[MUD-Dev] Character evolution

[Jon A. Lambert]

> Caliban Tiresias Darklock <caliban at darklock.com> said....
> Jon Lambert wrote:
> > 
> > Here are some random thoughts/questions on the matter.  Would liasons
> > be possible between PCs only or combination of PC/NPC?  
> 
> I just want to make one comment here.
> 
> Do NOT under ANY circumstances build rape code into your game. It's just
> not an amusing option, and can have some serious repercussions for
> survivors of such incidents.
>

My initial thoughts were negative on this.  Yet Nathan had piqued my
curiosity with questions on whether I was implementing a "deus 
charis" concept.  Hopefully I got the latin right there.  Basically 
it is the forced attention/attraction of mortals by deities.  This 
shows up frequently in the Greek Mythos.  The rape of Cytheria, etc.
It is also not uncommon in many darker settings like the Lovecraftian
Mythos with Shub-Niggurath and other demonic beings. 

Your "Do NOT under ANY circumstances" only encourages me.  Severe 
violations of social standards/political correctness, yada, yada 
appeal to me.  A recently arrived and departed(?) list member 
sort of touched of some of these:

Brandon Van Every said, "I have a somewhat different interest in 
	MUDs... There are a lot of accepted conventions about how 
	people and objects should behave on MUDs, mirroring the way people 
	behave in the real world.  I'm interested more in stepping through 
	the mirror, and seeing what's on the other side. This can turn a 
	lot of MUDding's "sacred cows" upside down..."

While he was speaking of something perhaps more bizarre, (probably
something dark lurking in JC Lawrence's mud world ;P) I'm looking 
at the mirror as a portal to a fantasy or ancient world with all
its attached moral/social baggage. 

After all mine is intended as a role-playing environment and 
one should be prepared to fit in with an ancient world where ones 
views on slavery, human rights, treatment of women, other races,
religion and sexual preference may well be alien and provoke strong 
OOC personal reaction.  

Now don't take this as a personal reflection of my own morals which 
are often extremely at odds with my historical world theme. 

> 
> Anyone for a 'borrow money from parents' subsystem, with attendant
> requirements that you go to dinner and write or visit more often? ;)
> 

I'm thinking along the lines of familial obligations like 
maintenance of lands, livestock, feudal ties, arranged marriages, 
political alliances, stewardship, etc.  Borrowing money is certainly
a possibility too.


Jon Lambert