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From: srt@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: PCs vs Gods (reposted)
Message-ID: <3429@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 25-Jan-85 13:46:24 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.3429
Posted: Fri Jan 25 13:46:24 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Jan-85 05:47:53 EST
References: <2400083@uokvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: srt@ucla-cs.UUCP (Scott Turner)
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 55
Summary: 


  My objection to this kind of analysis still stands.  If you play your
ghods this way, they are no different than very powerful NPCs.  Further,
this treatment just begs the question.  Who is above the "ghods" in this
kind of scheme?  (Since they clearly have no quantum differences from
player characters.)

  Consider the kinds of powers normally attributed to gods:

  (1) Creation of the universe.
  (2) Creator of the human species and/or other living species.
  (3) Omniscient/Omnipresent.
  (4) Hears the prayers of all worshippers at all times.
  (5) Control over death/the afterlife.

  There is a consistent factor in these powers - that god has absolute
power over the human domain.  His power is without limit as far as men
are concerned.  If you accept this principle, then PCs are never going to
kill a Ghod or his Avatar.  Ever.  It isn't a matter of having more power
than the Ghod, or catching him when he is weak.  He has absolute power, and
does what he wants.

  You may decide to base your Ghods' powers on their number of worshippers,
their place in the pantheon or something like that.  But the moment you
limit their powers they are no longer gods in the traditional sense.  They're
just powerful monsters people happen to worship.  Might as well worship the
toughest NPC wizard for that matter.  He can provide the same benefits.  I
think you lose something from your game with this approach.

  The rub with having truly all-powerful Ghods arises from having more than
one Ghod.  What happens when you have a number of all-powerful Ghods
meddling in human affairs?  And what happens when they come in conflict with
one another?  (An interesting theology question even today.  Why doesn't
the Christian God (for instance) simply remove Satan from the scheme of
things?)

  The answer, I think, is to have self-imposed restrictions on Ghods.  The
ancients who worshipped pantheons weren't unaware of the philosophical
problems, and their usual solution was to give each god a domain over which
he had control by tacit approval of the other gods.  That's a good solution,
I think, but you could probably come up with any number of others, the more
bizarre and contradictory the better.

  To sum up my position:  I'm aware that there are interesting ways to play
Ghods that limit their powers and make situations possible where PCs can
battle and defeat the Ghods.  I don't think that is the most interesting
manner of play possible - FRP has enough monsters as it is.  Building a
mythos without true gods is like a house without windows.  Workable, but
lacking.

    Scott R. Turner
    UCLA Computer Science Department
    3531 Boelter Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90024
    ARPA:  srt@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA
    UUCP:  ...!{cepu,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!srt