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How would you stat up gods in Hero System?


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Re: How would you stat up gods in Hero System?

 

Does anyone recall' date=' earlier in the thread, when I commented on the HERO obsession with quantifying [i']everything[/i]? Many uses of Perks fall under "things that inspired that observation about HEROdom".

 

There are times, Kristopher, when you and I are in complete agreement.

 

I can't believe people are actually, apparently, contemplating making a driver's license a 1 pt perk. (Lack of one should be a 5 pt Social Limitation.)

 

There's no reason someone who's already spent points on the right skills shouldn't be considered a licensed MD or lawyer - and I don't see much reason for someone who hasn't the skills, to have the license.

 

 

On the other hand, I do see some value in "statting up" Divine Beings....I'm just not sure I can explain why. :think:

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Would Janus be the God of Palindromedaries?

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Re: How would you stat up gods in Hero System?

 

I imagine lots of Usable By Others and range increases, along with "Only While Serving My Purposes" -1/4.

.

 

How is that a limitation rather than a safety precaution?

 

 

There are only two reasons to stat something up as far as I'm concerned, so it can played as a player character, and so it can be defeated (potentially) by a player character. Some people object to both things on the grounds that it reduces the eminence of the gods, but the fact is there is precedent in mythology and fantasy for mortals fighting and sometimes even defeating gods. Sometimes this is rationalized as the mortal facing an "avatar" of the god scaled for fairness. Other times the mortal is that awesome and or the god is just that minor or that far out of it's purview. The goddess of hinges

Cardea, Roman goddess of hinges, thresholds, and handles, bless

the broken

hinge on the hatch door of a tree house, once cynosure

 

of the Suwannee's west bank, now long disremembered under a

mantle

of Spanish moss; and bolster the hinges of the Dutch stall doors

in a stable in Kansas,

 

may be able to open or close any hinged door (and answer hinge-related requests if she sees fit with magic that forces open doors or holds them shut, or just gets them to shut up), but if she's a http:// http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PhysicalGod then there's no particular reason why she can't be defeated if you can meet her face-to-face and it isn't a challenge within her sphere. G

 

That being said, the ability to grant spells to clerics/holy hermits/divine champions is best represented by taking the clerics as Followers. The powers are paid for with the points you spent on your Followers. If you feel inclined to perform the occasional miracle outside of that, then it would probably be best to give them a "prayer sense" modelled on "danger sense" and sufficient range on perception and powers to intervene. No need of usable by others powers.

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Re: How would you stat up gods in Hero System?

 

There are times, Kristopher, when you and I are in complete agreement.

 

I can't believe people are actually, apparently, contemplating making a driver's license a 1 pt perk. (Lack of one should be a 5 pt Social Limitation.)

 

Things like this depend entirely on the Campaign Baseline.

 

In a game focusing on Teens, being able to drive, and being able to do so legally are completely different, not to mention the Baseline is likely going to be "cannot drive legally"

 

In a game focusing on Adults, the opposute is true, it's assumed you are legally able to drive, in fact the TF is an Everyman. And not being able to legally drive is a Social Limitation.

 

Before we jump all over the 'costing everything out is dumb' bandwagon we do need to understand where the Baseline sits.

 

All Gods Must Follow The Laws Of The Universe as a Baseline means not having to do so is a Perk.

No Gods Follows The Laws Of The Universe as a Baseline means having to do so is a Disadvantage (likely Physical in this example).

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Re: How would you stat up gods in Hero System?

 

RE: The Divine Perk about following laws and such.

 

Reminds me of the premise behind the plot in the movie Dogma.

 

A sudden contradiction in laws that God had to follow almost undid creation...

Yes, but that was only in the context of God's creation (all of Existence) not with regards to God Himself.

 

If He was contradicted in the movie, all of Existence would have been snuffed out, but God would still be there. And been able to create another existence shortly there after.

 

TB

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May All the Gods Forgive Me

 

Yes, this is getting impious even by my standards, not to mention completely silly....but I couldn't resist.

