divine favour

[reverancepavane]

Many fantasy role-playing games are set in a culture which worships a pantheon, and yet there is a marked tendency to treat the pantheon as being more monotheistic by selecting a specific patron deity. For example, in Runequest you join a specific cult (in Heroquest this got even more specific, as you chose a specific deity or hero to follow). Even in Fvlminata: Armed with Lightning, an excellent game set in a Rome where the Empire discovered gunpowder, you could select a specific patron (giving you a bonus in that patron's skills). But does this truly represent a pantheon? What if, instead, characters were to make offerings to the appropriate deity before a major (or even minor) undertaking. Wouldn't that capture the spirit of the pantheon more appropriately. Thus before setting sail on a ship the character makes an offering to Poseidon (to borrow the Greek pantheon as an example), or more probably, contributes to the appropriate offering made by the ship's captain. A wife wishing for harmony at home would make an offering to Hera. And so on. The failure to make an appropriate offering would result in divine disfavour (ranging from a penalty in connected skill tests to a full-blown tempest, depending upon whether the gods are real and can actually affect the world, or it's just the character's self-confidence eroded by the lack of appropriate offering). Making a extravagant offering would attract a possible bonus (either as a mark of actual divine power or because the character believes that they now enjoy the favour of the gods). Of course this doesn't stop anyone from having a patron deity if they wish. It just means that the character regularly makes offering to the appropriate deity. For example, a soldier would regularly make offerings to Ares (again, this might be handled by the regiment and the soldier simply expected to take part), so as not to attract a negative penalty, and even make major offerings before a major battle (you can be sure the other side will be if they can). And, of course, you have propitiatory worship as well. Such as making offerings to Mercury to keep thieves away, or Eris, to keep her children away.

Comments

[maelorin]

i do tend to prefer a more 'proper' polytheism when playing in a polytheistic world ^_^

[freyaw.livejournal.com]

The last time I played a properly respectful worshipper, my insistence upon carrying out the proper rites really got up the collective noses of my fellow players. Except for Bastard who thought it was great :D

AD&D 2e, playing a Barbarian Priest of the Sun.

Making my armour shiny every day was a votive act. Detailed. Prayers went with every arrow, striking from above. Didn't detail that quite so lovingly... :P