Do you like Egyptian, Norse, etc... mythos?

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:19 pm

This is a 3E product, but I have to say it is the best treatment I have seen of some of the "classic" religions. Plus it is the most thorough treatment I have seen of "heroes" related to these religions.

I got the PDF, 320 pages for $19.00. Several of the art pieces are FANTASTIC looking, especially the Norse babe on page 152.

Anyways, if your looking for more background for stuff like this I think its worth a look.
http://dragonwing.net/Lore_Gods.htm
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:23 pm

Here is a sample excerpt on the write up of the deities.

Amon (Greater Deity)

Amon-Ra; Amun; Amun-Re, Amun-Min; The Hidden One; God of the Sky; King of the Gods; The Creator of All Things

Divine Ranks: 18

Deity Symbols: Goose, Ram

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Portfolio: Creation, fertility, royal authority, sky, sun, supreme (Thebes)

Domains: Air, Balance, Sun, Wind

True Form: Amons true form is unknowable, being the very essence of creation which no mortal has yet to look upon with understanding

Avatar Form: A blue-skinned human male wearing a short kilt, a feather pattern tunic, and a tall, double plumed crown

Other Manifestations: As above except with a rams head; he also appears as a monstrous serpent

Allies: Auran creatures, Horus, Osiris, Ra

Foes: Aberrations, Set, Undead

Sacred Items: Egg (of any kind), the blowing of the east wind

Sacred Animals: Goose, ram

Sacred Plants: First cutting of the seasons grain harvest

Sacred Minerals: Nile River clay

Divine Artifacts: Kheperesh (The Blue Crown)

Mythology: According to the lore of his most devote worshippers, Amon was the first god, self created from Nun, the primal waters, in an act of akin to the first thought. Finding himself awash in the chaotic moisture of raw creation, Amon created the Primal Mound and raised himself above the churning sea. Beset by the loneliness of his existence, the gods thought drifted towards companionship. So, with an issue of moisture from his own flesh, gave rise to the gods Shu and Tefnut, the vault and void of the heavens. These gods, in turn, began to populate the emerging lands with offspring of their own.

This lore is contested by the adherents of other gods, most notably those of Ra, who proclaim their deity supreme over all others. While ancient wisdom holds that Ra came after the inception of Amon, none can argue with the newcomers awesome might. Whether Ra is a new god in his own right, or a reinterpretation of Amon, none can say. Regardless, neither side would acquiesce nor submit to the authority of the other. The gods faithful took an unusual step and actually began to merge their faiths, focusing on their similarities, instead of their differences. To this end, the celestial and mortal division between Amon and Ra melded, allowing the two gods to become blurry reflections of one another.

Main Tenets of the Faith: The tenets of Amon are placed into two camps, those that adhere to the most ancient of beliefs that Amon is the creator god and those that praise the Amon-Ra relationship. The former sees the world itself as Amons blessing: a rich panoply of life that pervades everything. These adherents view the enrichment and maintenance of life as a sacred duty and often become its protectors against the depredations of the ignorant.

The latter group espouses the might and authority of the Amon-Ra union over the whole of creation. While acknowledged as the supreme creator by most Egyptians, this is secondary to the role of Amon-Ra as the first of kings, ruler of heaven and earth. From him all majesty emanates, like the rays of his beloved sun.

Location of Faith: The largest temple of Amon rests in Thebes, Ipet-isut (Most select of places), which is the ancestral home of his earliest worship. A slightly smaller temple complex resides in Luxor, south of Karnak, and is dedicated to his serpent form that is seen as being the very essence of renewal. Major cult areas also exist in Deir el-Bahri, Medinet Habu, and Tanis. The largest temple to the Amon-Ra relationship is found Heliopolis and Hermopolis, but temples can be found throughout the Nile valley.

Sects: A number of very small sects exist that remain true to Amons claim as ultimate creator. These cadres are usually druids that dwell in the farthest oases, tending and protecting them from harm.

Responsibilities of the Clergy: Amons clergy are charged with maintaining the existence of creation itself. They are to forestall any grand destruction of natures wonders and punish the wicked for such acts. Amon-Ra clergy largely ignore natural creation, instead focusing on the natural authority of god and pharaoh. They see the physical world not as something worthy of veneration in and of itself, but as a sistrum to herald the power of mighty pharaoh.

Rights of the Clergy: Both the Amon and Amon-Ra sects are entitled to the first gleanings of the first grain harvest. This corn is sacred to the clergy, who use it to bake holy wheat and millet cakes used in their various ceremonies.

