Dragon 338, Core Beliefs article


Dragon Magazine General Discussion


Now, I really don't want to sound like a spaztic fanboy here just trying to get my nose covered with dirt, but I really did like the Core Beliefs article on boccob. A whole lot of information on a Diety that I'd never really thought about. Granted, I always have concentrated more on the Forgotten Realms and Eberron dieties rather that Greyhawk . . . but I digress.

Are there plans for more articles in Dragon spotlighting other Dieties? I would especially enjoy a spotlight on the Faith's of Eberron, But I do understand if (at least at first) the articles would cover the PHB dieties first.


I would like to see the series cover all the Greyhawk gods (including the ones not in the PHB) before it goes anywhere else.


Although it sounds like a great series, I wish it was more useful for an Eberron campaign. Haven't read it yet, so I'll reserve judgement.


Takasi wrote:
Although it sounds like a great series, I wish it was more useful for an Eberron campaign. Haven't read it yet, so I'll reserve judgement.

Eberron's getting an entire online game. Give us Greyhawk fans an article or two.


Biomage wrote:
Give us Greyhawk fans an article or two.

Here-here. I thought the article was great, wonderful details...though I'm not sure where it leaves Wee Jas, and unfortunately, I doubt the series will last long enough to cover this. It'd rock, to be sure, but I don't see the series lasting several years.


Also, while I loved this article and hope the series lasts forever (*grin*), I hope it hasn't replaced the Demonomicon articles. Those were just delicious.


I agree that I'd like to see support for noncore gods ie. Greyhawk, FR, and Eberron.

But I think the core gods should be done first. There's shockingly little about them out there, and they're such big parts of D&D.


i don't think they're going to get rid of Demonomicon anytime soon. ;)


I can't speak to Eberron, but as far as the Forgotten Realms go, putting Realms gods in these articles wouldn't really be that constructive. We already have supplements detailing Realms deities, but the Core Setting/Greyhawk doesn't have much, even if you include the write ups in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Of course, articles on Realms divine spells, items, specific orders of priesthoods would be great, but not this article and this format.

(See, Realms fans can be magnanomous).

Dark Archive

The article rocked, and I do what to sound like a spazzy fanboy ;) However please do Saint Cuthbert, Pelor, Wee Jas, and Kord ASAP. Reason? They are in the SCAP as the main religions of Cauldron. My players (and me) would be "super stoked" to see these.

Frothing aside it was an excellent article, put me in mind of the original Faiths and Avatars (in how enjoyable it was to read). Actually whilst you are at it please do Hextor, Erythnul, and Vecna as well, as the Ebon Triad features in two DUNGEON adventure paths now :) Orthodox cults primarily of course.

Question is how frequently can we expect to see this done? Even if it's monthly assuming you've started with B for Boccob it'll take years, or is it non-alphabetical? Oh well, maybe in time for AoW then :)

PS like Yamo I would dearly love to see the non-Core D&D Greyhawk gods, those listed in LGG or CD, done as well. Actually, a book covering all the Greyhawk gods would be a good compilation or product in it's own right.

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

The idea is to cover the whole core pantheon (probably minus the demihuman gods, who are covered extensively in "Faiths & Pantheons" and numerous second edition sources). Many of the core pantheon gods have associated deities who will be mentioned in sidebars. On the off chance that we finish the whole pantheon before we or you get bored with the series, we might then do full write-ups of people like Boccob, Celestian, and Mayaheine, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

As for the Realms gods, as someone said above, they have pretty much been covered, and the idea here is to provide something new that just happens to mesh with 30 years of obscure continuity (I am a stickler that way).

We've got all sorts of Eberron goodness in the works, much of it sitting on my computer waiting for the right time to appear.

--Erik


Erik Mona wrote:
we might then do full write-ups of people like Boccob

again? ;)

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Er, sorry.

Zagyg.

--Erik


actually, the sidebar on Zagyg was an awesome addition to the article. :)


After getting #338 yesterday (finally), the first thing I read was the Boccob writeup, and it is just great. What I liked most was the information how the priests conduct their day-to-day business and what the goals of the god an the priesthood are. The twist that he tries to stay the decline of magic (not succesful, if you read the old World of Greyhawk Box carefully) is a great idea.
I think Zagyg is adequately covered, and this would suffice for Mayaheine too, if she is covered together with Pelor. You could cover Fharlanghn and Celestian together probably, too.
As an aside, most of the gods have their origins with the various people of the flaeness, so it would be nice if these gods would be put together in something like a pantheon of these people.
Nice to see would be also some notes on how the faith is viewed by outsiders, who not adhere to that particular faith, perhaps as quotes.
Most important to me is really the day-to-day work of the faiths, as this is going to come into play most often.

