Patrons

[Seth M. Drebitko]

So I was thinking the other day about the idea of why demons are compelled to steal away souls through shady contracts? I decided upon the demon actually stealing away the souls to trade places with in order to keep from having to hasten their trip to the pit.

I see two options for players:

Enterprising demons looking to track down the most highly corrupt souls to trade for another moments freedom.

Desperate mortals whose demonic power is slipping from their grasp as they desperately attempt to out wit and out run their demon patron.

As far as style I am thinking ghost rider style setting for sure just looking to see what people think of the base idea.

I am looking to:

Choose a theme for demons

Decide what characters get as powers

I need:

Opinions of what people would like to see from both of the above.

I would like to get some feed back as far as what people would like to see because I would like to develop this as a mini supplement (as there has not been one in a while) that people would actually be interested in seeing.

Regards, Seth

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Seth,

What does sorcery look and feel like? What does a demon look like and do? Can you describe an admirable sorcerer?

I also think it's interesting that you have taken "steal away souls" as a starting point for your questions to yourself. You realize that in the text, no such thing is stated, right? I mean, it's OK to work from there if you want, as long as you realize that it's what you want.

Best, Ron

[Seth M. Drebitko]

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Seth,

I apologize for the delay in replying.

Your first sentence in the last post really threw me and I guess I still don't understand it - or even what you mean by "patron." Is that the same thing as the Bound demon, in game terms? At first I thought so, and then the mention of "imps" really confused me further.

On the other hand, your descriptions of sorcerers and demons are great and I'd love to play. I don't see how any of that has anything to do with patronage, though, so I must not get it yet.

Can you help me understand better?

Best, Ron

[Seth M. Drebitko]

Sorry myself for not responding, or getting the idea out straight.


Patron:

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Seth,

Let's see if I have this right - the "patrons" are the sorcerers, right? Which is sort of weird, because I get the idea that you're also thinking of the demon-to-sorcerer relationship as patronage too.

Anyway, I suggest staying strictly with the vision. No need for angelic anyone, no need for holy opposition, no need for rogue sorcerers, or anything like that. All of that is the familiar proliferative - yet fruitless and distracting - sourcebook type thinking. Never mind all that; Plan A is good, so go with Plan A.

The "afterlife" thing seems to me to be quite weak. I see no particular reason for a sorcerer not to Bind imps to his heart's delight, with Humanity operating as the only limiting factor, and basically tell the big demon to fuck off any way and any how, at all times. Your mention of the threatening "awful afterlife" seems like a meaningless threat - after all, the only way that the sorcerer might suffer it is if he obeys the demon, right?

Help me understand that part a little bit better. However, you should know that Sorcerer is designed to operate on a basis of setting-uncertainty. There may be rules for demons, but that doesn't mean there's a Hell, even if the demons really think they come from there. The metaphysics of the game-world are forever and utterly closed, both to the characters and to the real people playing the game.

Best, Ron