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View Full Version : What's a good symbol for a redemption god?



Shamash
2018-06-26, 10:30 AM
So I'm going to be playing cleirc on my next game and the DM gave a huge list of Gods in his setting.

There are too many gods but anyway I decided to go with the god of redemption, the problem is that the Dm only listed the gods, their names and domais, he didn't really elaborate a lot on them.

So I decided to work around it and choose the colors and characterstics of the god, he's fine with that.

But I can't really think of a good symbol for the idea of redemption, anyone has any good adivce on that? Thanks.

hymer
2018-06-26, 10:48 AM
Gold and white, and for a symbol a sun. Could be a sunrise, or coming out from behind a cloud.

Hawkstar
2018-06-26, 10:51 AM
I have a similar issue. I'm trying to figure out a way to justify using a Ringed Four-pointed Star (Essentially, a bootleg Celtic Cross) as mine. I think I'll go with "The star is a guiding light in darkness, and the ring is a barrier against the past". And, it's overall form is reminiscent of one of real-life's largest cults of redemption, making the idea easy to convey to other players.

Rerem115
2018-06-26, 11:00 AM
Depends on your flavor of redemption; if focused on doing good, astronomical bodies are always a good call. If focused on a bit more old-testament kind of atonement, symbols of work and torture instruments are par for the course.

Personally, I'd go with the crescent moon. The moon is never as bright as the Sun, but is important nonetheless because it brings light to the darkness. If your astronomy is advanced enough, you could even add something about reflecting the Sun's light.

Faily
2018-06-26, 11:23 AM
Depends on your flavor of redemption; if focused on doing good, astronomical bodies are always a good call. If focused on a bit more old-testament kind of atonement, symbols of work and torture instruments are par for the course.

Personally, I'd go with the crescent moon. The moon is never as bright as the Sun, but is important nonetheless because it brings light to the darkness. If your astronomy is advanced enough, you could even add something about reflecting the Sun's light.

This is a pretty good one. The moon, especially the new moon, represents the new beginning after darkness, and its ever-changing nature has often been used as a symbol of renewal, new beginnings, and rebirth.

Water is often an element associated with redemption too, as water washes away impurities, water is the source of life, and water is an element of constant change.

The snake is also considered to be a symbol of rebirth in some cultures because of the way snakes shed their skin. So for some, it could be considered good fortune and a sign of favor from a god of redemption to find the skin of a snake.

braveheart
2018-06-26, 11:44 AM
I'd actually use a Phoenix, rebirth and renewing. Reforging ones soul through the flames of struggle. Plus if your gm sends you a Devine message you know what will be the messenger

Khloros
2018-06-26, 01:00 PM
The snake is also considered to be a symbol of rebirth in some cultures because of the way snakes shed their skin. So for some, it could be considered good fortune and a sign of favor from a god of redemption to find the skin of a snake.

A snake or serpent venom can be used both as poison or as an antidote and to create medicines. So I think snakes are a great symbol.

Also circles, since redemption mean change and change is often associated with circles.

You can join both and use a ouroboros.

Other good symbols could be a butterfly or a phoenix.

Maybe you could have two gods one male (fire and sun) other femele (water and moon) sicne both water and fire are viewed as way to achive ritual purificationa nd redemption but one is mroe gentle the other is more aggressive.

ArgentumRegio
2018-06-26, 04:11 PM
A simple wooden disk on which are carved the words

Bibere Unum Bonum

Xuc Xac
2018-06-26, 05:44 PM
A simple wooden disk on which are carved the words

Bibere Unum Bonum

"to drink a good one"?

Saintheart
2018-06-27, 12:06 AM
A stairway, or a mountain, with the sun at the top, deriving from Milton's oft-quoted line about redeeming one's self: Long is the way and hard that out of Hell leads up to the light.

Esprit15
2018-06-27, 12:43 AM
A higher hand grasping a lower hand, as if helping someone up from the ground, was what I used for one before.

Lord Raziere
2018-06-27, 01:11 AM
Flowers, or whatever other symbol stands for spring, as spring is seen as a time of rebirth and new beginnings after winter.

thing is, gods often don't only stand for one thing. If the god is about redemption, they are likely about compassion, healing, love, trust, truth, and so on as well just as an example. redemption is a form of healing, it requires people to trust a person to be going straight and honesty from the redemption seeker about being serious about going straight as well. so redemption can be tied into a lot of other virtues and symbols.

like the most antithetical thing to a god of redemption is probably deception. after all if the people you are trying to redeem deceive and betray you, and thus not really seeking redemption, you can't trust them enough to redeem them and it falls apart. so an eye symbolizing truth could be a possible one: to symbolize the redemption seeker opening their eyes to their own faults and others seeing good in them, as well as being willing to see someone worth trusting despite their flaws and so on.

Kaptin Keen
2018-06-27, 02:33 AM
I'd actually use a Phoenix, rebirth and renewing. Reforging ones soul through the flames of struggle. Plus if your gm sends you a Devine message you know what will be the messenger

Phoenix is actually good.

I'd go with an anvil though - or a plough, or some similar tool. Redemption is hard work. It doesn't just suddenly happen, and it has neither beginning or end, it's an ongoing process. You don't get to cry out 'I am redeemed!' and go back to slacking off. Redemption is a lifestyle, not a moment of grace.

Damn, I sound like a not-an-agnostic. Yeesh.

Bulhakov
2018-06-27, 05:38 AM
You can combine some of the symbols. I'd go with two cupped hands with either a sun, phenix or a sword held between them.

https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/cupped-hands-42098136.jpg

Wraith
2018-06-27, 06:22 AM
A set of broken manacles - a prisoner who has served their sentence and subsequently been freed.

