> But I'd
> think that a key thing to determine is whether the
> character is being
> called by the deity, or voluntarily deciding to
> become a religious fanatic.
I'm not sure that it should be possible to become a devotee without the deity's active participation. Without them wanting you "in", all you get is a very fanatical initiate, surely?
> I think in most cases there wouldn't be tests
> conducted by the cult.
> After all, many clans or even tribes won't have
> someone who is
> devoted to the "smaller" deities (or subcults).
> Thus, who would be qualified to give a test?
Very good point. For that and other reasons, I'd think that the entire process should be between the candidate and their deity, with any tests, HQs, ceremonies and so on being entirely self-administered. After all, the Devotee will be able to "connect" without the assistance of the rest of the cult once "in office", as it were, so having to do so as part of the test makes good sense.
> The Narrator might wish to sprinkle tests into the
> game (or have an
> MTV-like series of short scenes, some of which might
> actually be
> flashbacks). But these would be more pivotal moments
> than formal tests.
That's what I was thinking. In some cases the candidate might not realise they were tests imposed by the deity until after the event.
And, incidentally, they'd be a LOT harder than anything for initiates. Yes, a prospective Humakt devotee may well find themselves in a position where they have to choose between their honour and killing their best friend. But there wouldn't be anything fake about it. No "just kill a thrall instead" get-outs. Real friend, relative, whatever. Really dead. Quite possibly by your own sword. Humakt doesn't do "soft".
But apart from the tests, which are easy enough to figure out, what does it feel like to have your affinities coalesce into individually available feats? Do they all hit you at once, or gradually as a series of insights, or you have to quest for each one...? I'd guess that you "get" them while on the Other Side, since that's where you can later cement newly improvise Feats.
Powered by hypermail