Godlikes and the Gods

[Luckmann]

I'm bored, so let's see if we can do some constructive theorycrafting or use our imaginations for a moment. And by ours, I mean yours. And by we I also mean you. In fact, nevermind, I want you to use your imaginations for a moment.

There are currently 5 different godlike types in the game, out of which 4 are playable. Each godlike is associated with a divine power or deity, and we know (more or less) which is which.
 

Avianlikes, blessed by Hylea.

Firelikes, blessed by Magran.
Naturelikes, blessed by.. Galawain?

Deathlikes, blessed by Rymrgand.. I guess.
Moonlikes, blessed by Ondra.

But there are many more gods, and, presumably, more godlikes.

What would a Godlike of Eothas be like? Unsatisfied with my previous game as a deathlike bleak warden, mostly because there's not nearly enough reactivity to my background (Aristocrat) and the fact that I'm a godlike (not even Pallegina mentions it, it seems; I was hoping to get some extra convo at least, we're both Paladins and we're both Godlikes, what the hell?! Q_Q), and the fact that Bleak Walkers turned out to just be blackguards by any other name, I decided to play a female human priestess of Eothas, to see if I can bro it out with Edér, get some interesting stuff out of Durance (my second choice would've bene a priestess of Magran, a fiery whore), and things like that.

It wasn't even acknowledged at the beginning of the game, I was hoping to be able to tell Calisca I was there to spread the faith or whatever, but I'm drifting, I tend to do that, sorry.

So I asked myself what a godlike of Eothas would look like, or be. And what happened to them after the Godhammer? I can't imagine that there are any in Dyrwood that wouldn't get constant **** flung their way, but let's ignore that - after all, I should've gotten **** for being a Deathlike, too.

And then I asked myself, what would other Godlikes look like? What would they be? What would they be influenced by? Some are pretty obvious, the ones we already have. Magran is a goddess of fire, so, firelikes. Onda, moon and water, so moonlikes. Galawain, which we assume gave us naturelikes, all about the nature (although animalesque forms could also fit Galawain).

But how would a godlike of Eothas be characterized? Eothas is the God of Light and Redemption, so.. something sunny that isn't fiery?

Abydon, God of Crafting and the Forge?
Berath, God of Cycles, Doors and Death?
Skaen, God of Secret Hatred, Resentment, and Violent Rebellion?
Wael, God of Dreams, Secrets, Mysteries, and Revelations?
Woedica, Goddess of Law, Memory, Rightful Ruleship, and Vengeance?
 

How do you characterize a humanoid around the concept of doors, or law?

 

Theories? Ideas?
 

Edited April 10, 2015 by Luckmann

[Longknife]

Woedica Godlike would just be born with the hairstyle and makeup (though permanent) of a member of the band KISS, because Woedica is metal as ****.

[illathid]

Well I'd imagine Eothasian Godlike to be kinda like Aasimar in D&D, goldenskin, etc. Can't think of anything that would keep them from wearing a helmet though...

 

Also, are we sure Deathlikes aren't blessed by Berath? I'd imagine something more cold based for Rymrgand.

 

Abydon godlike would look like pyramid head? :D

Skaen godline would be Effigy juniors?

 

No idea for Wael or Woedica, but I'm not too far along in the game so that could change.

[Rosveen]

I thought deathlikes were Berath's too.

 

Abydon is also associated with machines, golems in particular. Something in this direction?

Wael is the eyeless face, but also he who sees. So either something shrouded, maybe literally eyeless with uncertain features, or alternatively: more eyes than normal and in strange places.

[Malovane]

 

1. Abydon, God of Crafting and the Forge?

 

I'd probably represent with various configurations of armor blends within the face and crown of the head. (+3 DR to pierce, bludgeon, slash, +5 fire resist)

 

2. Berath, God of Cycles, Doors and Death?

 

i had thought death godlike was Berathian, but perhaps not. Would be entertaining if the head continuously shifted age  - and I would imagine confusing for the enemy when they're fighting someone with a baby head. (Casts confusion and terror 2 times per rest)

 

3. Skaen, God of Secret Hatred, Resentment, and Violent Rebellion?

 

Tough one. No ideas atm.

