Corruption 10+

[Vortigern]

Corruption 10+ states, basically, that to survive at this corruption level you have to have already made a demonic pact, or one gets made for you with very little in the way of bargaining and benefits, just in the 'we eat your soul' variety.

While I'm not sure if I like this or not, I have to say it 'does' have a very Conan feel to it.

It does however raise a question or two to me. Does this necessarily have to be knowing the demonic pact spell and having formed a pact?

Would you exempt a scholar who knew 'Master Words & Signs' from this fate?

How about one with advanced counterspells/warding skills?

I've never liked systems that inherently give a point at which a character should be taken over as an NPC or whatnot. Like dark side points from d6 star wars, the potential for character goes away. ( Personal Opinion, I know. )

 

[kintire]

It does however raise a question or two to me. Does this necessarily have to be knowing the demonic pact spell and having formed a pact?

Nope.

Would you exempt a scholar who knew 'Master Words & Signs' from this fate?

Nope.

How about one with advanced counterspells/warding skills?

Nope.

My take on it is that magic is about forming a connection with another world and drawing power from it. Corruption is your lingering connection to that other world as wielding unearthly energies changes your very self into something more in tune with the other reality than this one. A Demonic pact connects you to a being of another reality, but at corruption 10 you are directly connected to that other reality, whether you have a pact or not. Closely connected enough that the inhabitants of that other realm can see you...

 

[Vortigern]

That seems predicated on a given understanding and metaphysic of sorcery however. ( Which, while not un-Howard, I prefer to keep such things undefined. )

But if I were forced to put my finger on it, I suppose I tend to view sorcery and magic in general from a pure 'knowledge' perspective.

I tend to look at corruption as half spiritual and half knowledge/mental. You 'know' about the outer dark, about what lives there, and thus you begin to realise how futile day to day nonsense is and instead pursue the only thing that seems worthwhile in face of your new and so very stark reality... more knowledge and sorcerous power etc.

Looking at corruption, I think it reflects the dark view of sorcery in the hyborian age very well. I just dislike the '10+ and your character goes away.' bit I suppose.

I've also found what, IMO, seems to be an over reliance on the 'demonic pact' line of spells for prereqs without allowing for the 'Master Words & Signs' types. Basically I think I'll houserule that for most things, unless it very clearly should be something that needs pact, you can substitute the MWS for the pact prereqs.

 

[Style]

Looking at corruption, I think it reflects the dark view of sorcery in the hyborian age very well. I just dislike the '10+ and your character goes away.' bit I suppose.

Then remove that rule. Simple enough.

 

[Vortigern]

Looking at corruption, I think it reflects the dark view of sorcery in the hyborian age very well. I just dislike the '10+ and your character goes away.' bit I suppose.

Then remove that rule. Simple enough.

Quite so. I am however curious what other people think of the rule as well, and as to whether I may be convinced to keep it or not etc. But yes, for the time being I think I may do that.

 

[Majestic7]

I've never liked that "soul pulled in to hell bla bla" part. However, I think it can be said that Corruption 10+ character simply has become too inhuman to be _role_played by a human. Beyond all mortal morality and sense of time and space and so forth, more akin to the Great Old Ones than humanity.

 

[Vortigern]

I've never liked that "soul pulled in to hell bla bla" part. However, I think it can be said that Corruption 10+ character simply has become too inhuman to be _role_played by a human. Beyond all mortal morality and sense of time and space and so forth, more akin to the Great Old Ones than humanity.

Hmm a fair point, I'd be willing to concede the vast majority of players would not adequately reflect such changes in their characters. Heck. Most GMs probably would have trouble getting into such a character's role to portray them well as well.

I'm not certain if I think that is an equitable reason to take someone's PC though. Especially given the way some of the sorcerous cults practically pursue corruption, like the Setites/Black Ring etc. If a player makes a Black Ring sorcerer as their character for example, achieving that otherworldliness and sorcerous might is something they obviously intended to with said character for example.

Would you think such a PC should be converted into an NPC? Or would you think such a PC should still try to remain at a given maximum of corruption or some such?

 

[Majestic7]

Would you think such a PC should be converted into an NPC? Or would you think such a PC should still try to remain at a given maximum of corruption or some such?

I'd certainly keep some maximum possible Corruption level, after which the character has simply become too alien to function with the rest of the characters in any meaningful way. However, I think it would be very interesting to play a dark sorcerer who hangs somewhere along Corruption 7 - 9 and is smart enough to understand that forces from beyond are attempting to convert him in to something else. So even though he is "evil" in all traditional sense, he must do "heroic" things to cling to remnants of his humanity or lose his soul. In game terms, earn Fate Points to buy off Corruption when it starts approaching 10. S/he could be an interesting "fight fire with fire" type of character, who thinks that all means must be used to resist things she perceives to be evil, while at the same time ignoring or not understanding the way she has become the true monster. The kind of "hero" that would be tragical if he wasn't so despicable, sacrificing virgins left and right and so forth.

 

[Voltumna]

I think it can be said that Corruption 10+ character simply has become too inhuman to be _role_played by a human.

Then just hand it to the GM, they are hardly human :wink:

 

[Spade]

I also like the "It's Just a Tool" theory, but in any universe with Cthulu connections, I vote for intrinsic, cosmic evil, which you are willingly absorbing into your cells and spirit both.

If you want to walk the path that keeps the corruption out or minimal, that's something you do before your soul is more of cancer than a weave of white light.

I've never had it come close to happening, but my take on this sort of rule has always been: At Point X, you have crossed a line. Your character is now something so different from where it started, that its someone else. If you want to keep roleplaying, that's fine, but I'm going to rewrite your character's personality and a few numbers on the sheet, and it will be a challenge to find redemption before you get killed.

- Spade