[Torg] Fortune and the Future (was: The Magic Axiom Chart)

[Jasyn Jones]

On Feb 2, 2010, at 9:48 AM, Phil Dack wrote:

>> From: Jasyn Jones <jasynj at gmail.com>

>> Phil wrote:
> 
>>> Chance relies on the magic axiom. The higher the magic axiom, the more random 
>>> events occur.
>> 
>> Actually, as I understand it, the Magic axiom exists to make the universe *less* 
>> random. Luck is about reducing randomness: instead of any old thing happening, 
>> something good happens. A curse is less randomness, in a harmful direction.
> 
> I guess there are multiple "indices" of randomness - likelihood, benefit, impact. Does an event happen at all, is it good or bad, is it big or small. I think what I mean by more random events is something akin to Pratchett's "Law", that in a high magic area, million to one chances occur nine times out of ten.

When I was using randomness, I meant it in a mathematical, probabilistic sense. In your words, how likely is the given event. In the real world, events are probabilistic in nature. At a low axiom, magic acts to increase the odds of certain things happening. This distorts probability.

> Unlikely stuff just happens. Sometimes. It strikes me that what you're then describing in Hexes is the Living's ability to use symbols to harness and recreate anti-probabilitistic events, using the increased influence of chance

Again, my definitions, but altering probabilities involves decreasing the influence of pure chance. Pure chance says that 1 in 10 odds will cause a that event to happen an average of 10% of the time.

Magic does this differently. It changes the odds, making certain events more likely. This reduces the influence of pure chance, and increases the influence of magic.

We are both saying the same thing, just using different language.

On Pratchett:

> something akin to Pratchett's "Law", that in a high magic area, million to one chances occur nine times out of ten.

I've never read Pratchett (other than "Good Omens") but every time someone mentions him its in the context of a witty concept. His "Narrative Causality" would mark him as a godfather of Torg, if it weren't for the fact that officially establishing Narrative Causality in Torg would ruin the suspension of disbelief.

Jasyn Jones
jasynj (at) gmail (dot) com

"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
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