 

 

Omnipresence: (Total: 217 Active Cost, 199 Real Cost) Immanence: Growth (+15 STR, +3 BODY, +3 STUN, -3" KB, 800 kg, -2 DCV, +2 PER Rolls to perceive character, 4 m tall, 2 m wide), Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), MegaScale (1" = 100 billion lightyears; +6 1/4) (127 Active Points) (Real Cost: 127) plus Transcendence Desolidification , Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Linked (Immanence; Greater Power is Constant or in use most or all of the time; -1/4) (Real Cost: 72)

 

Omniscience: (Total: 246 Active Cost, 246 Real Cost)Knows All: KS: Everything, Uncontrolled (+1/2) 50- (Real Cost: 61) plus Understands All: Universal Translator 40-, Uncontrolled (+1/2) (73 Active Points) (Real Cost: 73) plus Sees All: Spatial Awareness (Unusual Group), +20 to PER Roll, Discriminatory, Analyze, Microscopic: x10,000,000,000, Perceive into any dimension, Rapid: x100,000 (Real Cost: 112)

 

Omnipotence:

Omnipotence: Variable Power Pool, 500 base + 937 control cost, Inherent (+1/4), Persistent (+1/2); all slots Cosmic (+2) (1437 Active and Real Points)

plus

Eternal Omnipotence: Succor Cosmic Power Pool and all Slots 5d6, Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Transdimensional (Single Point in Time: Moment of Creation; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Can Apply Adders (+1), All Powers Simultaneously (+2) (156 Active Points)

 

 

NOTES

 

The first attribute listed, Omnipresence, includes Immanence and Transcendence. The former is Growth, Megascaled, sufficient to cover the entire observable universe as of the most recent scientific cosmological theory, as I understand it. The latter is bought as Desolidification.

 

The second attribute, Omniscience, sort of assumes the first: If a Deity is not Omnipresent for example but wishes to be Omniscient, it would be necessary to buy 360 degrees, Range, and lots of Telescopic on the Cosmic Awareness. An Omnipresent Being need not have Ranged senses, since by definition nothing is ever at range from an Omnipresent Being.

 

The third attribute, Omnipotence, includes both a Cosmic Power Pool and an Eternal Succor that applies to the Cosmic Power Pool at the moment of Creation, and that goes off automatically and without effort each phase - Forever. Even in the unlikely case of a SPD 1 Being, and even over the course of, say, a normal Human lifetime of three score and ten years, that's an enormous amount of 5d6 Succors - and a zero END Succor basically goes on forever. Even though it costs less than 1600 points, I'd say this constitutes effectively unlimited power for any Being that endures for eons.

 

Don't ask why I did this. I don't understand it either.

 

edit: Might as well add this:

Deus Absconditus: Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, Mental, Radio, Smell/Taste and Touch Groups and Spatial Awareness , No Fringe, Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (135 Active and Real Points)

 

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Sometimes, the palindromedary worries about me.

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Re: How would you stat up gods in Hero System?

 

I dread to think which bit of your anatomy we are in' date=' oh omnipresent one...and does this mean that attacks that affect desolid always hit you?[/quote']

 

Nay, mortal.

 

It means that attacks with the Affects All Desolid Advantage have also the +0 Advantage, Except for the Transcendence Special Effect. Had they not, never would such an attack strike its intended target. To serve the purpose for which they are created, such powers must be excluded from affecting Transcendence.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary is just ubiquitous, not omnipresent...

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Re: How would you stat up gods in Hero System?

 

Lucius asked me to post this:

 

AAMURUSKO HAMARA

Daughter of the Sun and the Moon

 

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

40 STR 30 17- Lift 6400.0kg; 8d6 [8]

28 DEX 54 15- OCV: 9/DCV: 9

30 CON 40 15-

25 BODY 30 14-

25 INT 15 14- PER Roll 14-

30 EGO 40 15- ECV: 10

30 PRE 20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6

30 COM 10 15-

 

20 PD 12 Total: 20 PD (15 rPD)

20 ED 14 Total: 20 ED (15 rED)

6 SPD 22 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

14 REC 0

60 END 0

60 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 287

 

Movement: Running: 12"/48"

Flight: 18"/36"

Leaping: 8"/16"

Swimming: 2"/4"

 

Cost Powers END

5 Goddess Of The Twilight: +10 STR; Power Only Works In Twilight (either dawn or dusk; -1) 2

 

