Having just seen the Matrix Reloaded trailer, I'm itching to play it, Paladin-style. I'm probably not the only one, either. ;-)

How does this look for a Code?

MINOR VOWS
Never forget that The Matrix is not real
Never kill a sleeper who is not acting under orders from an Agent
Never awaken a sleeper who isn't ready

MAJOR VOWS
Never pass up an opportunity to advance the cause of the War
Never betray a fellow Human to the clutches of the Machines

THE UNBREAKABLE VOW
Never allow the machines to discover the location of Zion.


Setting a Paladin game in The Matrix would require some tweaks to the setting; for instance, there wasn't really a concept of Dark Animus in the film. I'd circumvent this by saying that Light Animus can be explained as the sort of reality-manipulation done by enlightened Humans, while Dark Animus can be explained as the sort of reality-manipulatin done by the Agents. Because the Matrix ultimately belongs to the Machines, using too much Dark Animus can be said to play into the Agents' hands - either by giving them a signal they can track, or by giving them a toehold into your mind (like a computer virus.)

Thoughts? Comments?

Isn't the Unbreakable Vow already broken...as I recall from the trailer I saw there's about a zillion of them squiddy things burrowing into Zion in the movie...assuming you keep the movies as canon, oc.

I wanna play the Matrix, too. But I'm gonna use Donjon. Not only that, I'm writing the supplement for it, too. It should be ready by opening weekend for the movie. Boo-yah.

"assuming you keep the movies as canon, oc."

Actually, I wasn't planning on keeping the movies as canon. The movies, as cool as they are, are concerned with a big "End of the World As We Know It" plot... and continuity with someone else's timeline is not my cup of tea.

Nawww, I just want to be able to freely plunder the setting and its awesome ideas and color, metaplot be damned.

It sounds pretty interesting to me.

I can definitely see dark animus representing machine control over the Matrix, and the marks could be the representation of the machines gaining some control or influence over your Matrix avatar. Just make the marks something that would really hinder the person.

I think your first major law (Never pass up an opportunity to advance the War) is a little vague. Maybe that's intentional, but I think the characters in the movies would have been breaking it all the time by being as cautious as they were. It seems like it would encourage rather suicidal behavior, though that may be what you want.

But perhaps something like following the orders of your captain (or of Zion) might be more appropriate.