Fantasy enthusiasts in SA

Fantasy enthusiasts in SA

Irioth 29 Dec 2013 05:39

Several of the setting's Civilizations and Societies do seem to have their roots in the post-scarcity blossoming of various geek subcultures. So I wonder what the most likely social place of descendants of fantasy or comic-book fans and LARPers would be, especially the ones that like to 'play the wizard' (like yours truly), so to say. Someone kinda like the Tao, only instead of focusing on creative re-enactment of the Mongol Empire, Antebellum South, or Ancient Babylon, they focus on redoing the Wheel of Time, Sword of Truth, Justice League, or Avengers.

I tentatively assume the Technomagi would be in many cases a good fit for this kind of guys, but I wonder what else. Perhaps variants of the Tao, Stardwellers, Masquerade, and/or Wargamers.

Last edited on 29 Dec 2013 17:43 by Irioth Show more

Re: Fantasy enthusiasts in SA

Colin_Fredericks 29 Dec 2013 15:48

The Technomagi and Wargamers do fit that well, and I always liked the idea that there's a splinter of the Tao out there somewhere doing Forgotten Realms.

The real challenge for this civilization is how to retain a magic-like Core Value in the face of the clearly scientific basis of their "magical powers." Someone who insists on chanting words of power before activating their antimatter gun will lose out to the person who uses mental triggers instead. Alternatively, you might postulate a Lens that overlays a fantasy setting for everyone and "translates" their actions from fantasy into science when they work on technological devices. That could be kind of cool.

Re: Fantasy enthusiasts in SA

Irioth 29 Dec 2013 19:52

Excellent advice. The Lens idea indeed seems cool. This gives me an idea to set up this kind of character as a Technomagus-Wargamer ex-Tao. As their reenactment passions drifted away from historical to fantasy settings they lost any interest in Tradition (with the shift, it seems much less fitting and to drop it frees a slot for personal and Society CVs, while Authenticity still seems kinda appropriate) and embraced a new Core Value to represent them. As usually, the creatively-challenged me has some trouble devising appropriate names for brand-new CVs, but I suppose a few of the auxiliary Technomagi CVs may fit in nicely to represent this kind of passion for fantasy, i.e. Wonder, Majesty, or Beauty. Plus of course Mysticism and Bend the Rules to fit with the Technomagi and Wargamers. So an appropriate CVs set for this kind of character may be: Authenticity, Wonder, Mysticism, Bend the Rules, Self-Preservation.

I notice that with this one, I already have a couple character concepts that are no more active members of their former Civilizations in order to belong to multiple fitting Societies and embrace appropriate personal CVs. One is the Transhumanist-Immortalist enthusiast that is a Hyperevolute-Breathstealer ex-Stardweller. The other is the fantasy reenactment fan that is a Technomagus-Wargamer ex-Taoist.

I may point out that I'm very thankful for the rather good degree of flexibility and customization SA allows as it concerns CVs, Themes, and Civilization/Society membership. Quite fitting for the spirit of the setting as well as my mix-and-match gameplay tastes, I may remark.

Last edited on 30 Dec 2013 03:50 by Irioth Show more

Re: Fantasy enthusiasts in SA

Colin_Fredericks 29 Dec 2013 22:50

I'm glad that you feel that way. I'm always worried that I might have removed too much detail and customizability from the Professions section, even though I like the flavor of it now much better than before.