tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post7577542555143190645..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: Divine RightAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-40631787604828477672011-03-17T15:16:12.562-06:002011-03-17T15:16:12.562-06:00Tahotai is absolutely right in pointing out the pr...Tahotai is absolutely right in pointing out the problems of interventionist gods in gaming. The other problem, of course, is the tendency for divine action to represent completely overwhelming, unstoppable force - not great for games in which you want to preserve PC agency.<br /><br />The counterexample that I think you might be overlooking is the concept of divine right that exists among the drow. Those who rule do so because of Lloth's favor as one among many competitive advantages. Lloth is famously fickle, of course, and PCs who are <i>fighting</i> drow are fine with opposing the will of an evil deity.<br /><br />Also, I've played in a <i>Romance of the Three Kingdoms</i> D&D game (3.0, with OA) that spent a lot of time on how the existing Han dynasty had (possibly) lost the favor of Heaven and a new dynasty had (possibly) gained it. The will of Heaven was in this case strictly non-interventionist, but was treated as a point of religious doctrine or a useful political argument.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13333781524640845035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-3692485646898528342011-03-17T03:36:26.031-06:002011-03-17T03:36:26.031-06:00Having played in a campaign that featured openly i...Having played in a campaign that featured openly interventionist gods, the main problem comes after the god intervenes in situation X the players start asking why he isn't intervening in situation Y.<br /><br />The real reason is because the players need to be doing something whatever in-game excuse the DM comes up with. But when you know that, it sort of made the game less fun when the god could and would have done what we're doing but we're doing it just so we have something to do.<br /><br />I don't think the characters need to be special snowflakes and the only ones capable of saving the world every tuesday, but I think they should feel what they're doing has a point.Tahotaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08973808126095085592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-7578082176752109192011-03-16T23:13:19.410-06:002011-03-16T23:13:19.410-06:00Kingdoms of Kalamar has "divine right" i...Kingdoms of Kalamar has "divine right" in the form of mechanical blessings for titled nobility, increasing with rank. From memory, they are things like bonuses against charms and eventually protection from non-magic weapons and assassination.<br /><br />I like the concept. It stands fleshing out in play with some oath of allegiance and advancing the goals of the patron.<br /><br />I can see going even farther. Many non-cleric characters I've seen are a-religious, when I would expect a world with active gods would see those gods competing for the allegiance even of mid-level fighters and wizards, but especially rulers and name level characters, and granting boons for their loyalty. I haven't worked out what that would look like, to be meaningful but not mandatory and not just a shopping list.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-91148661204567537162011-03-16T19:08:24.103-06:002011-03-16T19:08:24.103-06:00I go for the aloof polytheism, myself, but mostly ...I go for the aloof polytheism, myself, but mostly because my polytheistic deities are more akin to ancestor spirits, worshipped and venerated as a matter of honor.<br /><br />I think in general, as a more or less secular society/world now, or at least the parts that roleplay, religion is considered too "uncomfortable" to touch upon with great depth.<br /><br />This is too bad, because clerics could be very influential and interesting characters if they had an actual framework from which to build, rather than a power suite.Pandredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03917809464727878157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-85792518502867556532011-03-16T17:19:56.975-06:002011-03-16T17:19:56.975-06:00I think you can have the aloof cold war of the god...I think you can have the aloof cold war of the gods, as described by Beedo, and still have room for some Homeric action... just make the gods that break the ban petty gods with ambitions.<br /><br />So Hungary, Poland, and Livionia get together to fight against the Ottomans, but they are not aided by their great common god(s). However, they are added by Nagarsh the Necrographic, who sends power to his clerics, and creates an avatar to battle in the final fight.Lasgunpackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529298072677726064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-22659560002304883272011-03-16T16:22:04.997-06:002011-03-16T16:22:04.997-06:00I prefer "aloof monotheism" - perhaps th...I prefer "aloof monotheism" - perhaps there is a creator, but he certainly doesn't involve himself with the day-to-day. Meanwhile, the monotheistic faiths are busy battling it out over who owns the truth.<br /><br />In your situation, where perhaps there are multiple gods with large human empires worshipping them, I would treat it like the cold war. Neither side directly intervenes because of the threat of escalation (doomsday, armageddon, the apocalypse, whatever) so they work through intermediaries. Of course, that's all a fiction to keep the resolution of the action focused on the mortal plane.<br /><br />I just think most campaigns treat the gods as aloof and polytheistic, and picking one is usually about as important as choosing a sports team for which to root.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.com