Divine Disciple - Death of God [Archive] - Wizards Community

Divine Disciple - Death of God [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Pyrogen
11-03-07, 07:22 AM What happens to a 5th level divine disciple, one who has achieved transcendence, upon the death of their patron god? Do they:
a) Drop dead due to their close connection to their god.
b) Feel the death as it occurs and lose those powers associated with their discipleship but retain their outsider status and appearance associated with that god so that any former worshipers of that god encountering them will immediately recognise them as the embodiment of that now deceased god?
c) Be offered the vacant portfolio by AO. (assuming of course there aren't several transcendent disciples who qualify) They then essentially become the reborn version of the god they worshipped, so none of the other followers need ever be aware that anything happened to the previous incarnation.
d) Automatically become the transcendent disciple of whoever else takes up the portfolio. If this patron is of a different allignment/personality to the previous incarnation then the disciple simply assumes that new persona due to their close connection, without necessarily being aware that this is because their patron has effectively changed.
e) Automatically becomes the transcendent disciple of whoever killed the god and absorbed their essence, assuming that being did not acquire the portfolio but merely the divine essence, either raising them to godhood or increasing their already divine status.
f) If their patron god is slain but the god who did this merely starts to impersonate them without the death being widely known (as when Shar killed Ibrandul), would the transcendent disciple be aware of the death and therefore be able to spot the deception, thus making them a target of that god's true disciples in order to keep the secret from being revealed?

It would be helpful to know what to do as I have a 5th level divine disciple in my campaign and it seems likely that their god will either be dead or changed in the near future.
MattBlacke
11-03-07, 02:32 PM What happens to a 5th level divine disciple, one who has achieved transcendence, upon the death of their patron god? Do they:
a) Drop dead due to their close connection to their god.

Quite possible, as it looks like so much is changing. (if this isn't a 3ed to 4 ed conversion, ignore what I said) However, this might suck quite hard for the player to have to abruptly roll up a new character. Talk with the player in question if you're strongly considering this route.

b) Feel the death as it occurs and lose those powers associated with their discipleship but retain their outsider status and appearance associated with that god so that any former worshipers of that god encountering them will immediately recognise them as the embodiment of that now deceased god?

The transformation to outsider appears to be permanent, so this would work. No more Imbue with Spell SLA, no more bonus to saving throws, but you're still an outsider. They may regain these later if they convert to a new deity.
c) Be offered the vacant portfolio by AO. (assuming of course there aren't several transcendent disciples who qualify) They then essentially become the reborn version of the god they worshipped, so none of the other followers need ever be aware that anything happened to the previous incarnation.
Unless the character's epic, don't think this would happen. More likely, either the god who killed the character's god gets the portfolios, or they'd be given to another deity who administers similar ones. You could try to play it like Mystra passing her divine essence to a mortal in the ToT, though. Your call.
d) Automatically become the transcendent disciple of whoever else takes up the portfolio. If this patron is of a different allignment/personality to the previous incarnation then the disciple simply assumes that new persona due to their close connection, without necessarily being aware that this is because their patron has effectively changed.

I don't think so. The character may worship the god and be utterly devoted to him/her/it, but they are still their own person. I think the character would have to go on a quest to prove their faith to the new deity, unless it's a particularly welcoming one. The character may also look to worship a new deity instead of the one that got their previous one's 'stuff'.

e) Automatically becomes the transcendent disciple of whoever killed the god and absorbed their essence, assuming that being did not acquire the portfolio but merely the divine essence, either raising them to godhood or increasing their already divine status. See above. This would be especially problematic for a huge alignment shift. Talk with the player before going with either D or E.

f) If their patron god is slain but the god who did this merely starts to impersonate them without the death being widely known (as when Shar killed Ibrandul), would the transcendent disciple be aware of the death and therefore be able to spot the deception, thus making them a target of that god's true disciples in order to keep the secret from being revealed?

Depends on the dead god and how the death was done. If it's something big, the DD would most definitely know (and most likely half of Faerun :p ). If is one of the more subtle 'kill 'em and take their stuff' moves, it might be harder. However, give them a roll to sense something's wrong when they pray for spells. Heck, might make an interesting crisis for the player.

