The Immortals Handbook

[The Great Bear King]

Howdy Great Bear King!



Interesting take on things, I presume you have one God ruling each plane?

However, maybe Thor is the King of the Slaad?

www.immortalthor.net/thor-366.jpg

[/INDENT]Ruling, governing, whatever you like to call it. I do have an idea however. Change the names of the Outer Planes. I don't think that Olympus should be the name of the Chaotic Good plane of the afterlife, but I'm not going to tell you my name for it directly. The Lawful Good plane should be Elysum and not the "Seven Heavens" (I use the term Seven Heavens to refer to all of the Upper Planes). "Asgard" should be changed to the Land of Song and Wine and should be goverened by Dyonisis. And last but not least for the Upper Planes, the Neutral Good plane should be renamed Nirvana.

Mecanus (also known as "Nirvana") should instead be named Hades,
after its ruler (he's also known as Anubis). Limbo should also be called by the name Olympus. Like in Greek mythology Olympus is ruled by Zeus.

And for the Lower Planes I'd change the name "Hades" to simply the Gray Wastes.​

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi all!

Just wanted to say a final thanks for the kind messages and emails. The funeral was held yesterday, but I still have to take care of the distribution of the estate for the next day or two, so I may still be a bit busy over that time.

Hello Great Bear King!

Ruling, governing, whatever you like to call it.

That was easy to pick up from your previous post.

Looking over a completely open cosmology it becomes impossible to keep the 1 plane/1 ruling hierarchy dynamic within the Great Wheel setup (17 outer planes).

Simply because as well as numerous human social pantheons you have non-human racial dynastys; political councils and the planar hegemonies.

In fact you could really have one of each (Pantheon, Dynasty, Council and Hegemony) on every plane; and depending on which plane it was the strongest faction could be any of the above.

I do have an idea however. Change the names of the Outer Planes. I don't think that Olympus should be the name of the Chaotic Good plane of the afterlife, but I'm not going to tell you my name for it directly. The Lawful Good plane should be Elysum and not the "Seven Heavens" (I use the term Seven Heavens to refer to all of the Upper Planes). "Asgard" should be changed to the Land of Song and Wine and should be goverened by Dyonisis. And last but not least for the Upper Planes, the Neutral Good plane should be renamed Nirvana.

I think changing the planar names at this stage (for the Great Wheel setup) is just going to confuse people.

Regarding the Seven Heavens there are numerous uses of the numerology within.

Seven Layers
Seven (Holy) Planes
Seven (Known) Dimensions

All of the above could be regarded as the Seven Heavens.

Mecanus (also known as "Nirvana") should instead be named Hades,
after its ruler (he's also known as Anubis). Limbo should also be called by the name Olympus. Like in Greek mythology Olympus is ruled by Zeus.

And for the Lower Planes I'd change the name "Hades" to simply the Gray Wastes.

One thing I am not happy with is the neutral Outsiders being the Rilmani and I may change that with an entry in the IH bestiary.

 

[CRGreathouse]

One thing I am not happy with is the neutral Outsiders being the Rilmani and I may change that with an entry in the IH bestiary.

Can you expand on this at all?

 

[Chosen01]

Hi Krust!

Been busy and will continue to be for some time. Anyway, take a look at Chapter 1 of Dicefreaks' first project, The Gates of Hell. Check it out!

 

[CRGreathouse]

I'd like to know how creation works in the IH. One of the things I'd have to change from the D&Dg system to fit my world are the Creation SDAs. Basically, if a deity wants to create their own forms of life, they need 3-4 SDAs, including one that requires Divine Rank 16+ (Greater Deity).

This is because, as you've said before, creators of races (Moradin, Corellon Laurethian, etc.) are pantheon heads, and should be powerful.

In my campaign, while 'racial' deities exist, they are not pantheon heads and are decidedly not powerful. In general, they're lesser deities. In fact, IMC, most are the direct followers (servants?) of their Sidereal creator...

Could your system be tweaked to make this work? (Would it need to be?) Are there any unexpected side-effects that could happen as a result?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Can you expand on this at all?

Well, as I see it, all outsiders (or to be slightly more specific those from the outer planes) originally came from the same spiritual source.

This actually fits well with why Angels are above Archons and other good aligned outsiders.

So all the outsiders originally stem from an angelic source.

The cliche being the fallen angels (devils) of course. But there were other groups such as the Grigori who had a more neutral outlook.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi Krust!

Hi Chosen01 mate!

Been busy and will continue to be for some time.

Well its always nice to hear from you.

Anyway, take a look at Chapter 1 of Dicefreaks' first project, The Gates of Hell. Check it out!

Very interesting thanks. I have only had a chance to go through it quickly (hopefully I will get a more detailed read later tonight) but it looks very good, although they do seem to be placating the Planescaped view of Hell, but I suppose thats in keeping with 3rd Edition anyway.

I must say I was never satisfied with Dicefreaks treatment of beings like Asmodeus and Demogorgon (as Greater Powers as I recall). That (after much deliberation) doesn't quite gel for me.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey CRGreathouse mate!

I'd like to know how creation works in the IH.

Well theres a table showing how much WP you have to expend for each CR of the creature.

From there it works like magic item creation (with WP supplanting XP).

Initially you can only create outsiders...with a few other stipulations of course.

One of the things I'd have to change from the D&Dg system to fit my world are the Creation SDAs. Basically, if a deity wants to create their own forms of life, they need 3-4 SDAs, including one that requires Divine Rank 16+ (Greater Deity).

Well I hate Divine Abilities that require a certain Divine Rank, so don't expect too many of them.

I have all your above queries catered for though.

You need a cosmic ability (Cosmic Creation) to create mortals. There are other abilities that let you reduce the creation times.

This is because, as you've said before, creators of races (Moradin, Corellon Laurethian, etc.) are pantheon heads, and should be powerful.

Indeed. Though elves (for example) are a sub race (of humanoid). So Corellon wouldn't be more powerful than a Greater Power.

In my campaign, while 'racial' deities exist, they are not pantheon heads and are decidedly not powerful. In general, they're lesser deities.

Interesting, though Lesser Deities could still have cosmic abilities.

In fact, IMC, most are the direct followers (servants?) of their Sidereal creator...

Have you decided on the creator as yet?

Could your system be tweaked to make this work? (Would it need to be?)

No changes necessary as far as I can see. I have already accounted for such events.

Are there any unexpected side-effects that could happen as a result?

Non-humanoid deities might be subordinate to human Pantheons.

They certainly need some kind of grouping if they are that weak.

 

[Iceflame55]

Glad to see you're back!

Glad to see you're coming back around again. I know you wasn't gone long in Real Time, but it sure seemed awful quiet while you was dealing with your Grandpa's passing. Hope to hear soon IH is up for grabs . *I know I keep repeating comments like that, but I'm dying to see what you've come up with, as my brain's on overload trying to look at all the possiblities at the same instant!

 

[historian]

Howdy Krust!

I hope all is well as can be with you and your family.

Incidentally, I saw some of your posts at classicmarvel.com and thought they were great. I've been tinkering around with a homebrew conversion from that to d20 and have found that stats convert easily (using the guidelines that you proposed for strength as the cornerstones), powers are a touch trickier (I used your WMD guidelines and compared that with d20 modern nuke approximation), and that HD approximation is also a bit tricky (I guess I could use psyche to approximate a will save and work backwords -- and tie fighting plus strength into the BAB).

I'm looking forward to any conversion insights that you post on the site!

Take Care.