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Post by joatmoniac on May 28, 2020 8:15:19 GMT
For this exercise rorrik and I are looking all the way back to Dungeon Master’s Block Episode 190, Demigods with Aram Vartian. Suppose you were considering running demigods in your world. Use the questions below to lay the groundwork for a demigod campaign! 1. Where do demigods come from in your world? 2. How do they find out they are demigods? 3. What relationship do they have with their origin? 4. What enemies does demigodhood bring? 5. What flaws might a demigod experience as a result? 6. You do you. As always feel free to tie back to previous forum exercises to expand the world of Dayeimbe further!<script id="th-iframe-script" src="chrome-extension://ofdopmlmgifpfkijadehmhjccbefaeec/assets/comms/commsiframe.js"></script> |
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Post by dmsneakyt on May 30, 2020 16:48:59 GMT
Demigods are individuals on the path to ascension into full godhood. Through extraordinary deeds, magical accidents, divine inheritance, or the strands of destiny, demigodhood is simply our name for the journey from mortality to immortality.
Once an individual is set on this path, they become a locus for fateful events and phenomena as the background divine energy coalesces around a new figure. These events feed back into the emerging godhood, shaping weak but complex mortal into powerful but simple avatars for the raw forces of the universe.
This transformation can take decades or centuries, it is often tragic, and never without sacrifice. Whatever form their ascension takes, demigods are usually internally conflicted and perhaps struggle to maintain their sanity as their mortality is stripped away and power grows.
Demigods are fodder for tales and songs, but in real life are often feared outcasts - for their burgeoning power as well as the chaos that inevitable chaos that follows in their wake. Many are actively hunted, as it is a common belief that killing a demigod will grant the killer great power. Their greatest enemies though, are the gods themselves. Far from welcoming new powers, the gods are jealous of any emerging demigod and the potential threat to their power.
Thus, a demigod is an unstable and possibly unliked figure with steadily growing power, fending off divine and mortal foes, while constantly followed by strange portents and happenings - like young Aselthen Darney, a young scribe-in-training who discovers a remarkable ability to comprehend the intentions of others as strange happenstance leads him deep into corridors of power. Fortunately, he has a small group of companions by his side and a deep pool of cleverness as he sets off on a most remarkable journey...
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Post by geekytendencies on Jun 1, 2020 1:53:32 GMT
1. Where do demigods come from in your world?
Demigods are the children of a Divine Creature and one of the Mortal races. This could happen either naturally or through adoption - where the mortal creature would be imbued with divine essence to become a demigod.
2. How do they find out they are demigods?
Generally when they begin to realize that they have abilities and powers that are not generally found within other members of their race. Demigods are generally raised in the mortal realm, at until their godhood asserts itself, they are usually more mortal than divine.
3. What relationship do they have with their origin?
Very little. One overworked single parent, one deadbeat parent never seen again. OR Having been orphaned and adopted by a god - still one single parent, who is probably a bit inattentive what with all the prayers to be answered.
4. What enemies does demigodhood bring?
Gotta go with the classic - someone is trying to bring down the god - so they go after their children. That is probably quite a lot of enemies. You'd want to keep a that child as secret as you can, for as long as you can.
5. What flaws might a demigod experience as a result?
What I'd consider the "terminator" complex. If someone has been trying to kill you since you were 8 years old - you become overly paranoid, overly prepared, and probably have very little in the way of people skills.
6. You do you.
If a demigod was one of us? I'd make that character more resilient in general, and possess some indication of their divine origin in a few minor powers and perhaps one major one. I'd probably look at the cleric template for this. For instance to use the greek gods - a Child of Hephaestus might be based on a forge cleric, but have minor powers, like their campfire never ever goes out, unless it's put out on purpose. Or they can identifiy any metallic item and its immediate value. Iron never rusts in their possession. Things like that.
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Post by DM Onesie Knight on Jun 2, 2020 1:16:01 GMT
1. A demigod is what you call a god who steps foot on the material plane.
2. They already know; they are gods to begin with. They know they are a demigod rather than a full god because they are on the material plane rather than an outer plane. In this cosmology, mortality is an intrinsic property of the material plane. This is an immutable fact to the point that even the gods are mortal while they walk the earth. They might be incomprehensibly powerful and ageless, but they can be killed as surely as a knight in armor.
A god's greatest secret fear is to be brought to earth against their will. There are ways to bring one down from the clouds... Perhaps this campaign starts with the gods' sudden and terrifying fall to earth. The players must then learn to hide their identities and discover who is plotting against them while they wander the world simultaneously all-powerful and more vulnerable than they could have ever known.
3. Their relationship to their former godhood is usually one of painful loss and desperate searching for a way back. There were ancient times when the gods did choose to walk the earth and play King of Everything, but enough gods started dying at the hands of downtrodden mortals and the politics of other gods, so one by one they withdrew and left the earth to mortals, content to pull strings from afar through visions and granting divine magic. Now, no god willingly chooses to visit earth. Nowadays, gods are dragged to earth like harpooned whales by mysterious forces and shadowy organizations.
So the gods trapped in the material world, while still epically powerful, are actually severely weakened. They can no longer reshape reality around them at will; they have to cast spells like an ordinary wand-waving jackoff. Sure, they might be 20th-level fonts of divine might, but they have limited spells per day like everybody else. The early stages after the fall to earth are a lot like a bird's first moment with clipped wings, a horse's first day with bit & bridle, or grandpa's first day after the court took his driver's license away.
