails--reminiscent of previous experience in old Traveller, where your character could die before he was ever played!

Usually I handle initiation events as "flashbacks". The player makes the hero he wants to play and then later flashbacks can help explain those magical connections.

> So yes, everyone's GWV, and I shall continue to imagine most BGs as converts rather than lifetime members, especially in occupied Sartar where there is so much injustice inflicted on the populace.

Certainly some BGs initiates are converts, but I suspect the vast majority are chosen by the goddess at adulthood.

Jeff

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