50 Aamurusko's Touch: Multipower, 75-point reserve, all slots Restrainable (slots only usuable with either the left or right hand; -1/2)

2u 1) Touch Of The Falling Night: Extra-Dimensional Movement (The Afterlife) (Single Dimension, Any Location), Affects Desolidified only affects ghosts, souls, and the like (+1/4), Safe Blind Travel (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Usable As Attack (+1); Power Only Works In Twilight (-1), Only To Send Ghosts, Lost Souls, And The Recently Slain To The Afterlife (-1), Restrainable (only usable with right hand; -1/2)

2u 2) Touch Of The Rising Day: Healing BODY 4 1/2d6, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), Conditional Power Power Only Works at Dawn (-1), Restrainable (only usable with left hand; -1/2), Others Only (-1/2)

 

39 Holds Domain Over The North: Multipower, 39-point reserve

2u 1) Snow And Ice Is No Obstacle: Flight 18"; Only On Appropriate Terrain Only on snow and ice (-1), Only In Contact With A Surface (-1/4) 4

3u 2) Sense The Health Of The North: Detect The General State Of Her Realm 14- (no Sense Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Range, MegaScale (1" = 1,000 km; 1" is sufficent to cover all her realm; +1)

2u 3) Knows If The North Is In Trouble: Danger Sense (general area, any danger, Function as a Sense); Only Perceives General Threats To The Realm As A Whole (-1) 14-

 

40 Daughter Of The Moon: EB 6d6, NND (defense is Life Support [safe Environment: Intense Cold]; +1); No Range (-1/2) 6

22 Taivas Tera (Heaven Blade): HKA 2d6 (4d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1)

52 Surround Herself In Winter's Chill: Change Environment 8" radius, +1 Points of Flash Damage, -2 Temperature Level Adjustment, Multiple Combat Effects, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4); No Range (-1/2), Not Usable Outside Of Her Domain (-1/4) plus Drain END 1d6, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Area Of Effect (8" Radius; +1 1/2); Not Usable Outside Of Her Domain (-1/4) 3

15 Divine Form: Damage Resistance (15 PD/15 ED)

60 Divine Form: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% plus Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%

14 Divine Will: Mental Defense (20 points total)

10 Diving Form: Power Defense (10 points)

17 Diving Speed: Running +6" (12" total), x4 Noncombat 2

20 Divine Far Sight: Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing Groups); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2) 6

18 Daughter Of The Sun: Sight Group Images Increased Size (16" radius; +1), +4 to PER Rolls; Only To Create Light (-1), No Range (-1/2) 4

44 Divine Being: LS (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing)

10 Recognize Other Diving Beings: Detect Fellow Diving Beings 14- (Mental Group), Discriminatory, Sense

5 Daughter Of The Moon: Nightvision

 

Perks

7 Contact: Mother Earth (Contact has extremely useful Skills or resources, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Very Good relationship with Contact) 8-

15 Fringe Benefit: Goddess Of The North

 

Talents

3 Daughter Of The Sun And Moon: Absolute Time Sense

13 Holds Domain Over The North: Animal Friendship; Only Applies To Animals Of The Far North (-1/2)

10 Holds Domain Over The North: Beast Speech; Only Applies To Animals Of The Far North (-1/2)

3 Daughter Of The Sun And Moon: Bump Of Direction

10 Favored Of Mother Earth: Divine Favor

5 Divine Memory: Eidetic Memory

2 Holds Domain Over The North: Environmental Movement (no penalties on ice or snow)

14 Daughter Off The Sun And The Moon, Favored Of Mother Earth: Fearless

3 Awakes Instantly: Lightsleep

2 Holds Domain Over The North: Trackless Stride

20 Command Of Earthly Tongues: Universal Translator 14-

 

Skills

20 Whirlwind In Battle: +4 with HTH Combat

 

