Nerul and Boccob

[Adamaro]

Hey guys,

A campaign of mine will significantly revolve around two gods - Nerul and Boccob and I would like to ask for some good ideas here regarding what sort of deeds would applease these two gods? For good gods like Pelor or rampagers like Gruumsh, things are pretty clear, but for these two I am a bit lost.
Since Nerul is god of death it may be killing, but does that mean that he is pleased if his followers run something like a concentration camp?
As for Boccob - Im totally lost here.

Need some high quality Playground ideas here. :smallwink:

thanks

[Greenish]

Boccob the Uncaring does not care.

[super dark33]

The god of death wants the ones who avoided him dead.

(I.E ressuraction, deals, plane shifts etc.)

he does not want people dead.

he may hate undead too.
but im not sure.

[Adamaro]

@super dark33
Killing those who avoid death. Great idea. I also try to refrain from the idea "hurr durr, death for death god".

Now, here's a nice question: Taking into account that Boccob is uncaring ... does that mean he is a perfect god? No matter what you do, you get spells? Well, or vice versa - whatever you do, you do NOT get spells granted ... hmmm.

[0nimaru]

It's always open to interpretation, but I'd say that Boccob isn't just a big battery of divine energy that anybody can tap in to. He's just that guy that is at the big rave party, but reading a book in the corner.

I might be mis-attributing this, but I believe Boccob smiled upon those who gather knowledge and hoard magical items.

[Yuki Akuma]

Boccob the Uncaring does have an ego, remember. If you actually insult him I'm sure he'd get ticked off. And he does urge his followers to follow some tenants - he just doesn't care much what else they do, or if they skip a few.

[navar100]

For Boccob, have there be a threat to the destruction of magic, i.e. the tearing of the Weave. It doesn't have to be an attack on him personally, just some force that threatens to destroy how magic works. In game terms, you're using 3E magic. If the threat succeeds, hypothetical next campaign must be 4E. If you don't want to play 4E, 3E magic doesn't exist next campaign. There's only Psionics if anything at all. Maybe instead magic is altered such that there's only Incarnum. Binders, and Warlocks. Maybe there's just no magic, period.

For Nerull, steal from the current season of Torchwood. No one is capable of dying. No matter what the injury, even dismemberment, a creature remains alive. Not undead, truly alive. This is happening on the world now. The cause of this is what threatens to destroy magic.

[Adamaro]

So, here's how I think after these answers:
Nerull: Clerics make sure divine order of death is followed. Also, defy ressurection and those undead who keep their souls (like liches)
Boccob: Gather, preserve and expand arcane power in means of hoarding/creating magic items and arcane libraries.

Also, I like ideas of Navar100.

In my campaign Boccob dies (temporarily) and Nerull becomes a greater diety, strongest god in Pantheon.

[Alleran]

Boccob likes people who grow in magical power. He has no specific agenda besides proclaiming magic as the most important force in the world, and that his followers seek balance above good, evil, law and chaos. Most of his followers remain aloof from mortal affairs, devoting themselves to magical research, recovering lost magic items, investigating and solving mysteries, and similar activities.

He's practically the god of "meh, whatever" as far as the core pantheon is concerned. He's also a bit of an oddity compared with deities of magic such as Wee Jas and Mystra, who actively promote magic, its creation, and encourage it to be spread around as much as possible (Mystra has taken it so far as to have her Chosen steal from hoarding wizards and even assassinate the ones who would prevent the spread of magic). Boccob doesn't care as long as magic is acknowledged as the most powerful force there is and his followers don't fall too far from a neutral alignment. That's pretty much it.

[Werekat]

There's an interesting little line of conflict for Boccob that includes a split in his followers. I'm not sure which book I got this from, but you can probably find it if you do some research.

The gist of the matter is the fact that Boccob's usual line is that magical research and magical development of any kind makes all of magic grow stronger. Magic is an evolving system, and since Boccob is practically magic personified (or takes all of his power from it, being the Archmage of the Gods - depending on your take on the setting), it is in his direct interest to aid anything that promotes magic. This sometimes takes the form of inspiration to wizards and sorcerers, or quests to retrieve endangered magical lore.

It also means that the Uncaring does care - at least for keeping his fanbase crop of magic users alive and active, lest his own force does not wither. Since magic is so powerful, and since magic users tend to be intelligent, he just doesn't need to do much micromanagement.

But there's this thing called "The Rare Water" - a heretical book attributed to Boccob, as well. "Considered a heresy by some Boccobites, The Rare Water claims that each spell cast forever diminishes the amount of magic in the multiverse. Those who trust this book therefore seek to use magic as little as possible. The mainstream church of Boccob teaches that the use of and creation of magic actually replenishes the amount of magic available."

So you can try a conflict between the mainstream church and those who follow "The Rare Water," and see who turns out to be right in the end.

[navar100]

There are also cynical routes:

There is no Boccob. Never was. What was thought to be Boccob is actually Tharizdun, his lasting connection to the universe that explains why he is still a threat to return.

Boccob is real. Boccob actually does Care. He Really Really Cares. He's a Neutral Good deity of magic. Some powerful force is keeping him distant. Let's say it's Wee Jas because she wants to be the only deity of magic. She can't destroy Boccob, yet, but is capable of limiting his influence until she is strong enough.

To make this into a divine soap opera: Boccob is actually female. She is the mother of Hieroneous' daughter entombed in coma under Dispater's watch, brought there by Hextor as paid for by Wee Jas that allows her to keep Boccob so distant. Then Vecna finds out.

Meanwhile, it is revealed Nerull is the bastard son of Obad Hai and Elohnna who swore vengeance against his parents for some reason, hence his portfolio. Farlanghan discovers Nerull was mistaken in the reason and wants to reveal the truth, but Olidammara wants to keep it hidden because of the fool this makes Nerull. Whatever the reason, it's Pelor's fault.

[SlashRunner]

It's always open to interpretation, but I'd say that Boccob isn't just a big battery of divine energy that anybody can tap in to. He's just that guy that is at the big rave party, but reading a book in the corner.

I might be mis-attributing this, but I believe Boccob smiled upon those who gather knowledge and hoard magical items.


that guy that is at the big rave party, but reading a book in the corner.
That's me!