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Old 08-03-2019, 04:41 AM   #1
scc
 
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Default [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

So it's been rattling around my brains for some time to use the Decanic Correspondences from Thaumatology to create a pantheon of gods for GURPS. The problem is that I'd really like to emphasise the existing connection to magic and spells, ideally each Decan/God will have a sphere of influence, a domain if you will, over roughly equal amounts of human existence and roughly the same number of spells.

Now these Domains don't replace the existing Colleges but rather supplement them, Domains control what you must do to gain a bonus with a spell, but don't strictly control casting. For example most Fire spells get bonuses from Eneuth, (current Decan of fire) but the spell Cold gets bonuses from a different Decan, because it cools things, and Fireball belongs to who ever gets a War Domain.

I'm OK with not all Decans getting spells as long as it makes sense and is balanced, so whoever get's a Law Domain might not have many spells but instead gets magical contracts is fine. I'm also fine with some spells being outside this system, and with extra gods being outside this system.

So does anyone have any suggestions or links to any useful resources?
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Old 08-03-2019, 05:12 AM   #2
johndallman
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

I think you're going to have to decide early on how readily the decanic gods manifest, and if they have servants who are easier to invoke. You can use the Aethyr of each decan as a basis for its god.

In my Infinite Cabal campaign, the Aethyrs are not gods, but they do rule areas of the Iconic Plane. The spells of each decan are living inhabitants of those realms, as are spells that nobody knows or casts any more, and many other spirits and creatures.
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Old 08-03-2019, 06:58 AM   #3
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

I'm not seeing any difficulty here. Why not just call each spellcaster the cleric of one of the gods and make up a custom spell list for each?
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Old 08-03-2019, 12:42 PM   #4
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

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Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc View Post
I'm not seeing any difficulty here. Why not just call each spellcaster the cleric of one of the gods and make up a custom spell list for each?
Yeah, I cant think of any simple formula or method here. Its doable just a lot of work.
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Old 08-03-2019, 12:49 PM   #5
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

I've suggested that control of the Decans would be the basis for a gods war. However, if you have the Cabal book, each Decan has a Lord or Lady that rules/embodies the Decan and its powers/potentialities. So you could have a powerful pantheon right there.

Perhaps these decanic spirits are amalgams of the various gods that struggling for control of the Decan itself.
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Old 08-03-2019, 11:44 PM   #6
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

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Yeah, I cant think of any simple formula or method here. Its doable just a lot of work.
Don't forget that the table on p.248 assigns Colleges to all but twelve of the Decans; and fo<r of those have Paths assigned to them. The eight for which you have absolutely no spells or rituals to work with are Alath, Anostêr, Axiôphêth, Buldumêch, Hephesimereth, Methiax, Nefthada, and Tepsisem.

• Alath should provide spells grated toward creature comforts, countermagic, and stasis.

• For Anostêr, Is turn to the “Path of Daath” of Ritual Path Magic for guidance.

• Axiôphêth should get a College of Gravity spells.

• Buldumêch should get financial magic. From a more esoteric source, consider perusing White Wolf's Convention Book: the Syndicate (Revised Edition) for some ideas of what a College of magic dedicated to economic matters might look like.

• Hephesimereth is a contender with Anostêr for the Party of Daath: Anostêr comes at it from the perspective of “the impossible”; Hephesimereth comes at it from the perspective of “literally nothing”.

• Methiax governs creation and creativity. I'd align it with the Create verb in the same way that Knowledge and Protection align with verbs.

• Nefthada governs pleasure and delight.

• Tepsisem governs aesthetics.
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Old 08-04-2019, 08:56 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

Alternatively, the Decans could represent 36 different Paths for RPM, with each Decanic Path representing a different principle of existence. In the case of Decanic deities, they would probably respond better to Ritual Magic (Decanic) rather than Thaumatology (Decanic). There could even be a secret war between those granted permission to practice magic by the decanic deities, represented by Ritual Magic (Decanic) and those who are the students of those who stole the secrets of magic from the decanic deities, represented by Thaumatology (Decanic).

In either case, I would otherwise suggest using the default rules for RPM for simplicity. Each Path would allow for lesser and greater effects within the seven possible rituals. Of course, some of the resulting rituals would have interesting effects, but I doubt it would be boring.
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Old 08-04-2019, 09:00 PM   #8
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
In either case, I would otherwise suggest using the default rules for RPM for simplicity. Each Path would allow for lesser and greater effects within the seven possible rituals. Of course, some of the resulting rituals would have interesting effects, but I doubt it would be boring.
Sounds like a good variation for the Cabal setting.
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Old 08-05-2019, 11:35 AM   #9
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

Goblin Luck from GURPS: Goblins would be a useful add in. If the Decanic powers are Gods with living personalities, then reaction roles would be part of using their power. A Puritan would need to be careful in contacting Nefada, Some Decans would be useful only to the virtuous, and others closed to all but the vile.
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Old 08-06-2019, 02:19 AM   #10
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Default Re: [Thaumatology] Decans As Gods

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Originally Posted by dataweaver View Post
Don't forget that the table on p.248 assigns Colleges to all but twelve of the Decans; and fo<r of those have Paths assigned to them. The eight for which you have absolutely no spells or rituals to work with are Alath, Anostêr, Axiôphêth, Buldumêch, Hephesimereth, Methiax, Nefthada, and Tepsisem.

• Alath should provide spells grated toward creature comforts, countermagic, and stasis.

• For Anostêr, Is turn to the “Path of Daath” of Ritual Path Magic for guidance.

• Axiôphêth should get a College of Gravity spells.

• Buldumêch should get financial magic. From a more esoteric source, consider perusing White Wolf's Convention Book: the Syndicate (Revised Edition) for some ideas of what a College of magic dedicated to economic matters might look like.

• Hephesimereth is a contender with Anostêr for the Party of Daath: Anostêr comes at it from the perspective of “the impossible”; Hephesimereth comes at it from the perspective of “literally nothing”.

• Methiax governs creation and creativity. I'd align it with the Create verb in the same way that Knowledge and Protection align with verbs.

• Nefthada governs pleasure and delight.

• Tepsisem governs aesthetics.
I was a bit more interested in replacement Decans for the problematic ones but these are some great suggestions, that said:

Anostêr or Hephesimereth and “Path of Daath” I'd rather avoid temporal shenanigans.

Buldumêch might actually work as the God of Contracts and have domain over magical contracts with only a few added spells (Detect Lies, Find Money) as economic magic could get risky.

Methiax, given bad an idea Create spells are in general, this seems like a bad idea.

Nefthada and Tepsisem, having trouble coming up with a lot of spells that would work for these. Tepsisem might work for magical architecture, maybe.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Alternatively, the Decans could represent 36 different Paths for RPM, with each Decanic Path representing a different principle of existence. In the case of Decanic deities, they would probably respond better to Ritual Magic (Decanic) rather than Thaumatology (Decanic). There could even be a secret war between those granted permission to practice magic by the decanic deities, represented by Ritual Magic (Decanic) and those who are the students of those who stole the secrets of magic from the decanic deities, represented by Thaumatology (Decanic).

In either case, I would otherwise suggest using the default rules for RPM for simplicity. Each Path would allow for lesser and greater effects within the seven possible rituals. Of course, some of the resulting rituals would have interesting effects, but I doubt it would be boring.
That's not really the problem, the problem is that the types of magic some of them would get domain over are bad ideas.
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