Characters revisited

Just like the Hellhammer idea (scrapped, going to use it somewhere else later), the Burning Wheel needs to be re-designed, and renamed. Just a little too metal.

"sup guys i'm a big powerful alien thing go get my arm back"

Not very compelling. Plus, it brings so many questions to mind with how absurd it is. I like the idea of a pedestal with a ring above it, missing a chunk- that's pretty powerful symbolism, and gets the wheel across as a character very simply.

It needs a name. Chronos seems an obvious choice, but that suggests way too much time-travel. "Wheel" is appropriate. After all, that will be its name once the Drahn learn to speak to other organisms.

Wheel needs its piece back for... wheely things. I'm thinking of a bit involving, "a circle is a representation of infinity- no beginning, no end. It lets me think infinitely far, and see so much. Without that piece, I have limitations, and constraints- both on intellect, and my ability to assist you."

In terms of tone, Wheel is going to be very mythic in proportion. The characters might as well be cavemen for how primitive they are compared to it, and I want to capture the moment of being in the presence of something immensely powerful. 2001 a Space Odyssey comes to mind.

GM tip: Don't force the players to believe something- just suggest it to them. If I pull this off right, I'm never going to say "it's probably powerful enough to..." Instead, I'll use small clues and hints that this thing defies a LOT of physics and entropy.

The basic plot still stands- go through the desert, disable the bunker's pest control, get the piece back, then make a heart-breaking moral decision. Fun fun fun!

~

I'm also having serious second-thoughts about the marine and the little girl. It's a nice bit of scenery, but I'm still not sure what the point comes to. For now I'm keeping them (or, rather, traces of them) in, but the ultimate end is up in the air. I'll probably figure them out more in Sunburn 2.

The desert has no love, and no hate.