Restrictions of the Clergy: The clergy of the Amon sect is forbidden the consumption of beans of any type, including peas, lentils, onions, leeks, and garlic. Being seen as the embodiment of the primal mound upon which Amon rose above Nun, they are deemed too holy to be eaten, though they are still cultivated by the clergy. The clergy of the Amon-Ra sect also must eschew the eating of beans and must abstain from the consumption of swine and fish, being seen as unclean for the servants of a mighty god.

Rituals: The productivity of the land and the rule of pharaoh are tied to the flooding the Nile, during which the most venerated idol of the god in Ipet-isut is placed on a barge and floated down the river with sacrifices being made to it at every settlement and temple, no matter the god to which it belongs. Lesser ceremonies, when the clergy pray for their spells, are performed with the rising of the sun and entail the sacrifice of a white goose or ram, grain cakes, and other vegetable bounties.

Vestments: The clergy of the Amon sect dress in short kilts, wearing a pectoral of a solar disk pronouncing their adoration. The clergy of the Amon-Ra sect wear full robes of bleached white belted with gold or yellow dyed flax. They too wear a solar disk pectoral.

Amons Path of the Devout

Devout Classes: Adept, cleric (Amon-Ra sect only), druid (Amon sect only), expert, monk, paladin, and ranger.

Devout Alignments: LE, LG, and LN

Favored Weapon: Flail, khopesh sword, and mace

Devout Oath: The clergy of the Amon and Amon-Ra sects must forswear to never kill for pleasure, but only for true need, such as for sacrifice or sustenance. They also suffer a 2 penalty to Diplomacy checks when dealing with practitioners of the Memphite or Hermopolite theology.

Devout Benefits: 1/day a devout member of either the Amon or Amon-Ra sects can gain fire resistance 5 for 10 minutes. This ability can be activated as a free action.
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:15 pm

Sounds fantastic and right up my alley!

Um... what's the title though?

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Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:38 pm

moriarty777 wrote:
Sounds fantastic and right up my alley!

Um... what's the title though?

Moriarty the Red

You took the words right out of my mouth!
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:42 pm

Sorry!
There was supposed to be a link in the first post.

Now there is.
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:43 pm

Oh yeah. Print copies will be available at GenCon. Don't know about general release and availability yet. Only the PDF is available right now.
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Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:47 pm

While it looks extremely awsome, I wish they had included the Celt pantheon as well.

R-
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:11 pm

Rigon wrote:
While it looks extremely awsome, I wish they had included the Celt pantheon as well.

R-

Yeah, they didn't cover several pantheons that I wish they had. Guess that will be for book 2 if this one sells well enough.
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:06 am

Looks really promising... like the art previews too.

As for other mythologies, a good Celt one could be the subject matter of a dedicated book though you'd probably never see one with that kind of treatment.

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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:26 am

Wow, pretty cool. The artwork is stunning and the level of detail seems quite well written. Looks pretty neat.

.......................................Omote

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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:30 am

I'll have to look it over to see what was left out.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:46 am

Tons was left out in terms of pantheons. They only covered Egyptian, Greek, and Norse, as well as about a dozen heroes. But the info they gave for what they covered is typified by the example given above.

So I am hoping, and I am betting Mr. Creech is as well, that this will sell well enough to get a series that covers the other awesome pantheons. Hindu, Celtic, Babylonian, Roman versions, and even the many mythic legends around the orient, and not just China and Japan.

Of course if they did it in the C&C system they would have had at least another 50 pages to put towards another pantheon or even more heroes. Rather than magic item write ups, PrC write ups, feat write ups, etc...

This product is aimed at the D20 market, though. Even so there are a lot of ideas in all of that material as well.
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slimykuotoan · Post by **slimykuotoan** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:11 am

I must say I'm a bit o' a mythology buff; I got an Anthropology degree, then went for my masters but ran outta dough...

Gotta love capitalism -not to be confused with democracy.

One's an economic system, while another is a social system.

ie. the Soviet Union was democratic: the Socialist Democratic Party...

That sayd, I really enjoyed Egyptology...which had the only pantheon which featured gods who aged over time.

Verily cool stuff.

torren · Post by **torren** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:36 pm

Ok, so a new Legends and Lore, ok that's cool, but my problem with the artwork is I thought this was a rpg? Not a computer game. I guess I am truely an old grognard, and I didn't even down the 3e stuff lol!!!
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