 

4. Wael, God of Dreams, Secrets, Mysteries, and Revelations?

 

Shifting luminescent tattoos of lost scripts, heiroglyphs, and incomprehensible schematics. A third eye. Lore bonus, and maybe a dazing spell (with a chance to sleep/prone).

 

5. Woedica, Goddess of Law, Memory, Rightful Ruleship, and Vengeance?

 

Probably best represented with runic stone. Give them some hammer of justice spell a couple times per rest.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Malovane

[Rosveen]

5. Woedica, Goddess of Law, Memory, Rightful Ruleship, and Vengeance?

 

Probably best represented with runic stone. Give them some hammer of justice spell a couple times per rest.

 

Runic stone what? They look like a runic stone?

 

Your take on Wael's mysteries is interesting, though.

[Jasta11]

I thought Death Godlikes were Berath, myself.

 

Anyway;

 

Abydon: No idea. Part machines perhaps? Medieval Adam Jensen?

Rymrgand: Entropy Godlikes, with frost features and such. That one's easy.

Skaen: He seems to like blood a lot. So Bloody Godlikes, similar to smaller effigies perhaps. Maybe harder to spot because it's the Quiet Slave.

Wael: No idea. Invisible Godlikes? Godlikes with loads of eyes? Perhaps in the wrong places because Wael is secretly a troll?

Woedica: I can only imagine something really hardcore. Vengeance Godlikes with big horns and claws and such. 

[Malovane]

 

5. Woedica, Goddess of Law, Memory, Rightful Ruleship, and Vengeance?

 

Probably best represented with runic stone. Give them some hammer of justice spell a couple times per rest.

 

Runic stone what? They look like a runic stone?

 

Your take on Wael's mysteries is interesting, though.

 

 

Just a head with humanoid features made of stone, set with runes/text. Law is set in stone. Rulership is based in stone (forts, keeps, and castles). Just seems stone based to me intuitively, that's all.

[RedSocialKnight]

I actually think the existing Nature godlikes might be the Eothasian ones -- are they ever explicitly tied to Galawain in the game? 

 

Eothas is the god of new light, yes, but also of growth, spring, and farmers. Except for the horns (and all godlike have horns or spikes of one kind or another) all the nature-y features of the godlikes are based on green plants -- and there's nothing in the lore I'm aware of that connects Galawain to that side of nature. He is all about animal predation, so I would expect his godlikes to be beastmen of some kind.

 

Like someone else said, I would guess that Death godlikes are associated with Berath, not Rymrgand, since Rymrgand's icongraphy is mostly ice and cold rather than darkness.

 

And I feel like Skaen's godlikes would just look like regular people -- like their master, they would hide their true nature and their hate. Which would mean ... maybe we're all Skaen godlikes.

[Emptiness]

I was a little disappointed by the number of godlike npcs to be found in the world (and no explanation of why there are a ton of the playable four but only the one avian to be found), and by the almost complete lack of reactivity of the game to a pc godlike's race (and race in general).  It's not a serious issue, and it doesn't ruin the game for me, but I did come away from the pre-release hype with a different impression of how race was going to factor into the game than the game actually delivers.

 

As for a godlike of Eothas, my theory is that we know exactly what one would look like, and no one is eager for there to be another.

 

A godlike of Skaen would probably look completely normal, on the outside.  Hard to embody secret hatred when you wear a symbol of it permanently bonded to your head.

[Luckmann]

For Deathlikes and Naturelikes, it isn't explicitly said which god they originate from, but for Deathlikes, I figured that Rymrgand was the originator, because Berath appears to be more about the cycle of life and death, the passing, rather than death or decaying itself. Dying and the inevitability of dying, rather than Death or being dead, if that makes any sense.

Naturelikes being of Eothas did occur to me, due to Eothas appearing also as Gaun, a god very close to nature, but naturelikes feel more like untamed nature than Gaun would suggest. Gaun is a figure of rebirth, and depicted as a farmer with a sickle and a lantern. I would expect him to be more about the season harvests and the sowing, rather than nature in itself; the passage of time, cyclical death and rebirth, and the bounty of the sun and land.

