What I wanted to know was if anyone knows a generally good extend of a God's power in Forgotten Realms? I want to know what kind of options I should allow them to undertake in using the new God to shape the setting for the next campaign. I did consider using the rules supplied in the 3.5 supplement Deities and Demigods, though I cannot get it to translate into 4ed well.
Please advise!!
Not sure if you should be playing on after players reaching godhood, because the rules of the game limit the player choices to level 30. That said, in the realms its still possible to have adversaries at this powerlevel working on Torils surface.
Generally speaking when dealing with a gods powerlevel anything goes, as long as you as DM are fine with it. But remember the gods of Fearun don't live in isolation and have to deal with other gods that have an interest in their portfolio, sphere or region of influence. The first skill a god will learn is how to shape the domain its bound to, so here the Demonweb Pits are ready for a reimagination.
With Lolth dead, my guess is Ghaunadar, Gruumsh, Corellon and Shar all will have an interest in whats left of Lolths powerbase. If the players are up to snuff to save themselves after these elder gods give them a visit they might have enough power to start make actual changes on Torils surface world instead of solely the domain.
Additionally, Lolth's worshippers, particularly the most powerful priestesses in Menzoberrenzan, would also likely form an army led by a core group of 28-30th level evil drow and lead a war on the new god's domain. They, like the evil gods mentioned above, would seek to claim the power and portfolios for themseves (or at least the ranking priestess). Especially if the usurper is male. In the new Realms, deities can no longer un-grant spells or remove clerical power, so the usurper could not just de-power those former clerics of Lolth.
The evil gods and the drow army would probably even work together to un-seat the usurper, although they'd stab each other in the back and fight over the spoils afterwards.
No, taking Lolth's place wouldn't be any kind of thing most people would want to win.
I am not considering allowing the players to continue, I just wanted to consider how much I could let him influence the world around him.
I have set it that he is Unaligned, so he is trying to become friendly with the Seldarine and other Gods. He currently has a tenous relationship with Correllon, but has a stronger relationship with Ghaunadur (sp?) and Shar. Both Bane and Cyric are now his divine enemies. Gruumsh has tried to ally himself with him in an attempt to fight Corellon, but the player refused the alligence.
He has managed to sort the drow by not changing society too much, but he has also used his power to crush many members of House Baerne and conivnce them of his power.
I think above all else, it has to be remembered that Lolth's domain is within the Abyss. The Abyss by its very nature is going to begin corrupting the deity toward evil.
Of course, nothing says that he simply couldn't take his spoils (divine power) and create a new domain elsewhere. I'd argue that after assuming divinity he and the other players "fall silent". The same way Lolth did when she was transforming from an Intermediate Power to a Greater Power.
During this time of silence, they'd either be within the Abyss re-working Lolth's old domain, or creating their new domain elsewhere.
I just don't see most of Lolth's old faithful suddenly starting to worship a MALE deity. Sexism is too deep in drow society, and as a result many of Lolth's most faithful would turn against him simply due to the fact that he was male.
It's too difficult to say what the repercussions would be, because there are so many.
If he becomes friendly with Corellon, then I can see a deal being worked out. He'd be allowed a place in Arvandor, and he'd take up Araushnee's OLD portfolios (Artisans, destiny, and dark beauty), or some variation of them. This circumvents aggression from the Elven pantheon, but it also means abandoning most if not all of the drow who form the power base of the PC, ensuring that they're little more than a weak demigod.
It's likely among male drow there would be an increase in worship, especially if he sticks close to keeping Drow society as it was... and even moreso if he attempts to reverse things: oppressed females, with male dominance.
However, if he attempts to keep his drow worshipers I'm agreement with Jorunhast that Corellon will turn against him. I'm not sure if he'd lead a crusading army to kill the PC, but the likelihood of that increases if the PC is not as powerful as Lolth once was... Shevarash might do it regardless.
As for non-Elven allies... Both Ghaunadaur and Shar are unreliable allies whose intention will ultimately lead to the PC's destruction one way or another. That doesn't mean they can't temporarily be useful, but both are incredibly ancient deities and the new kid on the block is likely going to get screwed hardcore if he fools around with them.
In general, I agree with the other two posters. Inheriting Lolth's powers also means you inherit her problems and legacy. The best bet for the PC is being accepted into Arvandor and taking the former portfolios of Araushnee. It would be very difficult for the game to move forward as a result with the PC as a deity, as trying to do big things on the surface of Toril is likely to quickly cause a divine war.
