Balok Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 I'm toying with a campaign in which magic comes from the gods -- but not in the "D&D" way. What happens is, you must satisfy some requirement of a god, and if you do, he teaches you a spell. It might be one you ask for, or it might be one he thinks you should learn. However, once you learn the spell, it's yours. You don't have to pray to recover it; you cast it normally as your END permits. To further complicate things, the gods have an agreement: no god will grant a magician more than a single spell until *all* the gods have granted him one. I'm thinking seven gods, and I have some ideas for what spheres of influence each should have. But as you might guess, some are opposed by others. (Why seven? In the immortal words of J. Belushi ... "why not?") What I'm asking for with this thread are some ideas about what spheres of influence the gods should have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citizen Keen Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 Earth (Protection, Stability, Fall, Mountains) Fire (Emotion, Oaths, Summer, Deserts) Air (Cold, Illusion, Transportation, Luck, Winter, Sky) Water (Time, Knolwedge, Secrets, Spring, Oceans and Rivers) Void (Chaos, Inspiration, Creativity, Destruction) Good (Healing, Justice, Balance) Evil (Darkness, blah blah blah) This is a similar 7 gods to my new system. Mine has the first five (who are active) and a slightly distant father god who is good by day and evil by night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 There's seven gods in the Game of Thrones trilogy-- Father, Mother, Warrior, Smith, Maid, Crone, and Stranger. Curse of Chalion by Bujold lists five gods, four associated with the seasons (the Father of Winter, the Mother of Summer, the Son of Autumn, and the Daughter of Spring), and one god who governs events out of time (the Bastard). Shouldn't be too hard to extend to seven. Both of these have similar divisions of labor, as it were. The Father tends to be about protection, the Mother about harvests and health, the Maid/Daughter about love and innocence, etc. The Bastard/Stranger is the god who is not worshipped except by 'lost souls', i.e. thieves and wanderers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 OK, take the traditional Western elements; Air, Earth, Fire and Water. Intersect with the Oriental ones; Earth, Fire, Metal, Water and Wood. Change "Wood" to "Nature," give that one the animals as well as the plants. Add the Trickster. Air Earth Fire Metal Nature Trickster Water The Metal God would have dominion over all technology and fabricated objects, even those fabricated from non-metalic substances, clay pots, reed baskets, wooden houses. Slight rivalry with the Earth Goddess, who sees Him as taking her substances and making them His own. More serious rivalry with the Nature Goddess, the Yang to His Yin, His opposite on the Natural/Fabricated spectrum. He has an affinity for the Fire God, his partner in refining metal and fireing clay. Relationship with the Air and Water Dieties would depend on how common such things as windmills, water wheels, and (most important) sailboats are in your world. Three natural spectrums, Air/Earth, Fire/Water, Metal/Nature, Trickster is outside their order. Going to suggest that Air, Fire, and Metal are Gods; Earth, Water and Nature Godesses; and the Trickster a Diety of no fixed gender, male or female as occasion demands. That was easier than I thought it would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 McCoy cool job...I've used a diety simular to the Metal god (named Ozzy?) That I've always dubbed "The forge god" This is a common diety such as Vulcan or weiland (sp?) if you can find a cheap copy Rune quest has a big section on creating patheons (Avalon hill era) and D&D had a suplimate called something like Compleat preist that is in my local library so that is a no cost option if your local has one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 pinecone, thank you. I usually use the 12 archtypes from Runequest. They may be helpful, I'll list them for others. Agricultural Goddess Earth Goddess Hunting God Moon Goddess Night Goddess Ruling Deity Sea God Storm God Sun God Trickster Underworld God War God Some of these can be combined in one individual, Zeus for example is both Ruling Diety and Storm God. Suggested cobinations to get 12 down to 7. Agricultural Goddess + Earth Goddess Hunting God + War God Moon Goddess + Night Goddess Ruling Deity + Sun God Sea God + Storm God Trickster Underworld God Details would vary with culture. For this I assumed an agrarian costal civilization, dependant on the Sun and Earth for sustance, where storms normally come in from the sea. A more hunter-gatherer culture might combine Hunting God and Trickster, admiring the ability to outsmart the game animals, and combine the Underworld God with the War God. A civilization dependent on fishing or their merchant fleet may make the Sea God the Ruling Diety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Thanx