Post by Lord Harrab on May 5, 2014 3:34:37 GMT
In the beginning, there was nothing.
Then Gaia, Mother of All, created The world of Lorestir, forged the mountains and seas, hand crafted the trees and grasses and breathed life into its soil and rock. She saw the wonders she had created and was pleased. But there was something missing.
She walked the surface of this new world, saddened than none would be able to enjoy it once she was gone.
Then she created fish and beats and birlds of all kinds, and for a while she thought she had created beings able to marvel at the world she had created and was content.
But Birds and beasts do not wonder or think beyond their basest needs, and soon it became clear something else was needed, a creature of thought and emotion, one that ca look upon a mountain and be awed by its magnificence.
She created Mortals of all kinds, and after watching over them for countless years, pleased by her children's life and joy at existence, then left to continue her task, improved by the knowledge of creating creatures who can enjoy them with her.
With their creator gone, the minds of men soon forgot her, and when confronted by the darkness, fear, and wonder the world provided, created others to take her place and explain that which they did not understand.
Faith cannot move mountains, but it can create someone who can.
A God Created Mortals, Now Mortals had created Gods.
I present to you a nations game with a little twist, you are not rulers, you are Gods.
Born from the minds of men, will you guide your followers to a bright future, or use them as tools to fuel your own power? in this game nations are but one weapon in your arsenal, gods care little for the definitions of the world provided by mortals, all you need is their Faith, one nation or many, prayer and belief fuels your actions and give you life and with enough you might be able to break free of your bonds to this world and become a true power in the universe.
Players will take on the role of a new god, and must guide their people and defend the from the infulence of their rivals, for mortal minds are fickle and stupid, there is only room in their heart for one god, and how you keep yourself there is up to you, fear, loyalty, a mixture of both?
Resources
As a God or Goddess, you must be mindful of what your followers have to give you if you are to become the one true god or simply retain your power, here ate what details you must keep track of:
Faith
Key to your existence and ability to manipulate the world via miracles, a high faith allows casting of powerful miracles, but having a high "pool" of faith can also make your followers more resistant to conversion. generated via shrines, temples and worship but decays over time.
Followers
the number of mortals who swear allegiance to you, very important as Followers generate Faith and a God without followers is dead. To gain followers cast miracles, send out missionaries, slay mythical beats with your heroes and armies, conquer other nations and ensure your people are fed.
Knowledge
how much accumulated information your followers have gathered, spent to provide technological advancement to your people, from irrigation to code of law to new weapons to wage war in your name or defend the faithful. Knowledge can be generated from Libraries and Collages, but can also be found in ruins or traded.
Gold
A mortal concern, but one that can limit their ability to please you, used to buy improvements and weapons, hire soldiers and even craft magnificent monuments to your glory. Gained via trade, tithes and plundering.
Miracles
Your sole method of interacting with the Mortal world and powered by faith, what you do can be anything, but limited by the influence of your followers of the lands they control, no sending a deadly plague upon your enemies on the other-side of the world, not unless you have a huge faith pool to draw upon.
You will also have to occasionally manifest a miracle from time to time, lest your followers start to doubt your existence, but all miracles give a small return of faith when performed for your followers as they witness your divine might. Non believers will, depending on what you do may join you or fight you, depending on their own thoughts and Believers of another god may or may not be swayed by your power.
Whenever you wish to manifest your divine will, PM me and we'll work out the faith cost and effects on a case by case basis.
Your Aspects.
All gods are known for being one thing, God of Justice, death, the Hunt, of Nature, and your gods will be not different, something happened to plant you in the minds of your followers and that aspect gives you power.
When you create your god, you can chose a domain and it can be anything, War, Love, Exploration, whatever, but when that concept is in the minds of your people, you gain power.
A god of War gains power while his followers fight in his name, a Nature God gains power while their lands are kept beautiful and un-ravaged, both have upsides and down sides, Wars kill followers and lack of development slows your "nation"'s progression. you must balance your domain and how you take advantage of it. Like Miracles, we can discuss what they mean exactly to players as we work on your character.
You can also gain a new domain as your number of followers expands, as legends and folk tales from new converts take root in your being, a God of the Hunt may become a God of Justice too, prayed to by Guards as they hunt a murderer of thief.
Players will be informed when they can take on a new aspect in addition to their old one, they can even chose to swap them.
Heroes, Prophets, Monsters and Messengers.
Sometimes a Mortal can elevate themselves above their fellows, either through skill, luck or dogged determination, they can accomplish what others cannot and are of considerable value to both Gods and their Fellow Mortals. Called Heroes by the masses and believed blessed by the Gods, they can lead armies, hunt monsters or bring a nation great wealth, but to a god they hold even greater potential, for they can become a Prophet.
The Gods create a Prophet by gifting a portion of their divine essence to a Faithful Hero, granting them great power. Prophets are to heroes what heroes are to the common folk, able to part the seas, sway the masses and fell great beast in a single strike. They are however still mortal and will fade, as mortals do, and vanish from the world, but in that time they can do great things for their god, provided they believe.