It is really impossible to say whether I'm right on this or not, so any arguments as to where Deathlikes and Naturelikes originate from are welcome, but my bet is still on Rymrgand and Galawain, however, Galawain is easily the most imperfect bet of mine, because I would expect him to have something more feral, more animalistic; he is the god of the hunt, and the patron of explorers and so on - he does not actually strike me as very bound to nature as an abstract concept, and certainly not to the wood-like, undbound, druidic look of the naturelikes.

[PhroX]

I'm pretty sure I remember a death godlike in game referring to himself (and my character, who as also one) as being cursed by Berath or some similar wording.

[InsaneCommander]

You guys beat me saying it, the Godlikes of Gods of secret would look just like ordinary people.

 

Btw I was wondering if Pallegina had feathers instead of hair (if you know what I mean) and then I spoke with Hiravias and he asked me something even more disturbing.

[Varana]

Is it even sure that the Godlikes actually have anything to do with specific gods (or the gods at all)? Or is it just superstition or a kind of after-the-fact explanation people give for their existence?

They are said to be blessed/cursed by the gods - but whether that's really the truth, and how, is IMHO not sure.

[RedSocialKnight]

Is it even sure that the Godlikes actually have anything to do with specific gods (or the gods at all)? 

 

I haven't yet encountered this myself, but I understand that at one point

Pallegina gets to have a conversation with Hylea

. I imagine that at least clarifies the question a bit even if you don't get a final answer.

[Yenkaz]

Abyden: Agree on partial metal/armor head.

 

Berath: I think Death godlikes may be this, maybe not? If you're death godlike and go to the "Ruler of a Barren Land" he greets you as a blessing of Berath. There is also the random encounter mentioned earlier.

 

Rymrgand: Frost or bone?

 

Wael: I like the idea of the face simply being vague. Those who look upon them can see them clearly, but they can't properly process it, and when asked to describe them either find themselves unable or give wildly different descriptions.

 

Woedica: Let them have faces resembling the masks used by the worshipers or cloak-like features.

 

Skaen: Their eyes are always visible yet always deformed. All those who look upon them see a face of resentment, despite the temperament of the godlike and even if the godlike isn't really looking at them.

[Emptiness]

Is it even sure that the Godlikes actually have anything to do with specific gods (or the gods at all)? Or is it just superstition or a kind of after-the-fact explanation people give for their existence?

They are said to be blessed/cursed by the gods - but whether that's really the truth, and how, is IMHO not sure.

 

There is one instance in-game that I know of which supports the idea that godlikes, or at least some godlikes, are in fact touched by or the product of the action of a specific god.  Even that one is subject to interpretation, however.

 

 

Take Pallegina into a conversation with Hylea to see the interaction to which I'm referring.

 

 

Edit: Oh, I missed that RedSocialKnight already said essentially the same thing.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Emptiness

[Kai]

Somehow, I imagine a godlike associated with Rymrgand being frostlike, sort of the an ice version of a fire godlike. That leaves death godlike free and they would fit with Berath.

 

A godlike from Abydon would have golem and armor features in their appearance.

 

Agree with some others that someone from Wael would just be an ordinary person, with some extraordinary and subtle ability. Like maybe being able to find hidden things easier, or a bonus to stealth or an amazing ability to lie?

 

Someone from Skaen would be corroded and scarred, looking more ghoul or zombielike.

[Rosveen]

They might not manifest as something obviously related to any deity, but I don't think they can look ordinary.

 

"There are only two constants for godlike. First, the shape of their heads is distinctly and obviously unlike any other kith. It’s virtually impossible for them to conceal their nature without drawing an enormous amount of attention. Second, godlike limbs are always covered in some sort of growth (scales, feathers, talons, etc.) or energy that is also obviously not like other kith. It doesn’t prevent them from wearing clothing of any sort, but if their limbs are exposed, their nature is obvious to anyone who sees it."

