Gods of the land

[LilithsThrall]

TORG used to have a system where different parts of the world acted according to different realities - there were something called "cosm laws" which promoted things like a pulp game style in the pulp part of the world and a gothic game style in the gothic horror part of the world.

I'm wondering if it were possible to create something like this in a Pathfinder campaign setting.
Perhaps different parts of the world have different gods as the primary deity. So, a land where the god of magic is the top dog is a land where magic is more common (maybe everybody can cast a cantrip a day) and a land where the god of undead is the top dog has a greater chance of fear spells working and people rising from the dead.

Has anyone tried anything like this? If so, do you care to share any lessons learned?

[Charlie Bell]

2E Planescape was just what you described, except that the world consisted of a multitude of planes instead of a single planet. The realms of the gods on those planes were subject to alteration by the deities that owned them.

I think it's a pretty interesting idea, and will create challenges to the players when they travel to a different area, and their abilities and magic items work differently, or at least have a different feel. Could also let you try out some alternative houserules on a playtest basis, or give different players a chance to experience the kind of setting they really enjoy--kind of like a really big holodeck. You like Weird Tales-esque pulp? Go to the continent of Darkest Jungle and get your Indiana Jones on. Gothic horror? The Mists of Ustalavloft.

If you've ever read Elric he has to deal with this kind of thing periodically when he plane travels, only to find out his sorcery or runeblade have different (usually less) power where he is.

I'd caution against using it as a chance to arbitrarily nerf PC capabilities unless there's a corresponding and at least equal buff. "No teleportation" or the like really pisses players off. For instance, in the case of the Gothic horror area, fears might be more powerful or harder to resist, magical darkness is harder to penetrate, etc. But seemingly insignificant and essentially costless items might act as powerful wards or fetishes (crucifix, garlic, mirrors, silver, running water, etc.) against the area's dangerous supernatural denizens. Fears might be bad, but if you carry the holy symbol of your deity, you get a bonus to the saving throw.

In a more pulp/high adventure/swashbuckling area, you can give the players across the board buffs so they could pull off some really amazing stunts. Or even do something wacky like double Dex and dodge bonuses to AC, halve armor bonuses to AC, and give everybody a flat +10 Acrobatics to simulate that swashbuckling flair.