-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Philosophy and theology in fantasy world building
- Thread starter smoelf
- Start date
Raven Crowking
First Post
Removed
Last edited:
Aberzanzorax
Hero
This advice will likely be too broad, but might have some use...
I like to steal NPC personalities from real world people, or movie characters (especially "supporting roles" so they're not as obvious).
Why not rip off major philosophers from history?
I reccomend the wiki or "idiot's guide" versions for gaming purposes, unless you're into the philosophical.
I like to steal NPC personalities from real world people, or movie characters (especially "supporting roles" so they're not as obvious).
Why not rip off major philosophers from history?
I reccomend the wiki or "idiot's guide" versions for gaming purposes, unless you're into the philosophical.
Awsome responses so far and lots of material to dig into. Morgoth's Ring is certainly on my wishlist
I've expanded a bit on the goblin idea from the OP and thought would make for a very sad and tragic race. The goblins consider themselves the master in their master-slave morality. They don't neccesarily see themselves as superior, neither physically nor mentally, but they believe everyone else exists to be used by the goblins. The local human farmers exist so the goblins can have food and the dwarf blacksmith exist so the goblins can have weapons etc. They thinks themselves above law and ethics. However, in every bestiary entry I have read about goblins they are often being bullied by hobgoblins, bugbears and orcs who assume leadership of the tribe. Oh the irony. The masters are now the slaves but they won't realize that the roles have been turned around. Everyone knows this is the situation and it gives the goblins a destiny of tragic self-denial and perhaps a joke among races. ("Don't be a goblin about it" with regards to the Racial Idioms thread)
I was also thinking that rationalism and empiricism could be used to further diversify elves and dwarves, but it's not a very original distinction.
Finally, with regards to theology I was wondering if anyone have utilized Holy Scripture? I can't remember seing much of this in fantasy worlds, but if used right it could create lots of plots for campaigns. Players find an ancient stone tablet that contradicts commmon belief what should they do with it? Destroy it to supress alternate thoughts? Publish it and start a new church and risk persecution?
I've expanded a bit on the goblin idea from the OP and thought would make for a very sad and tragic race. The goblins consider themselves the master in their master-slave morality. They don't neccesarily see themselves as superior, neither physically nor mentally, but they believe everyone else exists to be used by the goblins. The local human farmers exist so the goblins can have food and the dwarf blacksmith exist so the goblins can have weapons etc. They thinks themselves above law and ethics. However, in every bestiary entry I have read about goblins they are often being bullied by hobgoblins, bugbears and orcs who assume leadership of the tribe. Oh the irony. The masters are now the slaves but they won't realize that the roles have been turned around. Everyone knows this is the situation and it gives the goblins a destiny of tragic self-denial and perhaps a joke among races. ("Don't be a goblin about it" with regards to the Racial Idioms thread)
I was also thinking that rationalism and empiricism could be used to further diversify elves and dwarves, but it's not a very original distinction.
Finally, with regards to theology I was wondering if anyone have utilized Holy Scripture? I can't remember seing much of this in fantasy worlds, but if used right it could create lots of plots for campaigns. Players find an ancient stone tablet that contradicts commmon belief what should they do with it? Destroy it to supress alternate thoughts? Publish it and start a new church and risk persecution?
I use political philosophy as a driver in my main homebrew campaign world. The default or core political philosophy is Imarran Feudal Monarchism; the king rules because he is a good king, with the support of the people. He can lose his right to rule by being a bad king, one sign of which would be loss of popular support. The Imarran monarchist approach combines Norse ideas of individual liberty - "Free Men" with southern more Autocratic notions.
Plautonists are a major disruptive force, they believe in Democratic Theory (rule By the People), but not Human Rights. Think Ancient Athens (but not Plato!). However neo-Plautonists combine the Free Man concept from Imarran monarchism with Plautonic Democratic theory into a Citizens' Rights model where they advocate something resembling real-world American Republicanism.
Plautonists are a major disruptive force, they believe in Democratic Theory (rule By the People), but not Human Rights. Think Ancient Athens (but not Plato!). However neo-Plautonists combine the Free Man concept from Imarran monarchism with Plautonic Democratic theory into a Citizens' Rights model where they advocate something resembling real-world American Republicanism.
I was a philosophy student and am now an academic philosopher and lawyer. From time to time I incorporate various philosophical notions into my game, in various ways.
The attached document is something that I wrote up for my campaign when I was an undergraduate, and thus had more time for such things (and hadn't moved as far as I now have from an exploratory style of play). It is for a Greyhawk game, but incorporates other elements from Dragonlance, AD&D's Deities and Demigods, plus some of my own material. It incorporates the history of European epistemology (and some associated metaphysical issues) - as understood by me at the time - into the religious orders of the gameworld.
The attached document is something that I wrote up for my campaign when I was an undergraduate, and thus had more time for such things (and hadn't moved as far as I now have from an exploratory style of play). It is for a Greyhawk game, but incorporates other elements from Dragonlance, AD&D's Deities and Demigods, plus some of my own material. It incorporates the history of European epistemology (and some associated metaphysical issues) - as understood by me at the time - into the religious orders of the gameworld.
Herobizkit
Adventurer
I ran a Final Fantasy X inspired campaign where the world's religion was pantheism. Gods existed, but were Epic "super-powered" entities rather than divine beings. They could be challenged and defeated, but could only be destroyed in a manner similar to destroying a Relic or Artifact.
I also hope to run a game where Taoism is the "state religion".
I also hope to run a game where Taoism is the "state religion".
Similar Threads
