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Old 02-05-2006, 08:12 PM   #1
Glamourweaver
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Default Greater Deities

For those who lack the EPG: Greater Deities are those Ethereals who are vaster in nature than the system is able to represent in mechanics (i.e. approaching the power level of Superiors). They are able to create & grant their own Attunements (like Servitor Attunemetns). The EPG gives one example: Odin. I'm pondering who else would fall in this category (so that I can create Attunement options for Ethereal Deity PCs). Here are the ones that come to my mind as A) not having been destroyed by Uriel & his Crusade (like Zeus, Ra, Osiris, Lugh, Nuada, the entire Sumerian/Babylonian Pantheon, etc.) and B) not having been reduced to lower power rungs by the Crusade & the passing of time (like Hera, Sobek, Bast, etc.)

Odin
Athena
Apollo
Artemis
Dionysus
Daghda
Morrigu
Brahm
Vishnu
Shiva
Isis
Thoth
Anubis
Sutekh (Set)

Attunements to come (available to both Ethereals & Pagan Soldiers) if people express interest...
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Old 02-06-2006, 02:39 AM   #2
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Default Re: Greater Deities

I have the EPG on order... can't wait to get my hands on it.

But I thought Revelations 2: The Marches stated that pretty much all the Greek and Egyptian gods had fallen on extremely hard times? I'd shorten that list considerably for my campaign; there are nearly as many greater gods there as there are Superiors on either side.
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Old 02-06-2006, 05:25 AM   #3
Glamourweaver
 
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Default Re: Greater Deities

I freely admit that my perspective on the Ethereals tends to make them a bit more formidable than most other people's, however limiting the number of Greater Deities to less than that of Archangels or Demon Princes seems to not take into account the infinite vastness of the Far Marches. Certainly most Greater Deities aren't a match for the Superiors of either side, but thats more a matter of relative strength than numbers.

I ended up with more Greek deities as Greater than I intended because obviously if any of them were going to be at that level Athena had to (she's ruling Olympus after all) & I wanted there to be both Apollian & Dionysian camps (primarily as a Neitch reference). Well then I came to the conclusion that if Apollo was a Greater Deity than certainly his twin sister should be aswell, so that added Artemis to the list. I forced myself to stop there.
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Old 02-06-2006, 06:46 AM   #4
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Default Re: Greater Deities

I'm not sure if the intro-fic to . . . drat, which one is that? Castellorum! That's the one. I'm not sure if that paints Apollo as a greater god. YMMV. O:>

However, the Hindu pantheon was pretty well untouched...

I would expound, but the kitten is mugging me for my muffin.
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Old 02-06-2006, 07:30 AM   #5
Blackwing
 
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Default Re: Greater Deities

Quote:
Originally Posted by Glamourweaver
Well then I came to the conclusion that if Apollo was a Greater Deity than certainly his twin sister should be aswell, so that added Artemis to the list. I forced myself to stop there.
Back in the old days when hunting was more common I'd agree with you. Unless Artemis has managed to strech into the more metaphysical hunting aspects I don't think she's doing so well these days.

My list would be: Apollo, Dionysus, Shiva, Vishnu, possibly Isis.
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Old 02-06-2006, 03:02 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackwing
Back in the old days when hunting was more common I'd agree with you. Unless Artemis has managed to strech into the more metaphysical hunting aspects I don't think she's doing so well these days.

My list would be: Apollo, Dionysus, Shiva, Vishnu, possibly Isis.
You wouldn't put Athena on the list? She's ruling Olympus right now you realize...

Brahm may not be as directly worshipped as Vishnu & Shiva, but he equally dominates Hindu Theology & cosmology. He's invoked in many many prayers that are to the other aspects of the Tirmurti. Also I want to leave some question about the underlying nature of the Hindu Pantheon (there's a Heresy in my game amongst Angels of Dreams stationed near their domain & amongst Angels in general stationed in the Indian Sub-continent that the Trimurti are actually Celestial from the Higher Heavens who donned Ethereal Vessels much in the same way that Angels of the Lowest Heaven don Corporeal Vessels).
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Old 02-06-2006, 04:42 PM   #7
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Default Re: Greater Deities

Quote:
Originally Posted by Glamourweaver
You wouldn't put Athena on the list? She's ruling Olympus right now you realize...

Brahm may not be as directly worshipped as Vishnu & Shiva, but he equally dominates Hindu Theology & cosmology.
The problem with that statement is the vast majority of Hindus aren't interested in Theology or Cosmology, not even most Hindu CLERGY! Partly because Hinduism is more a related family of religions than a religion.

His name shows up but the prayers are directed at Shiva & Vishnu. Someone with a broad view of what Ethereals get to be Greater should include Parvati, Lakshmi, and even Sarasvati(Brahma's wife) before Brahma based on the fact that all three of them have active and popular temples wheras Brahma does not.

Of course one of the other problems with Hinduism in IN is that its really hard to draw distinctions about who is a different god. Is Krishna a seperate God from Vishnu? He is often worshipped very seperately, but Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu. Are Shiva and Parvati two distinct beings? If so why is one very common depiction a half Shiva and half Parvati being?

I personally go with Siva, Parvati, Lakshmi, and Vishnu Greater After all if Odin is greater, all four of them probably should be just based on curent worship, even if we didn't have a purity crusade to consider.
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Old 02-06-2006, 05:04 PM   #8
Blackwing
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glamourweaver
You wouldn't put Athena on the list? She's ruling Olympus right now you realize...
I just can't see her aspects giving her enough power. I rather think of her as the brains of the operation and the two others as the brawn.

Of course, I have a hard time believing that anyone today really believes in the old Roman/Greek gods. Apollo's and Dionysus' power would come from their aspects and not so much from direct worship. Arts, disease and debauchery are doing more than fine...
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Old 04-18-2006, 08:09 AM   #9
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Default Re: Greater Deities

Quote:
Originally Posted by Glamourweaver
Brahm may not be as directly worshipped as Vishnu & Shiva, but he equally dominates Hindu Theology & cosmology. He's invoked in many many prayers that are to the other aspects of the Tirmurti.
Trimurti seems to be more part of the theologians' Hinduism than of the priests' and worshippers' Hinduism, though. From what I've read, in practice Hindus are either Vaishnavite or Shaivite, with a minority who focus on one or another aspect of Shakti instead. I would think that receiving actual devotion was more important to divine power.
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Old 04-18-2006, 08:03 AM   #10
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Default Re: Greater Deities

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackwing
Back in the old days when hunting was more common I'd agree with you. Unless Artemis has managed to strech into the more metaphysical hunting aspects I don't think she's doing so well these days.
Ah, goddess of the moon and chastity, among other things? Hardly any of the Greeks had only one function. And the moon has not fallen from heaven.

Artemis was still a significant figure in the Renaissance; poets compared Elizabeth I, in her capacity as the Virgin Queen, to her.
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