Minorities within minorities, and fractal mysticism


This article is exactly the sort of thing I want to explore in the interconnected mystical series of games I have in mind.

In a world where Muslims are being persecuted for their faith, and members of the Sufi sect of Islam are misunderstood further still, life is a battle for respect and recognition. Similarly, in a world where LGBTIQ+ rights are being eroded by ultra-nationalists and right wing scaremongers, and where groups like bisexuals are excluded (or at least obscured) from spaces designated safe for the various members of the queer community. Therefore, life as a bisexual Sufi must be a constant uphill battle on many fronts.

But, this is exactly the type of character these games need. Such characters could spend a huge proportion of their time trying to "fit in" with the world around them... so much time and energy, that they have nothing left to make a significant difference in the world compared to those the system favours. Those characters who embrace their individuality and difference don't waste their time and energy, and actually gain mystical advantage from their differences. When they dedicate themselves to making a change, the differences magnify it. It's a powerful thing, I don't want to belittle it.


It even reminds me of the third episode of Doctor Who's season eleven (if you haven't watched the episode, do so ASAP because this is going to be one of those episodes considered a classic and a seminal piece of Doctor Who lore in future years). The way Rosa Parks was presented as a positive force for change, the hero of her own story.  There are powerful stories out there that need to be told. I'd be arrogant to think that I should tell them. Instead I just want to provide a toolkit that can facilitate the telling of narratives such as these. 

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