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The Privilege of Sorcerers (infosec.pub)

submitted 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) by juergen_hubert@ttrpg.network to c/rpg@ttrpg.network

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One of my pet peeves of modern fantasy media is the notion that some people are "special" - and thus implied to be "better" - than other people because of some inherent magical ability. One of the best-known modern examples of this is the Harry Potter franchise, where the protagonists are mostly mages, and even the characters who actually care about the welfare of the latter do so in an extremely patronizing way - i.e. by stopping the "bad mages" rather than working together.

In #dnd and similar #ttrpg, the concept is represent by the "sorcerer" and similar characters who gained their cool powers from some innate birth ability rather than study and hard work.

And while there is nothing wrong with wanting to play such a character, just for once I would like to see an in-setting examination of what it means to have this privilege, instead of the more common:

"Oh no, woe is me, I have been born with special powers and will be hated and persecuted for them. Thus, I must spend most of my time in a secret society with my fellow very special people!"

To be clear, people born with privilege did not ask to be born with privilege, and cannot be blamed for that. However, they should also acknowledge that they have this privilege, and not assume that they are somehow "better" than people without it.

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[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

I'd also like to see it come with relevant costs. Much in the same way genius and madness often go hand in hand. Not full on oracle's curse, more like how some beautiful people struggle being taken seriously or respected for their minds, or how some neurodivergent people just get difficult subjects while struggling with aspects of ordinary life.

But yeah generally I'm in full agreement with you. Show me the half orc who only got a chance in their hometown because they're a sorcerer and that resulted in complicated emotions. Show me the noble whose family paid good money for their child to be a sorcerer and now they're off trying to prove themselves. Show me a society in which a sorcerer child is considered an unimaginable blessing even though that bloodline may leave their sibling a hated tiefling and then use it to show a golden child/scapegoat sibling dynamic enforced not necessarily by the parents, but by the whole community.

The Locked Tomb did both. Necromancers are a blessing and privileged. There are roles in society only they're allowed to fill. But they're also chronically ill. They're frail and sickly and look and feel like they're dying. That actually would give credence to if they were to not like being like that.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Ok now I want to play a noble sorcerer who's parents paid a massive price for her powers and is now struggling with the guilt and expectations. Harrowhark Nonagesimus meets Lorelai Gilmore