In the case of a God being also a Patron...

Discussion of all things magical for DCC RPG -- "Let the Phlogiston take you where it will..."

Moderators: DJ LaBoss, finarvyn, michaelcurtis, Harley Stroh

Post Reply
User avatar
BaophraT
Hard-Bitten Adventurer
Posts: 131
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:17 am
FLGS: Rann sevenadurel ti Leclerc Kemper (a-barzh 2023)
Location: Breizh Izel

In the case of a God being also a Patron...

Post by BaophraT »

Salutations to all,

When a God is also a Patron, the patron spells are they also accessible to the cleric or only to the wizards / elves ?

How do you manage about creating canticles in addition to those powers associated with Patrons abilities ?

I will be happy to have your opinions on this point !

Thank you in advance !
Ar gwir c'hoarierien a daol diñsoù !
Jim Skach
Mighty-Thewed Reaver
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 4:42 pm
Location: Crystal Lake, IL

Re: In the case of a God being also a Patron...

Post by Jim Skach »

I would allow it - with modifications applied as appropriate for the specific situation (just making a rough estimate of power and such). But then, I made custom spells for the two Clerics in our group. They had access to certain ones from the book (that made sense), and then added ones that were more specific to the deities they chose.
Father Goose
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 59
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2021 2:19 pm
FLGS: N/A

Re: In the case of a God being also a Patron...

Post by Father Goose »

I am new to DCC, but not new to roleplaying games. So take this for what it's worth.
I like the idea of a powerful Patron being available for worship as a god, but not the idea of a god being a Patron.
Let me explain the distinction.
In my mind, a god is worshipped, in part, because they are entities of immense power.
Patrons, however (again, in my mind), are more powerful than mere mortals but not themselves all-powerful.
Therefore, gods grant boons as a reward for worship, but are not bound by a contract.
Patrons, however, are bound by a contract that is reciprocal in some fashion.
While the level of capriciousness can appear the same between the two when viewed through the eyes of we mere mortals, the mindset of the entities involved are different. A god knows it is all powerful, and deigns to reward mortals for its own purposes. A Patron aspires to such a lofty position and as such wears the trappings of the level they wish to attain.
What do these differences mean with regard to my views?
It means that a god will accept worshippers because it pleases it to do so and provides useful pawns to maneuver in the mortal realm, but has no need to bargain with a would-be sorcerer in exchange for praise.
A Patron, on the other hand, gains power in the mortal realm via bargains. Without such agreements, they are bereft of pawns in the Great Game played by ineffible beings. This does not preclude some mortal from trading worship for power, thereby treating the would be Patron as a diety (as a Cleric may).
This, in my mind, is why demigods can be Patrons. They are not yet full god's, but they aspire to be. Being a Patron, again in my mind, is a logical first step toward legitimate godhood.
I don't know if any of this clarifies the OP question, but I do hope it helps generate some thoughtful discourse.
User avatar
BaophraT
Hard-Bitten Adventurer
Posts: 131
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:17 am
FLGS: Rann sevenadurel ti Leclerc Kemper (a-barzh 2023)
Location: Breizh Izel

Re: In the case of a God being also a Patron...

Post by BaophraT »

I don't know if any of this clarifies the OP question, but I do hope it helps generate some thoughtful discourse.
Thank you for these interesting remarks, I just saw them ! I tend to agree on the whole. The problem is that I had created (when I started DCC) two gods / patrons. So I decided to keep them that way. The solution / explanation I found is that they are also gods related to the Elven Sylvan realm (the Milhendall forest). Very old and powerful entities who do not (systematically) refuse certain "contracts" with the Elves even if they remain true gods, especially in the eyes of humans who arrived later in the region. One of them is a god of forests and hunting (Irddail), the other a goddess of earth and springs (Yta). That said, for the other deities that I will develop, I will keep a clear difference between gods and patrons. I will be happy to have your views on the subject ... Thank you anyway !
Ar gwir c'hoarierien a daol diñsoù !
Post Reply

Return to “Magic and Spells”