Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 whitehawk_omega Feb 27, 2009 3:16:31	I have invested a lot of time into creating my own in depth and unique (to a point) campaign setting. Since 4th Edition came out I've been working on reforming my campaign setting along the general lines of how 4th edition explains planes and gods and all that. Anyways, one of the areas of my campaign world is a war-torn asian styled setting. The lands is wild and over-run with threats. Spirits, both of the dead (i.e. spirits of the ancestors) and the primal spirits of nature (a la primal power source) are a prominent part of the culture. The widespread religion of the area is animism as opposed to the worship of gods. At first I was thinking that the primal power source would suffice for the spiritual aspect of the culture, but I had a recent experience running my game where my PC's were almost entirely annihilated by a group of angry spirits assaulting a small town (wraith wisp minions). This caused me to rethink my stance on the religious structure of the area. I thought of flavorful, evocative character types such as the Shinto priest who seals away evil spirits (turn undead?) and how would I work that out. Anyways, this is what bings me to my quandry. Would I be better off trying to homebrew powers for Shamans to channel spirits to cleanse the evil ones or should I work out some method of divine power for this animistic religion? I was reluctant to give them divine power since they don't have gods, per se. How should I go about doing that? A universal "force of light"? Syphoning power from gods unknowingly? Maybe just tapping into the power of good (seems kinda vague)?
#2 space_dragon Feb 27, 2009 4:26:22	Well, what is it you want these shamans to be able to do that they currently can't? Is turn undead really an absolute necessity when fighting evil spirits? I mean, its pretty powerful for a first level encounter power, but its not that much stronger than what a druid or shaman can do. If for some reason turn undead is really that necessary, I would like to remind you that Shintoism has a pantheon of gods who are far and away older, stronger, and more widely worshiped than the lesser kami. Really, Amaterasu is pretty darned similar to Pelor when it comes down to it. Maybe divide the holy men of the land into priestly orders (mostly urban based, who mainly worship the major kami, like the sun, earth, and storm gods, but still are knowledgeable and reverent of the lesser spirits as well) and rural shamans (who worship the main gods like everyone else, but are more experienced in dealing with the lesser kami that are so common in the farmlands and wilderness). Fluffwise, there is only a small difference between these two groups. Crunchwise, one is a cleric and the other is a shaman.
#3 whitehawk_omega Feb 27, 2009 10:13:12	I suppose that could work. The land has a handful of powerful and ancient primal spirits that could be tapped for divine power. Also, it wasn't just because turning undead seemed like a necessity, it was also because when my players died they expressed interest in playing some divine powered classes, which I had to shoot down initially.
#4 koradzi Feb 27, 2009 13:44:46	I would say that a Cleric or Paladin needn't necessarily draw his power from any extrinsic source; in both Third and Fourth Editions, it's strongly hinted that Divine Magic comes from within. It's perfectly reasonable to say that Divine Magic isn't granted by any outside source, but that it comes as a manifestation of the wielder's own belief that he's acting as the instrument of some higher ideal. Basically, belief itself is a powerful force. Somebody who has faith in what he's doing can bend reality to fit with his beliefs.
#5 Vatras Mar 01, 2009 8:19:00	You can also define divine power as coming from the ancestors of the character.