[dungeoncrawl] Re: Deity mechanics
- From: Johnathan Detrick <jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 09:31:28 -0400
I love that! I also love the idea of most dwarves on the world
being "evil", because they have been forced to fight back against a
world that treated them like dirt. Most of the evil gods could use that
to their advantage.
I could see dwarves being little seen in cities and such. They
would almost be like the drow are now, where seeing them causes most
people to recoil in fear and terror. It's a great way to revitalize a
race that used to bore the hell out of me!
jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 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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