What is pantheon?

[Fullmetal660]

I've heard alot of people discussing this game, it sounds interesting but I have no idea what it is, would someone please elaborate?

[Damelon]

Rules are here: kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=534199#534199

Basically, each player is a deity. Not omnipotent, but with areas of strength. You try to attract followers to gain strength and have prophets as your mouthpiece in the world. Without one you have less of a chance of your people correctly figuring out your intentions. You, and your followers, interact with other deities and their followers. Not always nicely.

For more information, read the game thread.

[I'm Murrin]

Mgiht be best to dig around and find the Pantheon 1 threads, since the game was a little less complex back then.

[Fist and Faith]

I'm on my cell, so can't post links. But a few threads below is the Registration thread. The first post has a list of domains that can be chosen. God/dess of ___. And Xar is not terribly opposed to adding another, if you had a cool idea.

You use your divine power to act in your domain. The God of Love can increase or remove Love in the world's (Eiran) inhabitants. The God of Forests can grow or destroyTrees. The possibilities are as good as endless!

The strength of your divine power is determined by the number of worshipers you've managed to attract, and the strength of their faith.

[Menolly]

Because the concept was new to all of us, Xar explained it step by step in the Probing the Ground thread where he first proposed the game. It has changed slightly over three Ages, but the very basic concepts hold true.

[Fullmetal660]

It sounds fascinating and I kinda understand the main objectives but it sounds very confusing, I mean how does it work? How to you get worshippers etc? If someone would please explain in very, very simple steps. lol.

[Fist and Faith]

You start the game with100 followers. Throughout the game, you can gain more by proselytizing. Simply give your people orders to preach in your name, and give them some of your divine power to make it work better. Do this with your Prophet, and it will work even better.

But proselytizing is most effective in the beginning of the game. (And, in fact, some never bother with it at all.) Most followers come your way because you do things that naturally make Eiran's inhabitants follow you. If the God of Forests grew a Forest where there was desert, lots of people would say, "Whoa! That's some serious shit! I'm following him!" If one group of people was attacking another, and the Goddess of Fear made them run away in Fear, those who were about to be wiped out would likely turn to her worship. If she removed Fear from the inhabitants of a town, they'd probably be hers for life.

[Avatar]

It's 1000 followers you start with. And the actual mechanics (ie how many worshippers you get for what) are controlled by Xar, the DM.

It's a free-form open-ended roleplaying game, (like the old D&D games), that lets you do anything within a very basic framework of rules.

--A

[Fist and Faith]

Ignore the man behind the curtain. You start with 100.

[Avatar]

Oh damn, he's right. (Went and checked my stats record. )

--A

[Madadeva]

It sounds fascinating and I kinda understand the main objectives but it sounds very confusing, I mean how does it work? How to you get worshippers etc? If someone would please explain in very, very simple steps. lol.

If you've played Dungeons & Dragons its easier to understand.

As has been said ... [at a very high level] you make your moves trying to increase your followers (and those of your allies) and decrease those of your enemies. Your text (story) describes moves your are making. The number of moves you can make and the scope of those moves are related to your Divine Rank Power (DRP - in general influenced by your follower count). Other moves might occur randomly.

So for one move say you have 2 DRP and you are the god of Stone. You might say:

use 1 DRP to destroy trees (;) sorry Zeph!)
use 1 DRP to grow followers

Zeph might have used 1 of his DRP to say:

use 1 DRP to crush stone.

The Game Master (GM - Xar) may have randomly generated an event that impacts you (e.g., tidal wave hits your followers)

Essentially the GM rolls D&D Dice to determine results:

Were you successful destroying trees (and how successful)
Were you successful prostlyletizing (growing follower)
Was Zeph successful crushing stone
How many of your followers were killed by the tidal wave

The net results impact the final follower count you have that either grows or shrinks your power (DRP)

THEN ... the GM has to develop 'prose' that covers all the event results, and the interplay between dieties, and any broader story that he is working on. A LOT OF WORK!!

To put it into perspective, deities might have 6 to 12 events that THEY initiate.
A number impact other deities (so sometimes the DM has to go back and forth with more Dice rolls)
And 2 to 8 random events depending on the level of your deity

It is a lot of fun; a source of creative story telling; and a LOT of work for the GM (which explains why he is absent when the real world intrudes!)

BTW, multiply the above by the 20 or so deities we have and you have several hundred moves that the GM has to process every Turn.

Hope this helps!! Corrections welcome from my brother and sister deities!!

[Fist and Faith]

Oh damn, he's right. (Went and checked my stats record. )

Try to have some respect for your elders, willya?

[Dorian]

Basically mate, the main goal of the game is to keep yourself entertained till my anti-god, The Void, manages to conquer the entire pantheon and return everything to nothingness.

So you can do whatever you like in the meantime, just dont get high hopes

[Montresor]

It's a good question. What is Pantheon? Was I in this one? Don't remember...

[Fullmetal660]

Ahh, that shed a little light, and how would one go about applying to join this game?

[Montresor]

It's in limbo at the moment, and I think all the spare spots have well and truly been taken. There's always Syl's Purgatory game. You may want to check that out. In a couple of months, I'll be running a horror survival game, which anyone is welcome to join.

[Avatar]

Yeah...I'm afraid with 20 or so players, its all Xar can do to keep up even when he has time.

But definitely check out Purgatory.

(Another bordelands type thing Montresor? I might be up for it this time...)

--A

[Menolly]

I miss Borderlands, but I understand why it ended...

[Arcadia]

Purgatory game? Where have I been??????

Where is that?

[Avatar]

The "Purgatory" sub-forum of Gravin Threndor. You're just in time to register...as for where you've been...uh...preparing for motherhood?

--A