Michael Hopcroft Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 "This is such fine cloth that those who are unworthy of their position in life cannot see it!" This was the premsise of at least one version of The Emperor's New Clothes, the classic fairytale in which two "tailors" scam a vain, incompetent monarch by "making" him a magnficient suit that nobody -- including the emperor himself -- dares to admit doesn't really exist. The tale has become a classic metaphor for the inanity of power. The thing is, though, that in a fantasy world you can make cloth with such properties! Thus, three questions on this topic: 1. How would you write up whatever Power is required to give the suit this ability? 2. Is there an actual, bemneficial use for such fabric? Is having an Incompetence Detector worth having fools see you underdressed? o0r is there so me other use for this cloth that nobody's thought of yet? 3. What other strange, inobvious and useful qualities can you give a suit of clothes in a fantasy world? If you're going to be wearing a heavy formal suit all day in a hot palace in the middle of summer, wouldn't it be darn handy to have it continually "freshen" itself so you don't smell like a rancid yak? How useful to a spy is a uniform that he can change the color of at will? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." It could be images - if you fail the ego roll, you don't see the clothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." A beneficial use of this would be to wear your royal robes/cloak/etc over a set of peasant's clothes and go wandering about. Only the people who actually address you as 'Yer Majesty' are worth dealing with. I'd probably just go with Invisibility, only to render the fabric invisible (-2 ... it's pretty nearly useless), only vs 'fools' as defined by the story, Persistent with a -0 'Always On'. Someone in a D&D game expended the Wish he recieved at the end of a grand quest for a pair of socks that never stank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbarron Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." "This is such fine cloth that those who are unworthy of their position in life cannot see it!" 1. How would you write up whatever Power is required to give the suit this ability? I'd say this is almost all SFX or something. Who decides who is worthy? The GM? The players? Measuring worth seems like a GM call to me. I guess it'd be an advantage or limit on the clothing itself. "Can only be seen by those who are worthy" (+1/2), or something. If it is actually even an advantage or a limit. I guess it might just be (-0). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." Someone in a D&D game expended the Wish he recieved at the end of a grand quest for a pair of socks that never stank. I had a PC once wish for "A life filled with adventure" on receiving a wish as a reward at the end of an adventure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." I had a PC once wish for "A life filled with adventure" on receiving a wish as a reward at the end of an adventure. He should consider himself insanely lucky that he didn't die on the spot, having just experienced that very thing ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Monster Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." Another use is secret signs and documents. Imagine a banner upon which is emroidered the password to the throne room! Or detailed instructions on how to unlock the magically sealed door to...treasure? the inner sanctum? the privy? While it might not protect against the dishonest, at least only the "worthy" would get through. Badges for secret societies. Sure, anyone can recognize a Templar by the big black cross on his tunic, but only the secret High Council of Masters can recognize each other by the red rose over their heart. As far as other clothing/armor enhancements... ...self-cleaning (kind of like Legolas the the LotR films ) and self-repairing are obvious ones of little real game use but would be really cool in real life; ...Pockets of Holding, or even just extra pockets, or pockets that appear and disappear as needed (Extra-Dimensional Movement, modified?); ...clothing that can move/stand by itself - useful for helping you dress, or for making a distraction when someone is stalking you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prestidigitator Posted June 3, 2006 Report Share Posted June 3, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." Someone in a D&D game expended the Wish he recieved at the end of a grand quest for a pair of socks that never stank. I think I would probably pay to GM for that player! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulf Posted June 4, 2006 Report Share Posted June 4, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." I would say the clotes are visible to persons with a high Ego ("High" is the GMs choice. In a 100 / 50 campaign i would say Ego 18 or 20). But if seen, the clothes gives a +10 on presence for the wearer. Beautiful and impressing clothes, I would say. Wulfi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koshka Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." Another use is secret signs and documents. Imagine a banner upon which is emroidered the password to the throne room! Or detailed instructions on how to unlock the magically sealed door to...treasure? the inner sanctum? the privy? While it might not protect against the dishonest' date=' at least only the "worthy" would get through.[/quote'] Or hang a tapestry of this stuff in front of another tapestry in the temple meditation room. Put something representing a minor (but worthwhile) virtue/teaching on the normal tapestry, and something representing a greater virtue/teaching on the enchanted one. If someone told to "meditate on the symbolism in the tapestry" comes out of the room with the lesson from the magic tapestry, you know he's worth further instruction or promotion in the faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted June 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." A beneficial use of this would be to wear your royal robes/cloak/etc over a set of peasant's clothes and go wandering about. Only the people who actually address you as 'Yer Majesty' are worth dealing with. The problem kis that the peasant who sees the real outfit has proven worthy of his position -- that he deserves to be a peasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted June 5, 2006 Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." The problem kis that the peasant who sees the real outfit has proven worthy of his position -- that he deserves to be a peasant. I was interpretting the phrase 'worthy' differently than most, it seems ... intelligent, compassionate, that sort of thing, not 'good at his job'. So, the peasant who could be something better than a peasant if he were given the opportunity would be worthy, but the inbred redneck down the road who's wondering why the carrot trees aren't blooming are hosed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted June 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." This gives me another thread idea, acutally.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midas Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Re: "This is such fine cloth....." The problem kis that the peasant who sees the real outfit has proven worthy of his position -- that he deserves to be a peasant. Now this is a scarey thought, here. I'm not a good enough GM to do this, but we are judging societies here; and a truly capable GM ("Nice outfit you're wearing, love the color work. ") could use thit to investigate all kinds of opinion on the role of a human in life. We, in our culture automatically think a competant person is deserving of promotion, while in many societies and world views (Spencerian Social Darwinism) our peasant has achieved the blessing of the gods by his low status. This could lead to some interesting discussion in and around the game, or a lot of bruised feelings when the GM, the culture and one or more players prove incompatable. Another thing, more practical. In a "devine ordered" culture, our king could use the power of his robe to not "promote" the peasant to something he was unsuited for, but to nominate him as the paragon of peasants. this would reward him for being what he is, but not take him out of his ordained position. Hmnn. Could the king use the cloak as a way of improving efficiency in his empire? Yes, he first could give incompetant advisers a quick trip to the headsman's block; but then he could wander around and find -say tutors who are useless teachers- but excellent at giving advice. Midas, Who is remembering the Peter Principle from discussions long ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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