 

From their physical description, this part is the most interesting because it talks about things we haven't seen in the game:

 

Skin: Skin tones sometimes come from the mother and father, but often are completely unnatural or blend into some sort of unnatural growth (e.g., moss, feathers, etc.). In many cases, godlike skin is completely unnatural, looking like it is made of water, fire, gold, or some other seemingly impossible material. Substances like fire or water have a realistic appearance, but do not burn or transfer moisture. Like many aspects of godlike physiology, their seemingly supernatural attributes defy commonly understood physical truths.

[Sylvanpyxie]

When I imagine a kith blessed by Skaen I think... Scars. Horrific, disfiguring, scars.

Abydon. Metal, layers and layers of metal, at least they'd get a built in helmet!

Don't ask me why, but I think Wael and his secrets, I think the removal of a mouth. Like literally, no mouth. Not practical, but it's what I imagine.

Godlike of Eothas? I imagine sunbeams. Like, Moon only.... Warmer.

 

 

These are just the things that came to me, stopping to think on it for a moment. Btw, on the subject of Moon godlike... Do we know who they're blessed by?

Edited April 10, 2015 by Sylvanpyxie

[Yenkaz]

Moon godlikes: Ondra by all accounts.

[illathid]

When I imagine a kith blessed by Skaen I think... Scars. Horrific, disfiguring, scars.

Abydon. Metal, layers and layers of metal, at least they'd get a built in helmet!

Don't ask me why, but I think Wael and his secrets, I think the removal of a mouth. Like literally, no mouth. Not practical, but it's what I imagine.

Godlike of Eothas? I imagine sunbeams. Like, Moon only.... Warmer.

 

 

These are just the things that came to me, stopping to think on it for a moment. Btw, on the subject of Moon godlike... Do we know who they're blessed by?

 

Like Luckman says in the OP, Ondra makes sense to me.

[gkathellar]

Death Godlike are experts on hastening the end for those closest to it, which seems very Berathian to me.

 

As for Nature Godlike, I don't think they fit with Galawain, but I also don't think they match Eothas.

 

Here's my idea for Skaen - Torment/Slavery Godlike

 

Skaen is usually subtle, but since Godlike are anything but, I think he would go all out on the visual horror and the slavery. Godlike would bear the marks of torture and slavery, I think. Their flesh would seem superficially scarred, as if by the lash, and would be entirely absent in places. Bloody pustules and pools would seem to be just under the skin - Skaen is tied to blood, after all. Their skulls and cartilege would be superficially deformed by violence, giving them the appearance of cracked eye sockets, broken jaws, rent ears and crushed noses. Perhaps they would be decorated with horns and protrusions resembling bits, blinders, or other devices of slavery and torture. The limbs would almost certainly seem rent and twisted by the rack and the lash.

 

The Quiet Slave is about resentment for the powerful, and his godlike are no different. As the Torment Godlike are hurt, their blood and hatred fills the air with poisonous, weakening fumes that dull the minds and slow the bodies of their enemies (especially if those enemies are in good health).

[InsaneCommander]

Interesting posts. Maybe the Gods don't really care about Godlikes and they would be born with related characteristics even if unpractical. A fire Godlike isn't necessarily a Magran priest, so a Skaen or Wael Godlike wouldn't need to hide.

 

@Gkathellar that is a nice description for Skaen's Godlikes.

[Luckmann]

Let's be clear on this, we know that Moonlikes are Ondra, that Avianlikes are Hylea, and that Firelikes are Magran.

But Deathlikes and Naturelikes are unknown, the two in the OP were just my guessed based on the latter mentioned rationale. I fully agree that neither Galawain or Eothas - as Gaun - feel entirely appropriate for Naturelikes, and the jury is very much out on whether Deathlikes are Berath or Rymrgand, but when PhroX mentioned it, I also have this very vague recollection of someone referring to Berath in relation to Deathlikes. If anyone could confirm, that'd be great.

If Deathlikes really are blessed (or Cursed) by Berath, I'd expect Rymrgand to, as "the beast of winter", create Cold- Ice- or Frostlikes. Large, icy growths, icy, frost-covered skin, almost transparent, with the veins underneath visible, their blood blue. Constantly, slowly dripping water as if melting, but never actually melting, in warmer climates.

