Random Rantings
Religion and Pantheons in D&D
Posted 18th September 2008 at 12:21 PM by Atanatotatos
Pantheons have always been an issue to me when playing D&D. Be it the simple "core" Greyhawk setting, or the ENORMOUS Forgotten realms' one, I have always found them quite boring. They have little to do with Religion, actually. To me, those gods resemble the saints of catholicism. They are basically people with the spark of divinity, and are revered by people for whom their "portfolio" has some interest. There's little variety despite the varied natures of cultures and population in these settings.
With 4th Edition, they tried to keep it simple, and I find the "mixed" core pantheon and the "shorter" FR one better indeed than teir predecessors, but in the end it's all the same.
The setting that really addressed this problem in a more interesting and verisimile way is (as for many other aspects of a setting) Eberron.
There are many reasons why a young setting like Eberron gets so much love, and one of the reasons, I believe, is the Religion.
Things were handled very differently here. A pantheon is a religion in its own right. Those who revere a single member of the Sovereign Host actually is a believer of the whole Pantheon: he prays to the god that best "addresses" his current need. The gods are distant, and they're not "poeple": sure, they're portayed, but as completely different beings in each context or culture; they even have different names, or at least, different gods of different cultures have been identified with the ones of the Sovereign Host or the Dark Six. The latter are also interestig in that the don't have a "name"; seems a minor thing, but it actually goes along way to characterize them and adds a bit more of mystery and charm. The Thirteen lost god is also a nice add.
But where Eberron really shines is in the rest of the religions. There's a cult of ancestors (the undying court). The druidic sets are not a new idea, but here they're given true substance, variety and a history; they're tied to the world, like a reistic religion should be.
There's a philosophical belief (the path of light), an aggressive semi-platonicist monotheism (the silver flame), a bloody mysteric cult, actually a facade for a villain's machinations (the blood of Vol). Am I forgetting something? Anyway I made my point.
This is the way to make religion a meaningful, varied, interesting choice which can be related to from a real life's perspective. Another great approach is that of Sepulchrave in his own setting. Each one that reads storyhours here on Enworld knows what I'm talking about.
Why did i rant about this in this blog's first post? Well, I'd like to introduce a religion choice of this kind in a homebrew setting, and this looked like a good place to take comments and ideas. So, more on this later (hopefully).
With 4th Edition, they tried to keep it simple, and I find the "mixed" core pantheon and the "shorter" FR one better indeed than teir predecessors, but in the end it's all the same.
The setting that really addressed this problem in a more interesting and verisimile way is (as for many other aspects of a setting) Eberron.
There are many reasons why a young setting like Eberron gets so much love, and one of the reasons, I believe, is the Religion.
Things were handled very differently here. A pantheon is a religion in its own right. Those who revere a single member of the Sovereign Host actually is a believer of the whole Pantheon: he prays to the god that best "addresses" his current need. The gods are distant, and they're not "poeple": sure, they're portayed, but as completely different beings in each context or culture; they even have different names, or at least, different gods of different cultures have been identified with the ones of the Sovereign Host or the Dark Six. The latter are also interestig in that the don't have a "name"; seems a minor thing, but it actually goes along way to characterize them and adds a bit more of mystery and charm. The Thirteen lost god is also a nice add.
But where Eberron really shines is in the rest of the religions. There's a cult of ancestors (the undying court). The druidic sets are not a new idea, but here they're given true substance, variety and a history; they're tied to the world, like a reistic religion should be.
There's a philosophical belief (the path of light), an aggressive semi-platonicist monotheism (the silver flame), a bloody mysteric cult, actually a facade for a villain's machinations (the blood of Vol). Am I forgetting something? Anyway I made my point.
This is the way to make religion a meaningful, varied, interesting choice which can be related to from a real life's perspective. Another great approach is that of Sepulchrave in his own setting. Each one that reads storyhours here on Enworld knows what I'm talking about.
Why did i rant about this in this blog's first post? Well, I'd like to introduce a religion choice of this kind in a homebrew setting, and this looked like a good place to take comments and ideas. So, more on this later (hopefully).
Total Comments 11
Comments
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I've actually thought much the same; I find the idea of traditional D&D gods to be quite clunky.
I'm looking forwards to hearing your thoughts.Posted 19th September 2008 at 10:42 AM by Cwheeler
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You're right about the way Eberron handles religion. I'm just beginning my first ever world building project as a noobie DM, so I will also keep an eye.Posted 19th September 2008 at 01:05 PM by Ethalias - Are you familiar with Green Ronin's "Book of the Righteous" religion sourcebook? It's a full-fledged Pantheon that feels a lot more "real" then pantheons from other settings, mainly because it's woven together with an actual mythology that feels authentic.Posted 19th September 2008 at 01:37 PM by LoneWolf23
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No, unfortunately I don't know that book Lonewolf. If I get a chance I'll take a look at it, thanks for the advice ^^Posted 19th September 2008 at 01:42 PM by Atanatotatos -
100% agreed! Preach on.Posted 19th September 2008 at 02:36 PM by Crashy75 -
I agree. I'm actually using a modified version of the Eberron religions for my homebrew 4e world for the very reasons you've outlined in your blog post.Posted 19th September 2008 at 02:41 PM by pukunui -
I don't really have time to read through a story hour. Does someone have a link to where the gods and goddesses are explained?Quote:Another great approach is that of Sepulchrave in his own setting. Each one that reads storyhours here on Enworld knows what I'm talking about.
Thanks.Posted 20th September 2008 at 12:50 AM by Khuxan
Updated 20th September 2008 at 06:01 AM by Khuxan - I agree with you, not totally.
It's weird see how players and writers use the gods thenselves. After all is a powerful entity that can crack you open with a lightining strike.
That came to my attention when I noticed how evil gods was treated in DnD. Come on! No sane person would spit and curses a god! After all they would be watching and take revenge on you.
So, gods in DnD become just Batteries of Power, almost sleeping and unaware of the world around then. With no real agenda, or life, or flavor at all.
Even rivalries between gods are bland or just hack and slash between clerics. Lets face it! From the known mythologies gods lie the DnDean ones would be almost walking over the Earth, having demigods or just pranking with mortals.
Eberron put the gods away and centers the power in the belief of the god not in the god himself, so it came to be more beliavable, and easier to create even an evil cult inside a good religion (a great plot devise).
Hope I helped you. And sorry any misspelling, but I'm brazilian, and this a second language.Posted 20th September 2008 at 09:55 PM by Jaguar - Well, Jaguar, I don't understand exactly where you don't agree with me, since I totally agree with you
Posted 20th September 2008 at 11:09 PM by Atanatotatos - It's not so easy. I think Sep actually studied pfilosophy of religion so he put a lot of thought in it... You can find it allQuote:I don't really have time to read through a story hour. Does someone have a link to where the gods and goddesses are explained?
here but it's a long thread. Maybe you might ask if someone has a collected document or something.
Anyway, you should find some time to read the story hour, as many people consider it the best fantasy read they've evere had...Posted 21st September 2008 at 06:39 AM by Atanatotatos - Sorry.
To me, the catholic saints are the clerics, faithful ones that perform miracles in the name of the god, whoever they are, and the gods are cosmic super-heroes, as in the Dragonlance 4th era.
Sorry that I forgot to add this...Posted 26th September 2008 at 05:15 AM by Jaguar
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