How do you become a godling?

[Thinyser]

If there is a clear description of how godlings are created I cant find it. If I'm missing something concrete please point it out. I know demigods are created from mortal-god relations but it never really says how godlings are made.

Can they be "raised" to godling status like a person can become a witch? they pledge allegiance to such and such and rarely they are accepted get awesome powers?

Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?

Are they full gods that have fallen?

Are they creations of the gods (like athena sprang from Zeus's head)?

Other???

What do you say?

[SpiritInterface]

"Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?" The short answer is yes. A Godling is the child of a god and a mortal that has been acknowledged and raised by the divine parent instead of by their mortal one. They are raised as part of their pantheon.

[Thinyser]

"Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?" The short answer is yes. A Godling is the child of a god and a mortal that has been acknowledged and raised by the divine parent instead of by their mortal one. They are raised as part of their pantheon.

Your opinion? If not book and page # please?

Other Opinions? Agreements? Book references specific to godlings method of production?

[smashed]

If there is a clear description of how godlings are created I cant find it. If I'm missing something concrete please point it out. I know demigods are created from mortal-god relations but it never really says how godlings are made.

Can they be "raised" to godling status like a person can become a witch? they pledge allegiance to such and such and rarely they are accepted get awesome powers?

Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?

Are they full gods that have fallen?

Are they creations of the gods (like athena sprang from Zeus's head)?

Other???

What do you say?

I would say all of the above. But as far as I know it's not described anywhere in the books.

[Nightmask]

Godlings are the offspring of two gods (apparently gods getting together doesn't produce new gods in the Palladium megaverse and produces Godlings instead), although there are unspecified ways of elevating characters to Demi-god, godling, and god status.

[taalismn]

Well, you have to take a written exam, but it's all online, the interface is slow, the website keeps timing out, and even when your finish, it loses your account information and you have to start all over again.....

[Thinyser]

So are we all agreed then that there are no actual book descriptions of how godlings come into their power?

[taalismn]

So are we all agreed then that there are no actual book descriptions of how godlings come into their power?

Agreed, but I have the feeling it ain't EASY(and by 'easy', I mean the whole Labors of Hercules sort of pass-or-else-die exams). And as others have indicated, there's likely to be a strong bloodline requirement.

[SpiritInterface]

"Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?" The short answer is yes. A Godling is the child of a god and a mortal that has been acknowledged and raised by the divine parent instead of by their mortal one. They are raised as part of their pantheon.

Your opinion? If not book and page # please?

Other Opinions? Agreements? Book references specific to godlings method of production?

That is the classical definition from my college mythology class.

Dragons and Gods page 84 has a brief description of type of Gods.

[Carl Gleba]

Nothing in cannon that I can recall. It would be a fun game to have as a goal for a group of players. One game I was in for Palladium fantasy. Our group found (after much research and searching) the circle of immortality. I would think that would be a start. Gaining new powers could be done in a similar way of finding ways to transform yourself. The bio baths in Dyval could also provide powers as could certain artifacts. You even have bio-wizardry in Splynn to modify your body. Now granted, all of these things do not make you a godling, but you would have a lot more power than the common being. This is what I can think of without having any type of "godly" parent.

[Thinyser]

Thraxus is a godling and doesn't seem to have a real connection to a pantheon, nothing even really implied. Without further evidence one way or the other, I think this could mean there may be ways to attain godling status without being born to gods (or god+mortal child raised by gods).

I think they can be raised by other gods as a gift or earned by simply finding the right artifacts.

[taalismn]

Thraxus is a godling and doesn't seem to have a real connection to a pantheon, nothing even really implied. Without further evidence one way or the other, I think this could mean there may be ways to attain godling status without being born to gods (or god+mortal child raised by gods).

I think they can be raised by other gods as a gift or earned by simply finding the right artifacts.

"Congratulations, Doctor Jones, you have found the means to Ascend to a status many of your kind have sought, but in vain."

