I've recently started reading the Translation Codex for The Strange Rpg and had a question. The presentation is mostly done in an "IC" voice (Dr. Erica Prethus, a character that's right on the line between entertaining colorful NPC and annoying writer's darling/Mary Sue for me).

But the book refers to a mechanical aspect, specifically Foci, directly as an IC aspect of the setting. My initial impression from the core book was that Foci were a game artifact, an abstraction of skills, background, talents. "role", etc but not something that characters could refer to directly in the setting

"Hi. My names Bob and my focus is Works the System in this Recursion. What's yours?"

Now I'm not so certain.

Interesting. I haven't picked up TTC yet so I haven't had a chance to read it, but I was under the same assumption you were. Unless I see something concrete on the subject otherwise, I'll probably keep treating Foci like that. It just seems a little weird to me for characters to know that sort of information, almost like D&D characters sitting around a tavern and discussing their AC scores and saving throws.

From what I understand its a third party product and there are some other somewhat shifts in mood. The other alternative is that it was just a framing technique for presenting the new foci an entertaining way and not meant to be taken literally.

So far the POV character hasn't directly mentioned Foci in the chapter fictions which are really in setting just in Foci description headers which could be seen as "semi IC".

I'm also a little worried my bias against game fiction is coloring my reaction.

Slightly different topic but probably not worth it is own thread. Did anyone that read the Translation Codex find the Erica Prethus character very off putting too? She seemed to quickly turn into a writer's darling, cooler, smarter and more in the know that everyone else, smart as a Paradox but with people skills of a Spinner and, despite comments otherwise, no slouch at the physical either, able to play major figures and institutions in the setting for chumps and with a borderline sociopathic arrogance and disregard for others (except for the "big picture") such as unleashing a bunch of dangerous creatures (and possibly getting bystanders and Estate personnel killed) as part of a convoluted plan for a totally selfish motive.

Even her "setback" seemed more for the reader's benefit to give her some cool "angst" than really a failure. Any failures in the fictions seemed to be due others not her. It was very Mary Sue-ish (including almost everyone liking her). It served as real reminder of why I don't like 99.9 percent of game fiction. Is she a canon character or just something invented for Codex?