Layonara - View Single Post - How to RP Diety Relationships w/ topsy-turvy Like vs dislike?

Dorganath · 09-14-07, 09:18 AM

I'll answer a couple of these questions, though you may not like the answers.

First and foremost, the reason why one deity does not like another really only needs to make sense to that deity and no one else. I know that sounds a lot like "Shut up and do what you're told" but that's not quite what I'm saying. In an IC sense, who are we to know the minds of our gods? In an OOC sense, Leanthar and probably EdTheKet have their reasons for designing the relations as they have. Some of these relations have been shaped due to in-game actions. Others are the result of a vast backstory which is not common knowledge among commoners, adventurers, clergy, players and almost every GM. I can honestly tell you that I do not know the exact reason for most of the deity relations, especially the ones that seem odd. For most of them though, they are simple matters of disagreement between philosophies and dogma.

Regarding some of the specific cases raised:

With respect to Aeridinites and Corathites, they're pretty much in extreme opposition. Aeridin teaches the sanctity and purity of life, where Corath is all about corruption, death, etc. Aeridin does not require his clerics to heal everyone, as death is a part of life, so an Aeridinite cleric doesn't have to go out of his way to heal followers of enemy gods. He can...and an instance or two might be seen as tolerable depending on the situation, but as a regular occurrence, it shouldn't happen. Should an Aeridinite deal peacefully with a Corathite? Sure unless there was no other choice, but that doesn't mean they should become too friendly or willingly and freely offer his god's healing and such to a follower of Corath.

Az'attans are perhaps the exception to the whole thing, as Az'atta has a dogma of redemption and all are worthy of such. So that means that an Az'attan cleric may heal or raise a follower of an enemy god, but that such actions might be part of a process of bringing said follower to redemption rather than just a regular grouping up thing.

In both cases, intent aside, certain means of aiding enemies (i.e. raise dead/resurrection) comes at a cost to the cleric, and that too should be RPed and not just shrugged off.

I know a lot of people want to know "Why?" for those cases where it seems odd. Unfortunately, I don't know. And if I knew but Leanthar and/or EdTheKet did not wish the information to be let out, then I still could not tell you.

If I had to speculate, which I do often, I'd say the reasoning behind not making the details of these relationships well-known is quite simple. It either has to do with plot-level events in the past, present and future and/or it has to do with the fact that by exposing the details of these relationships a lot of other important and relatively obscure lore would be exposed as well. Perhaps a few people in all the world (the whole Layo world, not just those few adventurers in our little cross-section) know just a bit of such details, some are likely lost to time while others occurred solely in the Heavens, where there are far too few mortal witnesses to tell the tale.

Believe me, I understand the curiosity of the community in such regards, as I share it too...not for my character's understanding but for my own. But then I'm like that sometimes. Even so, I understand and respect the reasons why this information is not in the public knowledge.

09-14-07, 09:18 AM	#5
Dorganath Administrator Characters Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chicago-ish Posts: 8,447 Thanks: 69 Thanked 1,735 Times in 836 Posts	Re: How to RP Diety Relationships w/ topsy-turvy Like vs dislike? I'll answer a couple of these questions, though you may not like the answers. First and foremost, the reason why one deity does not like another really only needs to make sense to that deity and no one else. I know that sounds a lot like "Shut up and do what you're told" but that's not quite what I'm saying. In an IC sense, who are we to know the minds of our gods? In an OOC sense, Leanthar and probably EdTheKet have their reasons for designing the relations as they have. Some of these relations have been shaped due to in-game actions. Others are the result of a vast backstory which is not common knowledge among commoners, adventurers, clergy, players and almost every GM. I can honestly tell you that I do not know the exact reason for most of the deity relations, especially the ones that seem odd. For most of them though, they are simple matters of disagreement between philosophies and dogma. Regarding some of the specific cases raised: With respect to Aeridinites and Corathites, they're pretty much in extreme opposition. Aeridin teaches the sanctity and purity of life, where Corath is all about corruption, death, etc. Aeridin does not require his clerics to heal everyone, as death is a part of life, so an Aeridinite cleric doesn't have to go out of his way to heal followers of enemy gods. He can...and an instance or two might be seen as tolerable depending on the situation, but as a regular occurrence, it shouldn't happen. Should an Aeridinite deal peacefully with a Corathite? Sure unless there was no other choice, but that doesn't mean they should become too friendly or willingly and freely offer his god's healing and such to a follower of Corath. Az'attans are perhaps the exception to the whole thing, as Az'atta has a dogma of redemption and all are worthy of such. So that means that an Az'attan cleric may heal or raise a follower of an enemy god, but that such actions might be part of a process of bringing said follower to redemption rather than just a regular grouping up thing. In both cases, intent aside, certain means of aiding enemies (i.e. raise dead/resurrection) comes at a cost to the cleric, and that too should be RPed and not just shrugged off. I know a lot of people want to know "Why?" for those cases where it seems odd. Unfortunately, I don't know. And if I knew but Leanthar and/or EdTheKet did not wish the information to be let out, then I still could not tell you. If I had to speculate, which I do often, I'd say the reasoning behind not making the details of these relationships well-known is quite simple. It either has to do with plot-level events in the past, present and future and/or it has to do with the fact that by exposing the details of these relationships a lot of other important and relatively obscure lore would be exposed as well. Perhaps a few people in all the world (the whole Layo world, not just those few adventurers in our little cross-section) know just a bit of such details, some are likely lost to time while others occurred solely in the Heavens, where there are far too few mortal witnesses to tell the tale. Believe me, I understand the curiosity of the community in such regards, as I share it too...not for my character's understanding but for my own. But then I'm like that sometimes. Even so, I understand and respect the reasons why this information is not in the public knowledge.