Question about Dedication and Hel

[DragonclawExia]

I remember reading in a topic about the Gods of OoTS needing three ingredients to sustain themselves, and one of them was Dedication.


It was...rather complex, and very psychological and such so I'm having some trouble understanding what exactly it's supposed to mean.


Is it from an Obscure Lore regarding Cleric's and Intermediate Deities in official 3.5 Edition or is it Homebrew from the Giant?



I would really like some clarification on that.

[Yanisa]

...we gods need certain things from mortals. Four things to be exact: Belief, Worship, Dedication, and Souls.
[...]
Dedication is a big burst that's released when a mortal dies and they're sent off to their god.

Here is the link (https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1144.html).

It seems to be a "homebrew interpretation" on how gods gain energy from their worshippers. Based on the basic facts we find in the PHB and doesn't seem to stray to far from many other interpretations. I am unsure if the giant ever said more on the subject.

[KorvinStarmast]

Just to be a little nitpicky, Thor mentions four things, not three: Belief, Worship, Dedication, and Souls.

(Not sure where fear and surprise fit in. :smallconfused: )

[Fyraltari]

Way back when Hel's goal was revealed a few posters asked how her getting powers from a few millions dwarves was supposed to offset the nourishment thebother gods got from all of the current world's existance to which the Giant replied, in essence, "the precise mechanics of her plan are irrelevant what matters is that the other characters agree it could work, but if it's really important to you, let's just say souls give more power imemdiately upon death and then a smaller steady stream of powers for the rest of their afterlife."

I'm pretty sure this Dedication thing is just a way to settle that in-comic.

[Ionathus]

This is his specific comment that kicked things off (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?437655-Why-are-10-million-dwarf-souls-even-important/page2&p=19745902#post19745902) -- I like to link it because his commentary & response about storytelling has been immensely helpful for my own writing process!

[DragonclawExia]

I see. So it's not an Obscure Lore fact about Cleric's in 3.5, and there's actually a total of four. Kinda still confusing for me, but unless The Giant comes down here and personally writes a Philosophical Essay on the nature of Theocratic Theory in his fantasy world, I guess this more or less settles my question.


So it's essentially just a Plot Device to make Hel's End the World Now Plan work then, am I correct?

[Rogar Demonblud]

And to explain why she looks like death warmed over, yes. Plus putting some subtle pressures on Thor and Loki with their Seal the Snarl scheme.

[Ionathus]

I see. So it's not an Obscure Lore fact about Cleric's in 3.5, and there's actually a total of four. Kinda still confusing for me, but unless The Giant comes down here and personally writes a Philosophical Essay on the nature of Theocratic Theory in his fantasy world, I guess this more or less settles my question.


So it's essentially just a Plot Device to make Hel's End the World Now Plan work then, am I correct?

Basically, yes. And he's stated outright that he's not going to offer that kind of theological essay, because it inevitably just gets nitpicked by someone on the forum. I think there's another quote from him saying "the afterlife doesn't matter except for how it makes the living characters feel and behave." He's focused on telling a story about the here and now, essentially.

[Riftwolf]

From memory, all a God needed to ascend through divine tiers was worship in 3.5. So the four deific nutrients would be Oots homebrew if it was ever to be codified (which it probably won't be)

[Manga Shoggoth]

Just to be a little nitpicky, Thor mentions four things, not three: Belief, Worship, Dedication, and Souls.

(Not sure where fear and surprise fit in. :smallconfused: )

Nor ruthless efficiency and fanatical devotion. Not to mention red uniforms.

(Surprisingly, since that it is probably their most famous sketch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj8n4MfhjUc), and the amount of times I have seen it, I still get the second two the wrong way round, and completely forget the bit about the uniforms...)

[KorvinStarmast]

I still get the second two the wrong way round) Cardinal Fang: Bring on the Comfy Chair! :smalleek: