Let's talk about Lacrymas' homebrew fantasy setting where paladins are eunuchs

[Larianshill]

No arcane, alright. What about clerics and druids? Why is the world not revolving around them instead?

 

[Harthwain]

So no wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, arcane tricksters, etc. I just don't think a setting in which arcane magic exists and isn't heavily regulated won't turn into a mageocracy at the first opportunity. Therefore, I decided to remove the cause instead of fighting the symptom. There are clerics and druids.

Hold on, no mages but druids, clerics and paladins are fine? How so?

 

[Lacrymas]

No arcane, alright. What about clerics and druids? Why is the world not revolving around them instead?

It kind of is, at least from the civilization the PCs most often come from. It is a theocracy, but not because they have powerful magic, they don't, but because it's a very strict and traditional society which more or less depends on the churches to survive. The churches don't become too powerful, however, because there are different churches which keep the others in check.

Hold on, no mages but druids, clerics and paladins are fine? How so?

First of all because I don't allow higher spell circles than 6 and that's ridiculously hard to achieve (character level 19), basically no-one has reached that. Second of all, the very strict dogmas don't allow the divine casters to use their powers for personal gain. They obviously do regardless, just not on as massive a scale as it's required to turn into a tyranny.

We actually played a one-shot in my setting last week and the players liked it a lot. I want to playtest it some more, though, so we'll play it again with different people. The first players also wanted me to continue the one-shot and create a "sequel" one-shot, so I'll do that too.

 

[Larianshill]

Why does the world depend on the churches and their traditions? What is it about them that lay authority can't offer?
Also, what edition are you playing?

 

[underground nymph]

Does castrated paladin automatically convert to a tranny? Jk.

Actually I’d gladly see this approach for one of the NPCs. Imagine romancefags butthurt.

 

[BarbequeMasta]

I would love to see a game where a bunch of faggy romance-bait companions are not romancaeable and the only fuckable character is someone who looks like Durance. The meltdown alone will be worth it.

 

[underground nymph]

Durance

I bet Durance likes being fisted

 

[Lacrymas]

Why does the world depend on the churches and their traditions? What is it about them that lay authority can't offer?
Also, what edition are you playing?

They control the source of healing basically. I haven't decided if they control anything else. Other people can try and rebel against this and control that themselves, but the churches have the most well-trained armies, Paladins among them. It is just how this society has constructed itself over time, nothing supernatural is stopping rebellion or coups. We are playing 5E.

Does castrated paladin automatically convert to a tranny? Jk.

Actually I’d gladly see this approach for one of the NPCs. Imagine romancefags butthurt.

I find it deliciously ironic the most charismatic of people are off-limits. That is not the only thing which puts the brakes on romantic or sexual relationships, though.

 

[Cael]

I would love to see a game where a bunch of faggy romance-bait companions are not romancaeable and the only fuckable character is someone who looks like Durance. The meltdown alone will be worth it.

Just have a guy with a bodybuilder physique and a vagina and watch the world suddenly catch fire.

 

[NJClaw]

Wait... did I just miss another episode of my favorite series Lacrymas Against the Codex?

Oh, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan. That's not fair!

 

[Larianshill]

They control the source of healing basically. I haven't decided if they control anything else. Other people can try and rebel against this and control that themselves, but the churches have the most well-trained armies, Paladins among them. It is just how this society has constructed itself over time, nothing supernatural is stopping rebellion or coups. We are playing 5E

So in order to prevent a spellcasting magocracy, you ended up with a spellcasting theocracy? What's the effectual difference between the two?
Also, how come 19 level character only know 5th circle spells? Did you change the way gaining spells works?

 

[BarbequeMasta]

I just can't understand how people achieving magical power through decades of hard work and study is faschist, but some deity giving random assholes similar power so they rule everyone isn't... Like I can understand disliking sorcerers and clerics and such classes where they powers essentially boil down to a gift ..... but Wizards are the literal opposit of anything faschist, unless you consider any learned a man a faschist...

