The Bible--Wars, Culture, Faith, and Inspiration

[Henry]

The funny thing about the Bible is that even most of the narratives are instructional by example - more of an allegory, really.

As for the Bhagavad Gita - that's the kind of thing I'm looking for. But I am specifically speaking of the seminal religious texts, such as the Torah, the Talmud, the Koran, etc. "Catechistic" refers to the tenets of a religious faith spelled out almost as a code of laws.

For instance, does anyone here know if the Koran is both instructional and narrative, or is it just instructional?

 

[Wicht]

The funny thing about the Bible is that even most of the narratives are instructional by example - more of an allegory, really.

Yes - you are right of course, though I do not know if I would use allegory as the term. Quite a few of the storys from the Old Testament are more examples of "How not to do it" and quite a few of the storys from the New Testament are examples of "How to do it right." Allegory's on the other hand tend to have symbolic hidden meanings.

(I better watch it or I will delve right of the deep end into a theological discussion).

 

[Mr. Grimm]

It's been awhile since my last DMing experience and my Bible reading is a lot rustier but what's not to like for stealing for campaign use. Old Testament is my preference; like plagues of locusts, Job for my favorite paladin, peoples wandering for years searching for a place to call home, blood over doorways to be spared from Creeping Death. And even the New Test. had the Slaughter of the Innocents. I used this when the pc's were in the employ of a king who learned of a prophesy wherein he'd die by the hand of a halfling and the PC's witnessed the horror, protecting soldiers, as they made up their minds of what to do.



Not quite a religious text, but the Kama Sutra has also inspired my role-playing but that's for something other than EN boards.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I have got great use out of the book of Revelation (for my Champions campaign about the coming of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse), and Leviticus ( for the Dogmas of my cult of an "insane" God. My players simply could not belive that they were on a theological "hitlist" for eating shellfish).

I have a beautifully Illustrated Bhagavad Gita, from which I drew a lot of inspiration (though I don't know if this counts, as I haven't read it, just looked at the pictures).

The Satanic BIble is pretty much a step-by-step "How To" prmer on playing Chaotic Neutral (strangely enough).

 

[sotmh]

Even if you are not inclined to read the Bible from Faith, you may enjoy doing so as interesting literature, which can be useful for the game.

I absolutely agree with you here, there's quite a bit of good material to use in the Bible. Personally, I use it as an example of how to use prophecy and for names. But there's plenty of good allegory there that can easily be adapted. Heck, literary authors have been doing that for centuries.

sotmh

 

[RangerWickett]

I actually have Christianity in my game world, and I admit it's for purely personal reasons--I'm Christian, and I don't think it's necessary to create a 'similar' religion for the purpose of morality tales when I can just use the existing one. Of course, in my world the names were changed a little, since out of Jesus's 12 disciples, two were Elves, one an Orc, and three were fey.

On the other hand, in the game I play in, which is set on Earth, it is a major part of the history that after the battle of Camlan (King Arthur vs. Mordred), it was agreed that the human world of Terra and the fey world of Gaia would be separated. Since then, any fey that travels to earth is at least somewhat beholden to the power of Christianity, because it was Christians who drove off the 'evil fey.' Clerics can turn not only spirits and wraiths, but also Goblins, Trolls, and even Elves, and the sound of blessed church bells weakens creatures from Gaia.

The first story arc involved a very religious villain who saw itself almost as the bringing of the End Times. If you're interested, you can find the Savannah Knights storyhour here.

 

[Eye Tyrant]

All of y'all are going straight to HELL!!

 

[DnDChick]

Biblical Times As Campaigns

Ok...for those of us interested in this thread...when would you say the best era for a campaign setting would be?

The evil world right before the Flood?

Sodom and Gamorrah? (note: prime campaign setting for use with the Guide to Unlawful Charnal Knowledge!)

Before or during the Exodus?

The entrance into Canaan and the resulting wars?

The conquests of Saul, David and Solomon?

Or the early years of Christianity starting in Antioch opposing the might of the Roman Empire?

How would you (or even WOULD you?) use the monsters from the Monster Manual? Demons and Devils? Celestials?

What about classes?

 

[DnDChick]

All of y'all are going straight to HELL!!

So what else is new? LOL

According to Leviticus, Im going to hell anyway because I like pepperoni and sausage on my pizza.

 

[Guacamole]

Very good thread!

I would find the Roman period the most interesting for a legendary (low magic, grim'n'gritty) campaign because there are already dungeons (ruins) and the like established, a plethora of faiths, and interesting cultures with which to interact!

For a cool hight fantasy campaign, my first pick would the be time of the Judges and the early Sauline/Davidic dynasties. I would use the following classes as is, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Bard (David could sing, write poems, and had prophetic powers), Palladin, and cleric. I would probably not use monks, sorcerers, or wizards. I would adapt the NPC class "Adept" with accelerated spell progression and additional divinatorial spells and call it Prophet, as a basic character class.

The period of the divided monarchy would be interesting for intrigues, etc.

fun stuff...

Oh and do try the dead sea scrolls for inspiration, there are interesting things there. One of the scrolls is called "a list of buried treasures"