Thoughts on Vampire and Wheel of Time

I know, very different games, yet hey, it happens.

Earlier today, I went to a Vampire LARP.  Now, hold on.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Yeah, there were guys running around pretending to be vampires, but that is kinda the point.  It was very much a political game, talking to each other and a few points of high drama and tension.  It was not what I expected.  Which is kinda a good thing.

Would I go back?  I might.  I am not completely sure what I am going to do.  Still processing the night.

Then, the guy who took me to the larp was at my place and pulled one of the many many role playing books I have--I am a collector.  I have many systems, many out of print now.  The big thing is that he pulled out the Wheel of Time book.

This is a single volume game book.  Everything you need is in one nice volume.  I have read it more than once and have wanted to run it, yet I have never had much interest.  I have read all the books and loved them--most of them, books 4 and 5 were horrible.  I am still waiting for Memory of Light and can't believe that it won't be out until 2012.  But, I digress.

The main thing that came up was he wants to play a male wilder.  (A male mage.)  If I go by straight canon, he will either be someone who has gone mad and is a False Dragon, been gentled by the Tower or was picked up and becomes an Ash'a'man.

But, if I don't go with canon, then the sky's the limit.  So, how about you?  Where is the line between canon and the game you want to run?  Is it very close?  Or is it like what I have planned for Faerun, a complete slash and burn?