02-08-2017, 03:25 PM
I've been working on various storylines for the Veil of Entropy module for Cohorts. One of the storylines involves a basic hatred between two NPC factions. Players can choose to help one side or the other in order to gain benefits from either faction. Players can even try to play a warmonger role and try to play off both sides against each other for other random benefits. And yes, attempting to reconcile the two warring factions is also an option, but it's a long arduous journey to pull that off.
In Veil of Entropy, two of the warring factions are based on Vampires and Werewolves. Yes, it's been done a million times before but would it have been any different had I called them the Hatfields and McCoys or the Oilkins and Waterfolk? Personally, I find comfort in immediately understanding that these afflicted species hate one another but other people seem to think this is just another worn out trope.
Other similar hatred can be found between the Auctioneers (slavers) and the Fair Trader's Union (merchants with morals) as well as Warmongers and Freedom Fighters. Are these inter-factional wars any more interesting because they don't play up to the stereotypical hatreds that we are fed regularly in books and movies? Personally, I don't think so. They're based on motivations that we can understand and get behind, one way or another. It's what you do with them and how they affect the overall story that makes them interesting (to me).
Why am I writing this? Well, one of the people that have access to the game's backstory went off on me for being too predictable. This seemed like as good a place as any to vent.
In Veil of Entropy, two of the warring factions are based on Vampires and Werewolves. Yes, it's been done a million times before but would it have been any different had I called them the Hatfields and McCoys or the Oilkins and Waterfolk? Personally, I find comfort in immediately understanding that these afflicted species hate one another but other people seem to think this is just another worn out trope.
Other similar hatred can be found between the Auctioneers (slavers) and the Fair Trader's Union (merchants with morals) as well as Warmongers and Freedom Fighters. Are these inter-factional wars any more interesting because they don't play up to the stereotypical hatreds that we are fed regularly in books and movies? Personally, I don't think so. They're based on motivations that we can understand and get behind, one way or another. It's what you do with them and how they affect the overall story that makes them interesting (to me).
Why am I writing this? Well, one of the people that have access to the game's backstory went off on me for being too predictable. This seemed like as good a place as any to vent.