Does God and Jesus exist in rifts earth?

[SamBell]

I'm courious because all the other gods in other religions do sooooooo...

[The Baron of chaos]

I'm courious because all the other gods in other religions do sooooooo...

As much as Allah, Buddha, and others do.
As far as I know most of the gods that exist in rifts earth and from Myth, like Norse and Greek gods.
I do not recall seeing any of the current major religions written up. I would assume this was done on purpose to not offend people.
So to answer your question .... As much as they do in the real world (open to individual beliefs), if you want stats you will have to make your own.

Applause for the best possible answer( i thought how to answer without causing a mess, but i found no solution other than not replying, but you winterhawk made a tiny little awesome piece of balance and diplomacy)

[SamBell]

I'm courious because all the other gods in other religions do sooooooo...

As much as Allah, Buddha, and others do.
As far as I know most of the gods that exist in rifts earth and from Myth, like Norse and Greek gods.
I do not recall seeing any of the current major religions written up. I would assume this was done on purpose to not offend people.
So to answer your question .... As much as they do in the real world (open to individual beliefs), if you want stats you will have to make your own.

What would say their stats are?

[glitterboy2098]

I'm courious because all the other gods in other religions do sooooooo...

As much as Allah, Buddha, and others do.
As far as I know most of the gods that exist in rifts earth and from Myth, like Norse and Greek gods.
I do not recall seeing any of the current major religions written up. I would assume this was done on purpose to not offend people.
So to answer your question .... As much as they do in the real world (open to individual beliefs), if you want stats you will have to make your own.

What would say their stats are?

the intro to the Pantheons of the megaverse books has a good section on such ominpotent, omnipresent, omnipowerful deities. short version? they never interact with the players or the setting directly, so stats are not applicable.

as for jesus.. next time he's supposed to show up, it's as the "Triple Omni" aspect, causing the end of the known universe and the creation of something else. so he's not going to be there either.

any interaction with the Judeo-chrisitian-muslim faiths are going ot be through Mortal followers of said faiths, which are just normal races/OCC's.

[zaccheus]

To me Jesus would seem part of rifts earth just because crosses seem to affect vampires (unless I'm miss remembering). Plus if you want just ignore the omnipotence stuff because a) it's a game and b) Yahweh couldn't even defeat an army with iron chariots (according to some story in the bible). So just make yahweh a god of volcanos or some kind of water god and Jesus something similar to Isis, unless you find using them offensive in that case just ignore them. But for me all mytholgies are fair game even bronze aged middle eastern ones. No reason their gods should be mightier than the Greeks or Roman gods.

[The Galactus Kid]

In before lock.

[drewkitty ~..~]

In before lock.

-----------------------------------------------
PB has been staying away from the Jehovah/Jesus and alla faiths for good reason. So while there will not be anything canon about them they are there in the cultural background of the different lands that is not printed in the books.

[MikelAmroni]

Instead of focusing on the top of the theology (The holy Trinity and all), focus on the angels, demons, and other "PC level" players that you can't really go wrong with, and already exist within the lore (though the books assign them to pretty much everyone but the holy Trinity). By not addressing the top, you leave it up to individual GMs to decide what they do and don't want to include in regards to religion, while not ruling out certain things. It also avoids trivializing a large and very vocal voice in American socio-politics (which still matter from a PR and sales perspective). That said other games have survived (and thrived) this sort of attention, but I think its fair to say that Kevin absolutely doesn't want to go there (quite possibly for some very personal reasons). I myself won't go there in games, while I will include interactions with accepted mythologies. That said, I do include interactions with the "servants" often enough. And like all things in Palladium magic - belief equals reality. Angels are easy enough, and can simply be immortal believers in the same faith as that fire and brimstone preacher - without hurting the validity of that faith or demanding some system altering belief in a higher power.

And the Christian (and Jewish) God doesn't use a consistent avatar, nor even a consistent messenger. The messenger is always for a single story, not overall. Therefore you don't need stats for the deity him/her/itself. You only need stats for the servants (Angels: Demi-god and godling level characters who have no better answers overall than the average preacher in the new west or Russia - or you can use the "Angel" stats in the conversion books). In the end, like accurate stats for the gods of mythology (/alternate religions) - you don't need them because they only matter for what the PCs are going to interact with (usually a messenger or avatar).