[BookWyrm]

A number of myths & legends speak about "Ambrosia" (not the dessert), aka the 'Food of the Gods', that many a mortal quested for to become gods or at least obtain god-like powers. The Norse pantheon annually ingested Golden Apples to maintain their immortality. Chinese lore tells of a special mixture that the Jade Emperor and his court also imbibed annually to signify their divine status.
Not to mention the multitude of tasks, quests and favors that quite a few gods have appointed to mortals they deemed worthy to prove they are ready to ascend to their levels.....

[DhAkael]

Let Kevin Siembiada know you're playing a Coalition Trooper in the Siege of Tolkeen with Jericho Jones as your commanding officer.
Trust me, you'll be an unkillable godling able to deal with whole swarms of Xiticix and be able to single-handidly take out nations normally able to become immune to your energy based weaponry.

[guardiandashi]

Thraxus is a godling and doesn't seem to have a real connection to a pantheon, nothing even really implied. Without further evidence one way or the other, I think this could mean there may be ways to attain godling status without being born to gods (or god+mortal child raised by gods).

I think they can be raised by other gods as a gift or earned by simply finding the right artifacts.

"Congratulations, Doctor Jones, you have found the means to Ascend to a status many of your kind have sought, but in vain."

GM's discression.

with that said in the campaign run by one of my friends there are a number of paths, but none of them are fun.
he was a big fan of the old heavy metal movie, and made a gm char of thrax (the green orb thing in that movie) that was basically a "God" level Deity (the whole all knowing all powerful...) unfortunately he is a "practical joker with an evil sense of humor"

examples that characters ran into in our campaigns,
the invid flower of life, and protoculture fuel (robotech) can trigger mutations that can add powers associated with dieties especially on repeated application

mutagenic materials see TMNT or equivalent

the evil tulips on tulip world (don't ask)
intervention by an actual Deity or similar

basically some of these things can essentially give you the "godling" rcc or equivalent.

once you are a godling you have the capability to start on the path to becoming a Deity, one thing is you basically have to join a pantheon this is both a good and a bad thing, the good news, is that some pantheons will help you (at least to some extent) to cultivating the worshipers you need to raise your "Deity levels" the bad news is all pantheons have rivals or enemies who WILL try to squash upcoming and minor dieties, if you do manage to advance as a Deity however you may eventually become powerful.

an example is in our campaign I have a char who managed to become a lesser or minor Deity.. Alecia Goddess of high tech warfare a member of the greek/roman pantheon and arguably an assistant to ares, because her area is a part of his "portfolio" (altho she doesn't really get along with him)

[Tor]

"Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?" The short answer is yes. A Godling is the child of a god and a mortal that has been acknowledged and raised by the divine parent instead of by their mortal one. They are raised as part of their pantheon.

Where are examples of this in the book?

Hercules was born a demigod and went to full god. No mention of him ever being a godling.

Alternately, we have Phobos who claims to be son of Ares. Mother not mentioned, so he may not be a demigod, but he's clearly not recognized and a Godling by merit solely of birth.

D&G has an interesting take on demi/ling/god since it's based on the size of the realm and pretty much conforms to how the original PRPG used the terms, but the Palladium Fantasy usage differs from Pantheons usage.

[guardiandashi]

"Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?" The short answer is yes. A Godling is the child of a god and a mortal that has been acknowledged and raised by the divine parent instead of by their mortal one. They are raised as part of their pantheon.

Where are examples of this in the book?

Hercules was born a demigod and went to full god. No mention of him ever being a godling.

Alternately, we have Phobos who claims to be son of Ares. Mother not mentioned, so he may not be a demigod, but he's clearly not recognized and a Godling by merit solely of birth.

D&G has an interesting take on demi/ling/god since it's based on the size of the realm and pretty much conforms to how the original PRPG used the terms, but the Palladium Fantasy usage differs from Pantheons usage.

my understanding is parentage IS a factor

if one of your parents is a Deity, and the other is a "mortal" you are a demigod
if both of your parents are dieties you are a godling.

technically both are paths to becoming a god in your own right (campaign permitting) but the demigod usually has a tougher time of it as the godling is "technically" already a very minor god, they just don't have any/many of the god abilities

[Tor]

Godlings are distinct creatures from actual gods, if we look at the ones in SA2 (same author) they're almost servants or something and not necessarily gods-in-training.

