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Old 08-24-2018, 05:29 AM   #30
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: Gods and Demigods - not really that smart

The myths where humans 'trick' gods tend to result in a series of events that indirectly accomplish the goals of the 'tricked' god, so it could be claimed that being 'tricked' gives a god plausible deniability. A god could say to other gods that they did not interfere with mortal affairs, but the mortal who 'tricked' them just happened to destroy the individual/family/city/nation who insulted the god in question before suffering a terrible fate of their own. When it comes to gods, it can be impossible to determine who tricked who.

Imagine a campaign where the PCs hear of a wonderous treasure of a god in a temple, and they decide to steal it. When they arrive at the temple, they encounter not mortal servants but the god itself who, despite being terrifying, they are capable of tricking and manage to win the treasure. Unknown to them though, they were being tested and have been put onto a trajectory where they are the unwitting agents of the god in question, who washes their hands of them after subtly guiding them in the right direction during their encounter. If the GM is especially mean, they will have to the god reappear at the end of the campaign, take back the treasure from the PCs easily as an adult takes candy from a baby, and thank them for their help before inflicting upon them a curse for their hubris which will trigger the next stage of the god's master plan.
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