[Giant2005]

There aren't any common world religions described in Rifts simply because for them to exist in Rifts Earth, they would have to exist in Pre-Rifts Earth.
Considering the majority of religions are mutually exclusive and we live in an overly politically correct world, Kevin couldn't possibly have those gods exist without pissing people off.

[masslegion]

blank

edited and blanked out my comment

[Mech-Viper Prime]

In before lock.

Why? wrong could possibly go wrong?

[Mech-Viper Prime]

I'm courious because all the other gods in other religions do sooooooo...

New west world book

[Nightmask]

I'm courious because all the other gods in other religions do sooooooo...

As much as Allah, Buddha, and others do.
As far as I know most of the gods that exist in rifts earth and from Myth, like Norse and Greek gods.
I do not recall seeing any of the current major religions written up. I would assume this was done on purpose to not offend people.
So to answer your question .... As much as they do in the real world (open to individual beliefs), if you want stats you will have to make your own.

What would say their stats are?

Truthfully, I wouldn't even try to make stats for them or any other figure from a major religion. Much for the same reason Pallidium, I would assume, hasn't. I have a diverse group of players. I know not all of them share the same belief structure, and I would not want to inadvertantly offend any of them.

Hopefully they're mature enough to see it's just a game and whatever you presented was in no way meant to offend but merely to acknowledge something that should be considered. Plus some are a lot more offended when it looks like you're trying to pretend their faith doesn't exist at all and everyone's shown to be either a godless heathen or worshiper of a competing faith (there are people who worship the Norse and Roman gods for example even today, yet have to see their faiths treated as 'acceptable toys' for RPGs and movies and the like).

It's like having a game set in Medieval times and no one anywhere is even mentioning God or Jesus. That's completely wrong for the setting. You couldn't go anywhere without both (and of course Satan and his side) being a subject of conversation or reference. That's going to come off a lot more offensive than including it and simply having to respond 'oh sorry, I didn't know about that, honest mistake, I'll try and remember that in the future' over a mistake on your part.

[Nightmask]

There aren't any common world religions described in Rifts simply because for them to exist in Rifts Earth, they would have to exist in Pre-Rifts Earth.
Considering the majority of religions are mutually exclusive and we live in an overly politically correct world, Kevin couldn't possibly have those gods exist without pissing people off.

Except we've had people on the forums declare how they were giving up on Palladium because they didn't include their faiths, feeling they were being disrespected because the company refused to acknowledge that their faith existed. It's a damned either way deal and frankly complaining extremists aren't really a problem for game companies anymore. Sure you can't completely get rid of them but you aren't going to find a Christian ranting about the evils of palladium books for some game comment about a fictional Christian if they're not ranting about the demons and things included as acceptable targets.

[Lt Gargoyle]

I do not use gods or demi gods in my games or even the all time favorite, the Alien Intelligence god. I hate him most of all in my games!

[Akashic Soldier]

Question (honest and harmless question from a Christian gamer--thats right Akashic Soldier is a Christian, try wrapping your head around that):

If White Wolf is allowed to touch on these themes without issues why can't/won't Palladium?

I personal feel they have no place in Rifts as a setting BUT is this just something Kevin and the guys are not interested in exploring or an area that they are apprehensive of touching for fear of losing touch with their fan base or lining up a motor bike ramp over a shark tank?

[Giant2005]

Question (honest and harmless question from a Christian gamer--thats right Akashic Soldier is a Christian, try wrapping your head around that):

If White Wolf is allowed to touch on these themes without issues why can't/won't Palladium?

I personal feel they have no place in Rifts as a setting BUT is this just something Kevin and the guys are not interested in exploring or an area that they are apprehensive of touching for fear of losing touch with their fan base or lining up a motor bike ramp over a shark tank?

Maybe.
Or maybe it is more the fact that soul saving good guys don't really support the gritty concept Kevin was going for.

