Forum Replies Created
Doug BillingslyIsn’t one of the qualities of Postmodernism to take modernist ideas and push them to extremes?
Keep in mind, I’m referring to a Postmodern magickal movement in a fictional setting. Postmodern philosophers are really not part of the discussion from my point of view.
Shawn raises a good question: How do you define evil? I feel a question more to the point would be “How do you define horror?”
Doug BillingslyI agree with you that Paradox is simply a way of accessing Magick. Specifically, it is a PostModern way of accessing it. Traditional thaumaturgy does not use seeming contradictions at all.
But then again, traditional thaumaturgy is extremely limiting. It relies completely on the Law of Transaction. While postmodern adepts also use this law, I see them a getting playing the “high-yield, high-risk” strategy on the Law of Transaction field.
Paradoxs are a contradiction (or seeming contradiction) of meaning; the human mind twists and becomes enticed when encountering them. I think a paradox would be an excellent way of turning up the symbolic volume. I see ritual as the traditional way in which magickal tension was build and made usable by magick-users.
Paradox is only a short cut. a seeming contradiction creates immediate symbolic power when the mind sorts and defines the conflicting concepts. Ritual builds symbolic power though just giving the concept sooooo much attention. If I stare long enough at one grain of salt, will it become special to me? What if I chant at the same time? How about if I stare, chant and paint perfect circles on a teddy bear’s forehead with my firstborn’s tears?
PoMo adepts keep that symbolic tension with them at all times (obsession) and so can call on that power whenever they are willing to pay the price. Traditional users have to wait for the right day to start staring at salt and collecting tears, but they don’t have to carry that tension within themselves.
Of course, PoMos can turn back to the old ways (rituals), but there is no dabbling in PoMo. You are all the way or not at all.
Anyway, a “mere horror game depicting a dead-end struggles over powers that drive you mad in the end”? I’ve run two long-term campaigns. Never had someone go socio yet, but that’s the kind of game I run. I don’t know what you are looking for or why UA is inferior because it isn’t just that. Is it the stress checks? Go play Mage or throw the stress checks out. I think the sanity system is one of the primary reasons I run UA.
Doug BillingslyProbably been said elsewhere, but Intacto represents perfectly what I see as an Occult Underground.
Also, just saw the Order. Cut and paste into an Order of St. Cecil game without even editing.
Doug BillingslyI’m with Chance on this one. My players rolled 10 sided with obvious 10s and 1s markings on them except when they rolled their obsession skills.
Doug BillingslyAny ideas on the inner workings of the church then? Like what makes a jesuit a jesuit? I can find oodles of back history, but nothing about what makes the difference today.
Doug BillingslyI use a lot of what’s been mentioned already.
Tom Waits for urban scenes.
The Alan Lomax recording of the South for rural southern adventures.
Whatever the individual group prefers for fight scenes
Swan ambient stuff like “Soundtracks for the Blind” for unnerving reality-ain’t-what-it-used-to-be-stuff
And I ran my best game for Unknown Armies by turning a Butthole Surfers song as a literal translation for an adventure.