[UA] Re: avatar couplets

[Matt Norwood]

> Sure, I agree in principle that in most instances the Avatars are
> separate 
> and not in need of any external entity to define their archtype; but
> what about
> the Avatars of the Soulmates, who are incomplete without each other?

But other examples already exist that have been written up as single 
avatars. The Necessary Servant is defined in relation to his master. The 
True King is defined in relation to his subjects. There are several 
archetypes that don't make any sense without another person acting out a 
complementary role. That doesn't mean that the other person has to be an 
avatar.

> After all, the concept of Soulmates being the lost halves of a single
> entity 
> seems fairly common.

Okay, maybe so. But again, if the Necessary Servant is defined as being 
the perfect extension of the will of his master, this is no less 
intimate a relationship than that between the Soulmates.

Now what I _would_ like to see is a set of rules or suggestions about 
interations among different avatars. I thought we would see something 
like this in Statosphere, but we didn't. A few tidbits were thrown into 
earlier books to suggest that avatars of various archetypes had natural 
alliances or animosities: the Masterless Man/Flying Woman/Dark Stalker 
stuff, for instance. I would love to see rules on these kinds of 
interations... maybe I'll write them up myself. One of my favorite parts 
of Changeling is the list of Oaths and their game effects; I'd love to 
see rules like this for avatars. For instance, pledging yourself to the 
retinue of a True King might grant him more power over you and give you 
bonuses to defend him, but it would have repercussions if broken. The 
Pilgrim already has a sort of oath-system built in: declaring a new 
quest for himself. But wouldn't it be cool to get synergistic effects 
when different avatars come together? I've played around a lot with the 
idea of avatar societies... these rules would fit such a concept nicely. 
The oaths could be minor (or significant, in some cases) rituals that 
various avatars could perform. And one of them, of course, could be an 
oath of True Love (or preferably something more postmodern): the 
Troubador would get extra benefits from this one, and the Two-Faced Man 
could be immune from the effects of breaking it. I'm really getting into 
this idea...

Matt Norwood



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