Re-voted up, cause I'm all for stuff that gets me this geeked about "fate and free will" and I love eclipse for playing with me.
Because you took the description to a meta-level, suggested that my questions were devoid of common sense and that my questions failed to comprehend the basic nature GMing.
But my questions were attempting to take the item away from the confines of GMing to an item. Because if you can only discuss the item in the terms of GMing then it becomes like your plus one sword. (nothing wrong with plus one swords) It becomes like your plus one sword because you can not move the plus sword to different medium without changing the way the sword is described. If you were to put that plus one sword in a novel or poem you could not describe it as giving the character "plus one to hit". This item description-specifically the way you expanded on it in the dismissive post- lacks verisimilitude and world building, because it is only describing a meta-level GM-player dynamic. Example:
"player on the other side will wonder if the GM, since he's a player so he know that everything in the campaign is regulated by him, gave him a real magical item or is just leading him to think that it is while they are just 3 normal coins"
Your stated goal in this piece was to write up an item that forced the characters to think about fate and morality. I had questions about your view and thus the item's perspective on fate and morality. You answer was that fate and morality are ultimately in the hands of the GM (true perhaps) and thus such questions are moot. Thus descriptions of the nature of your item are moot.
I liked the lecture, perhaps the Golgafrinchan's didn't make up that whole space goat idea. You give us the concept of the space whale. It is an interesting idea for explaining mass extinctions because it forces a view human existence that includes the humanity as citizens of the galaxy. But because the space whale is so difficult for humanity or any person to interact with the idea it is difficult to engage with. Thus like the lecturer we are left with nothing to do but throw up the hands of imaginations.
What can you say about giant untouchable (almost unknowable) space whales ( that treat our planet like a cookie jar) that sucks.
Perhaps Moby Dick and the space whale are the last elements of nature that man can not conquer and thus must turn to religion in order to understand his role in the universe? But Moby Dick and Ahab had history, a relationship. There can be no personal relationships with a star whale.
You could go out and look for Moby Dick. You could look for and physically wrestle with the embodiment of natural death living among man's violent oppression and exploitation of the natural world.
The partial story stands out a bit cause you lead with it in the teaser and open with it in the body of the piece. So going into the piece it appears like that is going to be the focus, but then it gets left behind.
I like the coin face idea. Also you should tack monster-of-the-week on to this
I do not believe that Cheka is incapable of adding people himself. If you enter 2130 into the contributor bar you can add Muro's name
This a lot of dogma and bias presented as conclusions. It is more about "playing the game" of the Citadel than sharing ideas, because the author is trying to head what he believes to be bad ideas off at the pass.
Formatting and structure are helpful points, reading on the web is easier with varied text (I find)
To be fair I never really read the joe comics either, there was a lot material in them and I always felt like I was stepping in mid stream, but all friends I grade school read the comics, so I picked up a few and you had some cosmic era type stuff in there as well. There were clones and space travel, people got shot and blown up. It was more military though than the tv show which had stronger sci-fi element. But there were GI joe transformer cross over comic which I also never read. I have tried to get into comics as Adult but just can't do it. I feel like you would really enjoy the newish transformers comic, they have adult retro- selective retelling and rationalization that is part of the cosmic era narrative .
But my real question regarding goals and audience is how do you view your audience at the citadel with regard to this post?
I know when to call spade a spade.
Please don't think I am troweling here.... But from the description of their animation and origin it sounds like they might seek to stop diggers, so undead mages or other ground dwelling super beings won't be disturbed. These could be funny antagonists for miners and grave diggers.
Items (Other) (Magical)
"what count are facts, not the apparent reason behind it. Maybe he helped the man to shame the other? Ok that's fine but what count is that he still helped while other people were doing nothing, and who knows "
This is interesting and perhaps these coins could be or are being used to realize a certain perspective of fate (monkey's paw)
How far ahead does this lucky hand look? Might you loose a card game but as a result leave the tavern before it burnt down? Would it have burnt down if you were still in there? What if the Orcs whose tracks you missed go slaughter a village that includes a baby that would have grown up to be the Necro-tyrant that covers the world in a second darkness. Does having a the hand of fate guide you to the best outcome take choice out of the equation?
"Well Rex should we take the tunnel on the left or right? What does the Hag's map say?'
Rex finger the three coins in his pocket and says, "It doesn't matter, what ever choice I make is the right one."
Go to CommentOverall I am always weary of things that let you see the hand of the GM in the game. I know a lot of players look for it, but isn't more fun when we are immersed in the game? According to the intent laid out in your teaser, these things were conceived with the idea that the players will feel the presence of the GM.