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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Trickstergod" data-source="post: 1251134" data-attributes="member: 10825">I think the world would essentially exists as is. Most people have no concept of level. We would have enough trouble placing a level on our selves, much less other people. For that matter, realize that some of those vicious, nasty monsters out here cannot be killed by mundane medieval weaponry, but instead, require special materials or magic to harm in the first place - at least, if one hopes to have much success against them. Furthermore, we have plenty of people who could be termed as "high level" characters in the real world. Military specialists, martial arts experts, hardcore survivalists, and all other sorts, individuals who can do some fairly impressive stuff. And how much effect do they have on the world at large? Well, most of the time, it's not so grand of an impact. Individuals who would be closer to 1st through 5th level Aristocrats and Experts typically have greater sway than those who we could approximate as level 10-15 Fighters, Warriors and Rogues. But that's, of course, just taking into account the more mundane classes, those who don't have the capacity for 9th level spells, the ability to fly into the air and create a poisonous, billowing cloud of death for most of those whom it touches. So what about the effect of those high power individuals who can ensorcel the mind and lay waste to cities more or less by them self? My general take is this: Sorcerers and Wizards are, for the most part, reclusive scholars or interested in other affairs than this world. At the very least, they would rarely display themselves openly. When they have an effect on the world, it's from behind the throne. There's a reason they have those charm spells, after all, and by not being the visible face of rulership, they can avoid some of the nastier parts of the role - such as rebellion and assassination, just to name a couple. I also don't see blatant displays of power being overly common from them, at least common enough that it would drastically alter the world. A good many medieval folk held various superstitions and fears without necessarily any validity to them in the first place; the difference in a world with high level arcane casters would mainly be, in my mind, that those superstitions were true, and those yarns spun around the hearth likely would be as well. After all, while a kingdom may not have much to worry about from a lone high level fighter, that lone wizard may. Where hordes of 4th level warriors may cut down the high level fighter (assuming no magical gear) and not be much of a threat to the high level wizard, that high level fighter does become a threat to the high level wizard. So some of the potentially drastic alterations high level spellcasters might bring in are reduced, in part, because there still are folk who, while possibly not an army in and of themselves, are capable of giving the spellcasters themselves a pretty bad day. Depending on the circumstances, of course. As for priests, whether clerical or druidic, I'm of the opinion that they're generally going to be involved in one cause or another. They're likely not going to be too involved in politics, even amongst their own church, as they just don't have the time to be insuring the tithes are in and that all the apprentices are properly trained, or what have you. If they were, and were high level, they'd more likely be Experts than Clerics. And this all goes back to high level characters keeping each other in check. For every Saladin, there's a Richard the Lionhearted. So to put a different spin on the initial question of what effect do high level characters and their path to power have on the individual and society, well, it could just as readily be asked with the modern spin of "Just what effect does extensive martial arts or military training have on the psychology of the individual and society on the whole?" In regards to society, I'd say...not too much. Those folk are admired to be sure, or reviled, or what have you, but our own worlds equivalents of the high level characters rarely have too strong of an influence upon the world, at least in any direct and obvious manner. As for the individual...well, I'm sure you could readily find some information on the psychology of a black belt or a professional assassin easily enough. Even adding in intense and bloody combat, which skill doesn't always coincide with, there's still going to be some real-world analogies. For my part, I'd liken the effects on the individual to conceivably be something like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or something similar.</blockquote>

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