Fact: The Bureau of Serenity is extremely disorganized and run very, very badly.

Fact: Maidens are not usually incompetent.

Conclusion: The Maiden of Serenity *wants* her Bureau to not be affecting the world in a coherent and coordinated fashion.

Hypothesis: Peaceful, happy people tend to be less prone to fighting, learning defensive skills, and generally kicking butt when confronted with enemies both mortal and supernatural. A Creation with an active and productive Bureau of Serenity would be handicapped for defending itself against its enemies. A Maiden can't go against her nature and attempt to decrease the amount of Serenity in the world, but she could go about increasing it in an extremely inefficient and ineffective way. A good Chosen of Serenity, therefore, should ensure that Serenity is active in the world without ever being dominant.

Alternate Hypothesis: The Maiden of Serenity thought Creation was working just fine under Solar rule, thanks. The Bronze Faction's plan for Creation displeases her, and she is withholding her blessing from Creation to ensure that no one makes the mistake of thinking that this Age is just as good as the First Age. (After all, widespread peace and happiness are major components of a Golden Age.) A proper Chosen should therefore be active in bringing back the Solars and setting them up again. (Alternately, what else changed shortly before the Maiden's druggie boyfriend got set at the top of the Bureau?)

...I'm not quite sure where to take these as character concepts, but the idea of a conspiracy-theorist Serenity with goals that aren't the stereotypical sex-and-drugs-for-everyone sounded appealing. Others should feel free to riff off of these or steal them entirely!

KHAS: I think I could turn Emma into a Serenity under your Alternate Hypothesis---the long-term goal is to create a new Golden Age of Serenity and Peace, but that requires the Golden part. I'd lean towards something setting up the druggie boyfriend as against the interests of Venus, but that may be the player's anti-drug biases showing through. :-)

ArielSerenityIdea (last edited 2008-02-28 18:13:28 by KatherineSniffen)