Geist: The Sin-Eaters

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Tempest — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:35:02 GMT

blackhatmatt:
Now, I've encountered lots of folks in gamer circles (which are largely white) who feel that AAE is a somehow lesser version of English or that the syntactic differences are improperly used English, which isn't really the case, and it's a misinformed and racist view.

I'd love to take this conversation elsewhere for greater detail*, but I think this is a mischaracterization. Virtually the entire US educational system teaches that non-standard accents are "wrong." I agree it is misinformed. However, it's not directed solely at racial accents and is not necessarily racist.

*In all seriousness, I'm a linguistics wonk and if you are interested in a conversation in the off-topic section of the General Discussion, I'd be interested in hearing the opinions of a speech pathologist on some socio-linguistic issues.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

illiterati — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:39:35 GMT

Cleverest of Things:
White-wolf has a pretty good track record for coming up with at least mostly appropriate terminology for their groups. I'm personally looking forward to see the carnivale influence in Sin Eaters. It rather reminds me of the Day of the Dead symbology they started working into some of the Crow movies.

well, with the last preview (july 5th) it looks like you're right.
These "gatherings" sound more like party celebrations than formal meetings. perfect for a krewe.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Cleverest of Things — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:19:22 GMT

Wolfgar:
For me, mostly the word brings to mind the mundane word crew, and it's basic connotations. Mostly that's the people who make hamburgers, clean toilets, and staff ships and planes.

They're also the people that put together the most grand broadway musicals, the coolest movies, and even build buildings. A crew is a bunch of people gathered together for a working practical purpose. A krewe is that, plus secret society and carnivale connotations.

It does a better job at describing the group than some of the others. Motleys are called such because their members are often vastly different due to different Realms in their durance, and don't usually look like they should match up. A throng of prometheans is a dry way of saying that, due to their rarity, ANY group of Prometheans is a relatively "large" group. Mage cabals work in secret, often plotting ways to control the world around them. White-wolf has a pretty good track record for coming up with at least mostly appropriate terminology for their groups. I'm personally looking forward to see the carnivale influence in Sin Eaters. It rather reminds me of the Day of the Dead symbology they started working into some of the Crow movies.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

blackhatmatt — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:36:07 GMT

Gullinbursti:
Totally derailing the thread but is a SLP similar to an Australian ESL (English Secondary Language) Teacher?

No. An SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist. You'll find SLPs in schools, but also hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, private practice. We work with communication disorders of all kinds, and swallowing disorders (which is the area of the practice I have no interest whatsoever in).

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Gullinbursti — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:27:36 GMT

Totally derailing the thread but is a SLP similar to an Australian ESL (English Secondary Language) Teacher? I have an ESL Teacher in the family who generally works with Aboriginal students due to language barriers in the classroom but also helps children with damaged palates (hope that is the right spelling for the roof of the mouth), severe stutters and the like.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

blackhatmatt — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:04:50 GMT

Gullinbursti:
Also, am I the only one to find it amusing the Matt works as a teacher? I always thought WW had a few permanent writers...

Nope. Their developers are in-house (some of them, though they do farm that work out, too, obviously) but AFAIK, no in-house, full-time writers.

And though I have worked as a full-time freelancer, I much prefer my work as an SLP, not least because I know when the paychecks are going to arrive.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Gullinbursti — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:46:13 GMT

When I first saw Motley I couldn't help but think of a band and disliked the term. Now I'm used to it and don't bat an eyelid at the term. Fairly sure I'll like Krewe as well just find it an indifferent choice for the moment.

Also, am I the only one to find it amusing the Matt works as a teacher? I always thought WW had a few permanent writers...

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Wolfgar — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:12:02 GMT

For me, mostly the word brings to mind the mundane word crew, and it's basic connotations. Mostly that's the people who make hamburgers, clean toilets, and staff ships and planes. I'm not jumping over the moon about the name, but it seems harmless enough.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

shey — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:03:03 GMT

See the name makes me think of the skrull kill krew from the marvel comics lol which is very sad. Ya I think the name is cool it seems to have a double meaning thing going on and all. I have high hopes for this gameline my group might be able to wrap their heads around the concept and run with it.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Sammi — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:36:13 GMT

I'm intrigued. I want to know the rest of the reason(s) why "krewe" is a fitting name. I have a nagging suspicion that it has something to do with these Ceremony Merits, and another nagging suspicion that, if it does, my soul will cry until I have a chance to play a Ceremony master (I have a fascination with exploring metaphysical paradigms, and most of my characters in fantasy settings are mystics of one sort or another).

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

the_eye — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:41:43 GMT

Don't see the big deal with name "Krewe," I actually think rather it's fitting.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Cleverest of Things — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:18:38 GMT

Also, is it necessarily a bad thing that your society has a name that sounds like "Crew"? Do you really want ANY human that accidentally hears you talking about your business to know that something is up? I mean.. take Changelings. If they said "I've gotta help out my motley", and a human heard and wanted to know what a motley was.. On the other hand, if a SE says "I've gotta help out my krewe", the mortal might think nothing of it. Not to mention the fact that, for many secular Sineaters, all the magical mumbo jumbo takes a back seat to the fact that the Krewe really IS their crew, the folks they work with on the streets. Sineaters don't have an easy life, so I'd imagine that crew and krewe can become interchangable in some cases.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

mhacdebhandia — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:35:43 GMT

Well, who gives a damn about people's initial reactions?

If you don't already know about Dungeons & Dragons, the term "party" doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. The first thing people will think of is an actual party - but, of course, in the context of the game, it makes sense.

Same with Geist, I suspect. When you see the influence of carnival culture in the published game, it won't seem so awkward.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Weregoat — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:17:09 GMT

ashademontiger:
Interesting preview, and I have to ask...who else thinks Dethklok would make a good geist krewe?

I dunno, I think they'd do better as Prometheans. Look at the area surrounding Mordhaus and how they spread death and misfortune wherever they go.

Re: Geist Preview for July 1: On the Nature of Krewes

Sammi — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:05:48 GMT

Gehennaheretic:
I just don't think the name 'Krewe' works. That's all.

And, according to the writers, there will be much more about how and why the word works when the game comes out, so I would wait a little bit before making such an insistence if I were you.

Gehennaheretic:
And if you had to google-fu it, it's obscure. Sorry.

How many people know the exact meaning of the word "coterie"? How many English-speakers today even hear of it outside of the context of Vampire? About the same number as the people who know what a krewe is. So the obscurity level of "krewe" is hardly without precedent.

Gehennaheretic:
I don't like the name. That's a fact.You can't argue with that because it's objectively true. I don't like it. I'm the only source in the entire universe and all of space and time who can tell you definitively what my opinion is, and this is it: I find that name lame for this game's purposes.

Nobody's arguing about what your opinion is. They're arguing about the why of it, and the reasons why they think you should revise your opinion.

Gehennaheretic:
That's the end of it. So if you've got a bone to pick with that, tough.

No, not tough. This is a discussion forum, and if you have a problem with people arguing against your opinions, keep them to yourself.