7 AK: The Far North, Her Domain 18-

3 Climbing 15-

3 Concealment 14-

3 Deduction 14-

10 Defense Maneuver I-IV

2 Gambling (Board Games) 14-

3 High Society 15-

3 KS: Divine Lore 14-

3 KS: The Divine Hierarchy 14-

3 KS: Various Secrets And Hidden Truths 14-

2 Navigation (Land) 14-

3 Paramedics 14-

3 Divine Power Made Manifest: Power: Sun/Moon Powers 15-

3 Shadowing 14-

3 Stealth 15-

4 Survival (Arctic/Subarctic, Mountain) 14-

3 Tactics 14-

3 Tracking 14-

2 TF: Riding Animals

4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 629

Total Cost: 916

 

200+ Disadvantages

15 Distinctive Features: Body Evenly Divided Into All Black/All White (Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

20 Distinctive Features: Divine Aura (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

15 Hunted: Fellow Divine Beings 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

25 Psychological Limitation: Protective Of Her Domian And Those Within It (Very Common, Total)

15 Psychological Limitation: Avoids The Sun And Moon Whenever Possible (Common, Strong)

15 Social Limitation: Outcast Daughter Of Father Sun And Mother Moon (Frequently, Major)

611 Experience Points

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 916

 

Background/History: Aamurusko Hamara is the seventh (and youngest) daughter of the Sun and the Moon. As three of her sisters went to live with Father Sun, and three with Mother Moon, Aamurusko found herself homeless and unwanted, neither accepted or acknowledged by either of her parents. Instead, she left the Sky and came to dwell on the Earth, wandering the frozen wastes as a spirit of the endless nights and the midnight sun, sharing aspects of both her parents, the Sun and the Moon.

 

In the countless millennia since her exile, Aamurusko has become a patron to those who walk alone -- such as trackers, hunters, rangers, and scouts. Her dual nature is felt to represent the known and the unknown, the life-giving sun of summer and the deathly cold of deepest winter, the light of reason and the shadows of mystery. She is a keeper and revealer of secrets, a gatherer of the dead and healer of the wounded, a goddess of the day and the night, and the lady of the twilight hour.

 

It is said she can be found in the deepest wastes, dwelling away from the other gods, avoiding the eyes of her mother, father, and sisters by coming out only at twilight, when the power of both the Sun and the Moon is at their weakest. Others say she wanders the world, aiding warriors of both light and dark as she pleases, seeking to maintain the balance between the two, so neither can get the upper hand. Still others describe her as a protector of man, standing with him against the heat of the Sun and the cold of the Moon, and ensuring neither takes a man before his time.

 

Personality/Motivation: Rejected by her parents, the Sun and the Moon, Aamurusko left her celestial home, to be welcomed into the open arms of Mother Earth, who adopted Aamurusko as one of her own, and gave her domain over the far northern wastes. Here, Aamurusko lives apart from other gods, with only the Nature Spirits for company, and avoids the sight of her all-seeing father for months at a time. She enjoys her solitude, but also enjoys the company of the spirits of the wind, water, trees, and land. She also has come to care and watch over those who are outcasts like herself -- either by choice or circumstance.

 

Quote:

 

Powers/Tactics:

 

Appearance: Aamurusko Hamara is tall and perfectly shaped, with a lithe body she scarcely adorns with clothes. The right half of her body is midnight black in color, while her left half is pure white and devoid of any features. Her thick hair is silvery in color, and worn long, falling to her waist in rippling waves. Regardless of the cold, Aamurusko tends to appear clad only in tall boots of fur, leather gauntlets, a sword harness, and a scant loincloth.

 

When appearing as Palva, Aamurusko body is midnight-black all over, and she is fully featured on both halves of her body. As Yoh, she becomes a featureless humanoid with bright white skin, retaining only her silver hair.

 

Designer's Notes: Aamurusko Hamara is based on a drawing I did about twenty years ago, which in turn was based off of a female figure sketch someone had left lying around at the art store where I worked. I'll admit to getting the idea for the appearance of the character from the description of Hel (or Hela) in the AD&D sourcebook Deities and Demigods. Recently, when I asked a friend to scan some of my sketchbooks, he labeled this one "goddess," which started me thinking about what sort of goddess I could make her. Working from the visuals, I came up with the idea of her being the daughter of light and dark (the Sun and the Moon), and started to fill in ideas from there.

 

For the record, Aamurusko Hamara is Finnish for "dawn" and "dusk," while Palva is "night" and Yoh (actually "Yo"), is "day."