for posting the list,I've always thought that the combo's and ranking says a lot about the culture. For example one of the slavic patheons has a Sun goddess/Ruling diety married to a Moon god/War god...I'm guessing that night time raids played a large role in their war plans....It is also evecative of the Phaeroe as Moon bull/consort of the sky goddess of the egyptions. I would think that patraliniel societys choose male Ruling dietys and matraliniels choose Female ruling dietys, even if they later adopt a differant way of doing things. I've almost always choen a group as being a "storm people" or a "sun people" as almost always the Ruler is either a Sun or a Storm diety (I include Sky as a subset of Storm)Though I suppose that is and indoeuropean centric way of thinking.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilFleischmann Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Seven gods suggests to me the seven planets of historical astrology. Here are the seven planet-related cards from Everway, a rather wierd RPG, which I own but have never played (WOTC was selling it for $5 at the time! It's definitely worth that just as a source of different ideas.): Priestess: Moon, Understanding Mysteries Hermit: Mercury, Wisdom, Isolation Peasant: Venus, Simple Strength Fool: Sun, Freedom Smith: Mars, Productivity King: Jupiter, Authority Soldier: Saturn, Duty I find the same old earth-air-fire-water gods to be somewhat trite and overdone. Of course there can always be exceptions, new interpretations, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Real-world pantheons tend to orient around the things people care about, more than the things that compose the universe. If you'd like to avoid elemental deities, especially when there aren't many of them, here's another breakdown: Life - including healing, agriculture, fertility, possibly wild flora and fauna Death - self-explanatory Nature - earth, air, fire, water, metal, weather, possibly wild flora and fauna Love - including simple affection, love of all kinds, and social bonds Zeal - including passion, war, duty Laughter - including humor of whatever sort, pranks, and maybe alternate perspectives Luck - self-explanatory Mind you, if you're looking at pantheons from the point of view of spell providers, you might want to line them up with elements instead, since they're probably easier to use as the basis of spells. You might not get too far with (e.g.) Laughter magic. Then again, maybe some of those are spells without game-mechanical effects at 0 EP cost, but still something a character has to work to get in-game and a source of roleplaying goodness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Arrow Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 With only seven, you'll need to double/treble up a bit. Sky/Lightning/Thunder Earth/Agriculture/Animals Water/Rivers/Oceans and Seas Sun/Light/Fire Moon/Magic/Mind Love/Beauty/The Arts Death/Darkness/The Void It could be that the gods are revealed as different sexes in different aspects. For example the God of the Sky has a son called Thunder and a daughter, Lightning. These are avatars but also merely aspects of the central deity I'd suggest Sky, Sun and Death as male, Earth, Water and Moon as female and Love as androgynous (a little like how Hermes is sometimes portrayed). Alternatively, perhaps there is a missing god, of whom no one will speak, a destroyer, betrayer and trickster god (just to even up the sexes, but could provide all sorts of plot ideas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 Balok? Been a while. Going to post your seven? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutsleeve Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 i never liked the idea of the traditional rpg gods to much theyve been dont to death. always attempt to push some originality into them. The main problem with the gods is that they always seem aproached in the method of "man creates Gods" if the Gods truly exsist in your universe they where not created by man. They might work with man or watch over him but most gods wouldnt care about such things as wars or laws or abstracts like good and evil also they might not even be related absolutely to things like earth fire wind water which they may veiw as their creation merely tools. so heres a new take. Bafjier: The first harmony. watcher of times and seasons. Takrix: The second harmony. keeper of beginnings and endings. Malshoru: The third harmony. the steward of change. Harhirha: The fourth harmony. The weaver of paterns. Gorgisha: The rythm. The shaper of things new. Rabakiir: The chorus. The memory of things which are old. Zi: The first Note. The child of all and lord of the heavens. I guess thats all 7 gods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 When you said seven I immediately thought of the Piers Anthony's incarnations: Death Time War Fate Nature Evil Good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpCommander Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 My Gods! Hmm if you want really wierd Gods how about these: Primary Order Gods: First Order: God of Gravitational Forces (a God that affects everyone) Second Order: God of Weak Forces (a God that maintains Chaos over Order, Decay) Third Order: God of Strong Forces (a God that that maintains Order over Chaos, Stability) Forth Order: God of Electromagnitism (a God of Light and information) Secondary Order Gods: 1st Minor God of Dimention 2nd Minor God of Time 3rd Minor God of Unity (who tries to unite all the Gods) If Unity were to ever succeed then that God would become the ruler of all the other Gods. