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personal meets RPGs
Aug. 2nd, 2011 08:21 amI'm shaving and start thinking about some personal stuff regarding scripts, slogans, and dogmatism, in terms of roleplaying games. One of the classic scenarios in D&D is a character with a high Int coupled with a low Wis - or a high Wis coupled with a low Int. This gets further complicated by Charisma - a swashbuckler will have a high Int, low Wis by definition, and at least an okay Cha, a half-decent cleric will probably have a good Cha to go with his high Wis, but a high Int isn't a priority. I'm also thinking of my old character Cadell, who's incredibly good hearted, but ot-nay oo-tay ight-bray.
Combining the two (I'm not very awake) gets me thinking about how characters might work with dogma.
A low to average Int, low to average Wis character might really gravitate towards slogans and dogmas. Life is just a bowl of cherries. God, Guns and Guts are what made America great. High charisma folks like Cadell tend to like the more persuasive ones. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Sometimes the fact that the person's very charismatic but not too smart or wise is a disconnect. You've had a hard day's night because you've been working eight days a week.
Higher Wis or Int is the realm of people who come up with the notable quotables. The situation of high Int or Wis, low to average Cha is the realm of very bright people who aren't necessarily that good at communicating it or alternatively choose to shut up because they're just quiet people. My experience is that most high Int/Wis types aren't the stereotypical introspective arch-genius mage, but usually have a pretty solid Cha score, which I translate to "wants to make statements and does make statements." Since real people don't come with carefully separated ability scores, it's hard to figure out what's more typical for a high Int versus a high Wis character. Both might indicate someone who could come up with something pithy and smart to say on the spot. A fascinating people, the Zulu; they defeat our armies, convert our bishops, and put an end to the greatest Empire the world has ever known. If the English have never seen a Black man, I feel sorry for them, but they do not need to stare.
If you assume Int is basically education, the high Int, high Cha person might spew erudite quotes appropriately. I'll chase him 'round Good Hope, and 'round the Horn, and 'round the Norway Maelstrom, and 'round Perdition's flames before I give him up. Not something everyone in the world decides to rattle off when they talk about revenge, y'know? A high Int or Wis person with a decent charisma might be very intentional though about how they use folksy slogans ("we shall overcome someday") because they've figured out their audience.
It's the (at least better than average) high Int, high Wis, high Cha guys who come up with the real zingers. Asatya, being unreal as well as untrue, cannot persist. Now, released from both good and evil, I have destroyed the root of karmic action and shall have no reason for action in the future, to say more than this would only cause weeping and laughter. That sort of stuff.
Combining the two (I'm not very awake) gets me thinking about how characters might work with dogma.
A low to average Int, low to average Wis character might really gravitate towards slogans and dogmas. Life is just a bowl of cherries. God, Guns and Guts are what made America great. High charisma folks like Cadell tend to like the more persuasive ones. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Sometimes the fact that the person's very charismatic but not too smart or wise is a disconnect. You've had a hard day's night because you've been working eight days a week.
Higher Wis or Int is the realm of people who come up with the notable quotables. The situation of high Int or Wis, low to average Cha is the realm of very bright people who aren't necessarily that good at communicating it or alternatively choose to shut up because they're just quiet people. My experience is that most high Int/Wis types aren't the stereotypical introspective arch-genius mage, but usually have a pretty solid Cha score, which I translate to "wants to make statements and does make statements." Since real people don't come with carefully separated ability scores, it's hard to figure out what's more typical for a high Int versus a high Wis character. Both might indicate someone who could come up with something pithy and smart to say on the spot. A fascinating people, the Zulu; they defeat our armies, convert our bishops, and put an end to the greatest Empire the world has ever known. If the English have never seen a Black man, I feel sorry for them, but they do not need to stare.
If you assume Int is basically education, the high Int, high Cha person might spew erudite quotes appropriately. I'll chase him 'round Good Hope, and 'round the Horn, and 'round the Norway Maelstrom, and 'round Perdition's flames before I give him up. Not something everyone in the world decides to rattle off when they talk about revenge, y'know? A high Int or Wis person with a decent charisma might be very intentional though about how they use folksy slogans ("we shall overcome someday") because they've figured out their audience.
It's the (at least better than average) high Int, high Wis, high Cha guys who come up with the real zingers. Asatya, being unreal as well as untrue, cannot persist. Now, released from both good and evil, I have destroyed the root of karmic action and shall have no reason for action in the future, to say more than this would only cause weeping and laughter. That sort of stuff.