Redemption

Whatever you call it -- redemption, forgiveness, pardon, absolution, mercy, quits -- this particular brand of angst is prevalent throughout our game.

The nature of the world we've created is such that no one is truly innocent. Even the most innocent among us usually has something dark that he or she is hiding. A secret weakness, a secret crime, a secret shame ... even a secret talent that maybe your parents wouldn't be so proud of if all the adults hadn't died and left us.

All of the possibilities are there. Stealing can be a more horrible crime than murder, with resources so damn scarce. Sometimes death is just a mercy in itself. Ratting somebody out is a great temptation -- you know what they've done, or you know what they've got to hide.

Our gameworld is full of bullies and heroes, but it's not so easy to tell the 2 apart. Bully and Hero both have their cadres; both have their reasons, their power, and usually their visions for what the future should be. Strangely enough, the Bully and the Hero -- at least in our world -- both seem to be motivated by some of the same deep-seated needs.

The Bully thinks s/he knows best & is actually trying to make the world better ... and maybe make up for some of the chaos s/he created along the way for those who follow.

The Hero -- at least the heroes we've experienced in our game so far -- is not the classic white hat. Our heroes tend to have dark pasts that they're making up for. Some heroes go so far as to sacrifice their lives in the pursuit of absolution. It's happened before; maybe will again. Of course there's always the Reluctant Hero, too. That's the guy or girl thrust into a position where being a hero is the only choice given. You sink or swim. After all, a lot of people are counting on you! I can think of quite a few of our characters who've been through that.

A lot of times, some of those scenarios get awfully close to reality. The descriptions, the dialogue, the motions and emotions ... are a bit more real than we're sometimes used to. But maybe that's what the game is for? Working things out, getting reactions, getting on to what comes next?

Guess our players have a lot more in common than they sometimes think ...

-Chyna