In OWBN, the word genre has a specific meaning, that needs to be explained to non OWBN players. Being "In genre" is being consistent with the setting materials in terms of of character and story. The idea is, there are certain established norms regarding certain IC groupings, such as Clans, or Tribes or Sects, and these should be portrayed by the PCs appropriately. The easy example is Black Furies. Black Furies are a tribe of amazonian werewolves with Grecian roots. Playing a male Black Fury would probably be considered "out of genre" or outside of the genre conventions for Black Furies.
Of course if it was always that simple, I wouldn't be writing this. Lets take a look at a more complicated example, and one, in OWBN, which will hopefully upset some people. The Tremere Clan.
The Tremere are a group of vampiric magic users organized as part of a hierachical "Pyramid" which is supposed to be merit based in outlook. Also they are protective of their magic, and strongly discourage teaching them to outsiders.
Since the Tremere are a meritocracy and a hierarchy, often people feel that a dutiful tremere that obeys their superiors is in genre, and a Tremere that, say, rebels against their superiors or teaches their magic to others, is out of genre.
I think this suggests that only good in character behavior is consistent with portrayal. I think that's a simplification. Certainly, not every Tremere should be rebelling and/or teaching magic to passing strangers. It's important that there be a norm. But I believe that so long as that norm is present, characters that rebel against it, or undermine it are consistent.
In the case of the Tremere, the published source books list spells and magical effect that help detect rebels. They list punishments for individuals that cross the line. These are often pointed to when people say things like, "No Tremere, In genre, should be teaching magic to outsiders."
I think they point out the opposite. The fact that the genre goes over consequences means its something that happens often enough to have normal punishments. The fact that there are spells that are helpful in dealing with these issues, means those spells are meant to see play.
So I don't think Tremere, or any group, rebelling against the norm is "out of genre." There are other issues with characters doing so, but they aren't inherently violations of the setting expectations.
I do think that characters that do so will likely be caught and punished, since that's what usually happens when you buck the norm in a strict hierarchy. Characters getting away with breaking the IC rules of the clan that tweak their superior's nose about it and generally broadcast their presence will get slapped. I also think that a norm has to be maintained. Such characters need to be treated as abberations. IC, characters that toe the line need to be clearly rewarded for doing so, and characters that break from it need to be punished, or you risk changing the norms themselves. And characters that break the rules need to be watched to make sure they don't spoil the fun of players of characters that cleave closer to the IC expectations.
But there are opportunities for stories consistent with the norms of the setting where characters deviate from those norms. Not just rebels... tyrants are another good example. A tyrannical Camarilla Prince might abuse the laws of the Camarilla for their own benefit, grant unfair rewards to their sychophants and heap abuse on those who question them to silence critics. These aren't the only types, there are thieves, liars, traitors, subversives, spies.
Is that in genre? Yes, there are tyrants that break the laws, or twist them to their own benefit. There are bad guys. Sometimes the bad guys win. Usually they lose.
Why do I bring these up? It's not because I want to justify some guy teaching his friend magic when he shouldn't. It's not because I think that rebels and tyrants shouldn't ever be held accountable for breaking rules.
It's because I think that bad guys make for good enjoyable stories. Dealing with somebody who's betrayed your group because it's abused him, who forces you to question your loyalty, can be a good story. Taking down a tyrant who claims they acted out of the best interests of your sect, or even with the sect leaders blessings, is a good story. Being the rebel, and trying to make a change happen, that can be a good story, win or lose.
And I'm usually a fan of a good story. If it's in genre.
What do you think?