I am planning on having the character resolve issues (or create them) with other deities in the background of my new campaign.
In the new Realms, deities can no longer un-grant spells or remove clerical power, so the usurper could not just de-power those former clerics of Lolth.
Where did it say this?
Why is everyone assuming that Corellon would automatically try to slaughter anyone who became god of the drow after pwning Lolth? He doesn't even try to slaughter her, FFS, and he actually has legitimate grievances against her.
Corellon does not unilaterally unequivocally hate the drow. This has been established quite well - 2E's Demihuman Deities specifically calls out that he has drow clergy members. The ending of the Lady Penitent trilogy, despite Lashrael and Felawhateverthehell's assertations of the unworthy being cast down or whatever to Cavatina, has Corellon taking Eilistraee's place in the Sava game against Lolth. Eilistraee's goal was to try to redeem all of the drow. Not just some, but all of them. Corellon isn't just taking his ballfew restored surface elves and going home, he's taking his daughter's place at her game for the fate of the drow. He doesn't hate them all. They're still elves. He wants them back.
So if someone whacked Lolth, took her place as god of the drow, and tried to ally themselves with him with a stated goal of trying to get them to not be a bunch of crazy evil mofos anymore? Corellon would be all for it. Ally with them, help them out. Drow slowly stop being evil, start being neutral/good, great. Some of 'em start looking to their original creator? Even better, more worshippers for Corellon.
I have an incredibly hard time picturing Corellon being frothing murdering rampage in a situation that would be at the absolute worst neutral to him and very likely if he played his cards right to his benefit.
He looks like the lead singer of an 80s hair metal band:
In the new Realms, deities can no longer un-grant spells or remove clerical power, so the usurper could not just de-power those former clerics of Lolth.
Where did it say this?
I dont know if it specifies this in the Realms book, but its in the Player's Handbook. Clerics, and all other divine classes i believe, recieve their spells through some ritual or somesuch, so even if your god dies, or you choose another deity, become an athiest, whatever, they still get their powers.
However, I would think that the god in question would still have the power to cut them off, if they chose to. Many of them probably dont even bother, theyll just send mortal followers after them.
And another thing about Lolth, she does have more than one aspect, so PoL Lolth may be upset that one of her other selves was offed, or maybe Greyhawk Lolth, or Dragonlance, Dragonlance has a Lolth right? She probably has a different name, but its still Lolth. What about Eberron? Mystara had a Lolth right?
Thanks for the help!
We has happened now is that he has formed a new alliance with Corellon and the Seldarine on the basis that they will reduce the evils of the drow people. He has taken command of Menzoberranzan by elevating Gromph Baenre to the rank of Chosen and sending in his other followers. Naturally there were great issues and lots of fighting, but the drow flooded to his faith in order to use it as a means to defend themselves from Mind Flayers and Duergar who sought to invade.
He has defended himself from Shar with the help of Corellon while Ghaunadaur is biding his time. Gruumsh has made himself a clear enemy. He declared war on Bane and also has an enemy in Cyric (as one of the new God's exarchs stole the eye of Vecna [I am treating Vecna as an Exarch of Cyric] and started a war).
Since he is friendly with Corellon, he has allies in Moradin and the Dwarven Gods. As well as Garl Glittergold.
I'd have him and the rest of the group come up with an idea for portfolios, titles, holy symbol, and a dogma. These are all important things to a deity. I'd also allow them to do something similar to what Finder did when he slew Moander.
Finder Wyvernspur's title was the Nameless Bard. His holy symbol was a white harp on a gray circle. His portfolios were the cycle of life, transformation of art, and saurials. This is juxtaposed against Moander, whose divine essence Finder took to become a deity. Moander's titles were the Darkbringer, the Jawed God, the Rotting God, and the Great Dread God. His holy symbol was a hand print with a open mouth / maw drawn upon it. His portfolios were rotting death, decay, and corruption.
I'd allow a player to do the same thing Finder did and adjust some of Lolth's portfolio's to fit his desires. Then I'd have him write a dogma. Lolth's portfolio's in 3E were Assassins, chaos, darkness, drow, evil, and spiders. They likely remained the same in 4E. Her title was the Queen of Spiders and the Queen of the Demonweb Pits. Her holy symbol was a black spider with a female drow head hanging from a spider web.
I have gotten them to do all kinds of stuff and its seems to be going well!