Looking to Dyval I'm wondering how to do a comparison... would you say perhaps that with Lords being gods, Regents are similar to godlings and sub-regents similar to Demigods?

If we used size as a determinant and Thoth's terminology then the Deevil Lords would be Godlings based on the realm 2x and the Demon Lords would be Demigods based on having 1x scope.

Just going by Pantheons... I dunno, I never got the impression that Godling meant god-spawn. Phobos is the only real indicator of that and we don't even know if he's telling the truth.

[guardiandashi]

Godlings are distinct creatures from actual gods, if we look at the ones in SA2 (same author) they're almost servants or something and not necessarily gods-in-training.

Looking to Dyval I'm wondering how to do a comparison... would you say perhaps that with Lords being gods, Regents are similar to godlings and sub-regents similar to Demigods?

If we used size as a determinant and Thoth's terminology then the Deevil Lords would be Godlings based on the realm 2x and the Demon Lords would be Demigods based on having 1x scope.

Just going by Pantheons... I dunno, I never got the impression that Godling meant god-spawn. Phobos is the only real indicator of that and we don't even know if he's telling the truth.

rereading it in pantheons the godling is pretty vague but the demigod explicitly says at least 1 parent is human or mortal, or they were raised in that environment.

[eliakon]

Pantheons of the Megaverse, and Dragons and Gods are NOT interchangeable. The powers, and powerscales in the two are totally different. I would say if you want to have Gods in your game, pick one and go with it. Just look at the stats of the gods that are written up the same way (like the Egyptian/Gods of Light and Darkness) The D&G versions are WAY more powerful than the Rifts versions (strangely enough even the MDC adaptions from D&G don't have the same stats )

[Tor]

Not sure where you are getting that they may be interchangeable, it is merely being proposed that they are potentially compatible, which is in line with what the covers say.

While different, no books can ever be totally different, as there is always the base similarity of the same underlying system at the very least.

You can use both CB1+2 with D+G, it just requires a lot of complicated storytelling as to how they interact.

The versions of the Egyptian Gods both have their respective advantages. D+G main benefit is the deific powers. Rifts Africa version have some plusses though, like being a Stone Master, which D+G lacks. While in many cases (like the lords of Hades and Dyval) I treat the CB1 and D+G versions as separate entities, the Africa and D+G versions of the Egyptian pantheon of Light and Dark are similar enough we could consider them the same beings, and the books just highlight certain portions of their abilities.

Stats in books are rarely ever all there is to NPCs, they are some of what they are, but never all of what they are.

[eliakon]

I am saying that they are not compatible to point out that what is a CB 2 'godling' is NOT the same thing in any way shape or form as a D&G 'godling'. They are totally different things, thus a discussion on one, does not have any reason to worry about what the other can do/can not do/is/isn't/what ever.
SO, the first point is to figure out what sort of godling you are trying to become.
THEN figure out how to do so.

Now as to the original posters questions. I will be using the CB2 not D&G for this, as this is the Rifts Dimension books forum, not the PF one.

Godlings are not explicitly explained, probably for several reasons.
First is that it is an RCC and at the time there was no way to become what were being used as RCCs. (yes I know its all screwed up Drew, please don't hijack the thread with an _.C.C. debate.)
Second it would seem likely that it was left deliberately vauge (like the whole comment about a sufficiently powerful mortal might be considered a demigod) so as to allow a GM maximum flexability on what they would like in their game. There is little worse than a rules lawyer type saying "but look on page 93 it says that I have to do this and that, so I'm a god/godling/demigod/whatever now!"
Third is that it would appear that full gods get the ability to have priests....and everything below them is 'not a god'....so in that scheme it would appear to merely be a semantic label. You are a godling when the powers that be consider you worthy of including in the club, and let you sit at the adults table. Its not like your instantly going to get to pick 3 powers off the list (though you could get them...or not). IE its more of like this
Mortal: you get the bit parts in the stories
Demigod: you get to get major roles in the second string stories
Godling: you get bit parts in the stories
God: Yah, the stories are all about you and your family

[Tor]

That isn`t a case of incompatability, that`s just a case of 2 books using the same term for different things. The Necrophim from BtS and the Necrophim from Psyscape are both compatable, for example, you can play them in the same game.

