Fantasy question

[feydras]

My dislike for the traditional gods of D&D fantasy has pretty much driven me to do a homebrew instead of an established campaign. For my campaign i tried to create religions instead of gods. The 'gods' that do exist are mostly uplifted spirits and suffer from the limitation of having a singular sensory focus, ie they are nowhere close to omnipresent. The campaign world is fantasy but i drew some real world inspiration.

I have a Hindu type culture awash with 'gods'.
Another culture's religion is based on the balance of five elements, ie Chinese medicine. It has very little to do with gods other than to acknowledge them as powerful spirits.
Another religion is more catholic based most heavily on the Morrow/Thamar religion of Privateer Press's Iron Kingdoms.
Yet another religion/philosophy doesn't 'worship' gods but instead venerates ascendants - mortals believed to have transcended to godhood. They often pilgrimage to shrines and seek to emulate and learn from the stories.
Most of the other 'gods' are gods of various regions or spheres their power dependent on a mostly unknown list of variables. There is a lot of overlap with these.

A basic truth of the world is that unless interfered with the soul/spirit of a deceased will eventually be reincarnated back into the world. Gods can interrupt this and claim the souls of their devout. While this is a campaign world 'truth' various faiths and cultures don't understand or agree on this. Some races/cultures actually see this as an malevolent act by the gods.

None of the gods of my campaign world grant spells but holy mystics do pop up here or there with genuine powers. These mystics are as often branded as heretics and charlatans as they are embraced by the establishment of their faith. In the NPC population these mystics are rare. Of course PCs may be mystics and choose powers from the advantage list.

A fantastic example of religion as opposed to D&Desque pantheon in a fantasy setting is in Glen Cook's later Black Company books. It even deals with the creation of religion out of myths formed by great/heroic/villanous actions. Very neat stuff and a rare example of non-western religion types in a fantasy setting.

- feydras

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by feydras

My dislike for the traditional gods of D&D fantasy has pretty much driven me to do a homebrew instead of an established campaign.

I can understand you, sharing myself the same reject.

On the other hand, I think your post & perspective are interesting.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by demonsbane

Let me add a nuance: manifested gods don't need to share nor to fight against the PCs nor their goals, and even if they are gods the fact or their identity doesn't need to be discernible. Nor their presence in the earth is obliged to be world-shattering.

In the various campaigns I've run where gods were active, I don't think a single scene was stolen by the god. The only time it might have been an issue, the god was upstaged by a player character in a big way, and when we get together (not even annually these days) that session is still remembered fondly.

[fredo01]

I gathered that most people use fantasy gods as power sources for priests so far, but dislike using them as NPCs. The other common opinion is that active gods dont make fantasy settings better or worse, only different. While these opinions were helpful, they sound neutral and "politically correct" and dont give me any insight into the question of whether people like having active gods or dislike the meddling deities. The other thing I noticed is that very little posts mentioned gods as active participants in history (deities that act in order to achieve some result).

[arnej]

Originally Posted by fredo01

I gathered that most people use fantasy gods as power sources for priests so far, but dislike using them as NPCs. The other common opinion is that active gods dont make fantasy settings better or worse, only different. While these opinions were helpful, they sound neutral and "politically correct" and dont give me any insight into the question of whether people like having active gods or dislike the meddling deities. The other thing I noticed is that very little posts mentioned gods as active participants in history (deities that act in order to achieve some result).

I guess as soon as I start thinking "active gods", I start seeing Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless. The reason I dislike dealing with active, present deities is that if they are so powerful, why are they asking me to solve their problems for them? I would have to see some serious checks and balances either keeping the gods from messing with mortals (like me), or some serious power-ups for my character so that I'm able to resist their messing (a la Hercules or Xena).

Most players dislike feeling like pawns on the chessboard - they want to be knights, or kings! :)

Arne

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by arnej

(...) I would have to see some serious checks and balances either keeping the gods from messing with mortals (like me), or some serious power-ups for my character so that I'm able to resist their messing (a la Hercules or Xena).

Well, one of the recurring themes in "modern fantasy" is the anachronical and contradictory affirmation of the humanistic worldview.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by arnej

The reason I dislike dealing with active, present deities is that if they are so powerful, why are they asking me to solve their problems for them?

Gods need not be powerful, and they need not have problems, and even if they have problems they need not be asking humans for help with them. Most of the gods in my setting are utterly feeble, and a lot of the rest are just giving parties and trying to get laid.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Most of the gods in my setting are utterly feeble, and a lot of the rest are just giving parties and trying to get laid.

Your gods are frat boys?

That would explain Dubya's closeness with God, at least. ;)