Level Up (A5E) Sins of the Scorpion Age: Deities, Gods, and Religion

[Bolares]

I'll probably want to name these gods, eventually.

I think using this names is great. They can be a umbrella name, and each culture follow a diferent subset of the same 6+1 gods, with different names, appearances and (in a smaller part) creed.

 

[GuyBoy]

Teerka squatted by the gurgling spring as it emerged from the gap in the rocky hillside, dipping her left hand into its coolness to cup her first drink in over a day. It was cold, sweet. Water like this was rare in this area. It was rare anywhere.
She pushed back a loose braid of dark hair, set with beads of coloured coral, and drunk again. And again. Then she filled her water skin. She looked at the slowly healing claw marks on her right leg. They did not appear to be infected but you never knew with bantaur claws, so she washed them in the clear water. She had a little dried sarga petals in her pouch but she wanted to save this in case a wound truly got infected.
Shielding her eyes against the sun’s glare, Teerka surveyed her surroundings. Barren rocky hillside mostly, but a ribbon of green followed the rill as it flowed down from the spring to what appeared to be a small cave mouth in a low ridge, or barrow, about five or so minutes walk away.
By the cave mouth stood two ruined beehive shapes. They resembled the mud-brick huts she had seen in southern Il’sha-ah, when she had travelled there in Xrione’s company, but here they were made of local stone, grey-green in hue.
Needing to find food, shelter and, although she hated to admit it, perhaps human company, Teerka shouldered her obsidian-tipped spear and followed the stream towards the crumbling huts.

Hope this encourages the work you are doing.

 

[Steampunkette]

This is superb, Steampunkette. Really enjoyed reading it and am already buying into the world you are creating on these pages.

That's why I picked religion, first. You can drop Proper Nouns into a Myth and they just -become- a part of the world no questions asked.

Sacred creatures:

Weaver-spiders Serpent-snakes Mountain-golems Witch-hags (of all genders) Beast-lycanthropes Dweller-devils Flower-plant creatures

Heroes/legends:

The Weaver: The greatest seamstress of all time, Chelicera, was said to be able to weave enchanted cloaks, boots, and tunics that could turn away spells or fire. There were those who rumored she was greater than the Weaver herself. When the rumors became loud enough, the Weaver turned her into a spider. Chelicera now weaves the Weaver's webs, and is said to provide enchanted cloth for those who do the Weaver's wishes.
(Arachne, Greek mythology)

The Serpent: The greatest of all thieves was Paulus, and he led a huge band of rovers through the wastes. They said he passed without trace and could see the future. One day, as his life was growing short, he walked into the wastes alone, and the snakes came to claim him. Now he is the greatest of snakes save the Serpent himself, and those who seek to survive where none else can will beseech his aid.
(Dune, Frank Herbert)

The Mountain: The convict Jake Haggard was condemned to quarry rocks from a cliff wall. One night he disappeared, and became the cliff itself. They still say you can hear his pounding on nights sacred to the Mountain, and when sites holy to the Mountain are threatened he appears and smashes desecrators to bits.
(John Henry, American folktale)

The Witch: If the Witch gave magic to the first sorceror, the wizardress Sefketabwy made it teachable to others. By recording the steps of the dance of sorcery on her palm stem, she turned the intuitive, charismatic art of magic into a reproducible, legible science. It is said that she wrote the first spell, and that all spells are derived from her formulae. It is said a wizard who researches a new spell will gain her blessing.
(Seshat, Egyptian mythology)

The Beast: Udiken the bull-man wrestled the first man. The followers of the other gods say the first man won, and spared Udiken; the followers of the Beast say Udiken won, but the first man deceived him through trickery. Those who can remain true to their bestial nature may call on Udiken, and he may give aid, but whosoever takes his aid may become a beast and remain so forever.
(Enkidu, Sumerian mythology)

The Dweller: They said Heylel was cast into hell for his hideousness, but in fact Heylel's crime was to raise his fist against the tyranny of the other gods, and for this he was cast into the pit of fire with the Dweller. But he still is honored by rebels, outcasts, and those who would not accept the will of others, and it is said those who fight for freedom may call on him, at a terrible price.
(Lucifer, Christian mythology-though mostly Milton)

The Flower is yours, I think.

I'll be expanding on these over time, I think.

