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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 7630662" data-attributes="member: 996">The difference between subtle social queues overriding judgement & rational decision making and magic doing so, is that magic doesn't exist.We've all experienced doing things we knew were bad ideas at the time and later regretted bitterly, because we were manipulated into it, or psychologically vulnerable in some way.It's just part of being human.In fantasy magic does exist, can seize control over a mind- and is often overcome by more powerful forces, like courage, faith, or love. I think the villain laugh is your answer.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Seriously though, hp loss can be used, arbitrarily, by the DM as a stick to shove a misbehaving player back in line, or punish inappropriate RP.  It's crude code for "I'll throw you out of the game," but I've seen it done - back in the day - and even seen it work.  By the same token there are RP carrots DMs can arbitrarily give out as rewards.  There are even formal systems for them, like 5e inspiration.Besides, hps can include factors like luck,  fate, divine favor or the like that the DM could claim control over.</blockquote>