This is just my 2cp, at any rate.
Zsych
11-11-07, 07:45 PM Random opinion: The character remains what they are, knows his god has died, and is now subject to whoever absorbed the god's essence.
Zireael
11-19-07, 02:44 AM I think it would be b) or d).
Ceresi_the_Blademaster
11-22-07, 10:30 PM They could continue to worship the ideals of the god, even in death their ideals or beliefs are still there in the disciples mind. And as for lack of powers, other gods who have similar aspects of the portfolio could "loan" these powers if they have similar ideals. (As in any member of the Triad loaning to another, or similar happenings)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pyrogen 11-03-07, 07:22 AM	What happens to a 5th level divine disciple, one who has achieved transcendence, upon the death of their patron god? Do they: a) Drop dead due to their close connection to their god. b) Feel the death as it occurs and lose those powers associated with their discipleship but retain their outsider status and appearance associated with that god so that any former worshipers of that god encountering them will immediately recognise them as the embodiment of that now deceased god? c) Be offered the vacant portfolio by AO. (assuming of course there aren't several transcendent disciples who qualify) They then essentially become the reborn version of the god they worshipped, so none of the other followers need ever be aware that anything happened to the previous incarnation. d) Automatically become the transcendent disciple of whoever else takes up the portfolio. If this patron is of a different allignment/personality to the previous incarnation then the disciple simply assumes that new persona due to their close connection, without necessarily being aware that this is because their patron has effectively changed. e) Automatically becomes the transcendent disciple of whoever killed the god and absorbed their essence, assuming that being did not acquire the portfolio but merely the divine essence, either raising them to godhood or increasing their already divine status. f) If their patron god is slain but the god who did this merely starts to impersonate them without the death being widely known (as when Shar killed Ibrandul), would the transcendent disciple be aware of the death and therefore be able to spot the deception, thus making them a target of that god's true disciples in order to keep the secret from being revealed? It would be helpful to know what to do as I have a 5th level divine disciple in my campaign and it seems likely that their god will either be dead or changed in the near future.
MattBlacke 11-03-07, 02:32 PM	What happens to a 5th level divine disciple, one who has achieved transcendence, upon the death of their patron god? Do they: a) Drop dead due to their close connection to their god. Quite possible, as it looks like so much is changing. (if this isn't a 3ed to 4 ed conversion, ignore what I said) However, this might suck quite hard for the player to have to abruptly roll up a new character. Talk with the player in question if you're strongly considering this route. b) Feel the death as it occurs and lose those powers associated with their discipleship but retain their outsider status and appearance associated with that god so that any former worshipers of that god encountering them will immediately recognise them as the embodiment of that now deceased god? The transformation to outsider appears to be permanent, so this would work. No more Imbue with Spell SLA, no more bonus to saving throws, but you're still an outsider. They may regain these later if they convert to a new deity. c) Be offered the vacant portfolio by AO. (assuming of course there aren't several transcendent disciples who qualify) They then essentially become the reborn version of the god they worshipped, so none of the other followers need ever be aware that anything happened to the previous incarnation. Unless the character's epic, don't think this would happen. More likely, either the god who killed the character's god gets the portfolios, or they'd be given to another deity who administers similar ones. You could try to play it like Mystra passing her divine essence to a mortal in the ToT, though. Your call. d) Automatically become the transcendent disciple of whoever else takes up the portfolio. If this patron is of a different allignment/personality to the previous incarnation then the disciple simply assumes that new persona due to their close connection, without necessarily being aware that this is because their patron has effectively changed. I don't think so. The character may worship the god and be utterly devoted to him/her/it, but they are still their own person. I think the character would have to go on a quest to prove their faith to the new deity, unless it's a particularly welcoming one. The character may also look to worship a new deity instead of the one that got their previous one's 'stuff'. e) Automatically becomes the transcendent disciple of whoever killed the god and absorbed their essence, assuming that being did not acquire the portfolio but merely the divine essence, either raising them to godhood or increasing their already divine status. See above. This would be especially problematic for a huge alignment shift. Talk with the player before going with either D or E. f) If their patron god is slain but the god who did this merely starts to impersonate them without the death being widely known (as when Shar killed Ibrandul), would the transcendent disciple be aware of the death and therefore be able to spot the deception, thus making them a target of that god's true disciples in order to keep the secret from being revealed? Depends on the dead god and how the death was done. If it's something big, the DD would most definitely know (and most likely half of Faerun :p ). If is one of the more subtle 'kill 'em and take their stuff' moves, it might be harder. However, give them a roll to sense something's wrong when they pray for spells. Heck, might make an interesting crisis for the player. This is just my 2cp, at any rate.
Zsych 11-11-07, 07:45 PM	Random opinion: The character remains what they are, knows his god has died, and is now subject to whoever absorbed the god's essence.
Zireael 11-19-07, 02:44 AM	I think it would be b) or d).
Ceresi_the_Blademaster 11-22-07, 10:30 PM	They could continue to worship the ideals of the god, even in death their ideals or beliefs are still there in the disciples mind. And as for lack of powers, other gods who have similar aspects of the portfolio could "loan" these powers if they have similar ideals. (As in any member of the Triad loaning to another, or similar happenings)