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Worlds of Design: RPG Gods - Benign or Malign?
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<blockquote data-quote="DrunkonDuty" data-source="post: 8745694" data-attributes="member: 54364"><p>I guess, being Runequest, duckpomorphisation is an actual thing. lol.</p><p></p><p>Jokes aside, great questions. As I mentioned up-thread I rarely define deities directly, I prefer them transcendent and probably non-existent. But the various religions of my campaign worlds obviously do define their gods. So I can definitely say that gods (whether real or not) are anthropomorphised within a given religion. The gods are very much made in the image of the worshippers and/or the worshippers' ideals of form, behaviour, morality, etc.</p><p></p><p><strong>How definitive are pantheons, and the deities expressed in those pantheons?</strong></p><p>This will vary from religion to religion. Actually, that's going to be my answer to all these questions. Sorry.</p><p></p><p>If Religion A has an off-shoot, Religion B, A & B will probably acknowledge that the god/gods are the same but argue over precise representation (physical, moral, monophysite/diaphysite, etc) of those gods. For "unrelated"* religions gods will be represented as distinct individuals (or you know, beings with multiple avatars/forms/essence) with separate existence from the gods of other religions. So you do, for example, get multiple sun gods as per Terry Pratchett's <em>Pyramids </em>but without the physical manifestation.</p><p></p><p><strong>What keeps the gods from interfering personally with the setting?</strong></p><p>Well, in my campaigns, non-existence.</p><p></p><p><strong>What about deities manifest in (more or less ordinary) humans?</strong></p><p>Well monarchs can, and indeed do, claim all sorts of things to legitimise their power. Claiming descent from the gods is certainly an option. How much people believe that varies greatly.</p><p></p><p>As for extra-planar beings, well, given this is fantasy angels etc. do manifest. But they are no more knowledgeable about the true nature of any gods than are any mortals. In fact, given their certainty on religious matters, they may well understand less than some mortals. And of course it's always possible that angels, etc are also just reflections of mortal belief. Or are space aliens.</p><p></p><p><strong>How can a mortal (or demigod) apotheosize, and what does that mean?</strong></p><p>Different religions may well claim the actual and real apotheosis of given figures, saints and demi-gods. You might even be able to meet the saints and demi-gods just as you can meet an angel of a devil. And to much the same effect re. gaining insight into godliness. BY which I mean none.</p><p></p><p>The literal truth of a being's apotheosis is going to be more like gaining a high level class benefit. Is apotheosis just being high enough level to kick anyone's arse? You're a 20th level wizard, you can smite anyone you want, so people better call you "Your Holiness?" In my games that could happen. And there'd be no effective difference between the worshipper of such a person and the worshipper of, I dunno, Thor.</p><p></p><p>But for my campaigns, apotheosis would be a very rare event. No Godstones here. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> In fact I've never played in a game with apotheosis. Oh, no, wait. I played about half of Age of Worms. Old Kyuss gets to apotheos-athise in the back story of that. But what does that actually get him that being a high level wizard doesn't? He comes back to Oerth and the players get to (try to) kick his butt. Godhood is just a hat he puts on in place of one that says "wizzard."</p><p></p><p>As for God's Grace and who can have it... again it's gonna depend. Some religions will insist on a closed set of "chosen people." A set that may defined by genetics, place, time, wealth, whatever. Others are going to be expansive and welcome, and extend grace to, anyone who accepts a given set of codes.</p><p></p><p>Just to reiterate, I'm talking about my campaign worlds.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>*as based on the claims of the given religion(s) regardless of how much influence they may actually have on one another.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DrunkonDuty, post: 8745694, member: 54364"] I guess, being Runequest, duckpomorphisation is an actual thing. lol. Jokes aside, great questions. As I mentioned up-thread I rarely define deities directly, I prefer them transcendent and probably non-existent. But the various religions of my campaign worlds obviously do define their gods. So I can definitely say that gods (whether real or not) are anthropomorphised within a given religion. The gods are very much made in the image of the worshippers and/or the worshippers' ideals of form, behaviour, morality, etc. [B]How definitive are pantheons, and the deities expressed in those pantheons?[/B] This will vary from religion to religion. Actually, that's going to be my answer to all these questions. Sorry. If Religion A has an off-shoot, Religion B, A & B will probably acknowledge that the god/gods are the same but argue over precise representation (physical, moral, monophysite/diaphysite, etc) of those gods. For "unrelated"* religions gods will be represented as distinct individuals (or you know, beings with multiple avatars/forms/essence) with separate existence from the gods of other religions. So you do, for example, get multiple sun gods as per Terry Pratchett's [I]Pyramids [/I]but without the physical manifestation. [B]What keeps the gods from interfering personally with the setting?[/B] Well, in my campaigns, non-existence. [B]What about deities manifest in (more or less ordinary) humans?[/B] Well monarchs can, and indeed do, claim all sorts of things to legitimise their power. Claiming descent from the gods is certainly an option. How much people believe that varies greatly. As for extra-planar beings, well, given this is fantasy angels etc. do manifest. But they are no more knowledgeable about the true nature of any gods than are any mortals. In fact, given their certainty on religious matters, they may well understand less than some mortals. And of course it's always possible that angels, etc are also just reflections of mortal belief. Or are space aliens. [B]How can a mortal (or demigod) apotheosize, and what does that mean?[/B] Different religions may well claim the actual and real apotheosis of given figures, saints and demi-gods. You might even be able to meet the saints and demi-gods just as you can meet an angel of a devil. And to much the same effect re. gaining insight into godliness. BY which I mean none. The literal truth of a being's apotheosis is going to be more like gaining a high level class benefit. Is apotheosis just being high enough level to kick anyone's arse? You're a 20th level wizard, you can smite anyone you want, so people better call you "Your Holiness?" In my games that could happen. And there'd be no effective difference between the worshipper of such a person and the worshipper of, I dunno, Thor. But for my campaigns, apotheosis would be a very rare event. No Godstones here. :) In fact I've never played in a game with apotheosis. Oh, no, wait. I played about half of Age of Worms. Old Kyuss gets to apotheos-athise in the back story of that. But what does that actually get him that being a high level wizard doesn't? He comes back to Oerth and the players get to (try to) kick his butt. Godhood is just a hat he puts on in place of one that says "wizzard." As for God's Grace and who can have it... again it's gonna depend. Some religions will insist on a closed set of "chosen people." A set that may defined by genetics, place, time, wealth, whatever. Others are going to be expansive and welcome, and extend grace to, anyone who accepts a given set of codes. Just to reiterate, I'm talking about my campaign worlds. *as based on the claims of the given religion(s) regardless of how much influence they may actually have on one another. [/QUOTE]
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