Deific Intervention in Faerun

[Zanos]

TL:DR: How much can Faerun deities directly screw with mortals?

I am playing a StP Erudite in another game, but fortunately this topic is not about my character. One of the other characters, a Red Wizard of Thay and worshiper of Kosuth, killed a young Chosen of Mystra. The party was hunting a beholder to a location in the Underdark, and came across his fortified tower. We went in, wrecked his minions, and came to his main sanctum where he was conducting some ritual with a young girl on an altar. Unfortunately for her, the area of the Wizards fireball that hit the most enemies contained her. The party, being generally Pragmatic Evil to Not Caring Neutral at best, didn't care that she was killed. We went about our business of carving up the beholder and returning his pieces to a grafter in Skullport. A few sessions later, and we've been informed by the DM OOC that the Wizard has been whisked off to the astral plane personally by Mystra and given a Geas to locate another child that was born with spellfire powers, or something. It was kind of unclear.

Anyway, I know that mechanically a Greater Deity is more than capable of whisking off a high level wizard, stripping whatever protections they may have, and Geasing them. But I was under the impression that Deities in Faerun were largely not permitted to act in this manner by Ao, and if they wanted to interfere in the material plane, they had to do so through their various and sundry mortal agents. Which is why Clerics and Chosen exist in the first place.

For reference, this is supposed to be a sandbox campaign where the party is free to move about as it pleases and select whatever quests we like, or make our own if we want something done. So the unavoidable Geas railroad is kind of dumb from that perspective.

[Crake]

TL:DR: How much can Faerun deities directly screw with mortals?

I am playing a StP Erudite in another game, but fortunately this topic is not about my character. One of the other characters, a Red Wizard of Thay and worshiper of Kosuth, killed a young Chosen of Mystra. The party was hunting a beholder to a location in the Underdark, and came across his fortified tower. We went in, wrecked his minions, and came to his main sanctum where he was conducting some ritual with a young girl on an altar. Unfortunately for her, the area of the Wizards fireball that hit the most enemies contained her. The party, being generally Pragmatic Evil to Not Caring Neutral at best, didn't care that she was killed. We went about our business of carving up the beholder and returning his pieces to a grafter in Skullport. A few sessions later, and we've been informed by the DM OOC that the Wizard has been whisked off to the astral plane personally by Mystra and given a Geas to locate another child that was born with spellfire powers, or something. It was kind of unclear.

Anyway, I know that mechanically a Greater Deity is more than capable of whisking off a high level wizard, stripping whatever protections they may have, and Geasing them. But I was under the impression that Deities in Faerun were largely not permitted to act in this manner by Ao, and if they wanted to interfere in the material plane, they had to do so through their various and sundry mortal agents. Which is why Clerics and Chosen exist in the first place.

For reference, this is supposed to be a sandbox campaign where the party is free to move about as it pleases and select whatever quests we like, or make our own if we want something done. So the unavoidable Geas railroad is kind of dumb from that perspective.

This is exactly why I run a homebrew setting where all the gods are dead.

[Nifft]

Faerun is the best-left-forgotten realm of gods with too much time on their hands.

It's entirely possible that Mystra -- or her boy-toy, the author's self-insert -- will come down hard on you for disrupting Her beloved plot.

Better settings, including Eberron and my own homebrew, do not have active gods.

[Mordaedil]

Elminster didn't seem to mind too much whenever Mystra dies and ascends again.

Also, despite being an author insert, Ed Greenwood is a pretty okay dude, so I'm okay with him.

[Muggins]

As long as they follow their portfolios, Ao (the overgod of the Forgotten Realms) doesn't much care what they do. They're more or less given free reign over the mortal realm.

[Echch]

Actually, while that is SUPPOSED to be the case, Ao is pretty bad at his job. Like, really bad.

The only thing he did is to ensure that deities don't screw over their OWN followers. So yeah, if Mystra wants to come down and kill you, there isn't anything you can do to stop it.

[Muggins]

Actually, while that is SUPPOSED to be the case, Ao is pretty bad at his job. Like, really bad.

The only thing he did is to ensure that deities don't screw over their OWN followers. So yeah, if Mystra wants to come down and kill you, there isn't anything you can do to stop it.
Hence the Time of Troubles, being forced to care for their worshippers, etc.

That said, many other gods would be a mite bit upset if one of their followers was forcibly Geas'd into the service of another deity. Particularly the evil gods; either they won't care, or they'll probably try and get you back, presuming they're not otherwise preoccupied.

