Pavis & Big Rubble Companion: The Directors' Cut Relaunch

[Ian A. Thomson]

2 minutes ago, metcalph said:

Gagarth would work at a pinch if you added a local hero to it to account for their unusual ways. 

I pondered Gagarth, but isn't he quite mad and bloodthirsty? Can you please say a bit more about your idea of the local hero aspect?

Argan Argar would be a good idea if I didn't already have him established as a city ally

I have general questions around cult worship and relations to criminal deities

Actually in Pavis City, second or third generation people could worship Pavis and (secretly) Gagarth or Lanbril, so that's something to ponder

But maybe this large chunk of the EWF refugees I am considering would have simply worshipped their ancestors or some local city god back in the EWF as their cover for being Lanbrilli, and then just switched to Pavis on arrival

[Joerg]

54 minutes ago, Ian A. Thomson said:

Cults of the EWF

Wondering if anyone has any ideas...

I would like to add 1 or 2 more cults to the chapter in the Rough Guide to Pavis City. I would specifically like to provide at least one cult capable of supporting worshippers who are not particularly honorable. Not direct criminal deities, but I would like to find someone (possibly Storm Pantheon) who is perhaps an urban deity associated with larger cities. A deity that was prevalent back in the Second Age when many large cities existed, and may or may not be unknown in the Third Age.

I have some narrative issues with using Orlanthi, Odaylans etc as being the gods worshipped by tough urban types. I guess that it could be one of the faces of Lanbril that is posing as a more regular kind of deity at this time and not known as a thief. 

I know though that Orlanthi can and do fight each other and steal from each other, so I may be overthinking it. Could the Pavis City underclass be Orlanthi/Desemborthi? I feel there is an issue with stealing from/mugging your neightbour a few streets away if they worship the same cult and attend the same ceremonies

The reason for considering two new cults is that they could then also be rivals in the same district. My conception of Pavis City at this time is that it a large proportion of its population are traditionalist refugees from the EWF's ongoing crackdowns, but these would also include scum from the cities who are criminals or just low-lives, who are evading the law and rightful prosecution etc

So I guess I will also create a Lanbril version, but would like to find at least one Storm Pantheon deity to use too

Welcoming ideas or questions

The city of Pavis was ruled by a slightly modified horse warlord dynasty in the style of Dawn Age Dara Happa (e.g. Vuranostum). Having an underground Orlanth- ish cult makes sense.

Do you want to give the cult a draconic slant similar to the dragon version of Orgorvale in the GM-screen book? Something that might mesh with the throne dragon of Murharzarm on the Gods Wall?

[Nick Brooke]

Orlanth Adventurous fits the bill. Think about his myths with Yelm: this is an outsider, shunned by polite society, who wanders into someone else's city (civilisation), nicks its stuff (concubines, sovereignty, etc.) and eventually shanks the mayor (emperor), looting the place and setting himself up as King of the Rubble with a bunch of violent pillagers working for him. (And then everything goes to pot because that's no way to run a city/civilisation/universe.)

[Akhôrahil]

1 hour ago, Nick Brooke said:

Orlanth Adventurous fits the bill. Think about his myths with Yelm: this is an outsider, shunned by polite society, who wanders into someone else's city (civilisation), nicks its stuff (concubines, sovereignty, etc.) and eventually shanks the mayor (emperor), looting the place and setting himself up as King of the Rubble with a bunch of violent pillagers working for him. (And then everything goes to pot because that's no way to run a city/civilisation/universe.)

Any Orlanthi: "There's nothing dishonorable in any of this."

[Akhôrahil]

2 hours ago, Ian A. Thomson said:

I pondered Gagarth, but isn't he quite mad and bloodthirsty? Can you please say a bit more about your idea of the local hero aspect?

Gagarth is just the absolute worst outside of Chaos. This isn't just a bit dishonorable, it's complete sociopath territory.