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+ Wind in the Flowers: Re-inventing a Game
+
+
+ The Emperor to Come
+
+*R. Sean Borgstrom*
+January 31, 2002
+
+
+Much of the *Nobilis* setting draws its passion and temper from the
+character of Lord Entropy, the anointed ruler of the material Earth.
+Callous, oppressive, and indisputably malevolent, he has created a
+government and code of law that reflects his own nature. He sanctions
+sevenfold vengeance, extends the protections of his law to the enemies
+of all Creation, and forbids the Nobilis love. He embodies the concepts
+of Destruction, Desecration, and Scorn. Because of his existence, these
+things afflict the Earth.
+
+*Nobilis* pursues a value-neutral approach towards such entities as Lord
+Entropy. Destruction, Desecration, and Scorn are ugly things, but also a
+part of the natural order of Creation. For player characters, loyal in
+some sense to the universe, Lord Entropy is not the enemy -- he is a
+cruel lord, but not an inadequate one. He makes a fine villain for
+characters who simply /must/ foment rebellion -- but in most games, he
+is not a villain at all. Rather, he represents an unpleasant part of the
+order of things. He is a natural force that one cooperates with or works
+around.
+
+*Nobilis* is not a horror game. I've always intended that it be a game
+of wonder and horror, balancing the ugly elements of the setting with
+beauty. Getting strong reactions out of players -- terror in a horror
+game, fascination in a game of mystery or conspiracy, romantic fantasy
+in a romance, the spiritual experience in a religious game -- depends
+entirely on the person running the game. /I/ can't directly put wonder
+and horror into *Nobilis*. Instead, I must produce a toolkit that the
+player group can use to evoke those reactions. That's one of the central
+purposes of both mechanics and setting.
+
+In this respect, placing Lord Entropy alone at the pinnacle of Earthly
+power was a mistake. You can use him easily to invoke a sense of horror,
+but he just won't take the players' breath away with the beauty, wonder,
+and scope of his nature. He is a single point of darkness in a key area
+of the setting, with no brightness to mitigate it. At the same time, I
+found his place in the world a very useful tool during game design.
+
+For example, Lord Entropy's code of law forbids love. (Specifically, to
+the Nobilis -- half-divine beings and the default character type.) This
+isn't a physical law, nor is Lord Entropy omnipotent. Characters can
+break the law, and can even get away with it. At the same time, Lord
+Entropy is powerful and cunning, providing powerful incentive to follow
+his code. This combination of traits gives much more significance to the
+decision to love. Every time one of the Nobilis gives their heart, even
+in relative secrecy and safety, it forms the core of a powerful and
+dynamic story. Weakening Lord Entropy's power base weakens that story.
+
+Similarly, because Lord Entropy extends the protection of his law to the
+enemies of Creation -- the Excrucians -- launching a preemptive strike
+against that enemy takes on new significance. Instead of a tactical
+decision, the choice whether to gather evidence against the enemy or
+attack prematurely becomes a real, meaningful choice.
+
+In the Hogshead edition, therefore, I set out to create a thematic
+balance for Lord Entropy in the topmost levels of Earth's power
+structure -- without balancing his temporal power. The first edition
+offered a useful tool: the "Council of Four," an august governing body
+to which Lord Entropy belonged. The combined decision of the three other
+members could thwart him -- although this didn't happen very often.
+
+The new edition introduces the character of *Ananda*, who sits on the
+Council of Four. He shines with a terrible glory. Humans and the weaker
+Nobilis cannot enter his presence lest his countenance drive them mad
+with joy. The world sings in his presence. Grass and trees become
+crystal instruments. Concrete buildings clamor out hard-edged refrains.
+Birds pour out symphony after symphony, until their hearts burst from
+the strain.
+
+Some of you may wonder why we would choose such a stark and hostile form
+of beauty for a character intended to balance out a monster. In fact, in
+his original conception, Ananda had a kind beauty, a tame beauty, a
+loveliness to put one in mind of rainbows and waterfalls. From the
+perspective of /my/ injecting beauty into the game, that would have
+worked. As soon as the first words went onto the page, though, it became
+clear that, as part of a toolkit for creating wonder, that idea didn't
+work at all.
