Re: Powerful characters, rules, roles, narration

From: Charles Corrigan <charles_at_...>
Date: Tue, 03 Dec 2002 16:15:02 -0000

> Not if he has any respect for campaign
> consistency. This would effect the
> contests I bothered rolling for, but
> when I've said "a typical clan champion
> has skill level 10W2" I am stuck with
> that choice. If I turn round and say
> "you're fighting a typical clan
> champion, close combat 10W4" I am
> cheating the players.

IMO, there are several ways around this for the narrator that feels constrained by previous decisions.

1 - this clan champion is not typical. This clan champion is also the tribal champion. Or this clan champion is better than the tribal champion but does not have the relationship to the tribal ring. So they don't trust him with that important and sensitive role. Or they prefer Bill with the lower combat rating but better relationship rating and that bright iron sword.

2 - the last time you met that clan champion, he was 10W2. However, since then he has realised that the world is changing and challengers such as <your heroes> are becomming more common and so he upgraded his ability ratings.

3 - Why be bound by campaign consistency at the micro-level of ability ratings? What, in Glorantha, is an ability rating? Gloranthans might know that "Fred can usually kick Joe's ass" and "Hey, remember that Joe beat Bill and Bill beat Fred". So choose whatever rating that makes a good story and still maintains story consistency rather than game mechanics consistency.

regards,
Charles

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