Arkati? No thanx.

[Hasina]

I personally could never understand why Gemstone was so limited in religions. You either follow the Arkati or you don't. Having many Gods to choose from is certainly no subsitute for having more than one religion to pick from.

As a Cleric, I find it limiting. I don't really like any of the Arkati. Hell, I've even started to ramble about my own religion (even though I am too lazy to try to create one). I really don't enjoy being forced into worshipping the Arkati.

I just don't understand why there can't be a religion that focuses on wisdom, inner-power, and nature. That would be ideal for me. Something more Buddhist rather than Pagan (Which is the way the Arkati is set up now... to a certain extent).

Anyways. I just want to know, is anyone else unhappy with the spiritual limitations of gemstone.

yep.

[Edaarin]

Could always pick Other...my warrior is. He's (much like me) completely ignorant of any knowledge pertaining to Arkati.

heh The Edine worships himself... he thinks hes above arkati go figure

[peam]

If anyone wants to start an alternate religion, particuarly a creepy cultish one, let me know. I've a halfling sorcerer who'd be game.

[Hasina]

i am thinking of proposing a new religion. Not a cult type.. But something to be taken serious. i guess I'll keep you guys posted here, maybe you can give me feedback

[Reyek]

I heard of someone getting warned for OOC for saying they dont believe the the Arkati. and another warning for saying Koar is a whimp. heh go figure.

[Hasina]

Well, its true that the implimentation of a new religion would be difficult, especially when pretaining to the clerical profession since most of our spells have an arkati theme. But as a role-playing game, Gemstone hardly attends to social, political, and cultural needs. I believe that it would be best if the game focused more on the over-all development of culture in the game rather than using short storylines which follow the cliche "good vs evil" theme.

As a player, especially as a cleric, I feel extremely limited in my options... and I do not pay good money to be barred from my potential. Because the gamemasters are so busy with programming non-sense details (such as a new food system), I think it is really up to the players to get involved in the cultural, particularly the spiritual aspects of gemstone.

What I would like to see is a religion that focuses more on nature, wisdom, and balance. Something that anyone from a Halfling cleric to a Faendryl sorcerer could follow. A neutral religion.

And hopefully, when I have time, I can start to set down some more specific guidelines.

[Slider]

Would be nice it they gave a more detailed idea of what each Arkati's goals are,their outlook, and veiw on other Arkati as well. As is, we are very limited in how we play worshipping a diety, because of that lack of information. As it stands, we are given a very general idea as to what each Arkati beleives in and who he/she is related too, but little else.

To play an effective follower of a particuler Arkati, we need more specific ideas about the Arkati themselves. And Simu has been promising for roughly forever to give it to us, but as usual, it gets bumped for more important things (like food) Would like to see something along the lines of a "Holy Book" for each Arkati, giving the tenents of the faith forr each one. Something ambiguos enough to allow for argument or leeway, but specific enough to give us an idea of how each Arkati expects his worshipors/followers to behave.

They also need to tie the diety worshipped by each character more closely into the new friend or foe system if it is ever implemented. For instance, a cleric of Andelas should not be attacked by feline species unless he attacked them first.

I have always thought that the idea of a follower of a prominent good aligned Arkati, behaving along the lines of a fanatic would be a fascinating character to play. Someone who veiws enemies as something to be "purged" to save them (for their own good of course) from the influence of an evil diety. But who would also veiw followers of his own Arkati who where not as devout as he, as enemies as well. Not an evil character per se, but one who will never make a compromise, or allow anything to stand in the way of his interpretation of what his Arkati demands of his followers. Something along the line of the priests involved in the Inquisition. Maybe someday...

