I think Carpathia is perfect where he is! However, if Matt doesn't want him there, that's his choice. As I said, it's a big decision, and no one should feel forced into anything. Damon Kline wrote: > Actually, I have to admit that while I read over the emails, I didn't go > over them too much. I hadn't even noticed that Quasit wasn't in there and I > forgot that Matt didn't want to make Carpathia a deity. I thought he fit > great where Jim put him. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Johnathan Detrick [mailto:jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx] > Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2002 9:18 AM > To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Re: Gods of Conflict > > I really think that Jim's idea of only one Greater Power works well. I > like > the idea of Dennis as the head of the pantheon. It's basically makes him a > Zeus > or Odin. By making all of the other deities lesser powers, it also ensures > a > lot of squabbling and conflict, especially among the neutral and evil > powers, > which is much more interesting. But that's just my take. > As for your other question, I think we should do a combination of both. > For > example, if you didn't notice, Jim's pantheon didn't include Quasit. That > was > one of the big omissions I noticed. So we would fit him in somewhere. > There's > a case of knowing someone is a deity and fitting them in. At the same time, > it > doesn't include nature deities. That may be an example of deciding the > pantheon > and finding a character that fits. > I'd like to see the pantheon grow as organically as possible. I'm > resistant > to taking a hard and fast approach in either of the directions you > suggested. > Either way it seems we will either be cramming in characters that should not > be > gods, or cramming in gods that don't make sense. > I wonder if your question does not stem from Carpathia being a deity? I > know that Matt was not planning on him becoming a god, yet Jim placed him in > the > pantheon. However, he fits so perfectly that I'm hoping Matt will decide to > leave him there. However, if he doesn't, that's fine. No hard feelings. > Matt > has been characteristically quiet during all of this. Matt, your feelings? > > Damon Kline wrote: > > > Hey guys! I like what I have read so far. The idea of breaking down the > > gods is cool and I think we can make it work. I'm undecided on the idea > of > > only having one greater power. On one hand, it seems cool and on the > other > > hand it seems like we're missing out a bit. I just don't know yet. > > > > I don't know if we talked about it before, but does it make sense to find > > out which characters will be deities and then decide where they will be in > > the pantheon or does it make more sense to decide the pantheon and then > fit > > characters in? > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Johnathan Detrick [mailto:jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx] > > Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2002 8:33 AM > > To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Re: Gods of Conflict > > > > Actually, I had nothing at all to disagree with in your comments on > the > > war > > gods. I agree they should be demipowers, and couldn't agree more with > your > > comments in that regard. I know that we are missing some powers in major > > areas. We have no one that is concerned with nature, and we also have no > > real > > magic deity. I hope to speak more on this later. > > Thanks for the explanation on Iludriss though. That does help me > > understand > > him better. > > I think you have crafted a unique and interesting pantheon. Now we > just > > need to tweak it. Of course, we haven't heard from anyone else, on > whether > > or > > not they think this system would work. Anyone? Do you like breaking the > > gods > > down like this? > > > > Jim and Karen wrote: > > > > > John, I definitely agree - we need some more coverage. And this is > > actually > > > better than if you had given the same feedback at the time - I like the > > > comment in Shawn's one forwarded web page that talks about leaving > things > > > sit for two weeks and then going back to them. > > > > > > One thing, though - about the war gods. I never explained my views on > two > > > things: Iludriss and why I made the war gods demigods. > > > > > > With Iludriss, I always imagined him as a person of average intelligence > > and > > > exceptional fighting skill who suffered a tragic magical calamity. When > > the > > > group encountered him, he'd already spent several years in constant pain > > and > > > torment from his transformation, and sought a release from it. He was > > > insane and enraged, but not necessarily dumb. This might help to > explain > > > why I saw some potential for godhood. > > > > > > With the war demigods, I came from the point of view that warfare is an > > > important part of mortal life, but sort of a limited or "specialized" > > part. > > > The lesser war gods are important during war, but not necessarily at > other > > > times or in other situations - their portfolios are very limited. I > kind > > of > > > like the idea of these supremely powerful warriors who compete with one > > > another to influence the outcome of conflict - they're extremely > important > > > to mortal combatants, but their power level reflects their specialized > > > portfolios. Again, just my opinion - I'm just throwing out ideas for > > people > > > to "munch" on. > > > > > > Another thing to mention - even though Gadget is lawful good, as the > > > proponent of "order" versus Magnus and Amrikol, he might not always be > the > > > staunchest ally to Dennis. After all, Dennis is NG - he prefers > > moderation, > > > and wants to let the gods keep each other in check. Gadget may find it > > > impossible not to work at cross purposes with Dennis from time to time - > > > > > > just some ideas to keep the conversation flowing! > > > > > > Jim > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Johnathan Detrick" <jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx> > > > To: <dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > > Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 4:41 PM > > > Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Re: Gods of Conflict > > > > > > > > > > > I've finally begun to examine Jim's idea in more detail. I like > the > > > > way he grouped the gods, and I think it may just be the way we want to > > > > proceed. However, he is missing a few characters, and I think we may > be > > > > missing a few important areas of life. I'm leaving now, but I hope to > > > > send out some more e-mails on the subject tomorrow. > > > > Sorry it took so long for me to respond to this. > > > > > > > > jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: > > > > > > > > > I'm just going to shoot a few ideas out > > > > > for feedback - I'm picturing a world > > > > > with only one "true" greater power > > > > > (Dennis), and a number of intermediate > > > > > powers that struggle with each other > > > > > for dominance. Here's the first one - > > > > > again, I'm trying to find a way to do > > > > > things differently than they did with > > > > > FR: > > > > > > > > > > Baish - God of War (Intermediate Power) > > > > > > > > > > The Faces of War: > > > > > Sir Baran (LG) * > > > > > Talosaard (CN) * > > > > > Cinilac (LN(e)) * > > > > > Drake (NE) * > > > > > Iludriss (CE) * > > > > > > > > > > Actual portfolio TBD. Basically, they'd > > > > > be Demi or Lesser powers who represent > > > > > a different aspect of war. They > > > > > wouldn't necessarily report to Baish > > > > > (since I'm avoiding a FR mindset) but > > > > > he'd be the one to govern them and keep > > > > > them from destroying each other. > > > > > > > > > > > >