Pre-Introduction, Introduction

Hey Just a quick little bit of info on me. I was a long time RPG (table top) blogger that got burnt out over all the stupid neck beard drama. Hoping this will be a better home for my thoughts on everything gaming, plus a little Anarchy to boot....

A Council with Fallen Gods: Jhune of the North

I spent a good 3 or 4 years talking about all the things I love about RPG's mostly old school stuff like D&D 1e and a lot of the retro clones like Labyrinth Lord and Dungeon Crawl Classics. It was during this period also that I started down the path of being woke to the realization of the utter immorality of the Republican Party. I was a slowly realizing I had no home in the GOP. It wasn't long before the Libertarian Party caught my eye...and well a few months after that and I was fully invested in the ideals of Ancapistan.

That being said, let me give you a little example of what I use to write about all those years ago...

The follow is probably one of my favorite bits I wrote as a introduction to one of the many ideas of religion and magic, I have for my home-brewed campaign setting.

A calling of sorts, but not that it was to be misunderstood as such, when one is called by one of the waking gods of the earth one is to attend and address the nature of the call. This is what she did though, she had been called by Uthet the Forgotten one of the waking gods, the common gods of the world. They where neither as great as the star born gods, but not as small as the abundant gods of house, hearth and nature.

Jhune was what the men of the south may call a priestess but not so pompous or grand as the clerics of the great golden temples of the Hulion Gods. Jhune knew from a young age she would be called and had always seen into the little world that Edrinna called the Fast. It was here in the Fast that Uthet had called her,"Come Jhune" Uthet beckoned. Jhune was quick to announce to Edrinna of her calling by Uthet. She had laid the rite and prayed to the common gods for guidance and to discern as to the nature of Uthet's call. The house gods snickered and whirled about as they do at times, being mischievous and at times riotous. Kithkur the little god of thickets warned her, whispering,"Bewarned little woman, Uthet is a Fallen one, measure yourself and your morals when he beckons you." Jhune had little fear though, Uthet had little hold in the higher realms of man, what could a waking god do to her much less one of the Fallen. Edrinna had warned her just the same though, but it mattered little to Jhune she was no longer a pupil of Edrinna she held council in here own lodge now.

Jhune had gathered a few needed tools and totems to perform the rite, to guide here to Uthet, for as a waking god he dwelt partially on the higher realm of man. He would be bound though to some physical beast or place of this realm and Jhune would need to locate his foothold here. The rite was simple and Uthet was not far, a few days north into the woodlands. She would leave on the morrow, saying her final prayers to the little gods and invoking rites for the protection from the elements as winter would soon bring its cold hand upon her as she traveled north.

She arrived in a small clearing north of the Old One, a tree said to have been planted Umgar the Under the founder of her clan. It was a good place a place of honor and strength, she could see the little gods flutter about taunting a spirit of the snow, Jhune laughed at this. It was growing late however, and twice during her travels Uthet called her during her sleep. The rite was simple, Jhune checked and double checked her circles of protection, her totems and fetishes. All was prepared, Jhune smiled to herself, Uthet was an old god, one of the Waking Gods that saw the Star Gods forge the world, he was also one of the Fallen, but this did not frighten Jhune, she knew here strength and no Fallen could over power her.

Hours passed as Jhune sung her rites, the moon grew old over head, Jhune wondered if Uthet would come, she was a little annoyed. Common gods did this though, sometimes, to test those they called. Jhune would contiue the rite till sunrise and then break her fast, she would continue the next night. A rustle to her left starttled her, a man in animal skins stepped out into the fire light,"I heard your chants little one, why do you call on Uthet, he is Fallen." the man seemed to whisper as he spoke, even though Jhune heard every word. "I am Jhune, I commune for Rekkjar Village to the south, Uthet has called me, talked to me from the Fast." she responded, a little unnerved by the mans voice.

"Uthet is not to be treated so lightly child, it was good I saw your fires from my home." the man whispered once more. "I am no child, woodsman. I am ninth in my line, taught by Edrinna herself and I command the little gods of the world!" Jhune was annoyed know this rough woodsman knew little of her skill, her talents, who was he to chide her so?

"Your circle is flawed, at the Point of Herat and the Crux of the Sea you have invoked the wrong spirits even now they tear at you protection, foolish, child, very foolish." the man's voice seemed to change there, at the end, becoming more disturbing in its tone, he stepped forward towards her as a bit of panic raised in her stomach. Jhune fumbled for her knife, and the man drew closer, Jhune heard the crackle of power as the man stepped across the circle towards her. That should not have happened no mortal could cause a circle to react in such a way, "No." Jhune whispered as she realized what was happening, who this man really was, "but he was Fallen and a common god, they could not take such forms, not like this, not in this age." sh thought.

Uthet smiled,"Little girl, so prideful, so foolish, you are mine Daughter of Earth and Sky, I hold you, I bind you, you are mine." The roar of his whisper caused Jhune to cover her ears, she knew it was true, she would be bound to him, a puppet to his will, it was horrifying, she had failed.

New Spells:

Commune with Common God

Level: 2

Duration: See Below

Range: 100'

The duration of this spell is a number of turns equal to the casters level +6 turns. The Commune allows for the interaction of the otherwise hidden common gods. Common gods may or may not respond to the requests of the caster and may or may not require gifts or tasks to fulfill requests made of them. The spell requires that the caster be in a area of known common god dwellings and the caster must know the common gods name. See common god entry for more information on common gods.

New Creatures:

Common god*

No. Enc.: 1 (1d100)

Alignment: Various

Movement: 150' (50')

Armor Class: -2

Hit Dice: 7+10

Attacks: 3 (2 claws, bite)

Damage: 1d4+1/1d4+1/2d4

Save: F7

Morale: 12

Hoard Class: nil

XP: 1,000

Common gods of the North are related some believe to the fey of southern realms in Ganth. This may or may not be true as common gods are very powerful creatures and hold sway as much in the natural world as they do in the realms of man. Common gods represent the most common parts of nature and man, from pots and pans to bushes and trees everything has a common god that rules over it. This may seem a bit much but the common gods have very little to do with anything but what objects or natural elements they rule over. Common gods are ancient beyond understanding but as society develops new common gods are born. Common gods refuse to answers questions about their creation.

Common gods are invisible and ethereal but can change this at will. They can appear in any shape they will but always some hint is given as to the area the common god rules. Common gods are a source for answers and will answer questions about areas they rule or the nature of the Fast given that they are appeased correctly.

Common gods will always flee combat and if attacked will slip into the Fast. From that point on the Common god will do its utmost to enact revenge for the assault, from simple tricks and annoyances to out right attempts on the attackers life through trickery and manipulation of the elements the common god rules. It is very hard to gain the forgiveness of a common god but it can be done.

*Common gods in Ganth are used as a story telling element and truthfully shouldn't be used as common monster fodder. But hey I'm not telling you how to use them.