New Gods and Prestige classes

[cibet44]

My group has started Skinsaw and since this is our first Golarian based AP I was wondering how other groups are introducing the new Gods and overall cosmology to the players.

I figure their are basically two ways to handle this: in game and out of game. For in game I would user Knowledge checks to determine what the characters know about the various Gods and holy symbols they come across. For out of game, I would just have the players read the CS and photocopy the relevant parts of the AP (like the article on Desna) for them to read.

How are other DMs handling the transition to the Golarian cosmology?

[Mark Moreland]

While it might be a transition for players, it isn't for characters. The PCs have lived on Golarion their whole lives and would thus be at least somewhat familiar with the major deities of the world. I would provide each player with as much detail as you feel comfortable providing on their patron deity and a general overview of each of the core 20. They might not know what Norgorber's holy symbol is, but they know he's the god of murder and secrets, and probably that he's one of the four ascended gods, for example.

[gigglestick]

I just printed out a 1 page "general information" sheet about the gods. Once players picked their favored diety, I gave them a bit more.

Playrs with Knowledge: Religeon get the full AP writeup on the god if it exists.

As do Clerics and Paladins.

My players have a good working knowledge of Desna, Lamashtu, Sarenrae, Rovagug, Cayden Calien, Shelyn, and Calistra. They've got a bit about Norgorber, Pazuzu, Gozreh, Abadar, and others, but they really haven;t left the Sandpoint area yet. Once they hit Magnimar...that will change.

The party NPC (Hedge Witch) also keeps a Journal of the heroes' adventures. (Which the players get to read on the Yahoo group for our game) where she often adds extra info about what the heroes have encountered and her observations about the religeons and gods. (Also puts in information that the players missed or that they should know more about, like Nualia's childhood).

That also helps bring the heroes up to speed. So, if the heroes go to Magnimar and visit the Temple of Abadar, Estle will post about it and explain what she thinks of Abadar...all the while giving a bit more info on the religeon for the heroes to read.

[Aeshuura]

I just introduced Cayden Cailean with Brother Jurius, a cleric of Cayden, with his "holy tankard." Basically, Desna was a straight up description, based on the festival and Swallowtail Release, then they discovered Lammashtu, which I figure is not common knowledge, through Elyrium and Nualia. I enjoy it better when they can encounter the gods through their "voices" in the clerics that serve them... ^_^

[mearrin69]

Right on the new for players, not characters concept. I approach it as if every character can basically make a DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check and use that to share any common knowledge I think they'd have. All of them had heard of Lamashtu when they first came across it...but only the ones with ranks knew much beyond the basics. Norgorber I made a little more difficult. Later on, things like the Peacock Spirit are not common knowledge and will require a K(r) check to even have heard of them.

BTW, I hate adjudicating Knowledge rolls (especially K(local)). The designers did the best they could when they designed the system but IMHO there's no easy was they can set DCs across the board. I take the basic DCs and then modify them for rarity/obscurity - it's less likely you know about a plant that only grows in the lee of some mountain or a god that is worshipped by a few cults in one area than to know about wheat or Sarenrae. Similarly with time: the breakfast eating habits of Lamia might have been common knowledge during the height of the Thassilonian empire but not in modern day Varisia. Knowledge (local) checks get modified by distance (and difference) from home. Lots of subjectivity and I'm always open to player suggestion about what their characters should and should not know.

Also, sometimes, I give stuff away pretty easily - when I *need* them to know it or else...

Wow. That was more than I intended to say on the subject.
M

[Coridan]

yoda8myhead wrote:

and probably that he's one of the four ascended gods, for example.

That's three ascended gods sire.

oblig Monty Python ref:

GALAHAD: There it is!
ARTHUR: The Bridge of Death!
ROBIN: Oh, great.
ARTHUR: Look! There's the old man from scene twenty-four!
BEDEVERE: What is he doing here?
ARTHUR: He is the keeper of the Bridge of Death. He asks each traveller
five questions--
GALAHAD: Three questions.
ARTHUR: Three questions. He who answers the five questions--
GALAHAD: Three questions.
ARTHUR: Three questions may cross in safety.
ROBIN: What if you get a question wrong?
ARTHUR: Then you are cast into the Gorge of Eternal Peril.
ROBIN: Oh, I won't go.
GALAHAD: Who's going to answer the questions?
ARTHUR: Sir Robin!
ROBIN: Yes?
ARTHUR: Brave Sir Robin, you go.
ROBIN: Hey! I've got a great idea. Why doesn't Launcelot go?
LAUNCELOT: Yes. Let me go, my liege. I will take him single-handed. I
shall make a feint to the north-east that s--
ARTHUR: No, no. No. Hang on! Hang on! Hang on! Just answer the five
questions--
GALAHAD: Three questions.
ARTHUR: Three questions as best you can, and we shall watch... and pray.
LAUNCELOT: I understand, my liege.
ARTHUR: Good luck, brave Sir Launcelot. God be with you.

[Revan]

I believe he's counting Irori, who is an ascended mortal--he just managed to do it without the pesky Starstone business.