Duskling Religion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Duskling Religion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sean, THe Incompotent
12-21-06, 11:59 PM Hey guys I'm starting to play a duskling in an up coming campaign and I was wondering if MoI has anything about their beliefs. I have worked out a society and tribal system governed by a council of elders. The entire society reveres the largest tree in the forest referred to as the "mother" tree or great mother or any other sort of mother positive adj combination. From the mother tree they collect mongongo nuts. When the nut is toasted till the shell cracks it serves as a high protein dietary supplement (a few days rations) but if the nut isn’t toasted and introduced without its shell to a body or an amount of fertile soil it begins to grow a tree (qual's feather token style). Except when the tree grows the person's alignment and "soul power" effect how large and grand a tree will be (Mahogany for evil Cedar for neutral and I need a tree for a good aligned characters). This is how they burry there dead they introduce a seed into the body and let that person’s second life begin. Certain spots in the forest are reserved for people depending on how they contributed to society. A brave warrior would have his tree placed in the first plot (near the mother tree) a traitor would have his tree placed far away from the perimeter of the forest then burned to the ground. Thus severing his soul from the community. I am also wondering what the classes for the elders should be or if the elders should have there possession not be set in stone and have a sort of challenge system or a test to have a non elder prove he/she is wise enough to help lead the community.

I would love to have you guy to point out any problems or offer to add anything
PiedmonSama
12-23-06, 08:53 PM Sounds like you have some pretty awesome ideas already.

As far as Good-aligned go, howsabout the slenderbodied white oak? They tend to develop a rather graceful curb as they age and can become quite tall. (I had a pair in the backyard of my old house as a child.)

I tend to presume that the leaders of any demihuman community will be of that race's favored class, as these are the "model" by which the rest of the community is judged. So for Dusklings, I'd say the council of elders is either mostly or all Totemists. And as Totemists, they generally revere Magical Beasts. I'd pick a Magical Beast that matches the alignment of your community (Unicorns for NG, Blink Dogs for LG, eh.... can't think of a CG one but you get the idea) and set that up as the "tribal" totem commonly worshipped by every member of the community. (Individual citizens should also have personal totems that more closely match their personality.)
Eridrau
12-23-06, 11:11 PM (Just to answer the brainfart:
Magical Beast; Chaotic God: Pegasus.)
Sean, THe Incompotent
12-24-06, 01:45 AM Thanks guys I guess I’m going to go with cg ...can you really find pegasuses(how do you pluralize that)(sp) in the woods? What if the right of passage for totemists was to go to a mountain crag and ride a Pegasus back to the woods by the time of some holy feast (one for each season?). Other holidays feasts at the solstice, this could be when they believe where our world and the world of lost souls are closest to each other (good souls for summer solstice evil souls on the winter solstice). Anybody have anything else to add. Stuff that would make for good adventure plot hooks? I was also wondering since these guys are part of the forest and worship the mother tree should they live in the trees. Small structures for houses a grand tribunal and a house of healing ... some place for the elders to be. However since they believe that the trees are the souls of the departed I’m wondering weather or not they should use them for wood but treat them with reverence and respect and do so only rarely or if the cutting of trees is unforgivable. If this is the case I was thinking maybe trees should grow luminescent fruit that glows based on the tree or how close the tree is to the mother tree. The closer you get the trees grow golden leafs and have golden glowing pear like things. The trees that are further out have small black fruits like plums that give off eerie black light and the land has almost a swamp type feel. maybe the fruits should have nuts similar to the mongongo only they are sterile and cant be used to grow trees. If anyone would like to help me stat these fruits (special effects for eating and what not (even though it is taboo to eat them something tells me my fellow pcs are just stupid enough)) also if anyone could help me with special effects of the wood that comes from the trees (and a name for what the wood should be called).