 

(Character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

 

As you can see, it's incomplete.

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Re: How would you stat up gods in Hero System?

 

Adding the Hero Designer file for Old Man River, at Susano's request.

 

[ATTACH]31963[/ATTACH]

 

Let me know if the background and quotes don't come through.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary wonders why some templates don't have the background page as default.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 years later...

Here's another example of a Divine Attribute

 

Hears Prayers: (Total: 86 Active Cost, 27 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed (15 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2), Requires A Roll (PS roll, -1 per 5 Active Points modifier; Can choose which of two rolls to make from use to use; -1/2), Stops Working If Knocked Out (-1/4) (Real Cost: 7) plus Usable Simultaneously (all targets standing within 10 meters of Grantor; +1), Grantor can only grant the power to others for up to 15 Active Points of Mind Link, Own Mind, Persistent (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +3/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (71 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2) (Real Cost: 20)

 

Originally I was writing this up with the Megascale etc. directly on the Mind Link, but then I realized that the Megascale was modifying the Usable by Others, and that meant I had to do the Usable by Others as a Naked Advantage.

 

Because this grants the Mind Link to every qualified person in the area, it's as if each of them has their OWN Mind Link - so yes, this Deity can hear all prayers at once. How to simulate a mind capable of processing that kind of input, I don't know.

 

The praying individual pays the END cost and makes the Skill roll. The Skill is partly so that only those who have some kind of genuine connection to the Deity can validly pray to Them. It can be Contact: Deity, PS: Priest, KS: Religion. If you want anybody to be able to have a chance, assume a Familiarity with Prayer as an Everyone Skill, and with the penalty, that's a roll of 5 or less. Even if you make the roll, a response is not guaranteed. Taking extra time would be worth a bonus, and so would any number of other modifiers - being in a temple, having a holy symbol, etc. Few modifiers should be penalties: if you've offended a Deity, that doesn't mean They become LESS aware of you. Having a Divinity's attention is not the same as having their favor...

 

Actually, I should probably make that Transdimensional....

 

Hears Prayers: (Total: 97 Active Cost, 30 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed (15 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2), Requires A Roll (PS roll, -1 per 5 Active Points modifier; Can choose which of two rolls to make from use to use; -1/2), Stops Working If Knocked Out (-1/4) (Real Cost: 7) plus Usable Simultaneously (all targets standing within 10 meters of Grantor; +1), Grantor can only grant the power to others for up to 15 Active Points of Mind Link, Own Mind, Persistent (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +3/4), Transdimensional (Related Group of Dimensions; +3/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (82 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2) (Real Cost: 23)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary prays to Janus, a God who will never turn His back on you!

 

 

 

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In games I have run I usually have the Greater Aspect of the god/goddess as devices, however the gods are capable of channelling part of their essence into a material form. Depending on how much essence they channel this avatar could be built as a normal person or built with superhuman abilities. Sometime the god severs or seals the Greater Aspect from there avatar and the avatar can be ignorant of who and what they are.

These avatar are responsible for some of the demi-human races and why some people have magical abilities.

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For inspiration

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/forum/genres/champions/71209-cosmic-entity-adventures

 

Crossposted

 

Nov 25th, '08, 10:37 PM

Re: Cosmic Entity Adventures!

 

1.How to paint the picture of what a player sees as a cosmic entity. What is the environment of a cosmic entity?

 

Depends on the entity and what their senses are, although in every case they probably see - and understand - much, much more than a “normal Human.â€

 

"Held up before my eyes a glass

Through which my shrinking sight did pass

Until it seemed I must behold

Immensity made manifold.

Whispered to me a word whose sound

Deafened the air for worlds around

And brought unmuffled to my ears

The gossiping of friendly spheres

The creaking of the tented sky

The ticking of eternity."

 

2.What laws govern them? And how to keep passive enough laws where the entities can still feel like cosmic entities. (So what if I just blew up a star and billions of lower life forms died.)