That being said.. I'm still not sure on Berath, it would be odd, because Berath is all about the deciding of who lives and dies and who is reborn as what, while Rymrgand is all about death-death, just death. Maybe deathlikes should've been characterized as exhuding cold or something, but they already look diseased, and Rymrgand is about plague and decay..

And if we assume that Naturelikes aren't Eothas-as-Gaun, I can see Dawnlikes as radiant beings with light bronze or golden skin, perhaps a light shimmer, with fully, yellow eyes - much like many depictions of Aasimar in D&D. Godlikes are supposed to be invariably deformed, however, but I'm not sure how dawnlikes (or sunlikes, or starlikes) are supposed to fulfil that. Hair of floating rays of light, like loose blonde hair, mildly statically charged, in weightlessness, glowing with an inner light? Maybe simply a diffuse light that encompasses the entire top of their head and back of their skull, a seemingly opaque morning mist full of dawn's light, as if nothing is there, and if you stick your hand into them, it just keeps going, the further in, the warmer the light gets?

Abydon, Forgelike, rather easy, as many have suggested. Metal, rivets, golem-like, ponderous, mechanical. A heart of a furnace's flame, hands as strong and firm as a hammer and tong, and veins of black, oily blood. Eyes of glass, everything about them screaming automaton, golem, construct. A square, rigid body build that encompasses the head; at the very least geometrically shaped. Definitely some basic damage resistances, especially against piercing or slashing, maybe even a bonus to using hammers of all kinds (Obsidian, y u no 2h Warhammers, y u no Sledgehammers?)

Skaen? Harder. Shadowlikes? Blacklikes? At the very least, very dark or very pale skin, and invariably pitch-black eyes. Not much to add to Gkathellar's idea of Torment/Slavery Godlikes; blackened, beaten and bruised, cracked skulls and noses and eye sockets. Bony protrusions along the neck and head, resembling broken or bruised bones, sometimes piercing the skin. Generally disfigured in human ways but in ways no human would actually survive. Scars everywhere. Seemingly weak, malnourished, but deeply, deceptively strong.

Woedica.. Woedica... would she even have Godlikes? There's good argument as to there not being any Eothosian Godlikes, actually, either, and Woedica might not have any either, largely for the same reasons, but it's very debatable. Either way, Lawlikes (or whatever, I know it sucks); leathery skin, milky eyes, scarred as if by fire, yet regal in stature, almost invariably not too skinny nor too fat. Has a series of bony, apparently polished, silver- or gold-speckled protrusions around the top of the head, like the crowns of royalty, ranging from "sharp tiara" to "Sauron".

This is where I add that I would love to play as a Paladin of the Steel Garrote, provided there'd be content to support it (I don't feel that there's content enough to support the Paladin Orders already present, in my limited experience).

Wael, Dreamlikes? Largely androgynous and very hard to determine any gender whatsoever. No eyes whatsoever, whether empty eye sockets or simply none at all. Skin like parchment or dried paper. Often appears to change appearance even if they don't, and have a tendency to exhibit bipolar or erratic behaviour, or think and act in ways that are incomprehensible to normal people. Can never have hair, and their head is covered in tattoos that depict runes, symbols, or letters that constantly shift or change just underneath the skin. Covering the head with anything causes a profound and debilitating pain, followed by unconsciousness.

Berath, in the case Berath is not the patron of the Deathlikes? No bloody clue. Going by The Usher and the Pallid Knight, in a word, "skeletal", with the face obfuscated by a permanent and unremovable hood or helmet of skin and bones that flows into the body like any other limb. White, profoundly pale skin, gaunt and thin. Silent. Inevitable.

And Galawain, if he's not the cause of Naturelikes? Feral. Half-animals with animal skulls and ears, if not their faces. Sharp fangs. Like men and women stuck halfway into lycanthropy, as many types of his children as there are animals, not always predatory in the carnivore sense, as he exemplifies the hunt in all it's ways, whether exploration, foraging or hunting for meat. I can't wait to play a dwarfhamsterlike.

That's all I can think of right now, anyway.