Discussion:Monotheism in a Campaign: How do I do it?

Monotheism in a Campaign: will it Work?

71.145.165.137 20:33, 29 September 2007 (MDT)

I am currently running a Campaign with my younger brothers. As one of them wanted to play a Christian Paladin, I let him (I never really got all the odd DND dieties). Now I'm at a point when divine magic is going to have to play a larger role, because of a Cleric and Druid NPC ally entering the game. How can divine magic work in a Monotheistic game?

This is my first contribution to the discussion board, so I don't have the same DND experience that you do. Please help.

Also, I'm trying to get a Campaign Setting established on the Wiki, but its going kind of slow. If you want to help it grow, I'd appreaciate it.

Eiji 00:00, 30 September 2007 (MDT)

Well, if I read the question right, it shouldn't be a problem at all. A monotheistic god is basically a very large god (with a high divine rank I'm sure). If you mean the problems of 'what domain does One-God have? What if I want the Domain of Death and Whatever else he doesn't have', there's a loophole. Clerics do not need to have a deity to use divine magic, some clerics devote themselves to ideals, and through belief, gain their magic. Actually, I'm certain that's how druids do their business as well, as not every druid has a 'nature god'. Some are just hippies who like trees.

So, they can do a few things. They could follow the One-God and whatever ideals he upholds. They could follow the One-God in roleplaying terms, but ultimately they gain power from their belief/interpretation of how to follow the One-God. Or they could not follow him, and be pure belief driven (and if they happen to not like One-God, this is a fine excuse for them to go 'why are you following One-God, you don't need him to have power like him').

Hopefully that answers your question.

66.239.78.69 12:17, 3 October 2007 (MDT)

Thanks! It does!

Pwsnafu 23:51, 3 October 2007 (MDT)

Pushing this further, is this a monatheist society or a monatheist campaign setting? I ask this because from a player's perspective they are exactly the same, and a DM can be very sly in creating deceptions. Even if there is really only one deity, that doesn't stop other clerics creating false gods, and because of how divine magic works, these clerics would still obtain divine spells as if they were not devoted to any "real" deity (and they aren't). But from the perpective of a character there is no difference between the two. In fact, a DM can create such a religion in the process of changing from a cult to a full (if flase) religion.

Lastly, if a society has only one religion, then that becomes a major religion, to a point where it is highly likely to have multiple sects. Just look a Christianity (with sects Catholic, Anglican, Uniting etc) which is a "good" religion and yet still had internal wars because of the Reformation.

User:Sir Milo Teabag 23:51, 3 October 2007 (MDT)

As the man who started this discussion under the alias 71.whatever (and later 66.whatever), I have designed the Campaign so it is like the religious situation in 50 a.d. Monotheistic religion has not yet come to prominence, and the PCs are among the few followers of it.

As for other questions, the PCs are "right" in this Campaign. Other religions are powered by fiends lusting after godhood. Even certain "good" religions are designed this way, encouraging malcnovokers, and thus the alignment restrictions on Clerics are small, like in Eberron. The real thing I worked with in this problem was how to work in Druidic power, or what a Monotheistic Cleric would look like.

Flession 22:17, 12 January 2008 (MST)

Druidism is kind of easy to work out, actually. Most of the Druidic religions during the time could easily be evolved thru Satan's powers. To look at this thru a Christian perspective, even though druids can easily be good, the devil can be quite tricky, easily giving one powers thru the inadvertant worship of Lucifer. Hope that helps.

Sir Milo Teabag 06:31, 15 January 2008 (MST)

This would be excellent for NPC druids (and I plan to make it function), but not PC druids. I don't think my players will be too keen on running Satanist characters.

dmilewski 07:44, 15 January 2008 (MST)

One can define nature as a different path to God. That is to say, God created the world, and his power of creation still lies within. Druids tap that leftover power.

You can also follow the ideal that God gives a power unique to each of his servants. The Druid, the Cleric, and the Paladin each receive their appropriate gifts. Why these gifts differ is a mystery.

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