In this installment we’ll be taking a look at gods in RPGs. With some examples from Tales of the Wolf Folk Sea.



Most fantasy games have gods in one form or another. What the gods are, what they can do depends largely on the game in question, and the people playing that game. Two groups playing the same game could have vastly different conceptions of deity. I hope to present a few observations and some ideas about how you might handle the gods of your world.



Make-up

The first thing to consider is what the gods are. Are they beings from a higher plane of existence? Or mortals with extraordinary abilities? They might be something strange from an odd dimension, or eldritch beings from the mortal realm. What they are goes a long way towards answering the next question.



Example: In the Ki universe the gods are made literally of magick. They are formed of patterns of Heka. Self sustaining, self replicating, self aware, fully sapient patterns of Heka. But not just any such patterns of Heka, but ones with great powers and abilities. There are others made of Heka, but they are minor entities with small abilities compared to the gods.



Abilities

What are they capable of? What can the gods do? In same worlds the gods are extremely limited in their abilities. In others the gods are all powerful. Most of the time they have abilities far beyond those of mortals, but still limited in some manner. All powerful gods tend to come one to a universe, but not always.



By and large a god’s capabilities depends on how powerful he is. One extremely limited in power will have extremely limited abilities, while one with unlimited power will be unlimited in what he can do. Quite often a god’s abilities depend on his relationship with worshippers, but that is a subject to be covered later.



Example: The gods of the Ki universe vary greatly in what they can do. Some are able to affect no more than a small part of reality, a few can change reality on a huge scale. Most gods of this realm are able to change things over astronomical distances. Such are not at all concerned with the affairs of mortals, most don’t even notice them. Those gods who do interact with the mortal races are rather limited in their abilities compared to the greater gods.



Relations with Mortals

How the gods interact with mortals can also differ from game to game, world to world. The gods can be standoffish to an extreme degree, or meddle almost constantly in mortal affairs. A popular conceit in some circles is that the gods somehow need worship for their very existence, and so do favors for their worshippers in order to get the worship they need to live. On the other hand, the gods may simply find mortals interesting. Somewhat like the reason some people go out and study certain lifeforms as their lifework.



In other cases the gods could be addicted to worship. They are able to exist without it, but are drawn to it much as a cocaine addict is drawn to the drug. In these cases the gods do favors to get their fix. Or it might be some form of obsession, a compulsion to seek out worship. Here again the god may perform favors for his worshippers in order to get more worship.



The nature of the relationship can differ as well. It might be antagonistic, or mutually beneficial. The gods may keep their worshippers under tight control, or allow them a great degree of freedom. Or the relationship may be entirely voluntary on the part of all parties.



Example: Relationships with mortal races depends on the god in question. A great number don’t even know the mortal exist. A tiny minority are morbidly fascinated by them. Most are aware of the existence of mortals, but prefer to leave them alone to their own devices.



A small number take interest in the mortals that share their universe, but keep a hands off approach to them. a very small number take an active interest in the mortals who worship them, and will aid those mortals when such is needed. What constitutes “needed” depends on the god in question.



For the most part how a god aids his worshippers is through guidance and advice. Rarely do the gods intervene directly, and when it happens it’s usually by some small assistance that some may call luck or happenstance. Thanks to their nature, and the nature of magick, the gods encourage the use of magick for those things the mortals used to petition them for. This way the mortals aren’t praying constantly for every little thing and the gods have more free time.



Interactions with mortals is voluntary, those gods who choose to deal with such doing so of their own free will. Since it is voluntary, on occasion a god may decide to leave his worshippers, who usually find somebody else to help them. Sometimes deital turnover is rapid, sometimes it doesn’t happen at all.



Shaping the Gods

In some worlds the gods may be changed by their worshippers. Sometimes those changes are voluntary, other times the changes are mandatory. In other worlds the gods do not change. At least not as we see change. Some gods may change to increase the worship they receive, or as part of growth.



In large part a god changes to better suit the role his worshippers have envisioned for him. Though there may be occasions when the god will change in a manner his worshippers did not expect. Sort of his way of telling them they are not as much in control as they like to think.



The god’s ability and/or willingness to change may affect how he interacts with his worshippers. One who must change as his worshippers dictate will usually have a far different relationship than one who can not change, or one who can change voluntarily, and choose not to.



Example: The Ki gods can change, and often change and grow as they gain experience. They can also change to better fit the roles their worshippers ask of them. But not all do so.



Some Ki gods would rather stay as they have been for æons. Many of these expect their worshippers to get used to this, while others take the time and effort to teach the why to them. Others will change in order to see how that change affects their worshippers.



How Many Gods?

The number of gods often varies a great deal. The number could be literally uncountable. Or there might be just one. Often how many gods there are depends on how the mortals define divinity. Or it could be a matter literally set in stone. Often how many gods there are depends on what the gods can do. The less power they have, the more of them there can be. At the same time, there might be many gods of great power.



Example: In the Ki universe there are many gods. An uncountable number by the reckoning of most mortal cultures. But not a truly infinite number.



Sociology

Deital relationships are another area where there can be great differences between worlds. In some the gods can be loners to an extreme degree. Perhaps literally unable to perceive the other deities that share his universe with him. Elsewhere the gods know each other to a degree we would find very uncomfortable. For the most part the gods interact much as their worshippers do among themselves.



Along with social interaction comes the question of heirachy, how the gods organize themselves. They may be completely unorganized, or organized to a degree that would make the social insects look like anarchists. Or they may have a mixture of different organization types depending on location and/or the people (if any) who worship him.



Example: Among the gods of Ki it depends. By and large they only form societies when they have worshippers, and the form those societies take often depends on who (or what) worships them. Even among the “free” gods societies sometimes take shape, especially where and when a number of gods find themselves in a small (to a god) area for one reason or another.



As with mortal life Heka life has evolved, giving rise to entire lineages. This is as true of the gods as of the lesser Heka beings. Some species are pretty much loners, others are social animals. Those gods belonging to social species are more apt to form societies than the loners. By and large those planets with one or more pantheons are host to social species, while those with a single god most often host a specimen from a non-social species.



The End

I realize there is more that could be added to this, but such will have to wait for another day. Think of this as something to elicite discussion. Meaningful discussion I hope, but I know how things are on the Internet.



I also hope you enjoyed the brief and very incomplete look at the world of the Tales of the Wolf Folk Sea.



Coming up: Something else, but danged if I know right now.



Alan