An open gate/portcullis - the way was previously barred, but now access has been granted.

A set of feathered wings - as received by the proverbial Angel for doing good deeds.

A crucible/anvil - where something of one shape is broken down and remade into something new.

The sun at dawn - a new day rises, just like a new chapter in someone's life.

A tree - covered in the proverbially turned leaves, and possibly representing the renewal of the seasons as cold winter reforms itself into warm spring.

A bloodied whip - punishment was delivered and all 'debts' are now settled without prejudice.

A figure carrying a heavy load on their shoulders - the load is "guilt", but being borne stoically and without complaint.

A flame/drop of water - Both for their association with purification.

Cespenar
2018-06-27, 06:33 AM
It depends a bit on your interpretation of redemption as well.

To take some of the suggestions here:

-Phoenix is more about the act of rebirth rather than the method of redemption. Use this for a more positive outlook.
-Ouroboros is more about infinity, so the duality of the snake could be easy to miss here.
-Moon could also be understood more easily as upholding the light in the dark, so the redemption aspect might be missed here.
-Plough is excellent if the redemption is more of humility.
-A mountain path or something like that also is excellent to underline the hardship of the redemption.

Cisturn
2018-06-27, 08:05 AM
How about a broken chain, because the patrons broke the chains of their past behavior and started a new cycle.

redwizard007
2018-06-27, 08:14 AM
Could you give us a little more info about the God's alignment and other domains?

Symbols off the top of my head:

A single star (guiding light)
A lantern (to show the way)
A bridge (must be crossed...)
A flower missing many of it's petals (but is still beautiful)
A burning stake (purity through pain)
A shield and broken blade (renunciation of aggression but not capitulation)
Two doors (from which one must choose)
A key (to ones future)
A baren of field with a single sheaf of wheat/corn/rice (beginning anew)
A scythe (harvesting of the worthy/unworthy)
Two clasped hands (pulling one from the abyss)
Swords over a heart (fighting for what is right)
A halo (divine light)


The (example) was my initial thought. I realize that many interpretations are possible with these symbols.

Nifft
2018-06-27, 01:43 PM
So I'm going to be playing cleirc on my next game and the DM gave a huge list of Gods in his setting.

There are too many gods but anyway I decided to go with the god of redemption, the problem is that the Dm only listed the gods, their names and domais, he didn't really elaborate a lot on them.

So I decided to work around it and choose the colors and characterstics of the god, he's fine with that.

But I can't really think of a good symbol for the idea of redemption, anyone has any good adivce on that? Thanks.

Many divine symbols are something deemed important to the god, or emblematic of the god's story, and not just a visual icon of the god's power.

So... can you write the god's backstory?

What are the god's domains?

Concrete
2018-06-27, 01:58 PM
A higher hand grasping a lower hand, as if helping someone up from the ground, was what I used for one before.

I would second this. It could also represent the duty of a redeemed person to help redeem other. It's the hand that helped the priest, and also the priests hand helping another.


For my own suggestions, I would add to the symbol in the following ways
I'd suggest the symbol could have a background with two fields, the lower field dark, the topmost field bright. Black and gold could work, or black and white.

And if the separation between the fields were shaped like cresting waves, it could also have the aspect of helping someone out of chaos and darkness symbolized by a roiling sea.

Segev
2018-06-27, 10:07 PM
An iron rod (to which to cling in times of temptation to return to wickedness).

A ring of woven nettles.

An olive in a press.

A winnowing staff.

A flame upon pure water.

A black tear of remorse against a white tear of gratitude (forming a yin/yang).

Hawkstar
2018-06-27, 10:48 PM
Once you have a good Holy Symbol for Redemption (Or are still trying to think of one), re-work it into one of the most prominent Unholy Symbols of Evil, and have the Redemption version be one that's easy to be made from the Evil version, but somewhat hard to move the other way.

For example, I've gone with a four-pointed white star in a shiny metal ring. It's a corruption/modification of an eight-pointed crimson Star of Chaos in a blackened iron ring. Break off and smooth down four of the points, grind the ring clean, and re-paint it white. Bam, new symbol.

BeerMug Paladin
2018-06-27, 11:32 PM
The holy symbol could potentially be anything.

It could be that the symbol provides a connection to a powerful redemption story known by all the followers of the god. The god itself could have acquired its status as a form of redemption, so the symbol could have some connection to its own origins. This would be a good reason why all the followers of the god knows this story. Alternatively, it could also be the story of their first mortal follower.

Although it might be a bit much to make up a story in order to justify a given holy symbol, this means you can easily justify anything you want. Just make sure the symbol evokes something important in the story.

ArgentumRegio
2018-06-28, 08:54 AM
"to drink a good one"?

Bibere Unum Bonum = Good for one drink.

:D

The Fury
2018-06-28, 04:38 PM
A lot of the suggestions made were pretty good, though I like the idea of using a hammer. Depending on how you interpret redemption a hammer can also be interpreted differently, it's a tool for breaking stuff down and for building stuff up, depending on how stylized it's illustrated it can even bear a passing resemblance to a judge's gavel.

No matter what you pick, there's a thing I read, (I think it was about designing fictional flags but I think it can apply to fictional holy symbols as well,) that made the case that a good design should be simple enough that you could expect a young child to be able to draw it from memory. So, yeah. Keep it simple.

Xuc Xac
2018-06-28, 05:05 PM
Bibere Unum Bonum = Good for one drink.

:D

I knew that's what you meant, but it's not what you said.