Deities and Demigods: Bane

[Henry]

If it helps, Shemeska, the part of the article that deals with the tenets and motivations of his followers is FREAKIN' AWESOME. (By the way, kudoes to Ari on that part). It goes much further than any previous treatment of Bane to give a philosophy compatible with non-evil beings, and gives several good reasons why adventurers who aren't two-dimensionally evil would want to follow the laws of Bane.

In fact, I'm currently playing in an alternate history universe of the Realms, where several deities have perished (thanks to the failure of our group in a previous campaign). Some followers of Bane in that world have taken on Bane as a stabilizing influence, someone who does defend the defenseless, in exchange for their unwavering obedience and who is not afraid to punish the disobedient (or slay the evil) because disobedience can mean discord and death if people aren't working together. This article has given my PC much to use to describe Bane as a deity worthy of obedience, and worth dying in his cause...

...after all, if Snivelling Helm and Torm the Untrue failed in their duties to protect the world, and let down their charges, why shouldn't a worthy god take up the mantle and institute order in a lawless land?

 

[Shroomy]

Mere appetisers when I'm looking a main course.

Wondering why they include a pair of Aspects though...especially given they are so close in power?

The Centurion is an Elite Level 26 Soldier and the Imperator is an Elite Level 29 Controller (Leader); they're literally two aspects of Bane's portfolio.

 

[Green Knight]

Didn't the Forgotten Realms steal Lolth from Greyhawk, and do almost exactly what you've described here?

Not the same thing, because she's the same goddess. Lolth is worshipped on both Oerth and Toril, just as Moradin, Corellon, etc, are worshipped on multiple worlds. The same is true of the Mulhorandi Pantheon, whose origins hint to their coming to Faerun from Earth.

I don't have a problem with Bane being in the Core Pantheon. Hell, I think it's great. What I have a problem with, though, is having two different gods named Bane with the same tenets, philosophy, and holy symbol! If you're going to make them that similar, then make them the same guy. But if you're not going to make them the same guy, then give the new guy a different name.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

Damn. This sounds like a great article. I should probably subscribe to the insider. I am doing a lot of stuff with Bane, Ioun, and hobgoblins in my campaign so this stuff sounds pretty relevant.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Hey, guys. Really glad so many of you liked the article. I've always felt that myth and religion in D&D should try to feel like, well, myth and religion, and I tried my best to do that.

I wanted to address a few quick questions/comments that were raised throughout the thread.

Stats

James Wyatt, Chris Youngs, and I talked about this when we were first planning the article. As it was explained to me--and as has been mentioned by other designers in other discussions online--only some deities fall into the level range where PCs can face them. By the rules, level 35 is pretty much the upper end of what even a well-prepared epic-level party can face. With 4E's focus on only providing stat blocks where the DM is likely to use them, it was decided that more powerful gods--those in the level range of high-30s and up--wouldn't be given stats.

Were I asked to stat Bane, I'd probably put him at about level 39, give or take a level. But that's purely personal opinion, not any sort of "official statement."

Churches

As someone asked...

There was an interesting little tidbit in a sidebar about churches in the default Points of Light setting. I wonder if this is how it is for ALL PoL dieties or does this breakout only apply to Bane's church.

While exceptions may exist here and there--that's the beauty of the PoL conceit--the sidebar in question applies to pretty much all communities and all deities in the core setting. It's how the 4E core pantheon and primary religion was designed to function from the get-go. We made a point of calling it out in this entry because it's the first of the Deities & Demigods series, but it's more or less universal.

 

[Mouseferatu]

By the way, a quick shout out and thanks to Sean K. Reynolds. Not only did his 3E "Core Beliefs" series inspire me to propose this series to Chris, but when I asked him about it--it felt like the courteous thing to do--Sean was more than cool with me basically picking up "his" series in 4E.

 

[catsclaw227]

Damn. This sounds like a great article. I should probably subscribe to the insider. I am doing a lot of stuff with Bane, Ioun, and hobgoblins in my campaign so this stuff sounds pretty relevant.

And, if it wasn't mentioned earlier, this article also has stats and info on Maglubiyet. Here, he is noted as an Exarch of Bane and a former deity of the hobgoblins and still powerful demigod.

 

[catsclaw227]

Churches

As someone asked...


While exceptions may exist here and there--that's the beauty of the PoL conceit--the sidebar in question applies to pretty much all communities and all deities in the core setting. It's how the 4E core pantheon and primary religion was designed to function from the get-go. We made a point of calling it out in this entry because it's the first of the Deities & Demigods series, but it's more or less universal.

This is what I thought. I like the idea and want to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[Zaukrie]

Great article. My only issue with it is the same one I raised to Mona when they ran the magazines. Having all of the statted monsters/NPCs be high level doesn't do much for most campaigns. It would be GREAT if the demon, devil, fey, god articles had low level adversaries in them in addition to high levels.

 

[Hawke]

Very very cool! I think this guy just became a driving force and the primary deity of the evil empire that my players will face next...

Quick question though - I'm unfamiliar with previous versions of Bane and how he differs in FR. Anybody have a quick comparison that would be easy to understand to someone familiar with the 4E Core Bane?