[dungeoncrawl] Re: Deity mechanics
- From: jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 09:14:07 US/Eastern
I'm really getting into the idea of
evil dwarves and good drow. Maybe the
dwarves believe that the gods stole all
their gold to build their celestial
paradise. Egad, it would make any
dwarf cringe!
>
> That's a VERY interesting idea.
I like that idea a lot. I would hate to
> see this world be under the total
control of the Riders. To have a case
where
> dwarves were created by someone else,
and are ignored and forgotten by the
> deities of the world, could create
some fascinating plots. Brilliant!
>
> Jim and Karen wrote:
>
> > I know there's been a TON of
discussion since this email, but Damon
had a
> > neat idea. What if there weren't
any dwarves? Or, if the gods forgot
them,
> > and they exist anyway (say deep
undeground, or in some remote location,
cut
> > off from their gods, what would
happen?) Would they seek a new
protector -
> > like, say, Amrikol?
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Damon Kline"
<damon.kline@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: <dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002
3:54 PM
> > Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Re: Deity
mechanics
> >
> > > Guys,
> > >
> > > I'm sorry that I haven't been
able to jump into the discussion here,
but
> > > I've been pretty busy. Let me
say a few things.
> > >
> > > First, I definitely agree that we
don't want to just take all of our
> > > characters and make them
deities. However, I do like the idea
of having a
> > > diverse pantheon. I see Shawn's
point in that the Realms is really made
> > up
> > > of its core pantheon and then
several other pantheons thrown into the
mix.
> > > It really is a mess. But if you
just take the core group, like the one
> > put
> > > forth in the Faith's and Avatars
book from 2nd edition, it's pretty cool,
> > I
> > > think. There are a bunch of
different deities with different
histories
> > and
> > > different portfolio's that really
allow you to flesh out your character.
> > > Instead of having your character
worship someone based on their alignment
> > > and be stuck with only 2 or 3
deities to choose from, you can worship
> > based
> > > on your personality and be able
to find a deity more suited to your
> > > character. I like that. So,
perhaps there is room for more character
> > > deities, although the core group
that went through everything to get here
> > > should be the ones to decide
things and they should also be
the "greater"
> > > powers.
> > >
> > > As Jim said, the characters that
started this are the ones who get to be
> > > deities initially, but if they
want to flesh out the ranks a bit, it
would
> > > make sense that they would turn
to other characters that they have spent
> > > time with.
> > >
> > > Now, having said that, I don't
think we should give the Gods stats and
> > then
> > > perhaps play them at a later
time. Once a character becomes a
deity, they
> > > are no longer "playable". With
the exception of strictly role-playing
> > > scenarios. Perhaps some time in
the future the Riders pantheon will get
> > > together to discuss how to
proceed with a certain action, or
perhaps one
> > of
> > > the Gods goes crazy and starts
killing off other Gods and disciplinary
> > > action needs to be taken. It
would always be a role-playing thing
where
> > > stats wouldn't matter. Avatar's
are a good way to go if we wanted to
> > > interject them in a campaign
based on the new world, but they
shouldn't be
> > > over used.
> > >
> > > As far as whether the Gods are
decided first or the planet is decided,
I
> > > suppose it could go either way,
but here's how I envision it:
> > >
> > > The group that was there last
night, and are the first to go through
the
> > > portal and become deities, gets
to decide how the world starts. As Jim
> > > mentioned, they decide what type
of world it is, at what level society is
> > > at, what is the ratio of the
different races, what races exist on the
> > world,
> > > all of the basics that give the
world life. At that point, we'll have
the
> > > beginnings of a formed world, but
one without a personality. It would be
> > a
> > > shell, filled with the different
land masses, oceans, rivers, forests,
> > > races, kingdoms, etc. but no
portfolios. Then, once we have the
shell, we
> > > can figure out who is going to be
in charge of what portfolio, who else
> > they
> > > want to invite in to become
powers, what plane they will exist on,
etc.
> > >
> > > We also need to consider that it
really isn't "us" creating the world, it
> > is
> > > our characters. Right now,
dwarves are not represented among our
> > > characters, so would there be
dwarves on our new world? Maybe not. I
> > don't
> > > like the idea of not having
dwarves there, but would the characters
think
> > to
> > > put them there. Probably, but
you never know.
> > >
> > > Anyway, that's it for now...just
some things to think about.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Johnathan Detrick
[mailto:jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002
2:34 PM
> > > To: Riders II
> > > Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Deity
mechanics
> > >
> > >
> > > Guys,
> > > For the moment, why don't we
table the discussion of who might be a
> > > deity. We can discuss that
later. Right now I had some other
questions
> > > to throw out, relating to the
game mechanics and how we are going to
> > > handle the deities.
> > > I have been spending as much
time as I've had today looking at the
> > > 2nd edition Powers and Pantheons
book, as well as the Deities and
> > > Demigods book from 3rd edition.
2nd and 3rd edition treated deities is
> > > drastically different ways, and
we need to decide which way we prefer.
> > >
> > > In Second Edition, deities
had no stats. The prevailing wisdom was
> > > that your characters shouldn't be
dealing with a deity, as they were,
> > > you know, gods, and a little out
of the league of your typical
> > > character. The gods would make
appearances as avatars. Their avatars
> > > were quite powerful in their own
right, usually with very nice stats and
> > > levels between 15-30. They had
some kick butt magical items and were
> > > quite formidable, but no where
near the power of the gods in person.
> > > Third edition still has
avatars (and I believe they are around
the
> > > same power level), but they do
give the gods themselves stats. Most
> > > gods are 20 hit die outsiders,
with between 30 and 50 character levels.
> > > The gods have all kinds of
special abilities and neat-o powers,
and they
> > > can crush the normal mortal
without much thought. However, having
stats
> > > binds them in the game and does
mean that they could battle opponents
> > > from time to time.
> > >
> > > So which one does everyone
prefer? My first instinct is to go with
> > > second edition. I don't believe
that deities should have stats. I
> > > think that they should be above
that sort of thing.
> > > However, for these
characters, perhaps stats would be
nice. Besides
> > > the excitement of making your
character between 30-50th level, it
seems
> > > like everyone would like to have
the option of using them at a possible
> > > future time. I'm not really for
that, but I seem to have been
> > > informally outvoted. :)
> > > Let's see what everyone else
thinks. Now I have to do some work.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
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