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metaphysics and the monster mash
Feb. 6th, 2024 11:59 pmWas pondering the classic monster mash. As in, never heard of before the 20th century.
Now, as I have observed before, vampires raise more metaphysical issues than werewolves. On the other hand, vampires on their own raise a lot fewer than a world with vampires AND movie mummies AND ghosts. All of them raise a variety of questions about life after death. For them all to be compatible stretches the metaphysics far more. Vampires move their bodies about; ghosts can't; mummies can revive their bodies after a long time. What happens when a ghost questions a mummy about what will happen when you "move on"?
Unity of setting helps avoid confusing issues.
Now, as I have observed before, vampires raise more metaphysical issues than werewolves. On the other hand, vampires on their own raise a lot fewer than a world with vampires AND movie mummies AND ghosts. All of them raise a variety of questions about life after death. For them all to be compatible stretches the metaphysics far more. Vampires move their bodies about; ghosts can't; mummies can revive their bodies after a long time. What happens when a ghost questions a mummy about what will happen when you "move on"?
Unity of setting helps avoid confusing issues.
supers and the source
Mar. 25th, 2023 10:02 pmWhere do you get your powers from, when you get them?
This is perhaps one of the greatest questions of super world-building. It can influence or even determine politics. It can implicate metaphysics. It can raise grave questions in ethics. It can box in theme.
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This is perhaps one of the greatest questions of super world-building. It can influence or even determine politics. It can implicate metaphysics. It can raise grave questions in ethics. It can box in theme.
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of men and metaphysics
Feb. 3rd, 2023 11:35 pmWhat monsters you have in the world can affect your metaphysics. Though monster differs from monster in metaphysical issue causing nature.
Men can do the same things.
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Men can do the same things.
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metaphysics and the series
Oct. 1st, 2020 11:40 pmThere are many good reasons for shoving the fictional metaphysics of your world off-stage, but one of them is that your story may turn into a series.
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necromancy and the metaphysics
May. 21st, 2020 11:38 pmYou don't actually have to do that much metaphysics to have a necromancer -- or rather, some kinds of necromancer.
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surprises and revelations
May. 20th, 2020 11:59 pmWas poking at an outline. Moving along, glancing at the image I had used for inspiration -- a man and a woman, with her helping him -- the thing is, she doesn't match any of the three women I have as characters --
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theological arguments
Jan. 19th, 2020 11:31 pmOne of the advantages of keeping your metaphysics off stage is that it allows your characters to debate metaphysics without some of them looking like fools. But one of the disadvantages of that is that they need some metaphysics to argue. Which ought to harmonize with the religion as practiced.
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mysterious metaphysics
Aug. 27th, 2019 11:35 pmI heartily approve of shoving metaphysics as far as possible off-stage for many reasons.
But it does have its effect on a fantasy Gamelit world.
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But it does have its effect on a fantasy Gamelit world.
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Was philosophically contemplating more of the whole plane stuff and metaphysics in D&D.
One thing that it would curb even in social structure is philosophical differences. One school maintaining that souls are imprisoned in matter as punishment -- one school holding that souls are created with the bodies that they animate -- one school holding to reincarnation as a punishment or reward according to situation you are born into, and another that it is a way to give every soul a chance at every situation, so that no soul, in the end, will be able to complain of not being given the same chances as other souls. If you have the planes, all the other schools are just being stupid.
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One thing that it would curb even in social structure is philosophical differences. One school maintaining that souls are imprisoned in matter as punishment -- one school holding that souls are created with the bodies that they animate -- one school holding to reincarnation as a punishment or reward according to situation you are born into, and another that it is a way to give every soul a chance at every situation, so that no soul, in the end, will be able to complain of not being given the same chances as other souls. If you have the planes, all the other schools are just being stupid.
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D&D and philosophy
Mar. 16th, 2019 11:54 pmIt's not just in alignment that D&D (and Pathfinder after it) has some -- interesting philosophy.
The planes are a host to a whole lot of issues, and rather fundamental metaphysical ones.
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The planes are a host to a whole lot of issues, and rather fundamental metaphysical ones.
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elements and dragons
Feb. 26th, 2019 11:56 pmSo in a world that's heavy on elemental magic -- in a very fundamental, metaphysical sort of way --
Are the dragons Fire creatures, or are there four kinds of dragons, earth, air, fire,water? It is a GameLit world, which are usually heavy on dragon types.
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Are the dragons Fire creatures, or are there four kinds of dragons, earth, air, fire,water? It is a GameLit world, which are usually heavy on dragon types.
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doing damage
Jan. 21st, 2019 10:53 pmWas reading a Pathfinder explanation of why you, as DM, do not want to just create a sonic equivalent of the first level wizard spell burning hands: because fire resistance is much more common than sonic resistance, the sonic one is so much better than the fire one. . .
And this is a reason not to?
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And this is a reason not to?
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