[Zanos]

I usually like Faerun, but the DM did mention this game contained Sigil and other material planes. Since we're level 13, maybe I'll get a gate compass and go to Eberron where we'll basically be gods ourselves, or something.

[Muggins]

I usually like Faerun, but the DM did mention this game contained Sigil and other material planes. Since we're level 13, maybe I'll get a gate compass and go to Eberron where we'll basically be gods ourselves, or something.
A few of the gods in Faerun ended up gods that way; basically, if you want to rule over Faerun, you've gotta follow Ao's rules, otherwise he'll kick you to the curb.

Eberron's not really got the same style of things.

[Melcar]

TL:DR: How much can Faerun deities directly screw with mortals?

I am playing a StP Erudite in another game, but fortunately this topic is not about my character. One of the other characters, a Red Wizard of Thay and worshiper of Kosuth, killed a young Chosen of Mystra. The party was hunting a beholder to a location in the Underdark, and came across his fortified tower. We went in, wrecked his minions, and came to his main sanctum where he was conducting some ritual with a young girl on an altar. Unfortunately for her, the area of the Wizards fireball that hit the most enemies contained her. The party, being generally Pragmatic Evil to Not Caring Neutral at best, didn't care that she was killed. We went about our business of carving up the beholder and returning his pieces to a grafter in Skullport. A few sessions later, and we've been informed by the DM OOC that the Wizard has been whisked off to the astral plane personally by Mystra and given a Geas to locate another child that was born with spellfire powers, or something. It was kind of unclear.

Anyway, I know that mechanically a Greater Deity is more than capable of whisking off a high level wizard, stripping whatever protections they may have, and Geasing them. But I was under the impression that Deities in Faerun were largely not permitted to act in this manner by Ao, and if they wanted to interfere in the material plane, they had to do so through their various and sundry mortal agents. Which is why Clerics and Chosen exist in the first place.

For reference, this is supposed to be a sandbox campaign where the party is free to move about as it pleases and select whatever quests we like, or make our own if we want something done. So the unavoidable Geas railroad is kind of dumb from that perspective.

They can basically do what ever they want. Albeit within the bounds of the Tablets of Fate, but they are powerful beyond measure. Know this, Mystra in her avatar form, was disrupted by the mere touch of Helm - just the touch.

Anyway its my clear understanding that they can indeed interact or intervene as they see fit, to conduct or protect the activities of their portfolio and to uphold "the balance". Mystra can personally take spell casting abilities from mortals and divines up to her divine rank, who she deems are actively trying to destroy magic...

They might scheme in the background though their temples and priest but will and can go out of they way if its of significant importance.

[Darth Ultron]

TL:DR: How much can Faerun deities directly screw with mortals?


There is no limit. So as much as they want. The Forgotten Realms has very, very, very active deities. It is one of the things that makes the setting unique compared to a lot of other settings.

The Realms lore, and novels, are full o active deities.

[Zanos]

Anyway its my clear understanding that they can indeed interact or intervene as they see fit, to conduct or protect the activities of their portfolio and to uphold "the balance". Mystra can personally take spell casting abilities from mortals and divines up to her divine rank, who she deems are actively trying to destroy magic...
She's pretty terrible at her job, then. Also, wasn't she reprimanded by Ao in one of her incarnations for denying magic to some mortals, because doing so violated what Ao intended for her to uphold?

[Fizban]

As much or as little as the writer wants, with nothing but plot to back it up. No one's ever written up a proper game of checks and balances between the gods to explain when and how far they can go to mess with mortals in any setting that I'm aware of, because then they wouldn't be gods: they'd be NPCs. So gods will intervene when the module or adventure says so, and otherwise do absolutely nothing, unless you can charisma check the DM into making them move for you. Guidelines for a DM will vary based on what book you're reading so good luck.

Also, Geas/Quest is a terrible way to force adventurers to comply. A piddly 10 damage per day+sickening effect, and it's removed with no checks by Limited Wish. Spells are for mortals, if gods aren't handing out arbitrary plot curses then they're useless.

[Zanos]

I could easily remove his Geas with a limited wish, but I assume she would automatically know and then bother me. As far as I can tell those penalties are only if you're prevented from undertaking the geas by an outside force, otherwise it's mind control.

[Echch]

I could easily remove his Geas with a limited wish, but I assume she would automatically know and then bother me. As far as I can tell those penalties are only if you're prevented from undertaking the geas by an outside force, otherwise it's mind control.

Actually, you can't. Any Geas laid by a deity will probably be laid via Lay Quest, which can only be removed by a deity of higher rank.