To kill a god...

[Drobney Falcor]

First let me explain that in a campaign I hope to run myself one day, the killing of a god or gods is completely attainable. I have this idea of a time, coming about once every millennium or so, when the gods are thrown off of their thrones by forces even beyond them and into the world of mortals. During this time (yet to be determined) their mortal lives are in danger to any who would seek them out, kill them, and claim their domain as their own. This system has been put in place presumably to prevent any divine being from maintaining a position they cannot keep. It is the Achilles foot of the gods so called immortality. Naturally they will have been preparing for this and will be difficult to find, let alone destroy. Fortunately their powers will be drastically reduced, giving the PCs a fighting chance. That is not to say the party will have an easy time or necessarily be the only ones attempting to claim the power of the gods for themselves. The current gods (Standard Pantheon) have kept their regime for quite awhile. As is such not many realize that not all of the gods have remained in the same position forever. While the majority of the population will have no inkling of the pantheon brought to the material plane, the secrets are out there for those who look. Of course my players will uncover this secret and the quest to kill a god, or gods, will be on!

This is where I would like you all to come in. I have the essential campaign hook down but the pieces have yet to fall into place. I am completely open to ideas on: Preparation for god killing, how the secrets will be revealed, inner-pantheon killing, and just about anything else i haven't mentioned that would help the overall quality and increase the level of fun.

Anything i have neglected to mention i will be happy to provide. Please understand that not everything is set in stone and i expect this to evolve with or without help. Nevertheless i look forward to any who would aid me in this endeavor.

Yours truly, Drobney

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I like this idea. Sort of a Time of Troubles, but with the difference being that for the gods, it is cyclical and thus somewhat predictable. Is the duration of "mortalness" predictable? Do the gods just have to hold out until the clock runs down?

I'd think you could get a whole lot of enjoyment coming up with the kinds of preparations gods make for the event. The kinds of contingencies that kick in when they are tossed out to the mortal world.

Maybe there is some unreachable bolt hole, a panic room only the god is supposed to know about where it flees to to wait its time out. Not just a single room, of course, that wouldn't be enough for the godly paranoiac. It needs to be an immense dungeon like maze, with killer traps and misdirections.

But what about one god's nemesis secretly, lets slip just enough info about a particular god's hiding place. Just enough info for an adventuring party to get in and get 'r done. An adventuring party "chosen" for the epic task.

 

[Visigani]

Might want to have to wait a little longer than a millenia... that's the lifetime of a single elf.... if you must make it cyclical... why not make it cyclical on a vast time scale.. only the eldest of dragons and the loremasters of the elves know much about it... and they bear the scars to this day.

 

[anest1s]

Brainstorming here

One god tries to kill an other, every god tries to destroy opponents defenses, a god needs mortals to take the place of rival god, ex-god wishes revenge from beyond the grave, leaving behind god-killing clues, mortals wait the fall of gods for other reasons (the lich the party just killed was preparing a terrible revenge against every human being and he was waiting for the gods to step down so they can't interfere. After players beat him, they learn that gods step down every x years.) In fact, I think that most powerful beings of the world will wait for that opportunity. If would make sense that there is a deal between gods, to make sure they will survive. Powerful intelligent item knows of the gods fall. Gods step down because they choose to and not by magic, because there is something greater at stake. Terrible trapped beings/forces wake up, since the power that kept them is missing, till power is up again. Or they go out only if/when a god dies. God traps powerful creature, so it will be freed in case he dies- ensuring retribution. God cheats the system and stays god. Gods stay mortals until one of them dies.

Time is up

 

[Drobney Falcor]

A millennium does seem a bit short considering the d&d universe. I will definitely toy with the idea of gods using this dire time (for them) to either forge alliances with one another, ensuring their own safety, or use this opportunity to kill their peers.

As far as liches go It did occur to me to perhaps use Vecna (God of secrets) to clue the party in about this. He is neutral evil right? What's more NE than destroying the others and getting someone else to do your work for you? Then again i don't know how he'd end up liking the Players being seated next to him, so to speak.

 

[anest1s]

As far as liches go It did occur to me to perhaps use Vecna (God of secrets) to clue the party in about this. He is neutral evil right? What's more NE than destroying the others and getting someone else to do your work for you? Then again i don't know how he'd end up liking the Players being seated next to him, so to speak.

I don't think he would. Because he is the God of Secrets. If he couldn't hold secrets from his minions he would be god of failed secrets . And probably he would think players more as minions than as equals.

Probably the PCs get *into* his plan by some unpredictable event, or a stroke of luck....after that by offering promises of power he can keep them under his control. The point isn't if he actually plans to hand out power or not. The point is if the PCs will think that he will do. Even if he honestly plans to, the PCs won't believe him probably.

You could give them a grip/leverage on him. A power/knowledge/item that will force the lich to keep his side of the deal. It can be a fake one too, made by Vecna to fool them into believing him. I think most players would buy that.

Now if you want the item/knowledge/power to be true...well it makes your life easier...but leave clues that it might not be...why make the PCs life easier?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

A few questions:
-The gods are cast onto the Material Plane? What happens to thier realms in the outer planes? can anyone just walk in and take over their homes? How would Demons, Devils, Outer Plane petitioners, Formicans, Archons... the list goes on, take advantage of the gods absence in the Outer Planes?

-What happens to Divine magic when the gods are more mortal? Are they still able to provide Cleric casters with thier daily bits of power, or will Clerics be weaker somehow?

-I'm imagining Massive fortresses constructed in preperation for this event. Would the celrics of the various gods have been constructing strongholds a century in advance for these weakened gods to retreat to?

-Who/what is this force that maintains the cycle?

 

[Starman]

Have you looked at Requiem for a God from Malhavoc Press? It's all about god-killing and its repercussions.

 

[Drobney Falcor]

I imagine any divine realms left unoccupied would still be guarded by followers native to the plane, or at least summoned. If those wishing to take over the domain have any chance at doing so, it would be to take action in the mortal realm. And if they do succeed on claiming their homes, when the deities return (new or old) there will be drastic consequences for the squatters.

Clerics in the material plane will most likely be enlisted by their patron deity to construct fortresses similarly and in similar places to those existing in the outer realms. Here i hope to really create memorable encounters as each god brings a bit of its flavor to the world.

As far as who or what maintains this cycle, I have not put as much thought into. I'm definitely considering the prospect of granting this to the overdeities, whose existence is completely unknown (I hope) to my players. To keep with the idea of this being hardly known, I'd like to have clerics and paladins suffer no notable change in divine power. Although I'm sure some acts might be restricted, such as contacting a deity. Something the mortals might view as beyond their capacity to understand.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

This aeon long cycle of deity eviction isn't very secret if networks of clerics are enlisted to make deity panic fortresses. Word of what they are doing is bound to leak out.