From: v124pz9t@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (David Cheng, using Mark S Cheng's acct)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: RQ: Divine intervention
Date: 23 Nov 92 02:03:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

> 
>Would it be appropriate for the character in question to receive
>Divine Magic after the fact? The character lost 12 POW for his trouble
>and to avoid some pretty serious abuse I allowed him to receive the
>balance of the POW not spent on the combat in Divine Magic, again
>appropriate to the cult.
> 
>Comments? Criticism? Snide Remarks?
> 
>-- 
>Mark Gagnon (markg@prism.engrg.uwo.ca)  University of Western Ontario

Personally, I think this was a very appropriate way for you to grant
the DI.


As promised, here is the essay on Divine Intervention:

     In Wyrms Footnotes #12, Greg Stafford shares his views on DI in
the 
article "Divination and Divine Intervention."   Stafford addresses
what 
he sees as game abuses of DI, things like silly multiple attempts, 
teleporting out of danger, and restoring the dead to life.  I would 
like to suggest a different take on the question "what is the 
limitation of a god?".  Much like the rune power variant, I think that
the gamemaster should take significantly more responsibility to 
roleplay the way a deity answers a call for DI.
     Many players, and gamemasters alike, see Divine Intervention as a
miraculous cure-all.  It can teleport you out of trouble, it can raise
the dead, it can increase stats, et cetera.  I ask "How?".  How did 
Ernalda get the ability to Teleport her worshippers?  How does Magasta
restore life to a dead Orlanthi?
     A god's runic association, his "theme" if you will, determines
the 
kind of divine magic that god can grant.  I think the runes should
also 
constrain the Divine Interventions allowed.  Much as rune magic might
be seen as a "limited DI," Divine Intervention might be said to be 
"super rune magic."  The basic idea: use the god's spell lists (both 
divine and spirit) as a rough guide to the possible effects from DI.

Escaping Danger
     For example, I think that only Orlanth and Mastakos should be
able 
to Teleport their worshippers out of danger (or anywhere for that 
matter).  This is because only these two deities have the rune spell 
Teleport.  Other Mobility-rune gods might bestow a similar benefit.  
Perhaps worshippers of Issaries, Etyries and Lokarnos might pray and
be 
granted a super-mobility spell, to outrun their enemies.  Looking at 
spirit magic spells provided, I might suggest that any god who can 
teach the spell Mobility might be able to grant such a miracle.   
     What if the character doesn't worship a Mobility god?  Look at
the 
runes.  Look at the rune magic and spirit magic lists.  Use your 
imagination!  I might suggest variations on elementals and spirits.  
Ernalda could have the earth "swallow up" her worshipper, to be borne
to safety underground by a gnome.  Not necessarily far away, as
Ernalda 
is not a Mobility goddess; just to safety.  Air gods could have sylphs
carry an unconscious initiate away.  Sea gods could have an undine 
knock foes down, and "wash" the worshipper away to safety.  But, don't
be afraid to limit DI; the gods are not omnipotent!  If the Magastan
is 
in the middle of the Wastes, there can be no undines coming to his 
rescue.  It's his fault he is too far away for his god to reach.  
Magasta will have to think of something else.
     Minor gods are even less omnipotent.  They are usually too weak
to 
directly intervene in the world.  Often, the only DI they can grant is
to send a cult spirit, or a small elemental, to aid the worshipper in
need.  Cacodemon is a prime example: the only DI he offers is the 
appearance of one of his demonic Fiends.  

Resurrection & Healing
     I think a deity should only be able to restore life to one of his
or her own followers.  The god has no mystical link to other souls,
and 
thus cannot pull them from the path of the dead (An obvious exception
would be any Healing deities, who have special spells to do just this
sort of thing).  
     A related miracle is healing, usually in the middle of a battle.
An argument could be made that a god who has no healing magic, spirit
or divine, can't do it!  Admittedly, this could be pretty severe in a
game.  But, I'm not advocating game balance.  My intent is to keep the
gods within their spheres of influence, bound by the Great Compromise.
As an example, Wachaza doesn't offer his worshippers any healing
magic.  
But, to help a worshipper through a combat, he might bestow several 
points of Seastrength, Bladesharp, Coordination, and Mobility.  If the
praying Wachazan is already unconscious, then maybe he doesn't deserve
the patronage of Wachaza, and is better off dead.

Roleplay the Deity
     This is the underlying theme.  As gamemaster, you have to decide
what the deity thinks about this prayer for intervention, and how to 
respond.  
     In a DI situation, the god turns his attention toward the 
worshipper.  Note the contrast to what was said earlier about calling
for divine magic.  The god is not omniscient, so he probably only
knows 
what is in the mind of the praying worshipper, and any other 
worshippers in the immediate area.  Using this information only, the 
god, as played by the gamemaster, decides how to intervene.  The
player 
can make a specific request, but the ultimate authority about what 
happens rests with the gamemaster.
     Don't grant Interventions that don't fit the image of the god.  
Humakti or Storm Bulls who ask aid to escape from a combat should be 
laughed at, whether they make the DI roll or not!  Humakti and Storm 
Bulls who DI to be better fighters have the right idea, and should be
answered appropriately, if the roll is made of course.  Other, less 
violent gods are more prone to protect and shelter worshippers in
need.  
Just how they do this is up to you as well.


(PS:  Sorry about the poor paste).