Discussing 1 creature can still influence how we talk about other creatures. I already know that Godlings in CB2 are weaker than the heroic-scale `godling` (per Thoth) smaller gods in D+G.

[eliakon]

That isn`t a case of incompatability, that`s just a case of 2 books using the same term for different things. The Necrophim from BtS and the Necrophim from Psyscape are both compatable, for example, you can play them in the same game.

Discussing 1 creature can still influence how we talk about other creatures. I already know that Godlings in CB2 are weaker than the heroic-scale `godling` (per Thoth) smaller gods in D+G.

Uhhhh did you even read my post? I was saying that the two books are talking about different things, so I decided to talk about just the Rifts one here. Yes there is a 'godling' in the D&G books, but it has nothing to do with this discussion.

[Thinyser]

Yes there is a 'godling' in the D&G books, but it has nothing to do with this discussion.

True! As the OP I was talking about how one can become a Godling RCC (in CB2 Pantheons), though I didn't specifically state this and that was my fault. Im sorry I didn't point this out but I thought it was obvious that I was referring to the available RCC.

[Thinyser]

Since there is no explanation of how I would allow that the following would all be possible.
1) Raised from mortal to Godling by at least 2 pantheon members (maybe you do a HUGE favor for a god like save the life of one of his/her demigod children, etc. whereby you gain his/her favor and they talk to their other god buddies and at least one other agrees that you have earned a special reward for your services.)

2) Find the right combination of powerful items to augment your mortal form to Godling levels of power. I have no idea what list of artifacts could do this but its not out of the realm of possibility. Though it would have the same level of power and same abilities as the Godling RCC it would not be a deific being per se and would not have ties with any pantheon.

3) Born to two god parents (or maybe a god parent and a supernatural creature, like if a god gets it on with a Demon/Deevil/Angel etc. the offspring should be "more" than a demigod since thats a union of mortal and god.)

4) Something really out there, like created by an Old One or by the Cosmic Forge or something along those lines. Like option 2 it would have the same level of power and same abilities as the Godling RCC it would not be a deific being and would not have ties with any pantheon.

5) Open to Player suggestion if it makes sense I'd allow it.

[Tor]

I was saying that the two books are talking about different things, so I decided to talk about just the Rifts one here.

I think we just slid off track, I was making a passing mention about the issue.

I was thinking Deevil/Regent/Sub-Regent = God/Godling/Demigod per CB2 classification, but then made a note that triple-size bros like Thoth would condemn Deevil Lords as godlings only as a bit of trivia.

Since the discussion was about how to become a god, my point here is that Deevil Lords are essentially gods, so you have clear worshipper guidelines for achieving that status in the Dyval sourcebook.

[eliakon]

I was saying that the two books are talking about different things, so I decided to talk about just the Rifts one here.

I think we just slid off track, I was making a passing mention about the issue.

I was thinking Deevil/Regent/Sub-Regent = God/Godling/Demigod per CB2 classification, but then made a note that triple-size bros like Thoth would condemn Deevil Lords as godlings only as a bit of trivia.

Since the discussion was about how to become a god, my point here is that Deevil Lords are essentially gods, so you have clear worshipper guidelines for achieving that status in the Dyval sourcebook.

Which may or may not work for any race that is NOT an infernal. Yes a few thousand worshipers can 'deify' a devil or demon. But I would suggest that they don't work for mortals (unless you want to make every 'god-king' of history an actual godling....) Perhaps those races have a predisposition to apotheosis or something.

[Tor]

You need 101 million worshippers to become a Deevil Lord, not a few thousand =P

[SolCannibal]

Pantheons of the Megaverse, and Dragons and Gods are NOT interchangeable. The powers, and powerscales in the two are totally different. I would say if you want to have Gods in your game, pick one and go with it. Just look at the stats of the gods that are written up the same way (like the Egyptian/Gods of Light and Darkness) The D&G versions are WAY more powerful than the Rifts versions (strangely enough even the MDC adaptions from D&G don't have the same stats )

As a sort of gratuitous and unrelated aside, i came across something curious in Rifts: Mercenaries.