Heroes are randomly born into the world, sometimes already faithful to a god, but most likely in untamed lands and forgotten villages where they can gain a reputation, Players will want to try and recruit Heroes to their banner as they can provide great bonuses depending on what class the Hero is, Warriors are fighters and monster hunters, Wisdoms are thinkers and Mages and Rouges are thieves and spies. All are far above the skills of their fellow mortals but that is only the beginning.
A Faithful Hero can be transformed into a Prophet for a large sum of Faith, once upgraded they retain their abilities of their class, but can perform lesser Miracles themselves without having to drain your faith total and even if they do nothing provide a boost to faith generation by simply existing, their true power is impressing and converting others in the name of their god.
Such power comes at a price, however, and Prophets seldom live long, killed by rivals, followers of another god or simply burn out from the power within, once made, a Prophet will die after a random number of game turns.
Monsters
The world of Lorestir is not a safe one. Since Gaia's departure new beasts have been spawned from the residue power of the world's creation and the work of Mad Wizards, some live in the darkness underground, some lurk the seas and some the mountains, where there is space, monsters lurk.
The wilderness of the world is home to more than just villages, and exploration beyond the "civilized lands" can yieldmore than old ruins and forests, Gaints, Hydra, Orcs and other beasts lurk in the corners of the world and prey upon any they can. To mortals they are a constant threat, to gods they are an opportunity, what better way to prove your power than to have your loyal followers slay such beasts and loot their horded treasures? or even better, bind them to your will....
Sometimes when exploring the world your scouts might find mythical beasts eager to feast upon mortal flesh, news of your followers or your miracles killing or capturing them will spread and thus your power will be undeniable, giving you a bonus towards Faith and Converting others for a turn, not to mention any treasure the monsters may have had tucked away in their lair. This is a double edged sword, however, and word of your forces slain by the beast will also spread, causing doubt in your followers and mocking from your rivals. Be certain they can be slain before attempting a rushed raid.
Messengers
Messengers are the will of their God, Formed from their essence and embody their Aspects. They bring the Word of their god to their mortal followers and can act in the physical world for short peroids. Their names and form depend on their god and they are utterly loyal to their master and seek what is in their Gods' best interest. They are not mindless however, and operate with some degree of autonomy.
Messengers are Player designed spirits that can perform tasks for their controlling player is unable or unwilling to, the actual effects and cost are dependent on what exactly their controlling player has in mind, whichever its helping mortals in battle, imposing your will upon a clan-chief who's interpreted your commands wrong or simply impressing unbelievers or the faithful with displays of power. Sort of like Lesser Prophets that don't expire, but have less effect.
Soldiers and Crusades
Ever since Mortals where Formed from the Divine essence of Gaia in the First Days, there has been a need for soldiers to destroy the lairs of monsters, keep the peace in their villagers and to defend their kin from those that would wish them harm, and while their titles, organization and armament differ depending on the Culture that they hail from, there are consistencies common to all: a weapon, an internal organizational structure and vigorous training to overcome the natural hesitation to kill another. Faith in a Higher power can reassure these men and women who take up arms in their name, easing fears and doubts and perhaps even rewarding loyal service with divine favor. If a God commands it, an entire nation may take up arms but such an overabundance of soldiers would be short-lived, for while they are patrolling, training or waging war, soldiers do not plant or harvest, pay tithes or build homes. This ensures that while the citizens need soldiers to defend them, so too do soldiers need the citizens to fund, feed and supply them.
Players may designate any number of Followers to become soldiers, however, soldiers require and upkeep of gold per turn, their pay and cost of equipping and training them, and can perform no other tasks once they take up the sword and do not pay tithes. Once created, soldiers will manage themselves for as long as their upkeep can be maintained, they will guard their villages, patrol the countryside and roads and keep the peace between citizens automatically unless commanded to do otherwise.
Crusades
if a player wants their soldiers to gather in large numbers, either to expand their borders, hunt a monster or invade a neighbor, they must declare a Crusade then they can specify how many soldiers, Heroes, Messengers or Prophets they wish to gather and declare what the target of their crusade is. Those sent on the crusade will then try to achieve the objective to the best of their ability or until they are all dead or routed. However, the costs of supporting a campaign will increase the overall upkeep of your soldiers and this cost will continue to grow larger the longer the crusade goes on.
There is also a chance that, whenever the Crusade does battle, that a new hero may rise from the ranks as the stress and turmoil of war forges them into something greater than a common solider.
A messenger is born for every ten thousand followers you have, but can be converted to faith is desired
The Cult or The Church?
There have been many cultures and civilizations to rise and fall across Lorestir, and with them are different social values
and "acceptable faiths". Some see worshiping certain god as inviting ruin and forbid such practice as a whole, but individuals may still gather in secret, honoring their patron behind closed doors and in hidden temples with half remembered rites and mumbled prayers; only ending when the soldiers of the Nation find them or when their number grows so much that concealment is no longer possible or necessary. Or, that the god simply does not have enough followers for there to be grand temples filled with masses of faithful to sing their praises, in this case, worship of the God is not outlawed, simply considered odd, or perhaps the nation has not declared loyalty to a single faith and countless other sects are allowed to openly practice their faith, provided they have the paperwork or known approval of the ruling body.
