I'd like a world with no major gods of agriculture, the sun, etc. Instead, people worship heroes. The big time generals and conqueror kings actually ascend to heaven and grant spells to their priests. If a culture is destroyed, its gods are forgotten and go away.
This would give a very good reason for adventurers to exist. If they become famous enough, they could literally become gods. Not to mention minor gods that maybe saved a village. They could become demigods, even if their power only extended to that small area.
Not sure how this would work in actual play, but I think it might be worth working on.
6 comments:
That is pretty much how I run Immortals (read -- gods, for the most part) in the Known World. My favorite version being the Cyclopedia rule set.
It would work in reverse to. If a guy (or gal) became notorious enough he could become a god of malice. Not sure how the worship would go other than not wanting to get on his bad side so throw him a few respects.
Runequest 2e had rules for this sort of thing. The Hero might not even have been much of a hero. His level or deeds aren't as important as what his worshipers -believe- his deeds were.
It was all about convincing people that The Hero was all that as well as killing or converting rival cults.
Bribery, raids, assassinations, and temple desecration... that's how a god is made.
It's a great idea. You can consider hero similar to saints. As for the ascension... I would live it out of the rules, just something that happens some years after the hero is gone.
Lots of good points here. I do like Runequest, but it would be intersting if Glorantha had no Yelm or Orlanth. Just local heroes done good.
As for villains, people would be afraid of them and their fear might make the villain attain god status.
I would keep them at demi-god status (at least in terms of 1st edition Deitas and Demigods) or little more.
Spells? ok
Miracle? sometimes (here would be interesting a relation/devotion mechanic (I would look into the relation between romans and their gods, if you do this for me I will do that for you)
But onnipotence/onniknowledge is a tad too much
Small god if you like the idea :)
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