Deities, demi-gods, heroes and scientists!

[Tadhg]

Synapses are active on, and are firing at 101 percent tonight! What’s up with that Kel?

So, was thinking recently about when Penny asked if she should choose a deity for a new character that she was rolling up for our game.

I’m sure she was asking as I’ve said to all my players in every game that I’ve DM’d or CK’d – having a god (good, of course) is helpful as GOOD, ALWAYS triumphs over evil, duh!

Anyway, I said to her - it’s up to you. There is no penalty in my game if you don’t so chose a god.

Got me thinking about PC powers and deities . . . a la Kung Fu, the great TV show.

He’s a Shaolin Priest, but to the best of my knowledge most of his powers are purely physical (scientific) and not divine.

So a PC who chooses to be an atheist for instance, could be very skilled due to science (practice), even if he uses magician and/or illusionist skills (in the real world science ~ think slight of hand and other magician tricks – direct the observer’s eye away from where he is manipulating something to later present as magic).

Just musing and thinking about the great game of Castles & Crusader Magicians!

Thoughts? Opinions?

Thanks.

[Jyrdan Fairblade]

I think that one could argue that an atheistic character’s magic is a form of science. Cogline from the old Shannara series springs to mind. That being said, I think it’d be important to establish that there is some magic of some sort going on, otherwise the player could easily make the argument that dispel magic doesn’t affect them, or that they don't have to play by the rules in some other way.

[Penny-Whistle]

I think that one could argue that an atheistic character’s magic is a form of science. Cogline from the old Shannara series springs to mind. That being said, I think it’d be important to establish that there is some magic of some sort going on, otherwise the player could easily make the argument that dispel magic doesn’t affect them, or that they don't have to play by the rules in some other way.

We recently had a cross-over adventure where my scifi characters briefly went to a fantasy world. In my notes I was thinking that the big bad (who happened to be not all that) was big and bad because she was immune to suggestion. In the fantasy world perhaps a lot of the cleric's magic could be attributed to the power of suggestion. Belief is powerful -- for believers. However, since my mean girl was from a different universe/time/whatever she was able to laugh off those spells, necessitating the arrival of the secular heroes to take care of the problem ...

yes yes there were all kinds of holes in the logic of that adventure. Not caring. haha

btw I like choosing gods for characters, Rhuvein. = )

[Tadhg]

I think that one could argue that an atheistic character’s magic is a form of science. Cogline from the old Shannara series springs to mind. That being said, I think it’d be important to establish that there is some magic of some sort going on, otherwise the player could easily make the argument that dispel magic doesn’t affect them, or that they don't have to play by the rules in some other way.

Very interesting, thanks for the reply.

I recently found a map of Shannara that I have from one of the Dragon mag or mebbe it was Dungeon and I thought that I've got to re-read the series.

Great books!

[Tadhg]

I think that one could argue that an atheistic character’s magic is a form of science. Cogline from the old Shannara series springs to mind. That being said, I think it’d be important to establish that there is some magic of some sort going on, otherwise the player could easily make the argument that dispel magic doesn’t affect them, or that they don't have to play by the rules in some other way.

We recently had a cross-over adventure where my scifi characters briefly went to a fantasy world. In my notes I was thinking that the big bad (who happened to be not all that) was big and bad because she was immune to suggestion. In the fantasy world perhaps a lot of the cleric's magic could be attributed to the power of suggestion. Belief is powerful -- for believers. However, since my mean girl was from a different universe/time/whatever she was able to laugh off those spells, necessitating the arrival of the secular heroes to take care of the problem ...

yes yes there were all kinds of holes in the logic of that adventure. Not caring. haha

btw I like choosing gods for characters, Rhuvein. = )

No holes, just magic vs. science!

Science needs its gods . . . Dark Matter, for instance!