Exchange of Realities

Yesterday, I riffed on Destiny going wrong, in the form of the Grand, Plot-Moving Destiny, and from the responses I’ve seen, it looks like people are seeing me as going against Destiny in all its forms.

Not so, but far otherwise. It’s just that one I can’t stand. Destiny can be done well, but as I’ve said, it takes a certain amount of effort. So how do we do it?

First, figure out how powerful a force Destiny is. There’s a big difference between Destiny as what’s supposed to happen (I like this one) and Destiny as what is going to happen. Look at it closely. In the first, Destiny is a force, a thing-to-be-maintained, a character in its own right. In the second, it may as well be part of the crunch for all anyone can affect it, and what’s the fun in that?

Then there’s what’s being done with the destiny. This is my favorite part because there are so many ways of handling it.

The most obvious thing to do is to run with Destiny. There is a prophecy, and the story is about carrying it out, sometimes by any means necessary. It might be opposed by someone, but it’s not going to be opposed by the heroes. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be completely gung-ho about it, though: perhaps unpleasant things have to happen in the service of said Destiny, or maybe the people who know what’s supposed to happen aren’t sharing even important details.

Then there’s opposing a Destiny, either the characters’ or someone else’s. I’d recommend not expecting the Greek tragedy scenario here; what’s the fun in having spent an entire arc fighting Fate only for that to have created the Fate they’re fighting? No, the best thing here is more a fight against overwhelming odds, but with at least one escape route. (Ever seen the anime series Higurashi no Naku Goro Ni? The second season is one of my favorite examples.)

But why should we be limited to binary options? What about aiding a Destiny along as long as it’s safe, and then cutting it off at the last minute? Or following a decoy Destiny (rightness at the end is of course optional). Or replacing a Destiny? Or being the groundwork that needs to take place for a Destiny to occur?

For that matter, what about agreeing with a Destiny in principle, but having objections to the pathway it takes? In Exalted, there’s an effect that allows its user to see the guaranteed path to a certain outcome and the cost thereof; what if there’s a prophecy created along those lines, but the main characters are trying to avert the losses it requires while still ensuring the overall success of the Destiny? What might having to oppose both sides in that manner result in?

I also strongly recommend vague or ambiguous prophecies; interpretation is half the fun. More on this later.

There’s lots that can be done with Destiny—it’s our job to keep it fresh, unique, and interesting. The above are my ways; what are yours?