A world without gods.

[Ion]

So I've started a new game in a homebrew world, and I'm really designing with a "I'll make it up when I need to" sort of basis.

As none of my PCs decided to play a religious class..I haven't really had to think about the gods of my world too much.

Then last night I had an idea. What if churches weren't organized by "gods" but were more focused on the "ideals"

So the "church of law" would be made up of clerics of different shapes and sizes who all took the law domain. It would be a fairly structured church, but there would it would still leave open the posibility of schemes and double crosses and "bad guys" in a "good" church.

Has anybody else done anything like this? Or have any comments or suggestions on what a world or game might be like with "religion" organised in such a way?

 

[Clueless]

Have you checked out Planescape factions? Just spruce up the factions as 'churches' for a final polish before you present it to your players. You don't have to tell your players where the inspiration came from. For example, that law church you talked about for example? That just about screams Harmonium faction.

As for how this would play out? Intrigue - and a lot of it. There's no clear cut bad guy - though there are clear cut opponents. After all, the ideals are generally positive things, or at least not negative. It makes it much harder to wage a violent war if the 'church' isn't clearly evil (which is easier if you have actual gods, b/c you can point and say "God of lies, murder and disease Heeelllllo!?").

But there would still be political debate and if your 'church' believes in eliminating others, there can even be effort to swing the masses toward their own views so that they *can* eventually legitimize such an action. So I'd expect a lot of intrigue, a lot of interesting bedfellows as the various viewpoints ally with each other against others, and a cycle of propoganda as churches try to call the others into question before the population will eventually backlash on it.

 

[Thunderfoot]

And politics - a ton of politics. If a turf war were to break out, each faction would start asking for allegiences. If you answer I don't know, neither or it doesn't matter, you would automatically become an enemy, if that answer is given to both sides, you have just declared yourself target numero uno as both will think you're working for the other.

And with the above mentioned intrgiue, choosing the wrong side is likely to get you killed just as fast, whether it be the side of right or not, the weaker faction will end up losing. Without divine power to back up their claims, the addage - Might makes right, is suddenly a truism.

Something to think about before you just launch off with both feet.

 

[Voadam]

Fred Sabrehagen's Sword novels are in a gaming like fantasy world with churches based as the blue church (mercantilism) red church (war, slavery, brothels) and the white church (healing). There are gods but as far as I can tell nobody worships them. Churches are organizations, so there are issues just like governments and guilds.

Another example is Michael Moorcock's Elric stuff which has a church of law I believe. The major Powers conflict is law vs chaos with a small balance faction. Gods are venerated though ("Blood and souls for Arioch!").

I heard that Eberron has non god churches but I don't own it and can't comment on its specifics.

 

[Ion]

I think I need to pick a few domains to be "dominant" churches that people belong to.

The Church of Law seems like an important one for civilization. They could be the judge / jury and executioner. Or even run things like the city watch or something?

I do like the idea of naming some things with a colour. The Church of Healing should totally become The White Church.

What other domains should have major influence in society?