Please help me, critique this point out anything that seems cheesy or stupid or useless or if you find yourself in love with this please tell me so ...or if this stuff really is just bad tell me so and I will gladly let this thread die, just like to know I’m not talking to people that aren’t listening
Roscoe_Greenbottle
12-24-06, 01:30 PM have you ever read Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card? the whole tree thing sounds exactly like it. It is a book in the enderverse, the greatest book series ever!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sean, THe Incompotent 12-21-06, 11:59 PM	Hey guys I'm starting to play a duskling in an up coming campaign and I was wondering if MoI has anything about their beliefs. I have worked out a society and tribal system governed by a council of elders. The entire society reveres the largest tree in the forest referred to as the "mother" tree or great mother or any other sort of mother positive adj combination. From the mother tree they collect mongongo nuts. When the nut is toasted till the shell cracks it serves as a high protein dietary supplement (a few days rations) but if the nut isn’t toasted and introduced without its shell to a body or an amount of fertile soil it begins to grow a tree (qual's feather token style). Except when the tree grows the person's alignment and "soul power" effect how large and grand a tree will be (Mahogany for evil Cedar for neutral and I need a tree for a good aligned characters). This is how they burry there dead they introduce a seed into the body and let that person’s second life begin. Certain spots in the forest are reserved for people depending on how they contributed to society. A brave warrior would have his tree placed in the first plot (near the mother tree) a traitor would have his tree placed far away from the perimeter of the forest then burned to the ground. Thus severing his soul from the community. I am also wondering what the classes for the elders should be or if the elders should have there possession not be set in stone and have a sort of challenge system or a test to have a non elder prove he/she is wise enough to help lead the community. I would love to have you guy to point out any problems or offer to add anything
PiedmonSama 12-23-06, 08:53 PM	Sounds like you have some pretty awesome ideas already. As far as Good-aligned go, howsabout the slenderbodied white oak? They tend to develop a rather graceful curb as they age and can become quite tall. (I had a pair in the backyard of my old house as a child.) I tend to presume that the leaders of any demihuman community will be of that race's favored class, as these are the "model" by which the rest of the community is judged. So for Dusklings, I'd say the council of elders is either mostly or all Totemists. And as Totemists, they generally revere Magical Beasts. I'd pick a Magical Beast that matches the alignment of your community (Unicorns for NG, Blink Dogs for LG, eh.... can't think of a CG one but you get the idea) and set that up as the "tribal" totem commonly worshipped by every member of the community. (Individual citizens should also have personal totems that more closely match their personality.)
Eridrau 12-23-06, 11:11 PM	(Just to answer the brainfart: Magical Beast; Chaotic God: Pegasus.)
Sean, THe Incompotent 12-24-06, 01:45 AM	Thanks guys I guess I’m going to go with cg ...can you really find pegasuses(how do you pluralize that)(sp) in the woods? What if the right of passage for totemists was to go to a mountain crag and ride a Pegasus back to the woods by the time of some holy feast (one for each season?). Other holidays feasts at the solstice, this could be when they believe where our world and the world of lost souls are closest to each other (good souls for summer solstice evil souls on the winter solstice). Anybody have anything else to add. Stuff that would make for good adventure plot hooks? I was also wondering since these guys are part of the forest and worship the mother tree should they live in the trees. Small structures for houses a grand tribunal and a house of healing ... some place for the elders to be. However since they believe that the trees are the souls of the departed I’m wondering weather or not they should use them for wood but treat them with reverence and respect and do so only rarely or if the cutting of trees is unforgivable. If this is the case I was thinking maybe trees should grow luminescent fruit that glows based on the tree or how close the tree is to the mother tree. The closer you get the trees grow golden leafs and have golden glowing pear like things. The trees that are further out have small black fruits like plums that give off eerie black light and the land has almost a swamp type feel. maybe the fruits should have nuts similar to the mongongo only they are sterile and cant be used to grow trees. If anyone would like to help me stat these fruits (special effects for eating and what not (even though it is taboo to eat them something tells me my fellow pcs are just stupid enough)) also if anyone could help me with special effects of the wood that comes from the trees (and a name for what the wood should be called). Please help me, critique this point out anything that seems cheesy or stupid or useless or if you find yourself in love with this please tell me so ...or if this stuff really is just bad tell me so and I will gladly let this thread die, just like to know I’m not talking to people that aren’t listening
Roscoe_Greenbottle 12-24-06, 01:30 PM	have you ever read Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card? the whole tree thing sounds exactly like it. It is a book in the enderverse, the greatest book series ever!