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[Misanthrope Prime]

Here is Tondro's commentary on real world religion in OD&D:

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Worth noting, too, that the last product WotC released which referenced clearly real world deities (as opposed to the vague allusiona in Tyr and other FR deities, or Bahumet & Tiamat) was Spelljammer, over 3 years ago now.

In the last few years one of my family members became a Hellenic neopagan, my nextdoor neighbors are self identified Heathens and I went on a few dates with a Kemeticist, and I always thought it was weird that I could fight and kill their gods but I couldn't put the boots to Jesus Christ.

Then again I'm a SubGenius so I'd approve if they let me fight and kill J. R. "Bob" Dobbs.

 

[Parmandur]

In the last few years one of my family members became a Hellenic neopagan, my nextdoor neighbors are self identified Heathens and I went on a few dates with a Kemeticist, and I always thought it was weird that I could fight and kill their gods but I couldn't put the boots to Jesus Christ.

Then again I'm a SubGenius so I'd approve if they let me fight and kill J. R. "Bob" Dobbs.

Deities & Demigods had the Hindu pantheon, which....um...wow.

 

[Zeromaru X]

Had been me, I should have not touched living religions back in the day (though, inactive religions such as the Greek and Egyptian gods would still have been an issue today, lol).

 

[Distracted DM]

Honestly, most people don't owe that about Drafonborn...probavly even in-universe!!

I knew dragonborn weren't "native" because I was around when they first became a thing in 3e, but I didn't know orcs were from another world in FR.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

In the last few years one of my family members became a Hellenic neopagan, my nextdoor neighbors are self identified Heathens and I went on a few dates with a Kemeticist, and I always thought it was weird that I could fight and kill their gods but I couldn't put the boots to Jesus Christ.

Then again I'm a SubGenius so I'd approve if they let me fight and kill J. R. "Bob" Dobbs.

Actually you can, there is a video game called Fight of Gods where you either play as Jesus or fight him. It's available on Nintendo Switch or Steam.

Here is a video of Jesus fighting Moses in the game. You can fight or play Santa Claus too.

With those six pact they kind of made Jesus hot too.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Deities & Demigods had the Hindu pantheon, which....um...wow.

I think that would be much more of an issue then Greek or Egyptian Gods, although those are Gods are worshipped still today, but the Pagan community really doesn't make a big deal about it, but some times the Hindu community does get upset at particular depiction, but never D&D.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I think that would be much more of an issue then Greek or Egyptian Gods, although those are Gods are worshipped still today, but the Pagan community really doesn't make a big deal about it, but some times the Hindu community does get upset at particular depiction, but never D&D.

I think that's mostly because there isn't much overlap between D&D players and Hindus. But I tell you who does get upset: Egyptians. That's not because they worship those gods, they don't. It's because they are sick and tired of their culture being looted by Europeans (looking at no British in particular).

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I think that's mostly because there isn't much overlap between D&D players and Hindus. But I tell you who does get upset: Egyptians. That's not because they worship those gods, they don't. It's because they are sick and tired of their culture being looted by Europeans (looking at no British in particular).

You can't loot a culture (although you can loot physical artifacts which is wrong), you can only be inspired by it, because culture isn't finite.

Example say you decided make a Reggae album, you haven't looted Jamican culture, because Jamicans retain the ability to produce their own Reggae, you've merely been inspired by it, along with other elements of it. For something to be looted, it has to be something tangible not conceptual and something finite. If you steal a Mummy, that is tangible and finite, taking it way from its source deprives that source from accessing that, this is not true of cultural elements.

Secondly culturally elements are messy. I've seen serious arguments that Bast worship for example may have been Libyan in origin, adopted by Egyptians. Anhur worship might have come from Nubians. There are serious arguments that Hecate worship came from Carian civilization (although I've seen a really great arguement that she has a Greek origin). Christian was inspired in parts by Canaanite Religion, Jewish Angels, and other influences, including Greek Philosphy on Christian parables. Worship of the ancient Egyptian Gods along with Gods from a cross the Roman Empire spread everywhere and inspired new and exciting ideas and ways of worship.

Honestly they will probably just hired cultural an Egyptian & other cultural consultants to deal with the issue, which they would need anyways for Old Empires Region anyways.