In a world where the Gods aren't really Gods at all...

[Storel]

Hey there folks, I'm new to this place and I'm after getting others thoughts about an idea I had.

I'm in the process of creating a new D&D campaign for my gaming group, and I'm thinking about having the players discover that the gods aren't real, but are in fact the remnants of an ancient technologically advanced civilization that channel arcane magic and convert it into divine magic.

The churches and their followers believe that there is an Overgod, and then half a dozen or so lesser gods under him. However in reality there are 7 or so ancients plugged into machines that convert the arcane to the divine and pass the magic on to the clerics.

What sorta problems do you reckon I'll encounter with something like this?

I know one would be the Planes, and I'm thinking on drastically cutting down on the number of them, perhaps to just the elemental planes, the abyss and maybe one or two others.

What else? Any thoughts would be much appreciated

 

[kenobi65]

You'll need to decide how souls are dealt with; it sounds like the "petitioner" concept may not work for you in this set-up.

You'll also need to consider how spells that tap celestial / infernal creatures work -- Summon Monster, Summon Planar Ally, etc.

I think that divine-inspired divinations could still work all right; I'd assume that the ancient aliens have some level of omniscience, and that's what they're passing on to their priests via those spells.

 

[Quartz]

Would it be a twist if, after all this time, the aliens really have become gods without their realising it?

 

[Storel]

Thanks kenobi, hadn't thought about the souls.

As for the summons, I was thinking of keeping their relative planes but having the planes unrelated to gods.

Yeah, the ancients probably would have a level of omniscience.


Quartz, that is a good idea, I was more thinking along the lines of the ancients have tired of being "gods" and just want to pass on, but they need the players to deactivate the machines.
It'll be left up to the players to decide what to do. Do they prolong the lives of a people whose time is long past or do they plunge the world into a godless anarchy.

 

[Kunimatyu]

The "soul" concept comes up very rarely in D&D -- who says people have to have souls in that world? It's not like we even know whether that's the case in THIS world...

 

[Aus_Snow]

never mind.

 

[Drowbane]

Quartz, that is a good idea, I was more thinking along the lines of the ancients have tired of being "gods" and just want to pass on, but they need the players to deactivate the machines.
It'll be left up to the players to decide what to do. Do they prolong the lives of a people whose time is long past or do they plunge the world into a godless anarchy.

Or they plug themselves in as the New Pantheon with some God vs God war proproganda.

 

[kenobi65]

The "soul" concept comes up very rarely in D&D -- who says people have to have souls in that world? It's not like we even know whether that's the case in THIS world...

Chuckle. You could certainly go that route, but then you'll need to decide how spells like Raise Dead and Reincarnate work, if they even exist.

 

[Melan]

Cool idea, Storel! The concept of technologically advanced mortals setting themselves up as gods may be an old concept, but a good one... not to mention that most people reading current fantasy would likely be unprepared for it!

(As a note of caution, a lot of the same people dislike genre-mixing... so use your judgement.)

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Quartz, that is a good idea, I was more thinking along the lines of the ancients have tired of being "gods" and just want to pass on, but they need the players to deactivate the machines.
It'll be left up to the players to decide what to do. Do they prolong the lives of a people whose time is long past or do they plunge the world into a godless anarchy.

I can't help but say "Can I phone a friend?"

I like the idea and it could certainly lead to a wonderful campaign busting moment when the players work it out. To a certain extent, making that choice the 'halfway' point of the campaign could be a lot of fun - just make sure that whatever choice they make takes a while to spread across teh world so you've got a few sessions to decide what happens next.

How about the players plunge the world into godless anarchy - allowing things from other planes to make their assault against a now divine magic-less world? With no divine healing, things are looking bad - unless a new band of heroes can become gods themselves!

The party would then be faced with starting temples whilst also fighting against an invasion, before taking their new god-like powers to throw the invaders back to where they came from!

Sound good?