A Church is formed when the sheer numbers of faithful make concealment or smaller gatherings impossible, or when a nation declares the worship of a single god to be their state religion. In this form, the worshipers have more political power than cults, its priests able to tilt the actions of the country towards their god's wishes . They may in fact be the ruling power, its clergy both gospel and ruler, guided by the commands of their faith in their mind and Messengers whispering to them the will of their god. This may not be permanent, and the collapse of a country may force the Faithful underground, forming the cult style in order to keep the faith alive, emerging many years later to take back their lands, or vanishing into the dark as their Gods' power wanes.
In this RP there are two ways to direct your followers, the Way of the Cult or the Way of The Church
The Way of the Cult provides at game start:
Pros:
- A wide network of followers able to react across the world
- The ability to act unseen
- New Cults can be formed within the Lands of others without their knowledge
- Faithful are Difficult to Eliminate all at once
Cons
-Little ability to affect the course of nations beyond assassination or bribery
-Slow Gold acquisition
-Little Military Might.
The Way of the Church provides at game start:
Pros:
-Strong Political pull
-Faster follower gain
-Can Gain Gold through Tithes
-A nation to host and defend your Church
Cons:
-Has difficulty operating outside their nation beyond missionaries or crusades
-Actions of Followers are hard to keep secret
-Nations opposed to Your God's tenants will be hostile.
Players can swap between Cult and Church in game at will, provided that:
A Cult has over 20,000 followers in a single location and formed ties to a nation's leadership.
A Church cuts all ties to a nation and orders its followers away so that less than 15,000 remain in a single location.
in both cases a turn must pass before the change is complete and the God may issue commands again
Missionaries, Bearers of the Sacred Word in Ignorant Lands
Faith is like a river, powerful enough to sweep up nations into a frenzy at the will of its mysterious master, and although its waters may splash those that live alongside it's sores, there are those living far away in need of its conform and drive. Missionaries take the waters with them and form new stream for others to drink from.
The Life of a Missionary is difficult and often Lonely, a Single priest or priestess traveling the roads and cites of Lorestir, seeking to spread the word of their god into lands that may even be hostile to such an intrusion. Therefore those chosen for the task must be a special breed of Clergy, one willing to endure unbelievable hardship, ridicule, or even death in the name of their god .
Players can chose to recruit a variable number of missionaries from their non-solider followers depending on whether or not they are from a Cult or a Church, in addition, the Tasks they can perform is likewise depended on the structure of their religion.
Cults
-can send up to three at a time
-can move and recruit subtly, trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves, but follower recruitment is slow as a result
-Can perform spy-work or assassination
- can make Faithful Rouge Heroes Missionaries
Churches
-can send up to Five at a time
-openly preaches their faith, likely to draw vast crowds and convert many, but is an easy target for reprisal or attack
-can be accompanied by a pair of Soldiers and request audiences with nation leaders.
-Can make Faithful Warrior Heroes Missionaries
Elysium, The Court of the Gods, and its Keeper.
"The Mother of All created Mortals, but does not ask that they think of her, only that they think."
mortals have many legends and myths on where the gods reside, most agree that they have their own realms beyond the mortal world, but all contain tales of a celestial hall where the Gods meet. Called Elysium and ruled by the Departed Goddess, it is said to be Lorestir's Moon, or a Castle beyond the clouds, crude attempts by mortals to understand the concept, but accurate enough.
The same legends also whisper of the realms ruler, the Departed God, or the Ceator, a God of Gods who oversees the meetings and speaks only through her Messenger, for a single spoken word could raise mountains and boil seas of the world below. The legends managed to get this part exactly correct.
For Elysium is the Gods Link to Gaia, Mother of All, although long departed is still tied to Lorestir by her divine essence, and perceived by the lesser gods as towering over the carved marble halls in every direction they turn their perception. The Goddess never moves beyond a tilt of her head to regard her children, and never speaks directly. Enforcing her rules falls to her Messenger known to the Gods as The Keeper. Gaia does not need or desire followers or faith, her primary concern is the continued existence of Lorestir and the life upon it's surface.
Mention of The Keeper can be found in fragments of ancient texts, often with links to the Moon which most likely birthed the myths. The Keeper keeps order between gods in her Mistress' halls and is believed to be a being of great power by mortals, but all attempts to worship her as a god have been quickly stamped out by The Keeper herself, Temples burn, cultists die and idols melt. Her Duty is to the Halls and Goddess, nothing more.
Elysium is where IC interactions between the gods will occur, similar to ROTCS's Galactic Senate, players can have their gods argue and scheme with each other here. If they wish to IC action in their god's own realm, they can do it here also, but must be clearly marked as such to prevent confusion.