Maralais
2012-02-02, 07:36 PM
So I was just trying to make up a random campaign world to play a one-shot game, then I had this interesting idea. It started something like this:
This Universe is quite similar to ours... Except it doesn't have metaphysical theories, for the substance underlying all of Creation is well known: Will. It was with Will that the Universe created itself, it was with Will that Planets were formed, with Will that life began and with Will, that creatures advanced.
So basically, wishing something to be the way you want it is enough to make it so in this universe, if your Will happens to be powerful enough. Of course, there are limitations.
So What is Will?
Here, Will is used with the exact meaning that Schopenhauer uses it, as a human's most familiar designation for the concept that can also be signified by other words such as "desire," "striving," "wanting," "effort," and "urging.". It is an energy that touches the very fabric of the Universe itself, and bends it, sometimes breaks it. There are several levels of Will, and the higher level one's Will is, the more he is capable of.
0: No posession of will whatsoever, inanimate, lifeless.
1: Simply capable of existing, the level a normal human in our universe would have if he was living on this one.
2: The point where one surpasses being a simple human, does acts that seem impossible, but not too much. A man surviving a rather long fall or staying alive after deadly wounds could be included here. Laws of physics are still intact.
3: The breaking point of reality, it is obvious that someone of this level is beyond the laws of physics, yet he either isn't capable enough to break them completely, or doesn't know he can.
4: This is the point where one starts to bend the Universe to his will. He is capable of many feats, most of them unbelievable, but there are still things that block him.
5: This is the point where the laws of physics go cry in a corner. It is the superhero level, the level where the only things limiting one's capability are the presence of a higher Will, or the limit of one's knowledge.
6: This is the God level, where one can create whole planets by just wishing so.
7: Advanced God(yes, a nod to Douglas Adams), the Will of the Universe itself, omnipotent and omniscient.
The allotment into these levels are determined by some factors: One's actual power in terms of Will, one's self-confidence that what he wishes is in fact possible and whether another one's Will is trying to stop him or not. If there is in fact someone trying to stop someone else shaping the Universe, their wills clash: In terms of game mechanics, they make an Opposed Will Check, which is basically [level of Will]d6+appropriate modifiers vs [level of Will]d6+appropriate modifiers. As you can guess, I haven't decided on all the modifiers for now.
The Main Classes
Of course, Will is present in the most advanced lifeforms on the planet where our stories are told as well. In fact, they have found two ways of using it to shape the Creation itself.
First, is the Way of the Inspirationists. They shape the world with their raw imagination, and only need to imagine something thoroughly to create it. Of course, this applies to higher levels, which is rather hard to reach.
The way this applies to the game mechanics is this:
Those who possess a level 3 Will can create anything, if they have the appropriate materials(think of the equivalent exchange in Fullmetal Alchemist, except this time no circles) and some starting point. For example, a character wants to create a powerful wind, they at first need some sort of wind to find inspiration(however small it is), and if they want to create a sword, they need enough metal and some sort of an inspiration for the sword, be it a part of a broken sword, an actual sword nearby or a modal of a sword. This is of course subject to DM's judgement. This power is unlimited.
Those who posess a level 4 Will neither need a starting point nor appropriate items. They must not exceed their own weight and volume though, and they can't create too big or microscopic things. For example, they cannot create cells because they do not posess the knowledge of cells, nor can they make a building out of thin air, it is too big for them. They get tired and need a rest after creating too much this way.
Level 5 Will is identical to level 4, except you can create ten times your weight and volume, and you can do this indefinitely.
Level 6 is limitless.
Second is the Logicists, they do not create with their imagination, but they fool the logic itself into bending to their will. Their way is much easier in terms of creativity compared to the Inspirationists, but it is much more limited.
The Logicists go from the idea that the Universe is what we think it is, and abuse this idea. They use false axioms and logical fallacies to prove that something impossible is in fact, impossible, and making it so via their Will. So Logicist could say that the Universe is merely what is interpreted by our senses, and use this axiom to prove that what they cannot see, hear, or feel doesn't exist, thus destroying said thing, say, an enemy that is trying to kill them. Of course, using this technique this way is possible only for the best.
Actually, I don't know how exactly I can allocate the abilities of this class to different levels of Will. Some help would be appriciated.
It goes without saying that level 1 and 2 are too weak to use these powers, and level 6 and beyond is just game-breaking.
The world I have in mind is world where no person higher than level 5 has ever existed, though there are many level 4s(And "leveling up" is almost nonexistant, as increasing one's Willpower so greatly requires an epic event), so there is a power struggle between different organizations to stay alive, and there is no solid government. Though I still need much to flesh this idea out, also a proper gaming system.
