God Package...

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

And I've not gotten to Ares yet.

[Teflon Billy]

Re: God Package...

 

And I've not gotten to Ares yet.

You better do him up right.

 

Sgt. TB

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

heh.

[Kali Magdalene]

Re: God Package...

 

Really? Athena rescued herself. Although a millennia without any sort of contact with any sort of living organism did play a bit of havok on her psyche. She's better now.

 

 

And Aphrodite, well, yeah. She was pretty useless.

 

Well, Athena was dropped out in the middle of nowhere for a long time - I probably should reread, but it looked like Hephaestus came around and picked her up.

 

As for Aphrodite, it just clashed with my expectations that she'd get captured and become an abused sex slave. That's sort of counter to being the goddess of love. Ironic, possibly. Ares gets captured and enslaved, but he ends up in a position where he gets to keep his essence, rather than have it subverted.

 

I guess I'm just wondering why, given the nature of Greek mythology, more gods weren't put into humiliating circumstances.

[Vestnik]

Re: God Package...

 

Actually if I remember my Greek mythology correctly' date=' Aegis was her shield, which she lent to Perseus on his quest to kill the gorgon Medusa. After her returned the shield to her Medusa's head was mounted to the front of it.[/quote']

 

Does the head retain its petrification stare?

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

It does. Its under the arsenal. Check it out and tell me if you like the build.

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

Well, Athena was dropped out in the middle of nowhere for a long time - I probably should reread, but it looked like Hephaestus came around and picked her up.

 

As for Aphrodite, it just clashed with my expectations that she'd get captured and become an abused sex slave. That's sort of counter to being the goddess of love. Ironic, possibly. Ares gets captured and enslaved, but he ends up in a position where he gets to keep his essence, rather than have it subverted.

 

I guess I'm just wondering why, given the nature of Greek mythology, more gods weren't put into humiliating circumstances.

Acutally, she found Hephaestus' ship on her own.

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

Well to wet the appetite for my Olympian fan (I'm looking at you TB)

Here are the Gods I still have concrete plans for and what's going on with them.

 

Zeus. Near constant torture and abuse. It's a touching tale

Ares; Tacit enslavement and nigh constant battle.

Apollo; idyllic surroundings, bets to be the all father for a trope of gods, remakes a small world inot the Olympic ideal.

Artemis: similar to her brother. She finds a world that allows her to become the head of a small "pantheon" of nature gods (Apparently Earth's enitites of great power are better than alot of other world's )

Demeter; as mentioned in Persephone's write up, she simply sets up a garden herself; though she misses her family, she's not a warrior and has little desire to fight. She returns with the others once Persephone is on board though.

Posidon: ? I haven't had much thought but I liked his write up in Palladium's Pantheons of the Megaverse and might use that angle (which is very similar to my Apollo angle)

Nike? maybe.

anyone else I should really give the treatment to?

[Teflon Billy]

Re: God Package...

 

Well to wet the appetite for my Olympian fan (I'm looking at you TB)

Here are the Gods I still have concrete plans for and what's going on with them.

 

Zeus. Near constant torture and abuse. It's a touching tale

Ares; Tacit enslavement and nigh constant battle.

Apollo; idyllic surroundings, bets to be the all father for a trope of gods, remakes a small world inot the Olympic ideal.

Artemis: similar to her brother. She finds a world that allows her to become the head of a small "pantheon" of nature gods (Apparently Earth's enitites of great power are better than alot of other world's )

Demeter; as mentioned in Persephone's write up, she simply sets up a garden herself; though she misses her family, she's not a warrior and has little desire to fight. She returns with the others once Persephone is on board though.

Posidon: ? I haven't had much thought but I liked his write up in Palladium's Pantheons of the Megaverse and might use that angle (which is very similar to my Apollo angle)

Nike? maybe.

anyone else I should really give the treatment to?

Hmm, I think I'd prefer to see you eventually complete this list:

 

Immortals

 

 

[edit] Olympian deities

 

Aphrodite Goddess of beauty and love.

Apollo God of the light, music, healing, prophecy, the sun, and poetry.

Ares God of war, primarily violent war and bloodshed.

Artemis Goddess of the hunt and the moon.

Athena Goddess of wisdom, strategy, and war.

Demeter Goddess of agriculture.

