The Death Cookie

The trickster (often called the shapeshifter) archetype is closely related to the fool, but tends to be a more subversive character than the fool. The fool is (whether he knows it or not) is the object of others' laughter; the joke is on the fool. With the trickster, the joke is nearly always on someone else, and it's the trickster who's laughing. The trickster only reveals his true nature once the joke has paid off, and in many cases doesn't even do so then. Andy Kaufman played both roles and offers a good example of the difference between the two: as "the foreign man" (who later became Latka on Taxi), he was the fool; as Tony Clifton, Andy embodied the trickster. In literature, the trickster is often revealed to be something more than he pretends, usually a king or a god.

The basic QAGS mechanic is apparently way too simple for most gamers. Even though we tell them that the highest successful roll wins, everybody insists on thinking that the Number they're rolling against has something to do with how well their character succeeds. A few (mostly those familiar with 2nd Edition AD&D's non-weapon proficiency system) try to use the difference between their roll and Number as the success degree. While I can't help the AD&D people, I recently realized that the "Price Is Right" analogy that we often use to explain the mechanic might be part of the problem for others, since on the game show the idea is to get as close as you can to the price of the item (your Number) without going over. While this is technically true in QAGS as well (since anything over the Number is a failure), this makes it seem like the Number itself is import. It isn't, unless you're using the Lucky Break rules aned roll the Number exactly or fail and the Failure Degree is important. 

The fool is a comic relief character who makes the audience laugh by consistently making bad decisions, ignoring social boundaries, and generally acting absurdly. While some fools actively try to be funny, many are blissfully unaware of their shortcomings and flaws. Most fools are good-natured or too inept to be a threat to anyone but themselves, but in it is possible for a fool with power (and competent minions) to cause a lot of damage.

To continue with this week's musings on Sword & Sorcery fantasy, this Wednesday WWPHITM? takes a look at Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd & The Gray Mouser series. The basic plot will be "Ill Met in Lankhmar,' probably with brief retellings (possibly as flashbacks) of "The Cold Women" and "The Unholy Grail" included. Guy Ritchie directs.