4. First and foremost: gods don't just accidentally trip on a cumulonimbus cloud and fall ass over tea kettle into Reality Mountain. Someone has to bring one down. Few have accomplished this. There are legends of rival gods fighting in the heavens; in some stories the loser is cast down to earth and finished off by the victor. The clergy of rival faiths could be a hostile force. An unknown number of gods were killed in the primordial times when they walked the earth by choice; it may be that secret societies of those ancestral deicides have survived to "continue the war." Finally, fiends from the lower planes are ever the enemies of the divines and are more than happy to assist with some god murder... from behind the scenes of course. Demons aren't immune to the Mortality of the material world.
5. I've already touched on what happens to the gods' overall power level. I may toy with some wild magic-like effects at the very beginning to try and simulate what happens when a god thinks "drop a mountain on his head" but doesn't actually have enough juice to do it. I'd also encourage the players to play up some Greek God style petulance and arrogance. These are basically sheltered, spoiled brats who are experiencing their first real consequences.
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Post by letterlost on Jun 7, 2020 1:40:49 GMT
1. Where do demigods come from in your world?
I don’t have any clever ideas, and so I will reference the DMG, “Demigods are born from the union of a deity and a mortal being. They have some divine attributes, but their mortal parentage makes them the weakest quasi-deities.” (pg. 11, DMG)
2. How do they find out they are demigods?
First, they are an aasimar (at least a flexible variant, for ideas on variants check out DMN 132: I can see your halo). Second, as it is possible even their mortal parent is unaware of their divine origin they may not know until someone tells them. Third, they have the aasimar’s angelic guide, which could be anything from a dream to a physical shoulder imp (flexible).
I would have the player include it in their back story, if they don’t say (after encouragement) then their PC may really not know … and hey, it might never come up … (evil laugh).
3. What relationship do they have with their origin?
Once again, I am afraid I cannot answer this and would have to ask the player.
I would say that depending on this relationship they would gain power (abilities) either from: the praise they bring to their godly parent (more constant) or praise they bring to themselves (higher highs and lower lows).
4. What enemies does demi-godhood bring?
Since one could gain a demigods power by eating their heart (at least that’s the rumor … and it’s true), anyone who knows your lineage is a potential threat.
5. What flaws might a demigod experience as a result?
They will feel the urge to act in a manner befitting their divine parent’s alignment, possibly to the point of making wisdom saves. Depending on the results, this may foster compliance, rebelliousness, or animosity.
6. You do you.
Give them access to their abilities based upon how much praise they get either the day before or that day. Praise may be anything from being told good job or thank you all the way up to being prayed to; if they have good relations this may be power portioned from their divine parent, if they are on bad terms with their divine parent this power is fed directly to them by the “worshiper”. The most basic (first) ability is unlocked by the exact number of players at the table, encouraging them to be on good relations with their party as even one bad relation could cost them that early one; after that I want to tie it to a dice roll, which increases with some milestone related to their deeds and reputation.
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Post by joatmoniac on Jun 13, 2020 20:40:12 GMT
Holy crap! All of these posts are so good! So many awesome ideas, how to chose what to add to my own worlds? None the less for the podcast, haha.
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wizzardofaus
Squire
Posts: 27
Favorite D&D Class: Kobold
Favorite D&D Race: Kobold
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Post by wizzardofaus on Aug 1, 2023 9:52:04 GMT
1. Where do demigods come from in your world?
Demigods in my world can come from many different places. Some can be born through a normal union with gods and mortals, others are divine anomalies similar to Athena being birthed from the skull of Zeus during a headache.
The term Demigod is also restricted to humanoids that have one parent as an entity with the Divine Spark but on the heirarchy of celestials, Demigods are only one up from Aasimar. Demigods are closer to Hercules, Theseus and Perseus of Greek Mythology and so are considered mortal but have the potential to rise to their own divinity in time.
2. How do they find out they are demigods?
This is linked to their circumstances of coming into existence. Some are hidden away due to displeased godly spouses and thus find out later in life as powers manifest, others are informed enough, for better or worse, about their progenitors.
3. What relationship do they have with their origin?
A demigods opinion of their origin is as individual as the person. Some curse their powers and parent(s), others revel in it, others break under the expectations. As they are mortal, they deal with the responsibility in as many ways mortals can.
4. What enemies does demigodhood bring?
The demigod would share the same enemies as its parent merely by the nature of being related. They are also sought after by arcane users with little to no scruples. Demigods, if nothing else, are great sources of divine magic. As unethical as it may be, their blood literally runs with power.
While not strictly enemies, the church of the demi gods parent might be a danger. They will expect the demigod to be a sign, to fulfill certain prophecies or some other large understanding without consideration for the individual.
5. What flaws might a demigod experience as a result?
Demigods, if exposed early to the desires and wants of others, can fall into patterns of stress and anxiety. Even those who revel in their standing can become obsessed with the attention and even gain hubris despite their closer understanding of such arrogance.
6. You do you.
Kalphentis Kyriakos, Grandson of the Ocean. Borne unto this world in a conflict of river and storm and shark and fury. Wayfarer of the Life Aquatic, Enveloper of Stars, Reach of the Depths, Adherent to the Sea Empress.
Kalphentis is an Oath of Glory paladin, dedicated to the god/ess of the sea. During a storm, the enraged god and an ancient shark-like beast battled. The next day, Kalphentis floated to the surface. Was he born of the battle? Was he a passing humanoid caught up in the storm and effected by the residual magic? No one has figured the answer. All Kalphentis knows is that he lives and living is glorious. He is aware of his origins and knows much about the waters but all else, they are working to learn. Each act they make is in service to their own popularity and through that popularity, their gods influence grows.
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