Scarred Lands: Ask the Sage [New and Improved!]

[Nightfall]

Slight bump but with a purpose.

NarlethD,

Here's two of my sample NPC Narleths. I hope you like em.

 

[Taelorn76]

Big Bump. No Purpose

 

[JoeGKushner]

Clerics & Druids: Revisionist History?

"Thse places- the Planes- nevertheless barred the gods from reentering Scarn."

"They (titans) took out their frustations onnew gods, whom they created and destroyed in seemingly endless succession."

There were several bits in Clerics and Druids that just seemed to want to add layers and layers of time and deepth to the setting. The druid section makes them much more friendly in terms of player use, but almost destroys the whole Titan Spawn aspect which made them, in my opinion, so much more interesting than druids from other settings.

What's your feedback on that Nightfall? I am taking books like The Divine and The Defeated, which hint that the gods are now outer planar creatures and didn't leave the prime plane until they slew the Titans too seriously?

 

[Nightfall]

"Thse places- the Planes- nevertheless barred the gods from reentering Scarn."

"They (titans) took out their frustations onnew gods, whom they created and destroyed in seemingly endless succession."

There were several bits in Clerics and Druids that just seemed to want to add layers and layers of time and deepth to the setting. The druid section makes them much more friendly in terms of player use, but almost destroys the whole Titan Spawn aspect which made them, in my opinion, so much more interesting than druids from other settings.

What's your feedback on that Nightfall? I am taking books like The Divine and The Defeated, which hint that the gods are now outer planar creatures and didn't leave the prime plane until they slew the Titans too seriously?

Well obviously understand that each book is kind of contradictory in many places. Obviously we are dealing with people's opinion. Now regarding whether or not you can have good druidic followers of the titans, it's all dependent on that point of view. Obviously if you feel otherwise, explain to your players you'd prefer non-good druids be more common than good one. Regarding the whole "Gods leaving Scarn", it's more an aspect I think of the Epoch of Mesos deal and maybe the gods themselves re-writing history. (Plus the fact some of it was gathered suspectly. I mean hey does it look like I trust that geezer Yugman?! ) Now it might just be the gods left to let the titans gnash their teeth a while but then came back when they felt the need. Again these are just opinions, and certainly it's something that makes its very to get what anyone can call accuracy or truthfulness. Truth as they say is the first causality of war. If you have more questions or comments Joe, be happy to hear you out.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'm enjoying the book but worry that all of these little changes are going to play havoc with the continuity of the setting. As they continue to add more and more background and go farther and father back, the setting loses some of that original savage appeal that made it so interesting.

I'm also a little at a loss as to how to incorporate the various druid aspects. I think it's great that they are now more player friendly with animal lords (ah, thank god for the Book of Deluxe Templates and its beast lords), spirits, ancestors and places of power, but after a while, perhaps other core classes could've filled those voids like Green Ronin's Shaman or Witch, something I may consider and leave the druid the vile titan worshipping fiend it is.

 

[Nightfall]

I'm enjoying the book but worry that all of these little changes are going to play havoc with the continuity of the setting. As they continue to add more and more background and go farther and father back, the setting loses some of that original savage appeal that made it so interesting.

I'm also a little at a loss as to how to incorporate the various druid aspects. I think it's great that they are now more player friendly with animal lords (ah, thank god for the Book of Deluxe Templates and its beast lords), spirits, ancestors and places of power, but after a while, perhaps other core classes could've filled those voids like Green Ronin's Shaman or Witch, something I may consider and leave the druid the vile titan worshipping fiend it is.

Well if you pick up the Ranger book, you'll see some "wild" places that make for using survival checks a much needed boon. I do understand your concern about "losing" the wild and rugged aspects of the setting. I guess I don't see it as much since much of the travel overland is far from settled. There are still places where the taint of the titans is very strong. But if you're speaking about the savageness as it relates to the classes, I don't know what else to add.

Regarding adding core classes, I do think Shaman would be a good addition to the setting and maybe keeping druids the way they are. It's your choice. Certainly while I enjoy keeping the druid in various varieties, perhaps using Shamans and/or adepts more is a sincere possibility. Witches...not so sure but it's your call.

 

[Taelorn76]

I had not thought about keeping the druids as a "vile titan worshipping fiend", but I like it. It gives them more of a cult feel, a little paganistic it you will. Hope you don't mind but I think I'm going to poach that idea and flush it for my campaing.

 

[Nightfall]

Hey I'm down with that. Cultists druids are my thing.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Shamans and Druids

So how would you break up the various options for druids into shaman classes in the SL setting?

I'm thinking that the beast lord cults would be prime druid material while the places and ancestors might be more shaman suited.

Thinking about the witch, but they've always been more the wise woman type deal, not necessarily something for the druid/shaman connection.

Reading Termana, I can see where the Clerics/Druids book picked up on some of its vibes but felt its reasonining was a little weak. "Why has this never been heard of in Ghelspad? Uh... it's the gods man, they don't want you worshipping stuff... Yeah, that's the ticket..."

 

[Will]

One variant I've often used in my games, for witches, is to start with a sorcerer class, use the druid list (but still Cha as a tied skill), and use druid skills/skill points.

Of course, in many ways, I like that variant more for regular druids and the druid class as-is for witches, but that's me.


Anyone have questions about Blood Sea yet?