This Universe is quite similar to ours... Except it doesn't have metaphysical theories, for the substance underlying all of Creation is well known: Will. It was with Will that the Universe created itself, it was with Will that Planets were formed, with Will that life began and with Will, that creatures advanced.
So basically, wishing something to be the way you want it is enough to make it so in this universe, if your Will happens to be powerful enough. Of course, there are limitations.
So What is Will?
Here, Will is used with the exact meaning that Schopenhauer uses it, as a human's most familiar designation for the concept that can also be signified by other words such as "desire," "striving," "wanting," "effort," and "urging.". It is an energy that touches the very fabric of the Universe itself, and bends it, sometimes breaks it. There are several levels of Will, and the higher level one's Will is, the more he is capable of.
0: No posession of will whatsoever, inanimate, lifeless.
1: Simply capable of existing, the level a normal human in our universe would have if he was living on this one.
2: The point where one surpasses being a simple human, does acts that seem impossible, but not too much. A man surviving a rather long fall or staying alive after deadly wounds could be included here. Laws of physics are still intact.
3: The breaking point of reality, it is obvious that someone of this level is beyond the laws of physics, yet he either isn't capable enough to break them completely, or doesn't know he can.
4: This is the point where one starts to bend the Universe to his will. He is capable of many feats, most of them unbelievable, but there are still things that block him.
5: This is the point where the laws of physics go cry in a corner. It is the superhero level, the level where the only things limiting one's capability are the presence of a higher Will, or the limit of one's knowledge.
6: This is the God level, where one can create whole planets by just wishing so.
7: Advanced God(yes, a nod to Douglas Adams), the Will of the Universe itself, omnipotent and omniscient.
The allotment into these levels are determined by some factors: One's actual power in terms of Will, one's self-confidence that what he wishes is in fact possible and whether another one's Will is trying to stop him or not. If there is in fact someone trying to stop someone else shaping the Universe, their wills clash: In terms of game mechanics, they make an Opposed Will Check, which is basically [level of Will]d6+appropriate modifiers vs [level of Will]d6+appropriate modifiers. As you can guess, I haven't decided on all the modifiers for now.
The Main Classes
Of course, Will is present in the most advanced lifeforms on the planet where our stories are told as well. In fact, they have found two ways of using it to shape the Creation itself.
First, is the Way of the Inspirationists. They shape the world with their raw imagination, and only need to imagine something thoroughly to create it. Of course, this applies to higher levels, which is rather hard to reach.
The way this applies to the game mechanics is this:
Those who possess a level 3 Will can create anything, if they have the appropriate materials(think of the equivalent exchange in Fullmetal Alchemist, except this time no circles) and some starting point. For example, a character wants to create a powerful wind, they at first need some sort of wind to find inspiration(however small it is), and if they want to create a sword, they need enough metal and some sort of an inspiration for the sword, be it a part of a broken sword, an actual sword nearby or a modal of a sword. This is of course subject to DM's judgement. This power is unlimited.
Those who posess a level 4 Will neither need a starting point nor appropriate items. They must not exceed their own weight and volume though, and they can't create too big or microscopic things. For example, they cannot create cells because they do not posess the knowledge of cells, nor can they make a building out of thin air, it is too big for them. They get tired and need a rest after creating too much this way.
Level 5 Will is identical to level 4, except you can create ten times your weight and volume, and you can do this indefinitely.
Level 6 is limitless.
Second is the Logicists, they do not create with their imagination, but they fool the logic itself into bending to their will. Their way is much easier in terms of creativity compared to the Inspirationists, but it is much more limited.
The Logicists go from the idea that the Universe is what we think it is, and abuse this idea. They use false axioms and logical fallacies to prove that something impossible is in fact, impossible, and making it so via their Will. So Logicist could say that the Universe is merely what is interpreted by our senses, and use this axiom to prove that what they cannot see, hear, or feel doesn't exist, thus destroying said thing, say, an enemy that is trying to kill them. Of course, using this technique this way is possible only for the best.
Actually, I don't know how exactly I can allocate the abilities of this class to different levels of Will. Some help would be appriciated.
It goes without saying that level 1 and 2 are too weak to use these powers, and level 6 and beyond is just game-breaking.
The world I have in mind is world where no person higher than level 5 has ever existed, though there are many level 4s(And "leveling up" is almost nonexistant, as increasing one's Willpower so greatly requires an epic event), so there is a power struggle between different organizations to stay alive, and there is no solid government. Though I still need much to flesh this idea out, also a proper gaming system.