+
+The members of the Council of Four, I discovered, need stark detail and
+absolute magnificence. Anything less would less would compromise the
+feel of the game. *Nobilis* postulates that many of the /player
+characters/ have personal presence exceeding that of Napoleon or
+Elizabeth I. Ananda stands several steps higher on the ladder of
+authority. Further, members of the Council of Four must play a small
+role in the game. (Why overshadow the player characters?) Since Ananda
+should rarely appear "on screen," the person running the game has very
+little time to make an impact with him. Thus, his beauty strikes like a
+thunderbolt; it does not drift to the senses in gentle waves.
+
+Ananda is a creature of conscience. In this, he is unique on the Council
+of Four. (When creating Ananda, I did not know this for sure -- but, in
+response to a playtester request, we've added a short box describing the
+other two members. Now, I know.) He represents a court of last resort --
+a final hope for Nobilis desperate for justice or succor. He is a
+benevolent administrator who might take action in a worthy character's
+name.
+
+So that Ananda does not become a panacea, an escape from all the terrors
+of the setting, we limited his authority. Ananda knows of an
+"unacceptable" horror that will come to pass if he casts his vote
+directly against Lord Entropy's in Council. His greatest protest against
+Entropy's actions is an abstention. Ananda must abstain, and the other
+two members of the Council vote against Lord Entropy, for the Council to
+overrule Lord Entropy's decisions. Ananda remains one of the four
+Imperators directly charged with governance over the Nobilis and the
+mortal world, but his inability to vote his conscience limits his power
+base.
+
+Ananda, like the other members of the Council of Four, is an Imperator
+-- a great spirit, the essence of several fundamental concepts of the
+world, served by several of the Nobilis. He embodies the concepts of
+Murder, the Infinite, and the Fourth Age. The Fourth Age immediately
+follows the current era; when the very nature of the world next changes,
+Ananda's essence will pervade reality. For this reason, many call him
+the Emperor to Come.
+
+*Nobilis* does not insist on an explanation for the groups of concepts
+that the Imperators embody. However, one might reasonably believe that
+Ananda is the essence of murder because the Excrucians seek to murder
+Creation -- the Third Age, the current Age, /could/ end with the death
+of all worlds. Similarly, the Third Age could end with the Excrucians'
+utter defeat. The universe could then, in theory, endure indefinitely;
+this would explain why he embodies the essence of the Infinite.
+
+Since *Nobilis* detailed Lord Entropy's home -- his "Chancel," a pocket
+reality he created -- the new edition also describes Ananda's Chancel.
+This is the Cityback, a vast world hidden behind modern cities. The
+Cityback is home to wild flora, fauna, and urbana (living elements of
+urban life, such as scavenger shopping carts), as well as Ananda's
+"ombudsmen." These ombudsmen help the modern world function. For
+example, Ananda's ombudsmen protect and facilitate the mysterious
+process by which cows become packages of plastic-covered meat at
+supermarkets across the world.
+
+The Council of Four remains a dark and oppressive institution. Ananda's
+addition to the world does not change this. Still, by taking his place
+on the Council, by building the Cityback, and by being Ananda, he brings
+hope to the world.
+
+
+R. Sean
+
+
+ What do you think? <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88>
+
+Go to forum! <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88>
+ Go to Top <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88> | New Topic
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/post.php?f=88> | View Threads
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88&collapse=0> | Search
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/search.php?f=88>
+
+ Topics Author Date Latest Reply
+ James and the Small Caps
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=81&t=81> (2) new Kibo
+08-20-2002 16:29 02-10-2003 01:23 new
+ Art <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=77&t=77> (1) new Lxndr
+04-26-2002 07:36 04-26-2002 07:36 new
+ The Original Nobilis Club
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=76&t=76> (3) new Bret Gillan
+04-17-2002 11:28 03-17-2003 17:48 new
+ Questions & Thoughts
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=64&t=64> (3) new Pyske
+03-20-2002 18:31 05-01-2003 13:03 new
+ Noble Buddhism?
