[UA] Pop Culture Update

[Kenneth Hite]

Michael D., quoting Bryant D.:

>  > Thanks for the clarification.  I will admit to being surprised -- the
>>  abyss also appears in Ken Hite's GURPS Cabal, and I usually trust Ken's
>>  research.  But, hey, translation problems happen...

>Ken was working from post-golden dawn magic (as he stated in his 
>introduction).

Precisely because real Kabbalah makes a fairly poor basis for a 
horror game, for obvious reasons.  (Or at least not nearly as good a 
basis as does dodgy Crowleianity.)  Also, Crowleianity/GD magick has 
already gone to a great deal of trouble to come up with the 
correspondence system I adapted, so it made sense to keep it all in 
the family.  And then, like I said in the intro, I simplified it some 
more.  Not even *I* want to game real-life GD magick, and 
Presbyterians aren't allowed to do real Kabbalah. :^)

>If you want, look at the ars magica supplement on Kabbalah. Not 100% 
>correct, but I know the person who wrote it. We don't necessarily 
>see eye to eye on some things (like him adding a Jesus tale to the 
>golem section or saying that a Ba'al Shem did not have to be a 
>Rabbi) but enough is correct to give a good understanding (for a 
>RPG).

KABBALAH for ARS MAGICA is indeed an excellent work. I cite it in 
GURPS CABAL's bibliography, after all. :^)

>  > If it's any consolation, RPGs are an equal opportunity offender.
>>  The Christian mythology in your average RPG is not noted for depth
>  > (and we shouldn't even get into In Nomine's accuracy).

Here is truth, and much of wisdom.  And yet another reason that I 
love UNKNOWN ARMIES so much -- the explicit, foregrounded, 
intentional junking of the whole shebang.

And Michael, I love your "incestuous piranha" quote -- is it yours, 
and can I steal it?

Kenneth Hite, LHN

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