[Edited on 2-9-2004 by Slider]

[Overlord]

The last huge involvement of the Arkati that i remember was really the griffon sword saga. But hell that was what almost a good year ago? Seems we're overdue for some Arkati Action

[Vesi]

One of my characters follows a certain Arkati. She also claims there are sacred springs near the home where she grew up. She has gotten visions there that, over her life, changed her personal behavior. She just accepts they have been a constant in her life and her Arkati worship and the sacred spings are two seperate things that add to the spiritual side of her. Also works great when I take some time off from the game. She tells people when she gets back she went to visit the springs.

Vesi

[Overlord]

Some people really are crazy :D

[crazymage]

:moon:

[Artha]

Arkati are undeniable, as they are directly, personally involved occasionally. You may choose to not worship them (proper elves, faendryl, and dhe'nar), but even they acknowledge their existence.

[Galleazzo]

YOu know they're never going to do a Holy Book for each Arkati. They've been spinning their wheels for 15 years, so the players have been making things up, and no matter WHAT they do they'll have 85% of the devout player base on their asses. No upside to it.

That being said. Limiting? Lord liftin' Jesus, that's like saying GS is limited because I can't play a starship trooper or a Wild West Cowboy or a Mafioso. They got a game world and they put gods in it. Quite a lot of them. Of course they're not gonna let everyone invent their own god.

You play the game that;s there.

[peam]

If I want to follow a non-existant diety or an all encompassing God in game, you can bet I will.

To not do so is practically giving way to communism.

[Edited on 2-11-2004 by peam]

[Galleazzo]

Hey, you can RP whatever you like, no prob. Want to claim that your powers come from Mumbo-Jumbo God of the Congo? You pay the same $ I do to play, go for it.

But we all get to call you a nutcake IC for it.

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by peam
If anyone wants to start an alternate religion, particuarly a creepy cultish one, let me know. I've a halfling sorcerer who'd be game.

No such thing Peam...

All sorcerers are supposed to be dark elves. Did you NOT get the memo?

[Hasina]

Originally posted by Galleazzo
YOu know they're never going to do a Holy Book for each Arkati. They've been spinning their wheels for 15 years, so the players have been making things up, and no matter WHAT they do they'll have 85% of the devout player base on their asses. No upside to it.

That being said. Limiting? Lord liftin' Jesus, that's like saying GS is limited because I can't play a starship trooper or a Wild West Cowboy or a Mafioso. They got a game world and they put gods in it. Quite a lot of them. Of course they're not gonna let everyone invent their own god.

You play the game that;s there.

What they offer is one type of religion. And all clerics are bound to the arkati. Failure to convert to one will result in weaker spells (take option 999 and smite).

I just think that there should be more options in the game. There is a large population to gemstone... Cultural development is a key factor in encouraging good role-playing. I think gemstone focuses a bit too much on combat.

Other games, such as inferno, have more in-depth character systems. Anything from multiple ways to gain experience rapidly to ways to change your alignment and have it visible.

Of course, I love gemstone, but I'd also love to see gemstone expland culturally. And it is true, Gemstone is limiting.

Think of this. How many Faendryl are there in Gemstone? How many are hardcore role-players of Faendryl? How many of them want to get involved with Ta'Faendryl and the government and things? How many of them can?

it might not be the best example, but what I am saying is, groups get ignored. People get ignored. They offer two options for everyone just about. Role-play what we have set up or don't.

And the society of the game is limiting. People can alter akarti on their clothing, but if you bring up a new symbol for a new religion.. everyone refuses to meet your demands. I mean, there are many depths to this game and this issue. All of which I do not have time to address in explict detail.

[Galleazzo]

Problem is that you're still dealing with a game world. You come play in my tabletop game world, you're stuck with the gods I have in the world. You can't invent a new one just because you don't like the choices you have. (Well you CAN, ain't nothing says you can't be a charlatan.)

You could say, just as reasonably, that you hate how limited the races are, so you think Simu ought to let you play a cat person or a dragon.

It'd make a lot more sense for Simu to develop the culture it has rather than let anyone invent anything they want and have it be equally valid. That's chatroom RPGing.