 

The law of cause and effect, the basic karmic law of action and consequence. One thing such an entity could not be as I see it, is ignorant. Would you casually blow up a star if you would be minutely aware of the last moments of every one of the seven billion, three hundred twenty two million, five hundred sixty four thousand, five hundred and ten sentient beings who would perish? If you knew their names - excepting the one thousand three hundred and seven newly hatched whose naming days had not yet come?

 

"I saw at sea a great fog bank

Between two ships that struck and sank

A thousand screams the heavens smote

And every scream tore through my throat."

 

3.Who/what enforces these laws? (Have a few ideas, but am open to hear more)

 

By choosing and acting, entities inevitably enforce upon themselves the consequences of their own acts. Whether one's power is measured against stars or against mere molecules, all beings with Free Will must abide their own decisions; if choices had no consequences, would not Free Will itself be a meaningless mockery?

 

"All suffering mine, and mine its rod

Mine pity, like the pity of God."

 

4.What the hell do cosmic entities do together?

 

Play role playing games. Just because you have never seen your own character sheet (how could a character see its own sheet, anyway?) doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

Sometimes they play Snits! and Snits Revenge!

 

Go read the Star Trek novel The Wounded Sky.

 

"We were very tired, we were very merry,

We had gone back and forth to Hades on the Ferry."

 

5.What could be an adventure for them?

 

A situation where worlds are at stake and the risks so great that even such Godlike beings stand a real chance of failure, especially if they don't co-operate.

 

“Ah awful weight! Infinity

Pressed down upon the finite me!

My anguished spirit, like a bird

Beating against my lips I heard

Yet lay the weight so close about

There was no room for it without

And so beneath the weight lay I

And suffered death, but could not die."

 

6.Why would they be hanging out together?

 

Many reasons. But among the more easily comprehended:

 

To stay humble. To walk the great gulfs of space forever alone, or remain isolated on some world that one can shape to one's own fancy, is to risk hubris and the delusions of arrogance; to court the temptations, ultimately, of solipsism.

 

“worlds seem mere marbles....a passing star, a child's toyâ€

 

To stave off loneliness.

 

For friendship, companionship, love.

 

"It well may be that in a difficult hour

Pinned down by pain and moaning for release

Or nagged by want past resolution's power

I could be forced to trade your love for peace

Or trade the memory of this night for food.

It well may be. I do not think I would."

 

 

7.What do cosmic entities care about?

 

"Worlds and empires and galaxies are all important, but....there is nothing more important than being kind to people."

 

8.Feel free to give cosmic entity ideas.

 

I do feel free.

 

"I raised my quivering arms on high

I laughed and laughed into the sky"

 

9.How do I keep the players from getting out of hand?:confused:

 

Perhaps the same way Buddha kept the Monkey King from getting out of hand...

 

"He's got the whole world in his hands"

 

 

10.How do I keep the players from getting bored?

 

Give them obstacles.

 

The definition of obstacle is “Something you must go around, over, under, or through.â€

Not something you can ignore, and not something that stops you. When you're an avatar of cosmic power, there is no such thing as something that stops you.....but there are things that slow you down.

 

"Over these things I could not see

These were the things that bounded me.

And I could touch them with my hand

Almost, I thought, from where I stand."

 

11.How do I think cosmic?

 

Hindu myth is a good start. If you can get a good translation of the core writing of the Chinese Taoist sage Chuang Tzu (Or Dwong Zuh or however he's spelling his name nowadays) that would be good for being profoundly cosmic with a sense of humor too.

 

The previously mentioned The Wounded Sky is as cosmic as it gets.

 

Check out Schlock Mercenary, specifically the story arcs involving “Petey.†Don't let the name fool you, Petey grows into a seriously Godlike character.

 

Chaplain: You really do think you're God, don't you?

Petey: I'm just trying to do what I think a God would do, if He were in my position.

 

“And so I looked, and after all

The sky was not so very tall

The sky I thought must somewhere stop

And sure enough, I see the top.

The sky I thought is not so grand

I 'most could touch it with my hand.

And reaching up my hand to try....â€

 

12.Any ideas or suggestions would be great.

 

Ask yourself – why am I doing this? When you have the answer to that, perhaps that will show you the path to tread.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary has four feet but lost the footnotes. Quotes are mostly from Edna St. Vincent Millay, some from W. S. Merwin, a couple others......

 

 

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