Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)


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Crypt Cleanser

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Post Saturday, 5th February 2011, 14:59

Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

I find unfair that god Beogh can only appear when you play an orc, so they have an additional an own choice of worship. Beogh is cool. I find as well that gods should not be limited to one species or, better, to have other gods that only care for your species.

There are priests or some sort of acolytes among the dungeons species whose gods are defined as "unknown" in the game help. Only the god Beogh is accessible for the player as an orc but we don't know anything about the other ones.

What I propose is to extend the god Beogh concept to become part of a set of gods (racial gods) from which only one of them can appear in the game to be worship as a function of the species you are playing. The code for the god Beogh would have to be extended to other species with another name and some similar piety mechanisms. Granted powers can be discussed here.

As far as I know we have:

orc priests of Beogh, and

deep elves priests
draconian zealots
spriggan druids (one killed me once) :(

Someone else I am missing?

As for monsters in the dungeon would be interesting to have some merfolk priest of some deep water god (suggestion: a white m) and more presence of deep dwarves with some priest class included.

In summary, the set of racial gods I can define by now are for elves, draconians, spriggans, dwarves and merfolk. Some races like centaurs, kobolds or minotaurs also can have a proper one.

Other races like undead shouldn't have a particular one or as an alternative, to become servant of a fiend.
duvessa wrote:Christ, you can't remove anything without tavern complaining about it.

Dungeon Master

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Post Saturday, 5th February 2011, 15:39

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

Sorry for spraying water, but this will most likely not happen.

When we decided to actually carry out the orc god idea, there were major reasons behind this: an orc god helps to distinguish the orc branch from other branches, as well as the orc player species from somewhat similar species, and provides theme/background to monster orcs. Note that orc bands and especially orc priests (with their smiting) occur very early and are well known even to players who don't see runes regularly. On top of that, there was the additional fun to give orcs a saviour-like messiah, something that comes up in human history... (the fun is that orcs are often depicted as inferior to humans). And I derived some sophisticated satisfaction from the fact that the player orc is a Hill Orc whereas monster orcs are Cave Orcs. (The saviour coming from outside the cult, e.g. across the sea, is not uncommon in human history; cf. the South American cults, for example.)

I don't think there is any other species where you'll get a cool combination like this. Also, since orcs come in bands, we made Beogh the god of permanent allies. You will need a different theme for each new god. That's not so easy to achieve.

However, there are ideas for a god of intervertebraes. Which include insects and spiders.

Snake Sneak

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Post Saturday, 5th February 2011, 15:44

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

I think it would be more interesting to add gods that can be worshipped by anyone, but especiall like one or a few of the races. E.g. a god of deep water who really likes merfolk and gives them additional bonuses or is easier to gain/maintain piety with if you're a merfolk.

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Post Saturday, 5th February 2011, 15:53

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

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Crypt Cleanser

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Post Saturday, 5th February 2011, 16:06

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

Hmm , well I see now the history behind. Nothing to argue then.
Indeed I prefer to have gods available to many races so Beogh its more like a curiosity among them.
duvessa wrote:Christ, you can't remove anything without tavern complaining about it.
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Swamp Slogger

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Post Monday, 7th February 2011, 03:04

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

Roderic wrote:Hmm , well I see now the history behind. Nothing to argue then.
Indeed I prefer to have gods available to many races so Beogh its more like a curiosity among them.


Yeah i think its so that people can say that they played as an Orc Jesus.
It looses its effect if you can do it with everyone.
(Centaur Priest of Beogh?)

Snake Sneak

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Post Monday, 7th February 2011, 15:57

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

Beogh does appear in non-orc character runs. You just can't worship him.

Snake Sneak

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Post Monday, 7th February 2011, 19:13

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

Centaurs seem to be considered poor cousins today. A god for them alone might be worth discussing. Perhaps it would have a hunger- sort of ability, or a one-shot gift of barding. He/she/it Could offer centaur followers including sheep and yaks?
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Vestibule Violator

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Post Monday, 7th February 2011, 21:07

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

jackalKnight wrote:Beogh does appear in non-orc character runs. You just can't worship him.


Non Orcs should totally be allowed to worship Him. You start under penance for not being an Orc, and spend the whole game trying to atone for your racial failures. If successful, you'll be one of the privileged few allowed into Orc heaven to serve your betters. :lol:
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Vestibule Violator

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Post Monday, 7th February 2011, 21:32

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

Even better - the whole game is spent under Beogh punishment! He just hates your non-orcish guts.

Mines Malingerer

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Post Monday, 7th February 2011, 22:02

Re: Racial gods for Crawl species (Beogh-like)

danr wrote:Even better - the whole game is spent under Beogh punishment! He just hates your non-orcish guts.
That would actually be pretty fun. Just give all orc monsters a small chance to be Neutral when they first see you, and leave the level like Elvy without giving you any piety. :P

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