In the days before the great flood drowned the city of Musarra, when the First Kings still ruled the world, the Beast grew petulant and wild as the borders of civilization crept into the wildlands. Oh, he would not be contained within the walls of Mankind, this had been decided. But as the walls of the different cities drew near, he felt confined by their borders. And so he sent the great bull Ukada, Brother to Night, The Wall-Cracker, to destroy the fledgling cities and save the wilds for wild things.

Nameless villages fell to Ukada, in a string running toward Musarra and it's neighbors. And seeing this horror galavanting through the world, this threat to the fabric so carefully woven, to threads that would be cut short by a hand other than her own, the Weaver chose to offer great power to a hero of the people.

His name was Isra. And into him flowed the strength of those that Ukada had destroyed. Into his muscles their strength. Into his heart their lives. Into his mind their knowledge. And he knew the great bull before he saw him. Viewed through the eyes of the countless mortals Ukada had killed. He saw it's every motion. He saw it's mighty strength. And he knew to overcome it would require all that he had been gifted.

And as Ukada approached Musarra, he found Isra standing in his path. Enraged, the great bull charged the Weaver's chosen, but struck nothing more than air. For Isra knew not to remain near the bull's path. Knew to jump when his head was low and his eyes blinded by the angle of his horns.

For six days and nights they fought and wrestled, once Ukada's deadly charge had failed. Isra never let the distance between them grow anew, and instead took hold of the bull with his hands. Against each other they crashed and raged, shattering bones, tearing flesh. But on the Seventh day the battle stopped. For Ukada had been broken to much, so many times, that he stood as a man. And saw as a man.

And felt as a man. For Isra had put all of his heart into the fight, and the hearts of all those Ukada had killed. He had attacked the Bull with reason, and the thoughts of all those who had perished beneath the horns. He had not only broken Ukada's bones with his great strength and the strength of those who had died. He had reformed him into something new.

In the depths of the wildlands the Beast roared in terrible anger, his champion defeated. While Isra and Ukada, the first Minotaur, became dear friends and companions on many quests to come.
-The Chronicler-

Teerka squatted by the gurgling spring as it emerged from the gap in the rocky hillside, dipping her left hand into its coolness to cup her first drink in over a day. It was cold, sweet. Water like this was rare in this area. It was rare anywhere.
She pushed back a loose braid of dark hair, set with beads of coloured coral, and drunk again. And again. Then she filled her water skin. She looked at the slowly healing claw marks on her right leg. They did not appear to be infected but you never knew with bantaur claws, so she washed them in the clear water. She had a little dried sarga petals in her pouch but she wanted to save this in case a wound truly got infected.
Shielding her eyes against the sun’s glare, Teerka surveyed her surroundings. Barren rocky hillside mostly, but a ribbon of green followed the rill as it flowed down from the spring to what appeared to be a small cave mouth in a low ridge, or barrow, about five or so minutes walk away.
By the cave mouth stood two ruined beehive shapes. They resembled the mud-brick huts she had seen in southern Il’sha-ah, when she had travelled there in Xrione’s company, but here they were made of local stone, grey-green in hue.
Needing to find food, shelter and, although she hated to admit it, perhaps human company, Teerka shouldered her obsidian-tipped spear and followed the stream towards the crumbling huts.

Hope this encourages the work you are doing.

You just added a new monster or animal, new flowers, and architectural stylings with this post.

 

[Steampunkette]

So a thought from Sarga...

Should natural remedies and healing be easily found in the world..? Not exactly "Common" or anything, but healing plants are a common trope in Swords and Sorcery and early fantasy. I'd already settled on the idea of a natural blossom, carefully dried, could be chewed to suppress the negative effects of corruption without purification wiping away the benefits of such a corruption, so it would track pretty well.

Suddenly really liking the idea of making natural healing elements something that can be found or bought to improve short rests and long rests and the like... but also as an optional ingredient to Healing Magic to make it more powerful or effective.

Anyone have thoughts toward that, positive or negative?

 

[Bolares]

I think natural healing is pretty interesting. You could even say healing potions are more medicine than magic (at least the minor ones). And plants with healing properties could make for interesting plot hooks. "Go find that plant that only grows on the top of that mountain, that's the plant that can stall the corruption for long enough for us to find a permanent solution" tipe os hooks. The only thing I'd do is make natural healing weaker/slower/less permanent than magic healing, so that kind of magic still has a place in the setting.

 

[Steampunkette]

I think natural healing is pretty interesting. You could even say healing potions are more medicine than magic (at least the minor ones). And plants with healing properties could make for interesting plot hooks. "Go find that plant that only grows on the top of that mountain, that's the plant that can stall the corruption for long enough for us to find a permanent solution" tipe os hooks. The only thing I'd do is make natural healing weaker/slower/less permanent than magic healing, so that kind of magic still has a place in the setting.