Hades God of the Dead and lord of the Underworld. Brother of Poseidon and Zeus

Hephaestus God of fire and the forge.

Hera Goddess of marriage, family, and motherhood. Zeus' jealous wife.

Hermes God of travel, thieves, and commerce. Messenger of the gods.

Hestia Goddess of the hearth and domestic life. Eventually replaced by Dionysus.

Poseidon God of the sea. Brother of Hades and Zeus and father of Polyphemus

Zeus King of the gods. God of air, thunder and lightning. Brother of Poseidon and Hades. Destroyed his father who was a titan. Loves women and cheats on Hera very much in mythology.

[edit] Primordial deities

 

Aether God of the upper air.

Chaos Non-gendered deity of the nothingness from which all else sprang.

Chronos God of eternal time.

Erebus God of darkness.

Eros God of love.

Gaea Goddess of the Earth.

Hemera Goddess of daylight.

Nyx Goddess of night.

Tartarus The Titan (father of the gods) lives in the pit of tartaros in the darkest deepest part of the underworld controlled by Hades.

Uranus

 

[edit] Other deities

• Achelois
  
• Achelous
  
• Acheron (Αχέρων)
  
• Aeolus (Aiolos) (Αίολος)
  
• Agdistis
  
• Alastor
  
• Alectrona
  
• Alexiares and Anicetus
  
• Amphitrite (Αμφιτρίτη)
  
• Anakes
  
• Antheia
  
• Aphaea
  
• Aristaeus
  
• Asclepius (Ασκληπιός)
  
• Astraea (Αστραία)
  
• Ate
  
• Attis
  
• Bia
  
• Boreas (Βορέας)
  
• Brizo
  
• Cabiri
  
• Caerus
  
• Calypso (Καλυψώ)
  
• Ceto
  
• Charon
  
• Circe (Κίρκη)
  
• Cotys
  
• Cragus
  
• Cybele (Κυβέλη)
  
• Dinlas
  
• Dionysus (Dionysos) or Bacchus (Διόνυσος)
  
• Dioscuri (Διόσκουροι)
  • Castor (Κάστορ)
    
  • Polydeuces (Πολυδεύκης)

  [*]Doris (Δωρίς)

  [*]Efreisone (Ευφροσύνη)

  [*]Eileithyia

  [*]Elpis (Ελπίς)

  [*]Enyalius

  [*]Enyo

  [*]Eos

  [*]Eosphorus

  [*]The Erinyes, or "Furies"

  [*]Eris (Έρις)

  [*]Eros (Έρος)

  [*]Ethehofos

  [*]Eurynome, the god of Death.

  [*]Eurus (Euros)

  [*]Glaucus

  [*]Hades (Άδης)

  [*]Hêbê (Ήβη)

  [*]Hecate (Εκάτη)

  [*]Hêlios (Ήλιος)

  [*]Heracles (Ηρακλής)

  [*]Hespera

  [*]Horae (Ώρες)

  • Thallo (Θαλλώ)
    
  • Auxo (Αυξώ)
    
  • Karpo (Καρπώ)
    
  • Eunomia (Ευνομία)
    
  • Dike (Δίκη)
    
  • Irene (Ειρήνη)

  [*]Hybris (Ύβρις)

  [*]Hygeia (Υγεία)

  [*]Hypnos (Ύπνος)

  [*]Iris (Ίρις)

  [*]Moira (Μοίρα)

  [*]The three Moirae, or "Fates": (Μοίρες)

  • Clotho (Κλωθώ)
    
  • Lachesis (Λάχεσις)
    
  • Atropos (Άτροπος)

  [*]Mania (Μανία)

  [*]Metis (Μέτις)

  [*]Momus

  [*]Morpheus (Μορφέας)

  [*]Muses (Μούσες)

  • Calliope (Καλλιόπη)
    
  • Clio (Κλειώ)
    
  • Erato (Ερατώ)
    
  • Euterpe (Ευτέρπη)
    
  • Melpomene (Μελπομένη)
    
  • Polyhymnia (Πολυμνία)
    
  • Terpsichore (Τερψιχόρη)
    
  • Thalia (Θάλεια)
    
  • Urania (Ουρανία)

  [*]Nemesis (Νέμεσις)

  [*]Nereus (Νηρέας)

  [*]Nike (Νίκη)

