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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ppaladin123" data-source="post: 5474887" data-attributes="member: 60923">Yup, this cosmology with its petty jealous gods that demand fealty and essentially enslave mortals (whether or not their master is a benevolent despot or a cruel one) is one that I simply can't stand and will not use at the game table.It all follows logically from the premises of the setting, sure. I just find the premises rather vile. I mean, Murder must exist as a pillar of the universe? Why exactly? Do these portfolios even cover all logical actions/elements? Am I supposed to be happy/grateful that Ao created a universe that can never be at peace because if the god of murder isn't worshiped the universe explodes? Now if the creators of the Forgotten Realms (I mean the authors of the setting, not Ao) wanted to make a hook out of it, to make it a perceived injustice that some adventurers might fight against and have some hope of rectifying it, perhaps at some cost (free the damned souls and overthrow Ao or find another basis for the stability of the universe), I suppose I could tolerate it. After all, the Dragon of Athas holds back something worse but the setting still appears to encourage adventurers to think of ways to make things better. There may be trade offs, and painful costs to bear. People might disagree over what outcome is preferable. But it is not impossible to change. But no, this aspect of FR is just presented as an immutable part of the setting. Worse, any time any one objects to it, the setting stomps them down (sorry...Chaos otherwise...deal with it).I am guessing it doesn't irk some people as much as me. You know that episode of Star Trek where they meet the actual Apollo and find out that he is a totally cool dude who will lavish you with gifts and pleasure as long as you worship him but has a conniption fit the minute anyone ignores him or tries to do their own thing? I actually cheered at the TV when Kirk ignored him. And I cheered when they destroyed his power source.  Sure, it meant that the crew would not longer be able to live in lavish paradise. But there is no joy for me in being a pet.The only campaign I'd run in Forgotten realms: The adventurers stand toe-to-toe with Torm and Amaunator and Illmater (who, to be fair, actually does appear to hate the set up) as they dismantle their system. "No! Without us there will be chaos!" Maybe, maybe not. Magic appears to continue to exist without Mystara or any replacement. Perhaps the world will survive even if it is an angrier, less hospitable place. Humanity deserves the right to carve its own destiny for a change. And it is better to die on our feet than live on our knees regardless.</blockquote>

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