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 Just making these up as I type, but: Vawoh: All Father, God of Magic, Creation, Order, Power, Force, Initiative, Inspiration, Leadership Reha: The Great Mother, Godess of Nurturing, Health, Time, Acceptance, Patience, Guidance Their children: Advar: First Son, God of Duty, Honor, Fortification, Dependibility, Competence, Structure, Implementation, Knowing Ones Place, Social Order, Law, Justice, Fairness Anria: First Daugther, Godess of the Hearth, Comfort, Homemaking, Provender, Agriculture, Good Fortune, Lineage, Family, Unity, Love Uria: Godess of Moon and Tide, Sea and Storm, Water and Rain, Death and Darkness, Pettyness, Beauty, Vanity, Spite, Unreasoning Hatred, Chance, Randomness, Unpredictibility, Mysteries, the Unknown Unvar: God of Striving, Enterprise, Acceptance Seeking, Overacheiving, Ambition, Greed, Hubris, Mercantilism, Politics, Deceit, Material Wealth Ehvar: Youngest Son, God of Impetuousness, Risk-taking, Conflict, Temper, Agression, Strength, Present, Conflict, Bravery, Boldness, Rashness, Destruction, Anger, Weaponcrafting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 26, 2003 Report Share Posted September 26, 2003 Re: My Gods! Originally posted by CorpCommander Hmm if you want really wierd Gods how about these... Commander, these are great gods! I'm not running a game right now, but as a cosmology buff, I just might have to do something with this anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpCommander Posted September 26, 2003 Report Share Posted September 26, 2003 Re: Re: My Gods! Originally posted by Crisis Commander, these are great gods! I'm not running a game right now, but as a cosmology buff, I just might have to do something with this anyway. Thanks, I originally did it as a joke but I've been thinking about it all day. Perhaps they would be good for a Post-Apocalyptic game. I am reading "The Elegant Universe" and that was what prompted me to write them up. Let me know if you want help writing them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilFleischmann Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 You could also just pick any seven things you happen to like and see where it goes from there. Who says every natural phenomenon has to have a god? Let's pick a few random things for example: Rats The Crescent Moon Chocolate Mount Gomorinchus Marketplaces Gryphons Opals What would the god of rats be like? What other concepts/phenomena/values might he be associated with? Stealth, thievery, decay, hunger, disease, fear, cowardice, prolificity, timidity, humility, are a few that come to mind. The god of rats may be worshipped as a personification of any of these, perhaps all, perhaps only a few. The god of Mount Gomorinchus (located on the east cost of Temna) could be associated with anything that the Temnans connect with that particular mountain. He may or may not be the god of all mountains. Maybe it's a fertility goddess because of the rain water that runs down the slopes and onto the farmlands of Temna. Maybe it's a god of navigation as the mountain is visible from a long way out to sea. Maybe a god of the stars and the heavens as the mountain appears to be reaching up to the sky. The crescent moon may imply either or both growth or decline, thing beginning or coming to an end, incompletenes, darkness. Perhaps the crescent shape suggests a smile, and so this might be a god of laughter and happiness. Of course it could also be a frown. Note that this might not be a god of the moon in general, only the crescent moon. Other phases of the moon may not have any gods attached. The god of marketplaces might teach greed or honesty or travel or knowledge or storytelling or craftsmanship... etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted October 2, 2003 Report Share Posted October 2, 2003 One of the best posts I ever saw on the SJGames Pyramid boards was a guy who did a 'seven gods' pantheon... ... based on the JLA's "Big Seven". (Obviously he changed the names, but as I can't remember all of the names of the deities he used, I'll just put in the names) Superman (Rao) -- The "sun god" figure, patron of valor, righteous war, justice Batman (unknown) -- Vigilance, law, and vengeance (and yes, that's an odd mix, but so's he) Wonder Woman (unknown) -- Truth, mercy, honor Martian Manhunter (unknown) -- Knowledge, secrets, wisdom Green Lantern (The Green Wizard) -- magic, energy