  [*]Notus (Νότος)

  [*]Pan (Παν)

  [*]Perséphonê (Περσεφόνη)

  [*]Peitho (Πειθώ)

  [*]Pleiades (Πλειάδες)

  • Alcyone (Αλκυόνη)
    
  • Sterope (Στερόπη)
    
  • Celaeno (Κελαινώ)
    
  • Electra (Ηλέκτρα)
    
  • Maia (Μαία)
    
  • Merope (Μερόπη)
    
  • Taygete (Ταϋγέτη)

  [*]Phorcys (Φόρκυς)

  [*]Proteus (Πρωτεύς)

  [*]Priapus

  [*]Selene (Σελήνη)

  [*]Thanatos (Θάνατος)

  [*]Thetis (Θέτις)

  [*]Triton (Τρίτων)

  [*]Typhon (Τυφών)

  [*]Zephyrus (Ζέφυρος)

[edit] Titans

• Asteria
  
• Astraeus
  
• Atlas (Άτλας)
  
• Clymene (Κλυμένη)
  
• Coeus
  
• Crius
  
• Cronus (Cronos) (Κρόνος)
  
• Dione (Διόνη)
  
• Epimetheus (Epithemeos) (Επιμηθεύς)
  
• Hyperion (Υπερίων)
  
• Iapetus (Ιαπετός)
  
• Leto (Λητώ)
  
• Mnemosyne (Μνημοσύνη)
  
• Oceanus (Oceanos) (Ωκεανός)
  
• Ophion
  
• Phoebe (Φοίβη)
  
• Prometheus (Prometheos) (Προμηθεύς)
  
• Rhea (Ρέα)
  
• Tethys (Τηθύς)
  
• Theia (Θεία)
  
• Themis (Θέμις)

[edit] The Hundred-Handed (Hecatoncheires)

• Briareus (or Aegaeon)
  
• Gyes
  
• Cottus

[edit] Cyclopes

• Arges
  
• Brontes
  
• Steropes
  
• Polyphemus

[edit] River gods

• Achelous
  
• Acheron
  
• Acis
  
• Alpheus
  
• Asopus
  
• Cladeus
  
• Eurotas
  
• Peneus

[edit] Nymphs

• Adrasteia
  
• Clytie
  
• Crataeis
  
• Daphne
  
• Dryads
  
• Hamadryads
  
• Metope
  
• Naiads
  • Cleochareia

  [*]Nereids

  • Amphitrite
    
  • Arethusa

  [*]Oceanids

  • Eidyia

  [*]Oreads

  • Echo

[edit] Giants

• Agrius
  
• Alcyoneus
  
• Aloadae
  • Otus
    
  • Orion
    
  • Ephialtes

  [*]Antaeus

  [*]Argus

  [*]Enceladus

  [*]Tityas

 

 

TB

[Teflon Billy]

Re: God Package...

 

Well, in all seriousness.

 

If you added Hestia to that list you have have the whole list of the traditional Olympian 12.

 

You could even have it, since she was just the goddess of the Hearth, that the Roman pantheon didn't have a doppleganger of her. That she didn't fight, and the Romans kept her on as a menial servant.

 

But have her in reality be a spy within their ranks, biding her time. But when the final battle finally came, she made her move and greatly aided the Olympian's in their attack.

 

Also, Dionysis and Hecate would be good candidates to be written up.

 

What happened to the Titans? The great primordial dieties?

 

You don't have to write them up, but maybe incorporate them into your background story to just explain where they went.

 

TB

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

Hmm' date=' I think I'd prefer to see you eventually complete [i']this[/i] list:

 

 

 

 

TB

[Kali Magdalene]

Re: God Package...

 

If you added Hestia to that list you have have the whole list of the traditional Olympian 12.

 

You could even have it, since she was just the goddess of the Hearth, that the Roman pantheon didn't have a doppleganger of her. That she didn't fight, and the Romans kept her on as a menial servant.

 

But have her in reality be a spy within their ranks, biding her time. But when the final battle finally came, she made her move and greatly aided the Olympian's in their attack.

 

You mean she became Vesta, as opposed to being replaced by her?

[Teflon Billy]

Re: God Package...

 

You mean she became Vesta' date=' as opposed to being replaced by her?[/quote']Sure.

 

TB

[Kali Magdalene]

Re: God Package...

