-Nate
Many Gods, One Galaxy
The clash of
cultures that occurs when clerics from different worlds begin
exploring the solar system can make for many interesting situations;
more importantly, this situation can make for numerous intriguing and
dramatic plot implications, through which clerics can be more
authentically woven into the background of a campaign setting. Here
are some suggestions for a few of the possibilities.
Same Deities,
Different Names
In this worldview,
gods from different worlds with the same portfolio are actually just
interpretations of the same power. For example, the Earth Mother Gaea
on one world would be the same as the fertility deities on the other
planets, based on how those worlds' inhabitants interpreted her.
Essentially, all of them view the same divine truth, but interpret it
differently due to their own skewed perception and local bias.
In a campaign,
these differences could be resolved peacefully, or there could be
conflict as one group tries to assert that its interpretation is the
correct one. Either way, clerics who travel from world to world still
have access to divine magic.
Influence
Limited to One World
Contrasting the
previous interpretation, this one holds that each deity's power is
limited to its world of origin. This means that, on visiting a new
planet, the cleric loses access to divine magic. While this
interpretation can seem to make sense, the way it limits a
character's special abilities makes it pretty unbalancing as far as
game mechanics are concerned.
Competition and
Conflict Between Faiths
A slight variation
on the previous interpretation is one in which clerics can have
access to divine magic on planets beyond their homeworld, provided
they bring faith in their deity to those planets. This leads to
competition between different faiths, since followers of a deity from
one planet might try to convert away the faithful of a similar god on
another world. This could lead at best to vitriolic preaching against
other congregations, or at worst to all-out holy war between nations.
| Other Deities and Domains
While the handful of interplanetary deities presented above present natural interpretations of the heavenly bodies in a space fantasy campaign, there are many more domains available in the Pathfinder RPG that would be embodied by other gods. Presented here, then, are suggestions for using those domains and gods in a space fantasy campaign. Air, Earth, Fire and Water—These natural forces could be viewed as deities, especially in animistic cultures. What is more, some theorists believe that it is only in striking a balance between the four that life can exist on worlds; that is why the elemental obelisk incorporates all four in its pyramid-like capstone. Charm—Love and lust are also forces of nature, existing among all cultures on every planet. As such, the deity who inspires these feelings is one who can easily move between worlds, and adherents of that faith are not likely to be divided by conflict. Death—Those who believe that this process is necessary and solemn develop different traditions regarding how it should be conducted. Some practice the immolation of bodies, and scatter the remaining ashes among the stars, while others build elaborate tombs drifting in space for interring the dead. Whatever the case, these clerics find plenty of work performing their rituals on ships and in settlements, given the hazards of life in space. Evil—Unfortunately for those who encounter them, followers of this god also move well between worlds. After all, their self-centered outlook means that new planets just represent more opportunity for them to achieve their wicked ends. When encountering the faithful of deities with similar outlooks, they might find fellow conspirators, or they could find enemies who ultimately betray them. Liberation and Luck—These domains are natural ones for spacefarers, since traveling in an aethership represents tremendous freedom for those who are fortunate. Indeed, those intrepid souls who were first to venture into the void might, long after their passing, come to be venerated as the embodiment of these ideals. Magic and Rune—Given that the process of acquiring magical power involves discovering lost lore and artifacts, the deities who represent this process also travel well between worlds. Here again there's a good likelihood for cooperation between congregations, since sharing this information is to the benefit of all. War—The discovery and exploration of new worlds opens unlimited venues for the bloodthirsty followers of these deities. They are, of course, the most likely to lead crusades, not necessarily due to ideological differences, but because they feel driven to conquer. |
No comments:
Post a Comment