Rifts Earth has precious little spiritual comfort in this time of chaos. Many cults have sprung up in remote areas, but very few organized religions. Brother Lance hopes that one day he will change all that. He is a priest from another dimension, a follower of the Gods of Light, a multi-pantheon group that stands against demons and other dimensional threats. He worships Hyr, a god of war and justice that has never appeared on Earth before.

Thought it curious because, while the term is used somewhat liberally in some book, it is the first reference to the gods of light as a multi-pantheon group i can remember.

[Tor]

Although that's the first time I've heard the phrase multi-pantheon-group (MPG is catchy) the use in PotM pretty much refers to bros like Apollo/Marduk/Isis. etc. who are goody two shoes committing genocide against demons and vampires and the like.

"Are they demigods that have their parent's full blessings?" The short answer is yes. A Godling is the child of a god and a mortal that has been acknowledged and raised by the divine parent instead of by their mortal one. They are raised as part of their pantheon.

Nope, guys like Herakles and Dionysus started as Demigods and when they were raised, became full gods, not godlings.

Godlings are the offspring of two gods (apparently gods getting together doesn't produce new gods in the Palladium megaverse and produces Godlings instead), although there are unspecified ways of elevating characters to Demi-god, godling, and god status.

Nope, gods getting together produces full gods. See Thor/Ares/Marduk etc.

[SolCannibal]

About the matter of gods to godlings, it's kind of nebulous to say the least and i have used two types of treatment.

1 - Godlings are those demigods that were raised outside human experience, by either the divine or its many supernatural servants, developing a more refined and deeper awareness of their nature and gifts. They are to demigods like Psionic RCCs to major & minor psychics.

Some of the minor figures in Pantheons of the Megaverse - Eros & Triton come to mind - might be seen as high level godlings instead of "true" divinities with cults, greater might, etc and serve as example of such "favored childer" at their best.

2 - Godlings are the "hatchlings of the gods" and given enough time and/or worship will grow into their power, evolving into full divinity. This kind of set-up just came to mind naturally while reading the Conversion Book and an excuse for a "jump to divinity" that was at least halfway consistent with other supernatural creatures.

Overall both can work for different games and there's nothing to stop a GM of mixing them a little either.

[Tor]

Eros and Triton are asskickers, I don't see why they shouldn't be considered full gods. With Valentine's Day and The Little Mermaid they could actually be more well known in modern day than their parents.

Interesting bit in TLM is that Triton's wife (who begat Ariel) was Athena, who in Pantheons is Triton's cousin, since Poseidon and Zeus are brothers.

But hey, considering Zeus and Hera are brother and sister, I think Ares could give Ariel a run for her money in terms of problems. Although he probably turned out better appearance-wise than Hephaestus.

[Thinyser]

Now I want to make a mergodling with long red hair and a pert nose...

[Tor]

Although there's 'no conversions', since she's based on a classic public domain fairy tail, you might get away with it if you avoid the red hair.

I'd recommend this version: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=1387

[Svartalf]

So are we all agreed then that there are no actual book descriptions of how godlings come into their power?

Nope, but it does seem that they are godlets, offspring of divine beings but without worshippers or portfolio so they havent gotten to full godhood... the same as demigods are the offspring of god and mortal but haven't ascended the way Heracles did.

[Svartalf]

So are we all agreed then that there are no actual book descriptions of how godlings come into their power?

Agreed, but I have the feeling it ain't EASY(and by 'easy', I mean the whole Labors of Hercules sort of pass-or-else-die exams). And as others have indicated, there's likely to be a strong bloodline requirement.

Actually, Heracles went straight from demigod to full god when his mortal part died

[say652]

For raising nearly ten thousand followers in one dimension and nearly twenty thousand in another dimension. I have as gm I elevated him to "minor" god status in the pantheon (3 additional godling powers) So far after three years in the field I think he has shown a drive and knowhow in aquiring followers.