Enlightenment and Destiny
Texto
Finally, instead of self-actualization, in Rokugani culture humans are supposed to be concerned with fulfilling their destiny or achieving Enlightenment. To do this, characters are trying to find their place in the Celestial
Order, or to become released from it. Usually, a character’s destiny isn’t clear even to them, but thanks to the various mystical forces at play in Rokugan, a character may have some inkling as to their true purpose in the Realm of Mortals. For many others, the Tao of Shinsei provides them with the guideposts needed to realize the true nature of the universe and to become one with it. These ascetic directives give characters a whole new path to follow, with some of the strangest and most paradoxical desires of all. “Those desperately searching for that which they need may find it only after they have given up their search,” says the Tao of Shinsei.
Goals revolving around destiny lend themselves to epic games, while goals having to do with Enlightenment can inspire heavily thematic campaigns that ask questions about the human condition. Of course, the PCs might not agree with a character’s assessment about their own destiny or path to Enlightenment, especially if either involves means that the PCs find reprehensible (or interferes with their own schemes). Whether an NPC has truly discovered a mystical secret or is simply mistaken, is up to you (and is sometimes best left ambiguous, even to the PCs).
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Courts of Stone · Chapter 3: Games of Discourse › Developing NPC Motivations through Needs › Enlightenment and Destiny · p. 142 p. 143 p. 144
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Finally, instead of self-actualization, in Rokugani culture humans are supposed to be concerned with fulfilling their destiny or achieving Enlightenment. To do this, characters are trying to find their place in the Celestial
Order, or to become released from it. Usually, a character’s destiny isn’t clear even to them, but thanks to the various mystical forces at play in Rokugan, a character may have some inkling as to their true purpose in the Realm of Mortals. For many others, the Tao of Shinsei provides them with the guideposts needed to realize the true nature of the universe and to become one with it. These ascetic directives give characters a whole new path to follow, with some of the strangest and most paradoxical desires of all. “Those desperately searching for that which they need may find it only after they have given up their search,” says the Tao of Shinsei.
Goals revolving around destiny lend themselves to epic games, while goals having to do with Enlightenment can inspire heavily thematic campaigns that ask questions about the human condition. Of course, the PCs might not agree with a character’s assessment about their own destiny or path to Enlightenment, especially if either involves means that the PCs find reprehensible (or interferes with their own schemes). Whether an NPC has truly discovered a mystical secret or is simply mistaken, is up to you (and is sometimes best left ambiguous, even to the PCs).