Space Fantasy campaigns?

[fireinthedust]

A follow-up question: can mages make good characters? As a POV character, that is. What is the drama of a mage?

Warriors can represent a lot of things, possibly including their struggle as the struggle inside themselves; or their status as the epitome of human-ness, in a Conan sort of way.

Mages, I'm thinking, are about secrets, especially secret knowledge. Narratively this makes for a problem in terms of storytelling: they know the secrets. What's the reveal? Logging hours of research isn't heroic fantasy. I think the closest is Elric of Melnibone (that I can think of) where he was a warrior who occassionally summoned something awful; and much of the narrative was his feeling bad about it. Then he grabs Stormbringer (which he also feels bad about) and kills some people.

My question: can Mages be the focus of heroic fantasy?

 

[TreChriron]

A follow-up question: can mages make good characters? ...

My question: can Mages be the focus of heroic fantasy?

Yes. and Yes!

I love playing mages. I think they can serve as a great way for the GM to funnel important information to the group through that character, which in turn supports the idea of the "wise person who knows much" archetype.

Depending on how your setting works, mages could be "techie" types who understand the "science" of magic. They engineer and repair the advanced technology, also using it for personal powers, gadgets, and the like. Mages could be standard scholars who understand the undercurrents of history and social structures, using a combination of Lie Detection, experience, education, and knowledge to solve puzzles, a sort of living portable computer (Sherlock Holmes). Also, the Mage-Warrior is a great concept where martial skill is enhanced by greater understanding of forces most can't master (Jedi Knight).

Also, mages may know secrets, but they can't know EVERY secret. Knowing about the secret world, or supernatural or strange science doesn't mean there's not something out there still undiscovered. Previous experience makes the mage a good candidate to help uncover the mystery, and having that analytical input can increase the breadth of the adventure. You can share clues in both adventurous discovery and scholarly epiphany!

 

[fireinthedust]

Fair enough. RPGs, sure.

But heroic fantasy? Whether in space or not. And as a literary character, rather than a member of an RPG party.

What makes them heroic?

 

[TreChriron]

Fair enough. RPGs, sure.

But heroic fantasy? Whether in space or not. And as a literary character, rather than a member of an RPG party.

What makes them heroic?

• Harry Dresden?
• Young Merlin (TV Series)?
• Harry Potter?
• Raistlin Majere?

Not just RPGs. Many fantasy series showcase a mage as the central character, and as a heroic one. What about these characters?

• Quinn Malory
• Macguiver
• Any Jedi Knight
• Sukie Stackhouse

Maybe not archetypal mages per se, but certainly have mage like qualities. In space fantasy, technology can be magic, so someone who can manipulate it with great skill is as much a mage as the typical fantasy archetype. The tools are different, the core heroism is the same.

The Monomyth does not HAVE to involve a warrior, but more appropriately a champion. A struggle within. Triumph and return. Certainly a mage can struggle internally as any warrior could. The "tropes" of heroism are just as viable to a mage.

The tools may be different, certainly the themes, but the overall story of the champion is equally viable regardless any particular champion's approach.

Just my two cents...