Mugwump
2011-05-05, 08:22 PM
Introduction
In many, many stories, there are three classes of people: the heroes, the villains, and the helpless civilians. That's fine and dandy, but what irritates me is what distinguishes the three from one another.
It's an widely accepted fact that the villain is the one who goes around kicking puppies and burning villages. It's also widely accepted that the hero is the one who tries to stop him.
I have a two problems with that.
First, why is the hero always reactionary? A truly valiant soul would take action before the badness comes his way. A true hero does it not because the villain does something bad to him, but because it is right.
Second, it's always something that makes the hero special. Be it destiny or just general awesomeness, the hero is always the best of the best.
This bothers me because some heroes don't need super special powers to be moral victors: they're just good people.
However, it's oh so satisfying to play as an unstoppable juggernaut.
What does one do?
Simple. Numbers.
Evil is attractive because it's easy: you get what you want, when you want it, and for very little effort. Apathy is easy because it doesn't require effort on your part and doesn't put a strain on your conscience. Good is hard, as it requires you to forfeit yourself for the sake of others.
This is Karmelex. A terrifying, high magic, high technology world that addresses the issues of ethics and free will in gaming.
The "Commandments" of Karmelex
By commandments, I mean the simple points that make up a campaign in Karmelex. Anyway...
KARMELEX SHALT:
1) Be a very high magic, high technology world. There are few restrictions on what kind of powers any one person can have at a time if they work at it.
2) Be a cold, horrifying, wretched place. Karmelex is depressing. There are some real scumbags out in the world, and most decent people are too afraid to do anything but turn their heads and walk on by.
KARMELEX SHALT NOT:
1) Restrict the cool stuff to the good guys. The forces of good can and must have awesome powers, but nothing stops evil from having them as well. As a matter of fact, since evil has greater numbers than good, it can more effectively use them.
2) Limit creativity. There are more solutions to a problem than killing and maiming. Diplomacy is there for a reason.
3) Be utterly hopeless. Even if the world is terrible, there are still a good few who keep the world going another day. Not all goblins must be evil, after all.
The Basic of the World
Okay, you've heard me talk about the basics and background. Let's talk setting. Keep in mind that this are the bare basics. More will be posted later.
Karmelex is one of many planets among many galaxies in the mortal realm of somsoc, which is but one universe within the multiverse of Rothua.
Karmlex is special, however, since it is the oldest planet and the center of all operations on many other planets.
Karmelex had intelligent life on it before some planets even existed. In that time, the secrets of alchemy, magic, technology, nature, and many other things have been unlocked. Things such as magically enhanced crops and manufactured immortality have allowed Karmelex to maintain a population of seventy-two trillion. Everywhere you turn there is a miracle of the arts or science. To an outsider, Karmelex looks like paradise.
Nevertheless, Karmelex's golden age is merely a gilded age.
One would think that everything is well on Karmelex, but the discovery of all these wonderful things has changed everything but human nature. Crime is commonplace, a cold war is brewing between the Ravessan Empire and the Parpian States.
Not only do humans fight, but so do the gods and angels.
The gods don't stay behind their curtain, they come down and mingle in the mortal realm just as, if not more often, than they do in their heavenly homes. They use Karmelex and other mortal planets as places for their battlegrounds.
What shall it be? Karmelex and the other planets are beyond help, but are you willing to sacrifice your time, life, and potentially your soul to fight for a planet that will not remember you, or will you succumb to the debauchery around you?
More to come. Next up is cosmology, gods, and the origins of the universe.
In many, many stories, there are three classes of people: the heroes, the villains, and the helpless civilians. That's fine and dandy, but what irritates me is what distinguishes the three from one another.
It's an widely accepted fact that the villain is the one who goes around kicking puppies and burning villages. It's also widely accepted that the hero is the one who tries to stop him.
I have a two problems with that.
First, why is the hero always reactionary? A truly valiant soul would take action before the badness comes his way. A true hero does it not because the villain does something bad to him, but because it is right.
Second, it's always something that makes the hero special. Be it destiny or just general awesomeness, the hero is always the best of the best.
This bothers me because some heroes don't need super special powers to be moral victors: they're just good people.
However, it's oh so satisfying to play as an unstoppable juggernaut.
What does one do?
Simple. Numbers.
Evil is attractive because it's easy: you get what you want, when you want it, and for very little effort. Apathy is easy because it doesn't require effort on your part and doesn't put a strain on your conscience. Good is hard, as it requires you to forfeit yourself for the sake of others.
This is Karmelex. A terrifying, high magic, high technology world that addresses the issues of ethics and free will in gaming.
The "Commandments" of Karmelex
By commandments, I mean the simple points that make up a campaign in Karmelex. Anyway...
KARMELEX SHALT:
1) Be a very high magic, high technology world. There are few restrictions on what kind of powers any one person can have at a time if they work at it.
2) Be a cold, horrifying, wretched place. Karmelex is depressing. There are some real scumbags out in the world, and most decent people are too afraid to do anything but turn their heads and walk on by.
KARMELEX SHALT NOT:
1) Restrict the cool stuff to the good guys. The forces of good can and must have awesome powers, but nothing stops evil from having them as well. As a matter of fact, since evil has greater numbers than good, it can more effectively use them.
2) Limit creativity. There are more solutions to a problem than killing and maiming. Diplomacy is there for a reason.
3) Be utterly hopeless. Even if the world is terrible, there are still a good few who keep the world going another day. Not all goblins must be evil, after all.
The Basic of the World
Okay, you've heard me talk about the basics and background. Let's talk setting. Keep in mind that this are the bare basics. More will be posted later.
Karmelex is one of many planets among many galaxies in the mortal realm of somsoc, which is but one universe within the multiverse of Rothua.
Karmlex is special, however, since it is the oldest planet and the center of all operations on many other planets.
Karmelex had intelligent life on it before some planets even existed. In that time, the secrets of alchemy, magic, technology, nature, and many other things have been unlocked. Things such as magically enhanced crops and manufactured immortality have allowed Karmelex to maintain a population of seventy-two trillion. Everywhere you turn there is a miracle of the arts or science. To an outsider, Karmelex looks like paradise.
Nevertheless, Karmelex's golden age is merely a gilded age.
One would think that everything is well on Karmelex, but the discovery of all these wonderful things has changed everything but human nature. Crime is commonplace, a cold war is brewing between the Ravessan Empire and the Parpian States.
Not only do humans fight, but so do the gods and angels.
The gods don't stay behind their curtain, they come down and mingle in the mortal realm just as, if not more often, than they do in their heavenly homes. They use Karmelex and other mortal planets as places for their battlegrounds.
What shall it be? Karmelex and the other planets are beyond help, but are you willing to sacrifice your time, life, and potentially your soul to fight for a planet that will not remember you, or will you succumb to the debauchery around you?
More to come. Next up is cosmology, gods, and the origins of the universe.