And now for something "completely" different.

[Mobves]

Hello, fellow playgrounders! I have wanted to make a world for a long time, and I would like, if you are so inclined, to have you give me advice, tell me when things are silly, criticize my names, and all that happy stuff!

With that, here we go!

I want this world to be built from the ground up, that means I’m starting with creation. A certain comic strip I read has the concept of gods fighting each other over the world, and greco-roman mythology is filled with this interesting concept, so I’m thinking that this world started when an almighty god became lonely, and then created a few pantheons of gods at random, then set them against each other in divine combat. These gods were mortal, but incredibly powerful, and able to create non-divine things as they wished. The gods all fought a whole lot, and created a whole lot, and all but the few strongest were defeated.

Because of this, at the middle of the world is a big mountain, because gods are conceited. At the bottom of the mountain is the most ‘real’ and also the most scrambled, crazy, and jumbled part of the world. This is where the cities, the often-fought-over borders, and the wretched hives of scum and villainy all are. New York City, Europe during the 1300s, etc. The more far-out from the mountain where the gods live someone becomes, the less ‘real’ things are, the more unpredictable magic is, the more desolate things are, and the more nature flourishes. I also like the idea of there being weak gods that barely managed to survive the great god-war clinging to life in these unstable lands. The mountain will be called Bolan, the lands nearby will be the Raqia, the far-out lands will be called the Leria.

Alright. Now onto the gods...

I don’t want the gods to be good or evil, more like... familiar or foreign. Cut and dried alignments are some of my least favourite things. I want these gods to be somewhat original and new and exciting and all that. I am a weak man, however, so I am going to include an overwhelmingly incomprehensible tentacle monster named Slarac. It will be the god of misunderstandings, mistakes, surprises, and confusion.

I want a super accepting god who the average person might worship. Let’s name him Biet, the god of fire, family, work, and comfort. He’ll probably ride a horse.

Next, a woodlands god. Lereu sounds wiley enough, and I like how it makes the tongue flick.. Growth, peace, restfulness, and a dragonfly buzzing across a pond.

Ocean god... Zern. Power, noise, destruction, truth. This one will be a Slarac’s rival.

I will definitely add more gods later.

I grew up playing DnD and reading Tolkien, but I want to distance myself from the standard, boring mythology. Whether this means completely refluffing the races, or coming up with hopefully-original new ones, I’m not sure. That sounds like a good task for tomorrow.

[Lord of Shadows]

I want this world to be built from the ground up, that means I’m starting with creation. A certain comic strip I read has the concept of gods fighting each other over the world, and greco-roman mythology is filled with this interesting concept, so I’m thinking that this world started when an almighty god became lonely, and then created a few pantheons of gods at random, then set them against each other in divine combat. These gods were mortal, but incredibly powerful, and able to create non-divine things as they wished. The gods all fought a whole lot, and created a whole lot, and all but the few strongest were defeated.
Recall that the Greco-Roman gods were for the most part reflections of human characteristics. Many of them had human desires and frailties, although with the power of a god. Having a god-war is fine, but how does it connect to the rest of the world? Was the world created from the corpses of the dead? Was it created from the god-stuff that was lost in the war? Was it created as a place where all the gods were equal and therefore could fight on even terms? Stuff like that.


Because of this, at the middle of the world is a big mountain, because gods are conceited. At the bottom of the mountain is the most ‘real’ and also the most scrambled, crazy, and jumbled part of the world. This is where the cities, the often-fought-over borders, and the wretched hives of scum and villainy all are. New York City, Europe during the 1300s, etc. The more far-out from the mountain where the gods live someone becomes, the less ‘real’ things are, the more unpredictable magic is, the more desolate things are, and the more nature flourishes. I also like the idea of there being weak gods that barely managed to survive the great god-war clinging to life in these unstable lands. The mountain will be called Bolan, the lands nearby will be the Raqia, the far-out lands will be called the Leria.
The names are fine, although there should be some continuity with other things. Example: the god Lereu is a god of the woodlands, so presumably can be found in the lands of Leria. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but notice they have the same root, "Ler--," and so it could be said that "Lereu" is the Land of Leria.

I also feel a difference between "the less ‘real’ things are" and "the more nature flourishes". Can't quite put my finger on it, but something seems odd about that pairing. So if the gods that barely survived are in the outlands, then the ones who won are on top of the mountain?


I don’t want the gods to be good or evil, more like... familiar or foreign. Cut and dried alignments are some of my least favourite things. I want these gods to be somewhat original and new and exciting and all that. I am a weak man, however, so I am going to include an overwhelmingly incomprehensible tentacle monster named Slarac. It will be the god of misunderstandings, mistakes, surprises, and confusion.