That's kind of my thought. Slower. But available.

Things like Sarga Petals that can be made into a poultice and applied to a wound. During a short rest whoever applied the poultice rolls a Medicine Check. On a success, the poultice grants the injured character the healer's Wisdom Modifier as a bonus to any Hit Dice they spend to recover health during that short rest.

Meanwhile the rarer herb Dasil-Pually when consumed allows the injured party to expend one "Free" hit die, even if they have no hit dice remaining. (Essentially a potion of healing). Tack on a limit of uses per day, or side-effects like a penalty to Wisdom saves... And now we have an Opiate!

Similarly, someone could drink tea brewed from the bitter bark of the alhai tree before taking a long rest and recover all of their Hit Dice instead of 1/2 of their hit dice.

And then make those things grant bonuses to specific spells.

Someone who uses Sarga Petals in the Healing Word spell grants an extra 2 points of healing to the target. Or Dasil-Pually when used with Cure Wounds or Restoration allows the target to immediately expend a Hit Die, if they have one available, to gain additional healing. And the bark of the Alhai tree can be burned during the Prayer of Healing spell to allow up to 6 targets recover one expended hit die.

 

[Bolares]

That's kind of my thought. Slower. But available.

Things like Sarga Petals that can be made into a poultice and applied to a wound. During a short rest whoever applied the poultice rolls a Medicine Check. On a success, the poultice grants the injured character the healer's Wisdom Modifier as a bonus to any Hit Dice they spend to recover health during that short rest.

Meanwhile the rarer herb Dasil-Pually when consumed allows the injured party to expend one "Free" hit die, even if they have no hit dice remaining. (Essentially a potion of healing). Tack on a limit of uses per day, or side-effects like a penalty to Wisdom saves... And now we have an Opiate!

Similarly, someone could drink tea brewed from the bitter bark of the alhai tree before taking a long rest and recover all of their Hit Dice instead of 1/2 of their hit dice.

And then make those things grant bonuses to specific spells.

Someone who uses Sarga Petals in the Healing Word spell grants an extra 2 points of healing to the target. Or Dasil-Pually when used with Cure Wounds or Restoration allows the target to immediately expend a Hit Die, if they have one available, to gain additional healing. And the bark of the Alhai tree can be burned during the Prayer of Healing spell to allow up to 6 targets recover one expended hit die.

I'd just be cautious to not add that much more complexity to the game. All your ideas seem great, but if you have all this sub-systems and homebrews for plants, and start making the same amount of rules for other aspects of the world, learning the world and the rules may start to feel like homework to players that are not (yet) that invested in your wolrd.

 

[Thunder Brother]

I like the idea of possibly reimagining healing potions as poultices made from various wild herbs that cannot be easily cultivated. A poultice feels more tactile than a potion, as it gives injuries a greater visibility; instead of sipping an energy drink you're covering a wound with a smelly plant.

In addition, using material components to boost a spell is a really cool idea. Crushing a dried petal, unlocking it's hidden power, to boost Healing Word feels very cool, a good marriage of fluff and crunch.

 

[Bolares]

I like the idea of possibly reimagining healing potions as poultices made from various wild herbs that cannot be easily cultivated. A poultice feels more tactile than a potion, as it gives injuries a greater visibility; instead of sipping an energy drink you're covering a wound with a smelly plant.

In addition, using material components to boost a spell is a really cool idea. Crushing a dried petal, unlocking it's hidden power, to boost Healing Word feels very cool, a good marriage of fluff and crunch.

If I was going for simplicity, I'd change the material components of healing spells to plants found in the world. Healing word/cure wounds needs Sarga Petals, revivify uses a rarer herb (that has net vallue equal to the diamond cost)... things like this

 

[Steampunkette]

You are, certainly, right, @Bolares, that I'll need to be careful about adding too many subsystems to the world.

Perhaps a few specific examples with some guidelines for DMs to expand on it as much as they feel comfortable.

Though I would like to note as this will be a setting book, these kinds of subsystems will probably be the majority of the available crunch for the setting... Which might largely be presented in Prose from the perspective of the Chronicler. As it was something I noted in the Settings thread a while ago...

That a "New Format" for presenting a setting-book would be to have it written in a colloquial manner as if by a writer telling tales of various locales, rather than a god looking down on the actuary tables.