 

Sure.

 

TB

 

That's cool. I mean, no one would expect Hestia to be a spy. She's just like...the maid. Never mind that she's one of the oldest and most powerful figures in the pantheon.

 

Just for clarity, no sarcasm above.

[Teflon Billy]

Re: God Package...

 

That's cool. I mean, no one would expect Hestia to be a spy. She's just like...the maid. Never mind that she's one of the oldest and most powerful figures in the pantheon.

 

Just for clarity, no sarcasm above.

Oldest, sure.

 

Most powerful? I don't know what sources you've been reading but all the mythology I've read has her being the cup bearer for the whole pantheon, who gives up her position amongst the 12 for another.

 

In the celestial pecking order, she don't rank too high up there.

 

Looking at things on the Roman side, yeah, I'd say Vesta certainly had more prestige than Hestia did in Greek religious practices.

 

TB

[Kali Magdalene]

Re: God Package...

 

Oh, just that she was the firstborn of Cronus and Rhea, and that she always comes first.

 

I mean, why does she need one of the 12 seats when she's always first?

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

Changing Gears here again. I was looking at my non-Greek pantheons. What would be different on the "God Standard" for say:

 

Asgardians?

Summarians

Babalyonians

Japanese

Chinese

Celtic

Russian

Native American

Hindustani

Egyptian

African Tribal gods

 

What I am getting at is, thematically how would they differ from the Greeks?

I mean the Hindustani have the perdisposition for multiple arms/faces/heads; the Native Americans seemed more inclined to worship animal & Nature based spirits, etc. What about some of the others?

 

Else Earth is changing a bit as I think on it. Each pantheon worshiped on Earth has a realm in the Lands of Legend. Along with Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, Dragons, etc...ach that's a lot of magic to deal with...

[OddHat]

Re: God Package...

 

Asgardians - Key element here is that they're going to lose. Not just that they can be defeated, but that their enemies are often more powerful than they are, and only Loki's trickery can save them (they were ungrateful). In the end, they are doomed, and they know it. Only a few of the young ones will survive to try again next time.

 

Japanese - Huge crossover with the Chinese and Indian pantheon, to the point where the Japanese pantheon can almost be considered a subset of the Chinese. Worth noting that the Japanese creation story is all about the creation of Japan and the Japanese people; the rest of the world barely gets a mention. Blood ties to prominent Japanese families through the Royal family are worth noting.

 

Chinese - Strict hierarchy, with the Jade Emperor at the top and legions below him, including vast armies of gods and monsters. A heavenly government that mirrors the government of ancient China, to the point that the Chinese Emperor's orders have some force with Earth bound demons. No division between gods and demons. A few loan gods from Greece jobbing around (Herakles as the Buddha of Strength), probably brought over through the silk trade or Alexander's armies. Asian Bestiary 1&2 are great sources for this.

[Enforcer84]

Re: God Package...

 

Sweet. THanks Oddhat.

 

How about powerwise? Where these gods of the move mountains, everyone stronger than an ox type? I know attempting to distill each culture's theology to a "racial" template with mix and match abilities is something of an injustice, but hey, I'm making a game world here, not a treatise on the religions of the world.

 

My standard Olympian template will be my basis. You think there will be enough similarities among the individuals that I can make a base template to play with?

 

Oh and in Else Earth the Asgardians have had Ragnarok. Both in the past and the present. They are now represented by a younger generation of Gods with a few holdovers. Namely Freya, Magni, and other CHildren of Thor. Khur-Loki is one.

[OddHat]

Re: God Package...

 

Sweet. THanks Oddhat.

 

How about powerwise? Where these gods of the move mountains, everyone stronger than an ox type? I know attempting to distill each culture's theology to a "racial" template with mix and match abilities is something of an injustice, but hey, I'm making a game world here, not a treatise on the religions of the world.

 

My standard Olympian template will be my basis. You think there will be enough similarities among the individuals that I can make a base template to play with?

 

Well, off the top of my head for Chinese and Japanese gods, and noting that my main impressions come from wuxia films, books of Japanese folk tales, and the English translations of Journey to the West:

1) Super Strength and Invulnerability are far from universal. Truly invulnerable and super strong characters like Monkey stood out enough to threaten the hierarchy. Of course, Monkey is a travel around the world in four leaps and smash mountains type of character.

