The Gods DO meddle directly in the affairs of men. More indirectly than directly, but still historically the Gods have meddled and flanted the rulings of the High God for all their existance. So what is the limit on what Gods can and cannot do? Can a God smash a city? Kill people they don't like just by wanting them dead? Instantly zap their powers and build cities out of nothing, or things to that effect? Some cases they can (Takasis killed a lot of people directly), and some cases they did not (Takasis still had to have people kill for her in many examples).
Now the next thing, of Gods, Demi-Gods and Half-Gods. How come that when Hithukel and Takasis mated they only created a Demi-God, when both of them were powerful Gods? Was there other offspring of Gods and Mortals other than Akaris, and were these half-gods any way more powerful than normal mortals? I would like to know.
Cheers,
Cam
I'm just wondering if I can make angelic and demon "princes" with the quasi-power rules.
For example, let's say that Takhisis decides to blast Solace personally with a gigantic fireball. Pray tell me what are the odds that someone like Paladine is going to prevent that fireball from happening. What a god can do, another can (at least attempt to) prevent if and when their interests conflict.
Edit: there's also a matter of resources. Takhisis might be able to freely mess with things that fall under her portfolio, but those are her resources.
It's interesting really see what gods there can and cannot do. Also how they can be tricked, how things are hidden from them.
Like example: How much DO god know about things that go on in the world (how Omnipotential - is that right english word - god is?)? Well, gods may hide things from other gods, but if god would meet mortal beign could he not read mortals taughts? Mortals can use magic to read other mortals taughts!!!
I didn't like how the gods were portrayed in Amber & Ashes... It seemed kinda rediculous to me... They just seem like super-high level characters with absolutly no shread of intelligence at all... Their scores would imply above genius intellect, yet they seem unable to make the simplest observations and conclusions that would be apparent to anyone. There is nothing godlike about these guys, other than a few powers... I am quickly becoming dissillusioned with my favourite setting...
I thought Nuitari and Chemosh were portrayed quite accurately, given their portfolios (dark magic and undeath, respectively). At first I was quite irritated with how Zeboim was shown, until I recalled that she is the "tempestuous" sea queen, and highly chaotic.
Also, in my game, Raistlin as "Master of the Past and Present" was a quasi-deity
Take the Kingpriest. Was it so hard for Paladine to come down and tell the Kingpriest that he was doing wrong. Or send a messenger, etc. If the Kingpriest wouldnt have believed him, couldnt Paladine contact his other followers and *tell* them that the Kingpriest is wrong. If that happened to enough people, that would cause a shake up in the church for sure. Now some people may say "Maybe he didnt want to cause a split in his faith", ok well.. instead he had the Cataclysm who killed millions of innocents. Not really a lot better. Heck the guy had the power to curse Lord Soth.. he didnt have the power to curse the Kingpriest or do anything? Thats friggin weird
And onto Lord Soth. Who curses a guy.. with lots of power. Would it have been so hard to curse the guy, without giving him powers that he will use in the future to kill some of your followers? About the only thing that I can even use as an excuse is the Balance.. which may mandate that with a curse like that, there needs to be power. I guess that would kind of explain the Green Gemstone man to maybe. I just find it weird. Anyone else find it weird that Lord Soth is given the only chance to stop the Cataclysm? If one person can be given the power, why can't many? I would think he would have given the power to someone a little more trusting.. as in a Knight who has lived up to the ideals all his life. But who knows. If you were a person who had losses happen because of the Cataclysm, wouldnt you be steamed to learn the God gave the power to stop it, to someone who had failed in the past? I'd be ******. "Pick a friggin knight who's upheld the Measure all their life, at least then I'd know he tried with all his power!"
The moon gods aparrantly are magic, but dont control who it goes to. They made a whole organization that hunts down people who dont follow their rules, but dont cut off magic to them. So basically while you may needs the moon gods *for* wizardry, you can stillg et High Sorcery by not following them. It almost seems the only reason to join their organization is because the others will hunt you down and kill you. Not really any other incentive. Yea the moon gods give additional powers(the Prestige Class), but sheesh.. take a different PrC. Focus in something else, in Dragonlance terms instead of gaming terms. You would think eventually wizards who were the WoHS would start to realize they dont need the WoHS. Its almost a totem organization. The gods of Krynn arent like FR, they dont get power by the number of worshippers. So why even live with the laws? Go practice wizardry on your own. *You* may say only wizards who pass a Test should be able to use higher levels spells, it doesnt mean its right. Obviously its very possible to do so without taking the Test, and there are no negative repurcussions like magic backfiring or anything. If the Moon Gods dont control the magic(or are unwilling to do so), then ya dont need em. Clerics cant turn their back on their god, and still get spells.
I dunno, as I said before, it just seems too funky sometimes. Sometimes Paladine, Takhisis, etc come directly down and physically do things. And others it seems they cant do so. Like even talking to their worshippers. Its weird. Or at least to me it is. Maybe others see this as fine.