[Norseband] Rules for the Ćsir--help needed

[ISNorden]

Now that Norseband's alpha version is out, we're working on replacing the Valar with more appropriate gods. So far, I've figured out reasonable rules for two of them:

• Thor (besides being a thunder god) is also a monster-slayer and a protector of the common man; he's the closest Nordic parallel to ToME's version of Tulkas. He prefers human followers, but dislikes giants/trolls/half-trolls. (Warning to newbies: Thor also dislikes killing non-evil townsfolk!) I see Thor's priests as paladin-like, but with bonus access to Air and Nature magic--the two schools needed for the Thunderstorm spell.
• Ullr is a god of archery, hunting, and winter survival; he's got a vengeful streak but isn't outright evil. He doesn't mind players killing hostile animals, or using trees to create arrows--but does mind players damaging trees in other ways (fire and lightning attacks come to mind). He likes seeing other tree-killing creatures (like red dragons) destroyed; he especially likes players avenging dead ancestors (i.e., killing a monster that killed a previous character). He'd probably also give special bonuses for killing random-quest monsters--completing a hunt of sorts. I see Ullr's priests as a cross between Druids and Archers (more warlike than the former, but more magically skilled than the latter).

Still, I've got nine more Norse deities to go; can any of you suggest appropriate rules (likes, dislikes, abilities) for their followers? Here are the others that the game will include:

• Odin (prime creator god--associated with war, poetry and magic, especially rune magic)
• Tyr (another warrior god, but also associated with justice and law; he lost one hand while trying to bind the Fenris Wolf)
• Heimdall (watchman of the gods, known for his perceptive powers; also associated with light and with human social order, so he'd probably favor human followers)
• Njord (god of seafaring and trade; invoked for fair weather at sea, father to Freyr/Freyja)
• Freyr (god of fertility, peace, and prosperity; ruler of elvenkind; also associated with unarmed combat, since he killed a giant single-handedly that way. I could see Freyr protecting most breeders, so I'd probably script non-evil ones into being friendly--or at least neutral--to his followers!)
• Freyja (goddess of love, war, and magic; Freyr's twin sister; especially connected with mind-control, divination, and shape-shifting magic)
• Baldr (Odin's favorite son and successor after Ragnarok; "charisma incarnate", invulnerable to most attacks and friendly with most creatures)
• Hel (queen of the underworld, goddess of "ordinary" death and disease; ironically, she'd probably dislike undead appearing anywhere outside her world, considering them fugitives who needed to be brought home)
• Loki (god of chaos, deception and thieves--he may be one of the four end-bosses, but player characters can still worship him! Of course, they'd lose all piety and god-spell access for killing their own patron... )

Zop and I would appreciate any help you can offer with rules and/or spell lists for these nine; you'll get credits in the game documentation, of course!

[Nick]

Originally Posted by ISNorden

Still, I've got nine more Norse deities to go; can any of you suggest appropriate rules (likes, dislikes, abilities) for their followers?

If uninformed opinions are what you're after, then here are some:

Odin (prime creator god--associated with war, poetry and magic, especially rune magic)

Likes any killing, dislikes running away (I don't know how hard that would be to enforce).

Tyr (another warrior god, but also associated with justice and law; he lost one hand while trying to bind the Fenris Wolf)

Likes evil things being killed, but not good.

Heimdall (watchman of the gods, known for his perceptive powers; also associated with light and with human social order, so he'd probably favor human followers)

Priests should have excellent detection, perception and light-based spells.

Njord (god of seafaring and trade; invoked for fair weather at sea, father to Freyr/Freyja)

Likes players buying and selling a lot (kind of dull, but then he does seem like that )

Freyr (god of fertility, peace, and prosperity; ruler of elvenkind; also associated with unarmed combat, since he killed a giant single-handedly that way. I could see Freyr protecting most breeders, so I'd probably script non-evil ones into being friendly--or at least neutral--to his followers!)

Dislikes use of weapons, rewards you for being rich.

Freyja (goddess of love, war, and magic; Freyr's twin sister; especially connected with mind-control, divination, and shape-shifting magic)

Player should get good access to telepathy in some form, and increased resistance to things like blindness, confusion, hallucination, maybe fear.

Baldr (Odin's favorite son and successor after Ragnarok; "charisma incarnate", invulnerable to most attacks and friendly with most creatures)

Hmm, he sounds kind of dull too. Players worshipping him shouldn't get anything at all

Hel (queen of the underworld, goddess of "ordinary" death and disease; ironically, she'd probably dislike undead appearing anywhere outside her world, considering them fugitives who needed to be brought home)

Player should get increased ability to strike at the living and detect the undead, and maybe be less vulnerable to stunning, cutting, poisoning. Maybe dislike destroying of undead?

Loki (god of chaos, deception and thieves--he may be one of the four end-bosses, but player characters can still worship him! Of course, they'd lose all piety and god-spell access for killing their own patron... )

Player gets increased stealth, thieving powers, chaos magic, but has random stuff happen (good and bad).

Good luck with this - I think that putting effort into this sort of design early on will definitely pay off.

[darkdrone]

Originally Posted by ISNorden

Now that Norseband's alpha version is out, we're working on replacing the Valar with more appropriate gods. So far, I've figured out reasonable rules for two of them:

http://www.akasha.demon.co.uk/norse.htm

would this help ?

[ISNorden]

Originally Posted by darkdrone

http://www.akasha.demon.co.uk/norse.htm

would this help ?

If my browser didn't keep telling me it "cannot display the web page", it might.

[darkdrone]

Originally Posted by ISNorden

If my browser didn't keep telling me it "cannot display the web page", it might.

most odd!

try this : http://www.timelessmyths.com/norse/aesir.html

[Rizwan]

This also looks like a good site with links to others http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/mythology.html

[Narvius]

Thor's weapon is a hammer - his worshippers can't use bladed weapons as good as other people (Thor-Priests couldn't even WIELD swords).