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

[Steampunkette]

So an important thing about the core narrative of the Deities:

They don't -really- fight. The War of Transgression was a big smosh across the world that the gods -did- get involved in, of course. And at it's end the Flower martyred herself for mortalkind. But the Eight Divines haven't been running around and fighting since then. They've been the remote deities that may or may not "Really" Exist, like Crom in his Mountain. Maybe he's there, laughing at Conan for daring to say "To hell with you". Maybe he helped him by sending Valeria. Maybe Valeria fled Valhalla and Crom to help Conan as she swore to do.

It's kind of meant to be up in the air with them, while the Fallen Gods and Demigods are more likely to be interacted with.

So let's aim more for the local Forest God, and less "Flower kicked Serpent's butt" style mythology. Definitely material to work with, here.

 

[NaturalZero]

This example, one of the earliest of the Conan Tales and without question one of the most famous, establishes some core things:

1) "Gods" in Conan are not omniscient and omnipresent by default. Crom could be (If he even exists), but not all are.
2) They're often flawed beings that can be weakened, blinded, and trapped by mortals.
3) They can be killed by a simple Cimmerian with a Sword.
4) Even dead, they continue on in new manners.

This gives us a -ton- of leeway in what is or isn't a God for game-design and storytelling purposes.

This is why I really like the warlock more than the cleric. ANYTHING can be a warlock patron, but "god" is essentially a specific genus of supernatural being in default DnD cosmology. Primordials, devils, gods; they all get distinct silos.

I'm thinking about a Spelljammer campaign and one early reveal is the the entire solar system and sun are machines built by a wizard from somewhere else. The world thought he was a god, but he was just some guy who built himself a summer home. If everyone believes he's a god and an entire civilization is built around his cult, does it matter if he is or not?

 

[Faolyn]

At the risk of copyright, I’m thinking three Sarlaccs from Empire Strikes Back fame.

In a trenchcoat, standing on each other's shoulders?

 

[Steampunkette]

Deities writing format.

Gods and Religion:
Gods and Religion Overview, expressing the Transgression and the discontent of the gods with the world, possibly hatred. Outline the idea of the curses, and generally try to contain the overview to 2 pages.

DEITY IMAGE top 1/2 of the page.
Deity Name
1/4 page Deity Information Block containing:

• Deity's Concern/Domain
• Deity's Curse Outline
• Typical Offerings
• Powers Never Granted

\Column Break
1/4 page Prose description of the Deity
\Page Break
Names and identities in the Eight Regions. Each taking 1/8th page.
\Page Break
Legends of the Deity, some full some referential summaries.
\Page Break

Next Deity

After the Deities, a Religion Segment.
Religions Overview, containing the basic precept that heretical beliefs exist and none truly know what the Gods actually -want-.
Religion Name
Deity or Deities involved
Core beliefs
Active Regions

Next Religion

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Deities writing format.

Gods and Religion:
Gods and Religion Overview, expressing the Transgression and the discontent of the gods with the world, possibly hatred. Outline the idea of the curses, and generally try to contain the overview to 2 pages.

DEITY IMAGE top 1/2 of the page.
Deity Name
1/4 page Deity Information Block containing:

• Deity's Concern/Domain
• Deity's Curse Outline
• Typical Offerings
• Powers Never Granted

\Column Break
1/4 page Prose description of the Deity
\Page Break
Names and identities in the Eight Regions. Each taking 1/8th page.
\Page Break
Legends of the Deity, some full some referential summaries.
\Page Break

Next Deity

After the Deities, a Religion Segment.
Religions Overview, containing the basic precept that heretical beliefs exist and none truly know what the Gods actually -want-.
Religion Name
Deity or Deities involved
Core beliefs
Active Regions

Next Religion

Can I suggest custom cleric and warlock (and Herald?) ''extra spells'' lists for each god?

Like if I wanted to play a Tempest Cleric of the Mountain, or a Fey-warlock of the Weaver, or Life cleric of the Dweller or whatever but did not find the standard spell list reflecting my vision of the God.

 

[Steampunkette]

Can I suggest custom cleric and warlock (and Herald?) ''extra spells'' lists for each god?

Like if I wanted to play a Tempest Cleric of the Mountain, or a Fey-warlock of the Weaver, or Life cleric of the Dweller or whatever but did not find the standard spell list reflecting my vision of the God.

S'not a bad idea... might make the the bulk of the "Sorcery and Spellcraft" portion of the book to outline magical changes and the like. Things like expressing why Bard Music is different than Divine or Arcane magic...

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Yup. I prefer my archetypes to be ''how'' and let domains/pact/oath to be the ''what'' alongside it.

Like a Light cleric of the Flower, bringing the blessed light in the darkened heart of the city dwellers would be very different than a Light cleric of the Tempest, being all about drought, scorching sandstorm and the burning winds that turns every man and aspiration into dust eventually (Ozymandias style).

A Light cleric of the Mountain could be about dawn on the horizon, and the thawing of the mountain glaciers that brings fresh waters, more renewal and endurance.

A Light cleric of the Witch could be the about revelation of the mysteries, dispelling illusions.

A light cleric of the Dweller could be to guide the lost souls into the depth to show that the Dweller isnt a figure to be afraid off.

etc

They all could use the Light Cleric archetypes, but the spell list could be tweeked, maybe something like:

''If you would gain extra spells from your class's archetype you can change some or all of them by one of the following list at each level you would gain a new extra spell''

 

[Steampunkette]

 

[Steampunkette]

 

[Steampunkette]