 

[Lacrymas]

So in order to prevent a spellcasting magocracy, you ended up with a spellcasting theocracy? What's the effectual difference between the two?
Also, how come 19 level character only know 5th circle spells? Did you change the way gaining spells works?

Like I said, it's not because they can cast powerful spells, they can't because I have limited their power. It is a theocracy because it's a traditional society and that's how they've constructed their ideologies over time. Also because of this the churches have trained the best bodyguards/armies to protect their interests. There are other powerful factions, they just aren't the ruling class. And this is just one civilization, there is another one which I haven't fleshed out so well yet. There are also bandit groups etc. And yeah, I changed when the spell circles are gained, I staggered it.

 

[Lacrymas]

I just can't understand how people achieving magical power through decades of hard work and study is faschist, but some deity giving random assholes similar power so they rule everyone isn't... Like I can understand disliking sorcerers and clerics and such classes where they powers essentially boil down to a gift ..... but Wizards are the literal opposit of anything faschist, unless you consider any learned a man a faschist...

I only said it's fascy if they are born with superior genes which allow them to learn this craft. Clerics and Druids also learn their powers.

 

[Larianshill]

Like I said, it's not because they can cast powerful spells,

But you've just said the opposite. They control the only source of healing, which placed them on a central role of society. Over time, this lead to them gaining what sounds like a monopoly on violence. How is it different from, say, bloodlines of sorcerers ruling a kingdom - openly or from shadows - thanks to magic only they can do?

 

[Lacrymas]

Like I said, it's not because they can cast powerful spells,

But you've just said the opposite. They control the only source of healing, which placed them on a central role of society. Over time, this lead to them gaining what sounds like a monopoly on violence. How is it different from, say, bloodlines of sorcerers ruling a kingdom - openly or from shadows - thanks to magic only they can do?

No, there are other armies, militaries, and militias. The difference is the power of a sorcerer is singular and can not be taken away. No one Cleric/Druid in my setting has the power to rule based on magical ability alone. The churches keep each other in check and everyone can take that away from them. Their Paladins can also rebel.

 

[Larianshill]

Let's venture into the land of hypotheticals. Let's imagine a setting, in which wizards - limited in scope of ther magic - live in a city. There are multuple colleges of them with differing political views, but all of them occupy a central and important role thanks to magic they've learnt to use. Say, thanks to their incredible gift to create food and water in the land where the soil is very infertile. It's their numbers that make the wizards hold so much power in society, because one wizard - no matter how powerful - can only feed so many people. They are, of course, accountable to society at large.

Please explain to me how this premise is more disagreeable than yours.

 

[Lacrymas]

They create food and water nobody else can, so this "metaphysically" concentrates power to them, even if they can't alter reality like in D&D.

 

[Larianshill]

And how is it different from the power that allowed your clerics to get in power?

 

[Lacrymas]

And how is it different from the power that allowed your clerics to get in power?

Because everyone can control that power, it's just that this society has organized itself like this. Like I said, nothing metaphysical/innate/supernatural is stopping usurpers from taking control. Perhaps a campaign in my setting can revolve around such a rebellion attempt. This would stop the setting from feeling and being too static like in Forgotten Realms/Golarion/most fantasy settings.

 

[Larianshill]

What's stopping the society organizing itself the same way around arcane magic?

 

[Lacrymas]

What's stopping the society organizing itself the same way around arcane magic?

There is no arcane magic at all.

 

[Larianshill]

What's stopping the society organizing itself the same way around arcane magic in the hypothetical setting I described a few posts ere?

 

[Lacrymas]

Like I said, because arcane spellcasters create food and water. That inevitably concentrates power and nobody else can take that away from them. Which inevitably leads to a static setting and a tyranny which can't be toppled.

 

[Sarathiour]

What the fuck.