Transcendence without a reality conflict?
The game material contradicts itself on the matter of becoming Possibility Rated by first saying that a conflict with another reality is necessary for transcendence then later introducing elements which require being P-rateds as having existed in various cosms prior to any contact with another reality. Martial Arts, Pulp Powers, Ravagons and World Laws that affect P-Rateds only are prime examples of this situation.
Obviously something has to give, either the rulebook is wrong in insisting on a conflict of realities or a lot of game material needs to be rewritten so that Ords are capable of using the 'restricted' effects. Since it will involve less rewriting I'm in favor of modifying the rules on becoming P-Rated. 8-)
Various suggestions have been floated in the course of the discussion; "monastic devotion", OGP's 'Transcendence' Group Power, World Laws, pushing the axioms qualifying as encountering another reality, a "moral choice" being sufficient by itself, being a "visionary", and so on.
While each idea does have some merit none of them alone are sufficient to cover every possibility. But perhaps more important, they only address the "how", not the "why". Why would a character's connection to his reality be strengthened by the Everlaw of Two when his connection is not being threatened by the Everlaw of One (as happens during a Moment of Crisis)? Is there some secondary purpose behind the creation of P-Rateds and if so, what is it and why doesn't it create as many P-Rateds as it does during a reality conflict?
My idea is that while the Everlaw of Two is the ultimate source of a character's connection to his native reality is is not the normal means by which P-Rateds are created, the Eo2 only involves itself when the Eo1 starts "boiling away" a character's P-Energy during a Moment of Crisis (in essence the Eo2 only responds when it is attacked by the Eo1.) Without a reality conflict the Eo1 does not get involved so neither does the Eo2.
What then does get involved in creating P-Rateds if there isn't a reality conflict? Just as there is a little mentioned Everlaw of Three that governs the existence and creation of objects composed of pure Possibility Energy, eternity shards, I propose there is an even less mentioned (because I just made it up) Everlaw of Four that governs the existence and creation of objects that manipulate Possibility Energy, P-Rateds.
(Yes, there really is an Eo3 in the rulebook, check the section on shards.)
The Eo4 basically handles the 'normal' creation of P-Rateds in a cosm but is superceded by the Eo2 in cases of reality conflicts. As for why the Eo4 creates P-Rateds, it's a spinoff of the same reason the Eo3 creates eternity shards, to inspire and further the existence of the cosm by creating heroes, villains, stories, myths, etc. Because the Eo4 is weaker than the Eo2 it is not able to create as many P-Rateds which is why in cosms without reality conflicts P-Rateds are very rare.
Alternately, if the idea of an Eo4 doesn't appeal to you the rationale could be grafted onto the Eo2 and the eternity shards created by the Eo3 could be seen as a spinoff of that part of the Eo2 but I find the addition of an Eo4 less of a kludge than modifying the Eo2.
With an open-ended definition of its purpose similar to the Eo3 we now really do not need to worry about the "how" of P-Rated creation, the reasons and purposes can be as varied as the ones involved in the creation of eternity shards. Significance may play a factor (Excalibur, a world leader in a time of crisis) or it may not (the Tobuki Algorithms, a monk cloistered in a monastery in Tibet).
page created 12/23/96