Keeping it real

[patrick]

May 17, 2008 14:32:25 GMT -5 Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev said:

I am not sure what I can do to encourage people to play as Manalist, business, or ordinary humans.

I think we need more political rebels against the Manalists right now who are not wealthy and not powerful. We probably also need more characters which serve the Manalist temples themselves.

I think: Establish Organizations, because they give people an excuse to post to other people.

Establish a political rebel group that is exclusive to non-supernatural humans, and then use that to flesh out the struggle.

If you want to see an even farther struggle of ordinary versus extraordinary there could be an established organization that works towards exterminating the supernatural races, or supernatural humans as well.

Generally exciting organizations inspire my characters, and maybe more mundane organization will encourage more mundane characters. Families of humans, human mercenary groups, and human terrorist groups for example.

Also: We need to start considering the disadvantages of being a supernatural character. Limiting powers and giving them drawbacks, social disadvantages, and resource problems for non-manalist/non-business fantasy characters.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

May 17, 2008 15:16:15 GMT -5 @patrick said:

If you want to see an even farther struggle of ordinary versus extraordinary there could be an established organization that works towards exterminating the supernatural races, or supernatural humans as well.

Ah, music to my ears. I would be simply delighted to establish a new form of the old LIF from RI that bridges the gap between that bizzare organization and the more realistic Helsinki Society of YoA.

The underlying theme is simple: normal humans using human methods to remove non-human sentient species. High science but not fantasy. Demi-god type characters *cough*Petertheowl*cough* will not be appearing among the ranks. The organization's members are balanced between fear and ability. They are normal, they fear the power of supernatural beings, but they have the means and the will to battle them.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

As far as any real organized resistance, I would like the world to be so oppressive that formal organizations do not really exist. Although there are several which are mentioned on this site. They include:

Red Infinity- communists who support Li Violette

Socialist Revolution- a small Trotksyist group of for the most part normal human beings

Null- a German nihilist terrorist group

The Enlightened Brotherhood- drug using pacifist hippies who don't do anything but use drugs and talk a lot


As for an organization which moderates the supernatural, I would be fine with this, but would like it to be a part of the Manalist religion. My idea would be that it is a secret organization within the Manalist religion which seeks to destroy all Supernatural beings...since they believe that is the will of Father Manala.

They can attack all supernatural beings that are non Manalist, and as for business owning ones...if they step out of line with their powers...they will attack them with an anti manala gun, which causes a person to be unable to use powers for one week. Since they have to somewhat support wealthy powerful supernatural beings, this is the most they can do to those characters. Poor, rebel, or non Manalist characters can be attacked, imprisoned, and even turned into human characters...that is, have their powers taken away forever. Another idea is a collar which controls their ability to use powers.

I would call this group The Wrath. All members would have to be loyal to Father Manala and human (although they can use anti Manala guns, the collars, and have other forms of power negation)


Another idea that I have is that using Manala powers actually kills a person over time. Manala energy is the source of Gray Sickness, which is why miners get sick from mining crystals. Those who use their powers too much may become insane, ugly, weak, or age....however, I would like to introduce this aspect of Manala energy to the game a little later.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Okay, I added the wrath as a group people can join. If you would like to spear head that Peter, you can. The goal is that it tries to kill all supernatural things because they feel it is the will of Father Manala. They are at this point in time more leniant to business/powerful characters since that would disrupt the world...but you can still go after them if they step out of line...just in a more mild...sort of way.

the organization will serve to moderate the use of powers and supernatural things in the rpg. They do however approve things related to Father Manala and his worship. So they wouldn't regulate powers if it was a priest or true follower of Father Manala doing what is truly in the interest of the temples.

[patrick]

I REALLY don't like that characters in The Wrath get powers. The should be completely mundane, as in the nature of the group. When I suggested something like this I was hoping for a cruel terrorist group that hunts and oppresses supernaturals with a very gritty feel to it. This feels like the next Helsinki which is a STEP BACKWARDS.

Do not approve.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

My concern is that the rpg is about drugs, religion, capitalism, and the role religion plays in propping up an economic system. As long as this is being accomplished in the rpg, I really care little about the details.

I think so far this has been accomplished, since most posts are about business related things, some things related to drugs, and so on. It seems maybe if there is an area that is lacking it is perhaps no enough religious followers of Manalism.

Now, I did the Wrath as I did, since I would encourage people to play as Manalists...but something which seems unattractive to people. I can change it so they don't get powers, but anti power sort of devices, which to me was a way to regulate the use of powers in the rpg...since all characters with powers would have to worry about this group coming after them.

I wouldn't mind more terrorists or rebels in general, of the non supernatural sort...but, to me at least, most human terrorists would probably focus on attacking business or religious institutions rather than supernatural beings....

[patrick]

I want:
Poor mundanes versus Wealthy supernaturals

This organization creates:
Wealthy supernaturals versus Poor supernaturals

I was really hoping for a poor, mundane, KKK-esque organization that oppresses fantasy characters. I wanted a mundane group for people to join, if only one, that doesn't require you to be a soldier, android, or supernatural. I wanted to fill it with poor human characters and let them have fun together.

I wanted poor mundanes to resist.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Well, that is an interesting idea. I guess that not all humans would see that the cause of their problems is Manalism or the economics of everything. I could add another group of somewhat poor and uneducated people who blame everything on supernatural beings. I will have to think about that a little....

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Tell me what you would call the group and any other ideas that you have and I will add that one as well.

[patrick]

May 18, 2008 16:33:15 GMT -5 Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev said:

Well, that is an interesting idea. I guess that not all humans would see that the cause of their problems is Manalism or the economics of everything.

I was under the impression that the majority of the world followed Manalism, supported it, and were born into it.


As far as ideas for an organization I have no ideas now. I'll get a hold of you with a PM later.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Alright, you can head up this group if you don't mind, invent a name and you will probably need a character who is sort of the leader or at least the key contact person for new people who join the group.

I will add it to the information when it is complete.

I would do it myself, but I will probably be managing other groups in the game.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Alright, so I will keep the Wrath as a group as I have already listed them...

But I will add the Human Liberation Front as a anti supernatural group of weak humans.

[Jack Kruschev]

hardcore and whatnot...

[Alrick Vayne - The Void]

I'll be first to admit I was brought on in RI to play a high-powered assassin character and my initial interest in the RP was the fact that it was a high-power setting and it was ridiculously easy for me to break.

Different strokes for different folks and all that, but I tend to gravitate towards more fantastic, high-powered games (as my projects with tabletop roleplay creation will show). I just wasn't as interested in YoA because I'm honestly not too interested in playing a normal person. I am a normal person. I roleplay to do something different.

That being said, I'm digging the social and political machination aspect, that's always been able to hold my interest. But again, I like play at the upper echelon of society in terms of wealth, status, and supernatural ability. I'm all for the class struggle and organizations against supernatural beings (I suggest the more organized ones make use of suppressant technology to bring the supernatural beings down to their level), but I'll be watching at the top, wining and dining the other rich bastards thanks all the same.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

Let's see, I am trying to think of what the rpg needs right now. I wouldn't mind some members for Das Ende..

maybe more political characters like anarchists and such..

or members of Red Infinity.

I think that is what is lacking at the moment.