I had a GREAT idea for a book

[Verbal Mike]

Lots of good ideas here.
I like the GRRM approach very much and think it is worth shamelessly ripping off.

Another idea that comes to mind (riffing on the "magicians aren't all that on-top-of-things" concept) is that magic exists but only as a dangerous delusion... That is, there would be a class of delusional crazies whose delusions actually turn into reality... Some of them can control it, to a degree, but they're all crazy anyway, and should be put down like dogs. Of course, governments can find good use for them...and heroes can use them to justify unspeakable acts.

PS
Cainad, please not to be linking to TVTropes. It makes it impossible to continue reading thread. Thankyou.

[Cainad (dec.)]

 

[Cain]

OK, thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm thinking I'm going to go with it being, in 99% of cases, pure charlatanism or delusion, with the 1% of time it does work being either in the creation of magical weapons (which would in mechanical terms rate as how a weapon made of Damascus steel compares to one made of iron - maybe with a few other perks like not be notched or easily rusted or breakable by any lesser metals) or spirits deciding to intervene for their own purposes - perhaps bringing in the ideas that gods too like to play political games too - or spirits have their own mercenaries.

[Triple Zero]

Perhaps you can incorporate something like that chess-like game the Gods or Overseers in Discworld are playing, sometimes. Except, make them play poker, or something

[Cain]

Maybe.  I might save that for other works though - if the setting is successful (defined as: interesting enough to keep me writing about it).  If they do play a prominent role though, no doubt they'd be playing some sort of game for influence and power.  One of the ideas behind this is things that are depoliticized in text usually have some creepy or fucked up implications when politicized, and so to do that as much as possible, to get people thinking and shake them out of some comfortable notions.

[Rococo Modem Basilisk]

Chess is overused as a metaphorical board game. There are a number of games that would serve as well as chess in terms of strategy yet are neither cliche nor a direct subversion (avoid checkers and connect four, but pentago and risk are much better than candyland).

[Triple Zero]

that's why I said poker. also the gods in discworld dont really play chess, but just something that has little figures moving on a board. could actually be Warhammer, for all I know

[LMNO]

CANDYLAND OR GTFO.

[Cain]

It was quite D&Dish as well.

[Corvidia]

I always rooted for the Green Eyed Lady.

[Template]

Cainad, please not to be linking to TVTropes. It makes it impossible to continue reading thread. Thankyou.

TITCM.

Chess is overused as a metaphorical board game. There are a number of games that would serve as well as chess in terms of strategy yet are neither cliche nor a direct subversion (avoid checkers and connect four, but pentago and risk are much better than candyland).

Blackjack?

[Cainad (dec.)]

Chess is overused as a metaphorical board game. There are a number of games that would serve as well as chess in terms of strategy yet are neither cliche nor a direct subversion (avoid checkers and connect four, but pentago and risk are much better than candyland).

Blackjack?

Calvinball.

[Cait M. R.]

Cain, I HIGHLY suggest reading the background to the White Wolf RPG Exalted (for the gods-as-political-assholes bit, and you'll probably LOVE the stuff about Sidereals) and playing the PS2 action-RPG Radiata Stories (for pretty much everything else, oh, and moral choices that you actually have to honestly -think- about).

[Iason Ouabache]

Chess is overused as a metaphorical board game. There are a number of games that would serve as well as chess in terms of strategy yet are neither cliche nor a direct subversion (avoid checkers and connect four, but pentago and risk are much better than candyland).

Blackjack?

Calvinball.

"God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of the players, (i.e. everybody), to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time." Terry Pratchett

[Verbal Mike]

I second the suggestion to read Exalted (2nd edition) sourcebooks, lots of really good stuff. It's the best all-round setting I've ever read, for books or games alike. (I'm running a Solar game set in Halta, going to turn political/grand-strategic soon. ^^)