So I'm packing my "A" bag for the big flight into Iraq, trying to decide if it's even worth bringing an RPG. I haven't played in about 2 years--not really, at least--and I'm sure that I'd have more success finding players out in the sandbox with, um, Star Wars or something. But then I'm looking at my library, and I see Sex and Sorcerer ("Little, Yellow, Different..."). Sorcerer. Yeah. All those d20 goons can kiss my camo'ed ass...

So I'm bringing sorcerer. And I know that I don't really need this post, but the fact is that I miss the Forge and I miss games a whole bunch, so this seemed as good of an excuse to post as any.

What approaches to Setting and Premise, preferably using the Sorcerer core book only, might most powerfully engage soldiers in a combat situation? Not that any of us knows, of course, but since Sorcerer--like all good games--is about *players*, not *characters," it seems to me to be a pretty deeply relevant sorcerer question.

What are your ideas? And why?

Oh, and Ron, we should chat. Gimme a call--I can never get a hold of you.

Jake

well, I'm not sure whether they'd like it (because that's in large part a matter of where your head is at when you hear about "it"), but I can't imagine that it would fail to grab one by the short & curlies...

setting: an idyllic, enlightened environment.  Think "ivory tower" or "near-utopia".

premise: violence is never an acceptable solution to adversity (with the corollary that those who use it are "wrong" or "evil")

this obviously would play to the notion that civilians just don't "get what it means to be a soldier", something that I know was a pretty intense feeling my dad expressed on more than one occasion.

Hi Darcy.

Thanks for replying.

I think your idea, which is sooo far out from what I would have come up with, is exactly the kind of thing that I needed. Let me see if I get this idea right.

The premise being that "Violence is Bad, No Matter What" is exactly the kind of thing that throws people off. It's good.

Now, here's the issue, then. What are demons? I see sorcerers here as the few that find themselves embroiled in some kind of violence--it has to be. Thus Humanity is defined along the lines of pacifism--respect of life and limb above all, perhaps. Demons are a manifestation of fear, anger, and those elements that inspire violence.

Is that what you're seeing, or is that 180 degrees off?

Jake

Hi Jake,

Another approach is plain old war-story - the brotherhood of the combat team vs. the necessity of seeing some of them die. All sorts of things play out from that, like guilt over surviving and so forth.

But I am not sure that would precisely be my choice for play while actually engaged in a combat zone.

Arguably, it might even be interesting to abandon the war context entirely, for purposes of the game. Pure suburban soccer-mom Sorcerer.

Best,
Ron

P.S. I was in Sweden for a while and most recently at GenCon. Hooking up has definitely been difficult. Send me ALL your contact info by PM, so I have it in one place, and we'll take it from there.

Jake wrote:
Now, here's the issue, then. What are demons? I see sorcerers here as the few that find themselves embroiled in some kind of violence--it has to be. Thus Humanity is defined along the lines of pacifism--respect of life and limb above all, perhaps. Demons are a manifestation of fear, anger, and those elements that inspire violence.

as an afterthought/aside, I can't think of utopia/dystopia without having flashes of Moebius' artwork dance through my skull.

I believe the venn diagram would be: [Heavy Metal [Taarna ["We have captured a Terrakian!"]]]

ain't colour grand?

Yeah, I thought about the plain old war story--you know I'll have an RPG of "real war" at some point coming out of all of this. One of the reasons I joined the Army, you know. Life Research.

That being said, I think you're right that it probably isn't the best way to go--something more escapist is probably a better idea. Soccer mom sorcerer is, well, something I hadn't thought of, though.

I want to start puting together this idea of a "safe" world. The problem is that I keep on ending up with "Demolition Man" in my head--this sort of goofy, unpleasant sort of fakey-fake peace. The idea of a soccer-mom world, oddly, appeals to me. How to make the "soccer mom world" the safe world? That's my question.

Humanity: Non-violent solutions
Demons: Rage, anger, and violence
"Setting" (for lack of a better term): A sort of Modern european/suburbian hybrid. Cafes, soccer, SUVs. Violence is simply, totally not acceptable.

But how is that enorced? And how do I make that a catalyst for conflict without making it *the* conflict? The whole idea of "there's a bad man using violence...who's going to stop it? Ah! The sorcerer PCs, who harness their violent urges to defeat evil...AARGH!" Seems way too easy to me. Too Marvel.

Jake   

Ron wrote: I was in Sweden for a while

Ron wrote:
For that post alone, I plan to buy you a drink if we ever happen to meet.

Change violence to deviation.  The suburban life is thick with rules and standards, and without these it cannot exist.  Demons threaten that by violence, crime, different ways of thought, and so on.  Demons don't just assault humanity but the idea of humanity having value.  People crave things that cannot be found in the safe, standardized suburban world.  Hence demons.

I would define Humanity in two ways.  The first is conformity.  Submission to society for its good.  Following the rules.  Obeying the home owner's covenant.  The second is identity.  Understanding of oneself.  Ability to maintain personal beliefs in opposition to the majority.  Humanity is expressed primarily in the latter way by younger individuals, who switch to the former way in adulthood.  Demons do not just break one's connection to society, but to oneself.  At humanity zero sorcerers end up understanding themselves as well as they understand demons.

Instead of setting up a fight fire with fire situation just let the players decide why their characters are violating their world.  I would suggest putting a bit of dirt under the carpet already.  Cults enslaving demons to heighten status in the community.  Disaffected teens fumbling with learning sorcery on their own.  Lodges of various fraternal orders summoning to show that they can.  Basically a lot of cocky "I can force a demon to aid me in my perfectly socially acceptable activities" attitudes.

I'd have demons be things that integrate well with the surface of placidity in the community.  Passer relatives and college buddies, Posser fads and trends, Item status symbols, and Parasite plastic surgery/medical treatments.  Things that seem normal, except for the tell.

Darcy wrote:
this obviously would play to the notion that civilians just don't "get what it means to be a soldier", something that I know was a pretty intense feeling my dad expressed on more than one occasion.

sweet idea Larry!  that makes so much sense.

You've conjured up images of walled-in burbclaves with the slavering unwashed hordes throwing themselves at the walls.

The breakwater is crubling, and the PCs are the only ones who've got the cajones to do something about it.

Sounds like the Sorcerers in this game might be rebellious teens.

Darcy wrote:

Sounds like the Sorcerers in this game might be rebellious teens.

Well, if the direct imagery is too intense, take those themes, and transplant them.

The whole premise/direction you're going in would make a kick-ass game of Sorcership Down.  Fucking right.  Sorcerer bunnies.

Burb=warren.  Go!