It could, but who's seeing it that's a religious fundamentalist? How much would the D&D community care about that, anyway?
I'm not saying it won't provoke ire, I'm saying the ire it does provoke probably won't be in the form of overly-fanatical types. Many of those don't play D&D as it is.
I'm interested in hearing from some of the resident catholics/christians/jews on this board. If there's any Muslims, I'd like to hear from them, too, but I don't remember seeing anybody claim to be...
Do you think that, even if not overtly fantasized, this would irk you and your resident religious advisor? I'm pretty sure I can remove the ideas enough from reality to avoid it too much, if I must, but most people want a mostly-realistic setting. Would this offend your religion?
I'd say that fundamentalists have had their pot-shots at D&D long enough. I'd also say that any practicing religious-types who DO play D&D have also come to terms with this. I would be quite disturbed if this would drive some people who are already part of the hobby away.
As it is, it's a free PDF series on a website that most people probably wouldn't find if they weren't looking in D&D-related areas as it is. It's not even being published (though that'd be ideal for me, I understand why a company wouldn't. Plus, I'm doing it to get the idea out, not to make a quick buck...though, of course, I'd never count it out.
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Is there honestly the chance of somebody who doesn't already have pre-established ideas about D&D seeing this and decrying it as the work of Satan? Or even on a more minor level, giving somebody a slightly sickening feeling that somebody would do this?
The main fear I have is that somebody could see it as rather "cheapening" the religious experience of the periods and figures covered, which is why I wanted to gussy it up, at least minimally, in fantasy, to let people know that no, I'm not saying that somebody with the Epic-Level Handbook and a 35th level character could beat up what you believe is the Savior of Mankind. No, I don't think that the Dragon in Revelations is literally a blue dragon of Wyrm age. No, I don't think that a blow from the flaming sword of the cherubim guarding Eden could not deal enough damage to destroy a person of high enough level.
Basically, to preserve the feel of the age and the epic tangibility of the holy books and related literature, not to say "Jesus was a Munchkin!"
That's why I want (and will probably keep) at least a minimal level of fantasation (hey! I made up a word!). There will be no character named, say, Jesus, but there will be a dude who fills his role, probably with a similar name, thus keeping the line between the Sacred and the D&D-Fantasy-Setting fairly clear.
I mean, I personally was raised in Chatholicism, went to private schools, and many of my friends still are Catholic. I discovered D&D at a Catholic school. I'm pretty sure the people I know would only be offended if I proposed to give the Virgin Mary hit dice. If I made it fantasy enough so that there was a woman named Shiela who gave birth to a man named Brian who is the head of a discipleship devoted to peace and love, it makes it a lot less a cheapening of the actual figure, and more of an homage, which is what I'm going for.
On a mechanical note, I think that I will phase out arcane spellcasting -- only divine spellcasting is allowed, and it will change from the cleric class to various PrCs. Instead of spells/day, they'll get a number of powers (Call 'em "Blessings") that function basically like spell-like abilities. And one of the requirements for many of the PrC's will be "Called by Your God" or something similar, making it within the power of the DM to render null-and-void any or all of them.
Summoning a pillar of flame, for instance, may be the 6th level powe of the PrC "Leader of People" Parting a Sea may be an 8th level power of that same PrC. Sorta thing. And Pharoh's priests will be divine spellcasters of the no-less-real (but obviously manifestations of the Adversary, or simply hubristically mortal) gods of Egypt, maybe x-level Royal Priests with the Duplicate Divine Manifestation power.
Anyhoo, that's just my plans right now. Keep arguing with me, please, as it's quite likely to greatly affect what I do
Oh, and about the Crusades-era...IMHO, I can do the Crusades in any setting, all I need is a group of Monarchies, a desert empire, and a religous conflict. The rest writes itself. So I'm not undertaking any crusades-projects, but if someone wants to, go for it. I prolly won't buy it, but obviously someone will.
