Lame Nobilis

[bluegargantua]

So tonight at the Shakleton Expedition Potluck at Mikey's we were discussing Nobilis...cause that's what all the cool kids do. Specfically, we were kicking around lame Domains.

So things like, The Power of Beach Balls or Stunt Doubles (although Stunt Doubles is kinda useful). I suggested the Power of Grout. Go on, make fun of his wussy Domain. It's not where he spent his Character Points.

Then Drak pops up: "The Power of Kraus! You know, the cook from Benson."

Yes...this is the best lame Nobilis evar! Imagine your Domain is a guttering candle flame of half-forgotten pop culture reference. The Excrucians won't waste the time to consider going after you. Your entire Domain centers around a bit part in an early 80's TV show. With each year that passes, you grow ever closer to Metaphysical extinction. Imagine the thrilling struggle to somehow keep your Domain in the collective consciousness of the universe.

And Inga Swenson is your Anchor like nobody's business. Oddly, you both love and hate her.

heh
Tom

Comments

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

Amber fandom is interesting. They take their concept, Ambe, and run anything and everything in it. Regency Romance, gothic horror, toon. Half the time they are not een using the Amber RPG as their rule system.

I thought for a while that Nobilis was going to absorb the Amber fandom, lots of hardcore Amber folks were all of a sudden playing Nobilis, but that faded and they all seem to be back playing Amber.

I have a lot of respect for Amber fandom, they are like their own little subset of gaming. And they have lasting power. I'm thinking of heading out to Black Road later this eyar with bryant to do some anthropological research.

[kadath.livejournal.com]

That's because the Amber concept is all-encompassing. All worlds exist in Shadow. There is no setting you can't kitbash into Amber, especially if you're willing to fudge a little. Amber players are used to diceless and GM fiat, and their pet system is so broken and unbalanced that pretty much anything is an improvement, mechanically speaking. Ah, Amber.

[bluegargantua]

You know, this Amber/Nobilis intersection would make a great article for 20by20...

I think it's very interesting how both of them don't have a ga-jillion supplements but both have very strong followings. Perhaps not the largest sub-genres, but there's an undeniable passion there. True,
Nobilis doesn't support it's own convention circuit, but I suspect it's only a matter of time. (hmmm....Nobilis Convention....)

Tom

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

I think the Amber con circuit is one of the key things about keeping Amber alive and thriving. Frankly Amber should be a dead game given the wy this hobby works. But its not, and I give a lot of credit to that to the cons.

I'd be up for a Nobilis con, or Nobilis LARp, oh my lazy lets ahve another kid ass.

[kadath.livejournal.com]

I think it's very interesting how both of them don't have a ga-jillion supplements but both have very strong followings.

Neither Amber nor Nobilis was created directly for profit, near as I can tell. Amber DRPG was some guys writing down what they'd been doing in their living rooms for 10 years, and was driven by pure raving fandom. Nobilis is just plain art. Arguably, the lack of supplements is a strength for preserving the mystique of the games. There's no marketing drive. Players don't get burned out by having to own 30 books to make a character, or buy into the "Real Secrets of the Black Hand Revealed--No, Really, We Mean It This Time!" arms race. So the people who find and stick with either system are interested in storytelling and world-building more than in the level treadmill, hack'n'slash, or angstfests. Don't get me wrong; I like a good bloodbath as much as the next Fighter-Ranger-Monk-Paladin, but there's a reason Amber is my favoritest game evar.

[mpgalvin.livejournal.com]

soon to be published:

Sabbat Gone Wild!