| From: | losthalo <losthalo@********.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: FASA's On/Off Course? |
| Date: | Wed, 6 May 1998 20:52:49 -0400 |
If politics is the main focus, a bit of magic and the intrigue
>added by such things as immortal elves, always helps.
Frankly, having enormously powerful (in relation to the PCs) manipulators
behind the scenes tends to strip away the illusion of free will, and the
idea that the PCs are important to the campaign. It's the SR equivalent of
high-level types tagging along with low-level adventurers in AD&D. It can
be overdone _so_ easily. Let the PCs live their lives, involved in
intrigues on their level, etc. Let them meet a degree of magic that is 1)
appropriate to their power level, and 2) that is consistent with the world
(i.e., 1% magically active, and varying types of magicians and adepts
divide it up from there, it's rare with a capital R).
The IEs are just too much of a good thing, if used at all it must be
-sparingly-, the same as, say, dragons, or vampires... There is enormous
potential for intrigue in SR even if you are only talking about your
street-level group of runners, their fixers and contacts, and the local
crime scene. Yakuza, Mafia, Seoulpa, the Star, corps muddying their hands
hiring the various 'mobs', gangs... there is plenty of room for intrigue
there without ever bringing in magic, metahumans, or Immortal Elves. Throw
in an old enemy or three, or a questionable romance, etc. ...
More intrigue than you can shake a stick at.
I can imagine Harlequin making -an- appearance in a campaign with your
average group of street runners. Beyond that, their lives 1) should get
very difficult, as Harley is involved in shite waaaay out of their league
["What do you know about this elf? Don't tell me you know jack, you've
worked with him at least twice..."], 2) they should have their heads
examined if they willingly get involved in this stuff: "And never, ever
cut a deal with a dragon."
losthalo@********.comwhileyouarelisteningyourwillingattentionismakingyoumore
andmoreintothepersonyouwanttobecome.
"Some things are true whether you believe them or not."