I want a super accepting god who the average person might worship. Let’s name him Biet, the god of fire, family, work, and comfort. He’ll probably ride a horse.

Next, a woodlands god. Lereu sounds wiley enough, and I like how it makes the tongue flick.. Growth, peace, restfulness, and a dragonfly buzzing across a pond.

Ocean god... Zern. Power, noise, destruction, truth. This one will be a Slarac’s rival.

Again, the names seem fine. Lots of two-syllable words, if that matters, but they sound ok. For Zern, how about replacing "destruction" with "purification." Sounds more watery, and seems to fit better with power and truth. Noise? Hmm... not sure about that one. The others are fine, with the aforementioned note on Lereu.


I grew up playing DnD and reading Tolkien, but I want to distance myself from the standard, boring mythology. Whether this means completely refluffing the races, or coming up with hopefully-original new ones, I’m not sure. That sounds like a good task for tomorrow.

Here are some ideas from the blog-O-sphere that might be useful:

Demi-humans Inspired by Norse Mythos (http://matt-landofnod.blogspot.com/2012/12/demi-humans-inspired-by-norse-mythos.html)

The "Adventurer" Class (http://www.necropraxis.com/2013/07/18/adventurer-class/)

Plus there are multitudes of ideas on here for races and such. Hope this helps.

[Mobves]

Having a god-war is fine, but how does it connect to the rest of the world?

I was thinking that the landscape before the god war would have been barren and boring. When a god needed a forest to hide their troops in, it would create a forest. When a god needed a cliff or a mountain for a strategic advantage, it would create varying elevations. Because of this, there are lands that are unique to a single god, or lands that are the site of a single, specific battle. More on that eventually.


I don't know if it was intentional or not, but notice they have the same root, "Ler--," and so it could be said that "Lereu" is the Land of Leria.

Ahh, yes. That was very unintentional. I happened to make up two names that sound the same. I think the name Leria fits a woodland god very well, so that should stay, but the outer lands will be renamed to...Genna.


I also feel a difference between "the less ‘real’ things are" and "the more nature flourishes".

Yes. You are completely right.The world should probably become more desolate and lifeless the farther people are away from the high gods on their mountain. Which, for giggles, shall be named Rorogorok.


For Zern, how about replacing "destruction" with "purification." Sounds more watery, and seems to fit better with power and truth. Noise? Hmm... not sure about that one.

Hmmm, I like the idea of purification, but I also like the idea of Zern being ruthless and uncontrollable, like the ocean. So I think I'll split Zern up and make one ocean god and one river god. Sihd, the wise god of rivers and streams, will be the god of purification, knowledge, and sound. We'll toss Zern, uhh... weather! That makes sense, right?

Thank you infinitely for your help. It is very much appreciated!

[Lord of Shadows]

I was thinking that the landscape before the god war would have been barren and boring. When a god needed a forest to hide their troops in, it would create a forest. When a god needed a cliff or a mountain for a strategic advantage, it would create varying elevations. Because of this, there are lands that are unique to a single god, or lands that are the site of a single, specific battle. More on that eventually.
Ok. It makes sense then that the gods clinging to life in the unstable lands would have landscapes that they molded. I see the central mountain being something on the order of Olympus Mons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_Mons) on Mars. If not bigger.


Ahh, yes. That was very unintentional. I happened to make up two names that sound the same. I think the name Leria fits a woodland god very well, so that should stay, but the outer lands will be renamed to...Genna.
Kind of close to "Gehenna," but it's Ok.


Yes. You are completely right.The world should probably become more desolate and lifeless the farther people are away from the high gods on their mountain. Which, for giggles, shall be named Rorogorok.
Now that is a mean-desolate-deadly sounding place... likely with a bleak future. Nice.


Hmmm, I like the idea of purification, but I also like the idea of Zern being ruthless and uncontrollable, like the ocean. So I think I'll split Zern up and make one ocean god and one river god. Sihd, the wise god of rivers and streams, will be the god of purification, knowledge, and sound. We'll toss Zern, uhh... weather! That makes sense, right?

Kind of close to the fey term "Sidhe" (perhaps even sounding the same), but OK. Maybe there is Fey connection somewhere out there in the endless ocean. As for Zern, "sound" could also include "music," as in the relaxing sound of a babbling brook.. Also the Norse had a god of Wisdom who tended a well, Mimir. Maybe this Sihd could be similar. Tending a holy spring, or stream, or something.

Overall, looking good so far.

[AcerbicOrb]

So the further out it is from the mountain, the more nature-y, but that stops afters a while and becomes a wasteland? Or am I misunderstanding?