>
> Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a number of characters who were
> "witches'. Seems they've became quite the heroes for certain groups as
> it represent a degree of mainstream acceptance.
>
> I find it amusing myself. None of them came to a good end (unless
> living to the end of the series counts), their magic was generally
> easily twisted and even corrupting in its effect. And they were
> witches in name perhaps, but seemed to carry none of the modern
> religious trappings.
>
That's a rather strange understanding of what empowerment is. That's
like arguing that Ripley or Darth Vader (or your PCs) are disempowered
because they die at the end of fascinating narrative arcs.
The goal of fiction, whether it be in a series or in a game, is to
create fully-rounded characters, fictions who become more than
fictional. A character's power is based not on the narrative acts that
they accomplish. It's based in the pleasure that they provide us. So
when a culture recognizes that a minority group can be the source of
archetypes that are enormously pleasurable to millions, that's a real
recognition of existence, of basic human worth. And when that minority
group can join the side of the heroes, however embattled, that's a
step past that.
David
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