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=61&t=61> (9) new Tlaloc
+03-20-2002 12:17 12-10-2004 01:20 new
+ Noble Suicide <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=58&t=58> (9) new
+Eric Christian Berg 03-20-2002 07:43 01-18-2005 16:27 new
+ Art Notes <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=54&t=54> (4) new R.
+Sean Borgstrom 03-14-2002 16:31 03-21-2002 03:44 new
+ Ack...you just lost my sale
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=45&t=45> (10) new SteveD
+03-14-2002 04:06 03-15-2002 06:29 new
+ Onomastikon working URL
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=36&t=36> (4) new Jorge
+Hernández 03-06-2002 12:51 08-20-2002 16:10 new
+ Why do angels change names ?
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=33&t=33> (10) new philippe
+tromeur 03-06-2002 10:13 12-10-2004 01:34 new
+ R. Sean, some examples?
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=32&t=32> (3) new Arref
+03-05-2002 08:17 03-13-2002 20:28 new
+ Sounds great, BUT...
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=28&t=28> (2) new Kane
+02-27-2002 16:43 02-27-2002 17:30 new
+ Sort of backwards?
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=21&t=21> (8) new Eric Finley
+02-20-2002 14:25 02-28-2002 09:35 new
+ Programmer nature slips out!
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=20&t=20> (2) new Sean
+McCarthy 02-20-2002 13:18 02-21-2002 10:30 new
+ Object Lesson Damage
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=15&t=15> (1) new Darren
+Miguez 02-13-2002 12:45 02-13-2002 12:45 new
+ How about this?
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=12&t=12> (2) new Kristian
+Lund 02-13-2002 11:30 02-14-2002 01:17 new
+ Now, this was strange!
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=9&t=9> (7) new access.denied
+02-13-2002 07:44 02-16-2002 21:44 new
+ Briefs on the other two?
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=5&t=5> (5) new Eric Finley
+01-31-2002 18:39 02-13-2002 10:36 new
+ Forum now works <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=4&t=4> (1) new
+Sandy Antunes 01-31-2002 17:36 01-31-2002 17:36 new
+ limited series <http://www.rpg.net/pf/read.php?f=88&i=1&t=1> (2) new
+Sandy Antunes 01-21-2002 17:41 01-31-2002 17:36 new
+
+ Go to Top <http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88> | New Topic
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/post.php?f=88> | View Threads
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88&collapse=0> | Search
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/search.php?f=88>
+
+ Newer Messages
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88&t=81&a=1&> | Older Messages
+<http://www.rpg.net/pf/list.php?f=88&t=1&a=2&>
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+ * Editing, Development, and Production
+ </news+reviews/columns/wind27mar02.html>
+ March 27, 2002
+ * Affiliations </news+reviews/columns/wind20mar02.html>
+ March 20, 2002
+ * How to be a Hollyhock God </news+reviews/columns/wind13mar02.html>
+ March 13, 2002
+ * Naming Conventions </news+reviews/columns/wind06mar02.html>
+ March 6, 2002
+ * Art Notes </news+reviews/columns/wind27feb02.html>
+ February 27, 2002
+ * Dynamic Nobilis </news+reviews/columns/wind20feb02.html>
+ February 20, 2002
+ * Systems Change </news+reviews/columns/wind13feb02.html>
+ February 13, 2002
+ * Treachery </news+reviews/columns/wind06feb02.html>
+ February 6, 2002
+ * The Emperor to Come </news+reviews/columns/wind31jan02.html>
+ January 31, 2002
+ * The Changing of the Guard </news+reviews/columns/wind21jan02.html>
+ January 21, 2002
+
+
+ Other columns </news+reviews/columns.html> at RPGnet
+
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