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<blockquote data-quote="Deadguy" data-source="post: 62166" data-attributes="member: 2480"><p><strong>The Role of Gods</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>I think that that was always one of my worries for the fantasy environment, that little by little 'the Gods' become the driving force for the campaign. A little 'divine intervention' here and there grows to become a divine mandate for action, and slowly the PCs are sucked into being the forced servitors of gods that they haven't 'bought into'.</p><p></p><p>I think it's because gods are so easy to use as justification for any plot or story that you care to throw at the party. Want them to visit a certain place, perform a certain act, rescue someone or the like, and the 'advice' (read 'order') of a god is simple 'excuse' to make it happen. Heck, if they don't accept more subtle signs then the manifestation of a divine servitor should get the PCs on the right track! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>Gods are the ultimate <em>deus ex machina</em> device (!), and as such they are overused and abused by DMs keen on controlling the flow of the campaign.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I appreciate that the above remarks make me look like I hate the role of gods in a fantasy setting. I think that you can reasonably do stories that involve them, of course. I <em>do</em> think that you need to:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">discuss with the players whether they want this sort of thing in the campaign; they may be unhappy about having their freedom curtailed in a 'Hercules' or 'Xena' type fashion.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">monitor yourself as DM that you aren't using the 'pawn of a god' trope as simply an excuse to force the PCs to play the adventures that <em>you</em> want to write, with no chance to escape the plot.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">that you don't in the process totally abrogate any Cleric character's natural special relationship with their god or gods, thereby effectively eliminating <em>their</em> special role as devout members of the faithful (when all the PCs, every week, are receiving direct orders from on high, what's a Cleric other than a Band-Aid machine?!)<br /> [/list=a] <br /> <br /> Gods can be a great part of a fantasy campaign if they're handled well. But if they are trotted out regularly as the 'explanation' for every adventure, then they just turn into a type of 'big bully' monster! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite11" alt=":rolleyes:" title="Roll eyes :rolleyes:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":rolleyes:" /> <br /> <br /> Apologies to Ysgarran if I have hijacked his thread.</li> </ul></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Deadguy, post: 62166, member: 2480"] [b]The Role of Gods[/b] I think that that was always one of my worries for the fantasy environment, that little by little 'the Gods' become the driving force for the campaign. A little 'divine intervention' here and there grows to become a divine mandate for action, and slowly the PCs are sucked into being the forced servitors of gods that they haven't 'bought into'. I think it's because gods are so easy to use as justification for any plot or story that you care to throw at the party. Want them to visit a certain place, perform a certain act, rescue someone or the like, and the 'advice' (read 'order') of a god is simple 'excuse' to make it happen. Heck, if they don't accept more subtle signs then the manifestation of a divine servitor should get the PCs on the right track! ;) Gods are the ultimate [i]deus ex machina[/i] device (!), and as such they are overused and abused by DMs keen on controlling the flow of the campaign. I appreciate that the above remarks make me look like I hate the role of gods in a fantasy setting. I think that you can reasonably do stories that involve them, of course. I [i]do[/i] think that you need to: [list=a] [*]discuss with the players whether they want this sort of thing in the campaign; they may be unhappy about having their freedom curtailed in a 'Hercules' or 'Xena' type fashion. [*]monitor yourself as DM that you aren't using the 'pawn of a god' trope as simply an excuse to force the PCs to play the adventures that [i]you[/i] want to write, with no chance to escape the plot. [*]that you don't in the process totally abrogate any Cleric character's natural special relationship with their god or gods, thereby effectively eliminating [i]their[/i] special role as devout members of the faithful (when all the PCs, every week, are receiving direct orders from on high, what's a Cleric other than a Band-Aid machine?!) [/list=a] Gods can be a great part of a fantasy campaign if they're handled well. But if they are trotted out regularly as the 'explanation' for every adventure, then they just turn into a type of 'big bully' monster! :rolleyes: Apologies to Ysgarran if I have hijacked his thread.[/list] [/QUOTE]
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