Flash (Swift Allen) -- Speed, travel, the messenger of the gods Aquaman (Orin) -- God of the seas, weather, etc. The real hoot was the evil deity pantheon based on Lex Luthor, the Joker, Circe, Sinestro, Black Manta, and I forget the other two. (wishes he could find that old post) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloomann Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 more gods Here some ideas archtypes as deities: Noble Warrior Wiseman Dreamer Hunter Trickster Exile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloomann Posted October 14, 2003 Report Share Posted October 14, 2003 oh yeah here's the other idea I had using the seven deadly sins as gods, or er they are good by day, use their opposites and deadly by night (great idea i'm using from other post above) duh, having baby tooth pain crying mental collapse must go help the baby .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherSkip Posted October 15, 2003 Report Share Posted October 15, 2003 Erm a few notes, IIRC there are seven gods.... this is a writeup for a barbarian tribe that was on the verge of true specialization. Cydar, the Beastman God of Hunting and the Beasts Cydar is eternally maried to Illunadriel, the Goddess of herding and gathering. This goddess who is traditionally supportive of the tribal gatherers has as her domains often the domestic and gathering/herbalistic side of tribal life. Cydar is friendly and respects the other gods of the pantheon he is a part of and from that respect he may not participate in certain other aspects of life. Cydar's priests may not blacksmith out of respect for Der the God of blacksmiths (though he may recieve gifts from him in the form of metal hunting tools such as arrowheads and spear tips). a Priest may not gather plants out of respect for Illunadriel though he may eat the plant foods gathered by others. He may not build ships though he may hunt the beasts of the sea fields in them or not out of respect for Glamdrun, Rider of the Waves. He may not read the future in the stars for that is the province of the Star Eyed Lord, though he may benefit by those readings and determine where the beasts are in the fields. And he may not tread the path of Miskune, Guardian of the Depths but he may travel with others who do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Ciaramella Posted November 1, 2003 Report Share Posted November 1, 2003 Originally posted by Chuckg One of the best posts I ever saw on the SJGames Pyramid boards was a guy who did a 'seven gods' pantheon... ... based on the JLA's "Big Seven". (Obviously he changed the names, but as I can't remember all of the names of the deities he used, I'll just put in the names) Superman (Rao) -- The "sun god" figure, patron of valor, righteous war, justice Batman (unknown) -- Vigilance, law, and vengeance (and yes, that's an odd mix, but so's he) Wonder Woman (unknown) -- Truth, mercy, honor Martian Manhunter (unknown) -- Knowledge, secrets, wisdom Green Lantern (The Green Wizard) -- magic, energy Flash (Swift Allen) -- Speed, travel, the messenger of the gods Aquaman (Orin) -- God of the seas, weather, etc. The real hoot was the evil deity pantheon based on Lex Luthor, the Joker, Circe, Sinestro, Black Manta, and I forget the other two. (wishes he could find that old post) I stumbled across the following on the web after doing a search for JLA pantheon... The JLA Pantheon It really does make me think about the concept of superheroes being the modern mythology... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzy Gnome Posted November 1, 2003 Report Share Posted November 1, 2003 "Do you three boys take these four girls to be your seven gods?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted November 1, 2003 Report Share Posted November 1, 2003 Originally posted by Chuckg One of the best posts I ever saw on the SJGames Pyramid boards was a guy who did a 'seven gods' pantheon... ... based on the JLA's "Big Seven". Humm, how would the Runequest archtypes intersect with the animated Justice League? Superman: Ruling Deity, Sun God Batman: Night God, Hunting God, Underworld God Hawkgirl: Moon Goddess, War Goddess Martian Manhunter: Trickster (some may say Flash, but this seems to go with the shapeshifting, disguise, and other powers. Plus I like the irony of a Trickster with no sense of humor.) The others are harder. None of them seem to have a connection with Agriculture. Wonder Woman could be earth, because of her golem-like origin, sea, being born on an island, or even storm, because she flies. Let's give Earth to the Flash, one of the two non-flying Leaguers, the one who spends the most time in contact with the ground. (Yes, I realize it's a strech.) Flash: Earth God Green Lantern. Agriculture, purely from the color. Storm, for flying and the lightning-like energy blast. Green Lantern: Agricultural God, Storm God Which leaves Wonder Woman: Sea Goddess Comments anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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