--I find the concept of stories shaping the powers of PCs deeply disturbing, because it dilutes the importance of a free will or individual choice in the hero's life. IMHO the notion of free will is crucial to heroism. If you don't shape your own destiny, then what's the point? Real life is bad enough.
--Now of course we can argue about the definition of free will. Do you have free will as a hero when faced with an overwhelming foe; i.e., is the choice of how to die a meaningful choice? And clearly there are heroes in RW fiction who are interesting precisely because they don't have any choice: your standard Greek "fatal flaw" tragic types etc. Or Elvis or the uuh (ugh) Back Street Boys. Or because maybe they had a choice but they *just* failed their roll (Elvis? ;) ).
--Also if you *always* need stories and believers to be powerful it would be boring, too. Kind of a war of the best boaster/selfpromoters. What happened to the little old man who turned out to be a Dragon or a righeous martial artist in disguise? Or the totally unexpected but powerful demon that no one had ever heard about before?
Just some thoughts.
Reinier
Powered by hypermail