Building a Cosmology...

[Remathilis]

Heya

I've been working on a new campaign world, and wish to have a new cosmology to go with the world, to avoid the "great wheel" syndrome and mess with my players...

However, I'm having fitting everything into a simple cosmology. Specifically, I wish to use the Orerry Cosmology of the Manual of the Planes, however, I'm running into some problems.

What I have.

* The world is generic D&D for the most part. Some new races and gods, nothing else amazing. Standard magic, etc.
* 9 Gods, one per alignment, plus some racial gods.
* The orerry cosmology uses the Material Plane, the Astral, Ethereal, and Shadow planes, plus the four elemental planes only, and four outer planes (LG, CG, LE, CE). The elemental and alignment planes circle annually, affecting the prime at certain times (seasons and festivals.)

Now what I need help on?

What should I do with Neutral Outsiders? (Daemons, Slaad, Formorians.) I wish to keep them for my game (summons, etc.) but don't have anywhere to stick them (save as part of one of the four aligned planes, but that might change thier align)

What about resting places for my Neutral Deities (or even, all deities) Seperate planes? Realms on the ones already mentioned?

What about the dead? A special plane of the dead? Petitioners by alignment/God? Maybe Ghostwalk might work (Don't know, haven't checked it out yet)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hand of Evil]

You may find this thread useful.

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52011&highlight=Cosmology

 

[Mark]

I'm of a mind that even with one core cosmology it is good to have a handful of stories and creation myths attributed to them by various cultures. The Greek and Roman pantheons parallel one another, for obvious reasons, and a citizen from Athens meeting a citizen from Rome, perhaps on the deck of a ship, might have very interesting conversations regarding religion. Even religious sects from the same culture can have quite differing views about a deity they share in common. So if you happen to be picking something else up from RPGNow.com, you might want to grab this while you are there.

 

[Tonguez]

What should I do with Neutral Outsiders? (Daemons, Slaad, Formorians.) I wish to keep them for my game (summons, etc.) but don't have anywhere to stick them (save as part of one of the four aligned planes, but that might change thier align)
.

Neutral Outsiders = Nomads

When the Gods created the Material Plane the Neutral Outsiders dwelt there until they were expelled to provide a place for mortals. Now homeless they roam the planes trying to survive where they can and hungry for revenge...

 

[Jolly Giant]

Maybe the neutral deities could have their realms in the elemental planes, or on smaller demiplanes (if you have demiplanes in your cosmology)?

Personally, I went for the Great Wheel when making my homebrew, simply because I love the Manual of the Planes so much! It has so many amazingly cool locations in it; never fails to get my imagination going.

 

[Jolly Giant]

Another thought struck me: How about placing the neutral deities on the material plane? It wouldn't have to be common knowledge that Gods actually walk the earth, their realms could be extremely well hidden and hard to reach. (In my homebrew I have an undead Vecna-esque deity who's built himself a cathedral-like hidingplace inside one of the polar icecaps!)

 

[Remathilis]

Thanks everyone!

My current idea is to place most of my non-true neutrals on one of the various alignment planes that suit thier temperment, and keep the neutrals as nomads.

However, I came across an idea to use 8 alignment planes (one per alignment) and have the seasons on the neutral planes, not the non-neutrals.

For example, instead of the summer solstice being when the LG plane is high, make when the NG plane is high. Of course, I could reverse this, or even place the N planes where they have a wider circle (and thus, don't affect the material at any time)

Hmmm... Choices.

 

[Voadam]

If you have 8 aligned planes then the true Neutral ones can go to the elemental planes.

dead go to their alignment plane or they are simply dead (no afterlife)

 

[Doc_Souark]

I'm of the opinion that other then extreme portfolios* most of the dieties are of Nuetral alignments. The worshipers just rever different aspects of the diety. Say a god of Trade has worshippers of good (the honest ones praying for luck in business) and Evil who want the means to get over on the rubes.

I'm not explaining myself well at all today am I ?

* Murder is one but there are good only ones too.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Neutral Planes could also be transit planes, places between, or a single plane that surrounds all of the other planes. Alignment of the plane would match the plane it surrounds and move to ture neutral and the change to another.

In this way you have currents and flows.