Midnight: My players wonder--What's the point?

[Ashrem Bayle]

Lurk no more! You seem to have a very strong grasp on the setting. Trust me, you'd be welcomed with open arms.

 

[Valiantheart]

No hope at all?

That must be how the Goblins and Orcs feel in every other Campaign setting.

 

[Buttercup]

I don't know I would have told them it was without hope, it is a world where evil is dominate but the players are in a war to overthrow those powers. The players are more freedom fighters in occupied lands.

Except that the campaign setting makes it clear that you cannot overthrow the evil powers. Ever. Sadly, I think that no matter how cool some of the ideas in Midnight are, this basic premise is what I have an insurmountable problem with. I think the peasants are right in this case. The best one can hope for is to go unnoticed, and live out one's short life in anonymous wretchedness.

In which case, I might as well set my game in Afghanistan.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Except that the campaign setting makes it clear that you cannot overthrow the evil powers. Ever. Sadly, I think that no matter how cool some of the ideas in Midnight are, this basic premise is what I have an insurmountable problem with. I think the peasants are right in this case. The best one can hope for is to go unnoticed, and live out one's short life in anonymous wretchedness.

In which case, I might as well set my game in Afghanistan.

Well, I hate to be the one to state the obvious, but if your characters manage to overthrow Izrador, I don't think the guys a FFG are going burn your house down.

It's still your campaign. As I said above, you can relax that viewpoint just a tad and still have a wonderful campaign.

 

[Crothian]

In which case, I might as well set my game in Afghanistan.

In that case you want this book:



http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=currentprod&which=holafghan

 

[Desdichado]

In which case, I might as well set my game in Afghanistan.

In which case, you'd have a campaign setting in print for that as well.

Honestly, I think Midnight just isn't for you if you so strongly dislike what are key elements of the setting. Maybe you should check out the new FFG setting Dawnforge? It sounds like the anti-Midnight in some ways, at least in terms of theme and tone.

 

[Nightfall]

When you play Scarred Lands, do you quit when you realize you can't fully heal the world and destroy all the titans and evil gods?

Hey now! You can at least piss off a Titans! But yeah I get your point Will.

For me the challenge, the way to survive is FAR more interesting than some over-riding goal.

I mean hell do we, as human beings all start out saying "Hey let's over throw a dictatorship?!" or "Let's rid the world of hatred, disease, war and famine?" Sure we all SAY that some days. But how many of us ACTUALLY do that.

 

[Nightfall]

Well, I hate to be the one to state the obvious, but if your characters manage to overthrow Izrador, I don't think the guys a FFG are going burn your house down.

It's still your campaign. As I said above, you can relax that viewpoint just a tad and still have a wonderful campaign.

Yeah but I will be unhappy cause there goes another lovely NPC of me. Seriously if you toss out Iz there's still plenty of others waiting to fill in that power vaccum.

 

[Buttercup]

All sorts of helpful and interesting stuff.

Thanks! You've given me much to think about. Perhaps I could find a way to use this setting after all.

Edit: spelling.

 

[Nighthawk]

I admit it, I am puzzled. What is it exactly about having the unbeatable Evil in a setting that is such a problem? Is it because one knows such is the case alone? How frequent and/or viable is the idea of overthrowing/slaying a god in a campaign, anyway? Please note that I am not being sarcastic or trying to be troublesome. I am curious as to why this would be such a issue for you. This strikes more as a personal objection rather than a insurmountable hurdle, because the finality of Izrador could be altered if desired. Or am I missing something else?

Nightfall, I agree with your point about us human beings. Midnight has made me realize how large-scale campaigns have become the dominant type, at least in the playing groups I have been a part of (no matter the game system).