2) Immortality plus some moderately useful special skills are almost enough to earn you a place as a minor league deity. There's not all that much distinction made between an Immortal and a god, other than recognition and assignment of an office by the Celestial Court. A human can aspire to become a god. Of course, if you push, you're likely to get assigned as the god of Cleaning the Celestial Stables.

3) Shape changing, transforming others, size changing, flying, desolidification, kung-fu with weapons use, and throwing chi, lightning, thunder, etc are fairly common. Minor gods might have only immortality plus kung fu, flying, and one or two shape changes. Even the Cleaner of the Celestial Stables can probably make a good showing against a mortal kung fu master. Powerful gods can wipe out vast armies single handed, but then so can the greatest kung fu masters.

4) A god who gets killed will likely re-incarnate and be informed of his divine heritage and offered a chance to earn his way back into heaven by a functionary of the court.

5) Punishment by transformation into a monster or death and rebirth can be handed out for fairly minor mistakes. If you're lucky, you may be useful enough to be given a chance to redeem yourself.

6) Civility, harmony, benevolence, tradition, and respect are everything. Power that grows from inner peace ultimately trumps otherwise equal power that grows from violent emotions.

7) No one except Buddha and the Jade Emperor himself can beat Monkey for long. It's just a matter of time before he comes back more powerful and kicks your ***.

[Vestnik]

Re: God Package...

 

The Chinese imported Herakles? Do you have any more info on that Oddhat? I'm intrigued. My knowledge of Chinese myth is zero.

[OddHat]

Re: God Package...

 

The Chinese imported Herakles? Do you have any more info on that Oddhat? I'm intrigued. My knowledge of Chinese myth is zero.

 

They imported a few. Herakles made it all the way through India and China to Japan. He shows up as the Buddha of Strength, guardian of Buddha and a patron of athletes. There's a fairly good article on Grecco-Buddhist art on Wikipedia. When you're actually at the shrines you'll sometimes spot pieces where the Greek influence is pretty obvious.

 

Pan ended up imported to China as a sort of creator god. China doesn't really have an indigenous creation myth for the physical world; humans were either shaped from clay by a snake goddess whose name currently escapes me or by the Jade Emperor, or started as fleas infesting Pan's fur.

[Vestnik]

Re: God Package...

 

They imported a few. Herakles made it all the way through India and China to Japan. He shows up as the Buddha of Strength' date=' guardian of Buddha and a patron of athletes. There's a fairly good article on Grecco-Buddhist art on Wikipedia. When you're actually at the shrines you'll sometimes spot pieces where the Greek influence is pretty obvious.

 

Pan ended up imported to China as a sort of creator god. China doesn't really have an indigenous creation myth for the physical world; humans were either shaped from clay by a snake goddess whose name currently escapes me or by the Jade Emperor, or started as fleas infesting Pan's fur.

 

That is really interesting. Also interesting that the influence doesn't seem to have worked in the opposite direction (legends about some Greek philosophers having studied in Asia notwithstanding).

[OddHat]

Re: God Package...

 

That is really interesting. Also interesting that the influence doesn't seem to have worked in the opposite direction (legends about some Greek philosophers having studied in Asia notwithstanding).

 

I've wondered about that as well. I'd say India was the key to the Eastern movement of cultural memes; India was part of the proto-Indo-European religious group (if you buy that theory) and their trade ties to Greece and Rome were solid. When China started importing big chunks of Indian culture, the borrowed European stuff came along for the ride, and then got passed on through to China's cultural clients. One of these days I'd like to research what (if any) bits of Indian culture moved West in the ancient world.

[Vestnik]

Re: God Package...

 

I've wondered about that as well. I'd say India was the key to the Eastern movement of cultural memes; India was part of the proto-Indo-European religious group (if you buy that theory) and their trade ties to Greece and Rome were solid. When China started importing big chunks of Indian culture' date=' the borrowed European stuff came along for the ride, and then got passed on through to China's cultural clients. One of these days I'd like to research what (if any) bits of Indian culture moved West in the ancient world.[/quote']

 

One of the Greek philisophers supposedly studied with the gymnosophoi ("naked philosophers") of India. I don't remember which one it was though -- my memory is telling me Diogenes or Zeno the Stoic or Pyrrho.