I run out ot time, so I stop rambling for now.

Stefan


A Zagyg piece would be partly a parabiography of Gary Gygax -- and also Gary is currently writing about him (Hall of Many Panes, Castle Zagyg). Careful with that!


I liked the detail given to Boccob. I would like to see the rest in the PHB cover in such detail, then the ones added in Complete Divine. I would really like to see Rao, Istus, and well Pholtus - but go figure


Finally got the time to sit down and *read* the latest dragon. This article did one thing spectaculairly. It used Boccob in context of Oerth. It would have been an easy cop-out to never refer to Oerth, and only stick to generic referrences to generic homebrew campaigns, but it was stronger for the referrences. I'm admittedly very poorly versed on GH lore, but the article served me, someone who will only use the information in a homebrew campaign, much better than it would have as a generic article.

I liked the article alot. See if you can't get Reynolds to write for you more often!

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Sucros wrote:
See if you can't get Reynolds to write for you more often!

Ok.

--Erik


Wow, can't beat the service here!


I loved the article very much, as everybody else I guess. When can we expect a second core beliefs article ? I made the wrong assumption initially that it would appear every month. But now it's been 3 months ago, and I still don't see anything coming.

So any plans for the near future ?
*holding his breath*


This is a great series and adds a lot of flavor to these churchs that the clerics belong too.

I for one would like to see Core Beliefs: Iuz. :-)

althought admittedly, it's probably better to focus at first on the gods more PCs are likely to follow and how their churches interact with their clerics giving more value to the players and not just to DMs who want nasty villainous priests.


Core Beliefs: Tharizdun!

  • Tharizdun is a deity.
  • Tharizdun is trapped in a pocket plane all the time.
  • The purpose of Tharizdun is to flip out and destroy the multiverse.


  • Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    'nuff said.

    Dark Archive Contributor

    secretturchinman wrote:

    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.

    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.Kord.
    'nuff said.

    What's that? You want Xan Yae? An unusual choice, but I'm sure someone might want to write that article.

    (Heh, actually, I'd love to write that article, but Xan Yae isn't core. Alas.)

    The Exchange

    Jonathan Drain wrote:

    Core Beliefs: Tharizdun!

  • The purpose of Tharizdun is to flip out and destroy the multiverse.
  • Tharizdun, the Ninja God Of Madness... I wonder if it was the impact of a cosmic spoon with the multiverse floor that set him off? ;)

    P.S. I wanted to give kudos to the Olidimarra artice in the latest Dragon- while I always enjoyed the concept of a CN trickster god, I couldn't fine a method of portraying him that didn't co-opt too much from the Hermes/Mercury and Coyote myths.

    And, I must admit, I'd love to see Erythnul and Kord articles myself.. it's just something about those chaotic deities that throw me for a loop :) I guess with religion normally being such an organized and strictured "business" (especially in real life) it is fascinating to see how a Chaos God's worshippers might function.


    Ralishaz!

    Doesn't get anymore chaotic than that.

    Yeah I know he isn't core but it would be cool to see some details on 'little loved' Greyhawk deities.

    Sovereign Court

    Big fan of Core Belief articles. I especially liked the one on Olidammara. My votes would be for Kord, Pelor, Lendor, Vatun, Incabulos, and Beory. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I would like to see every god have its article. Well, everyone except Bralm. I was never fond of the Hive Goddess. Darn bugs. Hagen out.


    Craig Clark wrote:

    Ralishaz!

    Doesn't get anymore chaotic than that.

    Doesn't get much more obscure, either ;)


    Voted Moradin. God of an entire core race in two settings, has to be worth something!


    Jonathan Drain wrote:
    Craig Clark wrote:

    Ralishaz!

    Doesn't get anymore chaotic than that.

    Doesn't get much more obscure, either ;)

    i wouldn't say that... but he's probably fairly low on the list. :) in the meantime, here you go:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralishaz

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