Gods that don't fit....

[Darklance]

I just had an interesting idea. What makes everyone so sure that a god of the dead would be happy in such a position...or a god of the sun or position or sea for that matter? Perhaps the gods were...miscast for their roles. The god of death is not some pale black robed specter that shepards souls to the afterlife...he is a bright happy fellow that loves a good riddle. Sure..he attends to his duties...but he's not about to become all dour about it.

Maybe some mortal long ago killed the original god of that position and is now trapped after having absorbed his power and ascended. Godhood turned out to be a burden and shackle as much as a privilege.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone want to run with the idea?

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Use a heavenly shoe horn!

Any thoughts on this? Anyone want to run with the idea?

You may want to check out Piers Anthony's Incarnation of Immorality series- it runs along similar lines of what you suggest.

Mortals able to assume the positions of heavenly agents- sometimes mistakenly.. and don't always fit their position.

FD

 

[bwgwl]

in the Greek myths, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to see who would control the sky, the oceans, and the underworld.

i always got the impression that the reason why Hades was always so dour and grumpy is because he really didn't enjoy his position and would've preferred something more...above ground.

(and i don't agree with D&Dg's portrayal of him as evil. i guess i just have a soft spot for Hades.)

 

[StalkingBlue]

Hmmm. There are two different ideas there, really.

I can envisage a bright happy fellow - a harvester type. He enjoys doing what he does. Maybe he even fosters lives to get them to grow and sweeten and mature, like an apple farmer the fruit in his orchard. Or at least he is on friendly terms with the deity who fosters life and is allowed to enjoy strolling in her garden.
In such a god's view, life will culminate in, rather than be destroyed by, death. Somehow, I don't think he would see himself as a misfit for the job.


On the other hand, a mortal who ascends against his will after killing the god of death (said harvester, perhaps?) may feel that he is suffering endless punishment for his deiticide (is that a word?). That guy may surely turn dour and pale and destructive over the aeons, and end up taking lives in bitterness - for the sole reason that he cannot free himself by killing his immortal self.


On a side note, naturally the whole topic keeps reminding me of "Mort", the Tery Pratchett novel in which DEATH has grown really tired of his job and hires Mort, a living human boy, as his apprentice.

 

[Tonguez]

In my campaign Death is a Grandmotherly figure, the Great Matriarch who cares for who children when they pass on from the world of the living to the underworld.
In her youth she was the Dawn , and then become the Mother of the first mortals (Maiden-Mother-Crone type archetype here)

 

[Darklance]

in the Greek myths, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to see who would control the sky, the oceans, and the underworld.

i always got the impression that the reason why Hades was always so dour and grumpy is because he really didn't enjoy his position and would've preferred something more...above ground.

(and i don't agree with D&Dg's portrayal of him as evil. i guess i just have a soft spot for Hades.)

Well he did kidnap the daughter of the fertility goddess...or godess of spring...whatever. Can't be all that great.

But then again he did let her go for half of each year....

 

[Nightfall]

Well I dunno. I mean the gods that I see pretty much enjoy their lot. Though Nalthalos might be quite objectionable to the fact he's stuck in a Copper Golem.

 

[Darklance]

Another thought...perhaps Clerics are no more loyal to their god than a mage is to his spell book. Maybe Gods are trapped int he whole prayer thing as a bribe to make people do what they want. They make people powerful in return for service. Its a simple buisness contract.

 

[Cerubus Dark]

in the Greek myths, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to see who would control the sky, the oceans, and the underworld.

i always got the impression that the reason why Hades was always so dour and grumpy is because he really didn't enjoy his position and would've preferred something more...above ground.

(and i don't agree with D&Dg's portrayal of him as evil. i guess i just have a soft spot for Hades.)

Hades is just mad that he did not get what he wanted God of Income Taxes

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Hades is just mad that he did not get what he wanted God of Income Taxes

As if even a god could understand the tax code...

FD