I can't see any way that they could be in Rifts Earth with any form of consequence without being severely limited in power. I imagine that power limitation would cause more issues to the religious than their exclusion - a Jehova's Witness would probably be more than annoyed when he sees Splynncryth's description being superior to Jehova.
But as a Christian, I'm sure your opinion on that matter would carry far more weight than mine.

[Akashic Soldier]

Question (honest and harmless question from a Christian gamer--thats right Akashic Soldier is a Christian, try wrapping your head around that):

If White Wolf is allowed to touch on these themes without issues why can't/won't Palladium?

I personal feel they have no place in Rifts as a setting BUT is this just something Kevin and the guys are not interested in exploring or an area that they are apprehensive of touching for fear of losing touch with their fan base or lining up a motor bike ramp over a shark tank?

Maybe.
Or maybe it is more the fact that soul saving good guys don't really support the gritty concept Kevin was going for.

I can't see any way that they could be in Rifts Earth with any form of consequence without being severely limited in power. I imagine that power limitation would cause more issues to the religious than their exclusion - a Jehova's Witness would probably be more than annoyed when he sees Splynncryth's description being superior to Jehova.
But as a Christian, I'm sure your opinion on that matter would carry far more weight than mine.

I'd certainly scratch my head at the concept of a creator God being less powerful than ole one eye. Though I would accept he was more powerful than the first among the fallen or Jesus (Its important to keep in mind that a literal army of invisible angels protects the guy though.)

I think your first statement carries the most weight though (and I agree with it), although there are some fun stories to tell about Christian Churches that were blasted apart by the CS and forcing the faith back underground because it had been outlawed (remember that is how Christianity began, minus the laser rifles of course) I just don't feel that the setting is losing anything without it. I don't think that a Disciples of the Lord Source Book would really add much to the setting. I am sure it would sell like a cheap whore and garner much contempt and controversy but I don't think it would really ADD anything really worth while to the GAME of Rifts.

[Dead Boy]

In before lock.

Why? wrong could possibly go wrong?

Duck and Cover!!!

[Zer0 Kay]

In before lock.

Why? wrong could possibly go wrong?

Duck and Cover!!!

Hey... so any bets on how long before lock?

[Grell]

I think the idea of Jesus strolling around the countryside in rune sandals and armed with a holy great sword, killing monsters, smiting demons and turning water to wine is pretty cool. Or to quote a funny animated show of some repute:

"Let he who is without sin kick the first ass!"

[TechnoGothic]

See DRAGONS AND GODS. In it, the book includes on pg.76 Spirits of Light, Angels.
Cheruu (air), Seraph (fire), Ariel (earth), Tharsis (water).

"GOD" acts through his messagers, the Angels. He would remain in his own dimension, and not get involved himself.

[llywelyn]

@lock
I don't see any reason we can't talk about it civilly.

@question
It's pretty obvious given the way Pantheons was written that in-universe the Abrahamic G-d was the most successful (and therefore by far most powerful god) on this plane.

Whether that means you go the traditional route (He's completely transcendent and only interacts on this plane through priests and prophets and occasionally protecting His Chosen People, whoever that is) or the Gnostic one (Jesus represented the One True God and the Old Testament one was a pretty vicious alien intelligence) is up to you and the GM.

@Buddha
Traditional Buddha should be gone. Theravada Nirvana means you're off the wheel.

Still, there's Guanyin and plenty of bodhisattvas. They'd be all over the map between godlings (Pantheons), gods (ditto, but see also some of the China books), and Taoist immortals (Mystic China and its extra material in of the Rifters).

[llywelyn]

@Allah
It's a really common mistake, but Allah is the exact same G-d. No difference at all. It's just the Arabic name for Him (etymologically linked to El and Elohim, His Hebrew names) and Jews and Xians who pray in Arabic use that name just the same way the Muslims do. When the Torah and New Testament are translated into Arabic, it's the same name.

You see some conspiracy theories sometimes that it's not and has something to do with an old lunar Deity, but that's hokum.

@On a related note though, [are] there any books about the afterlife in the multiverse?
What's pretty clear is that there's not One Afterlife in the multiverse.

Iirc, Hades treated the humans as living and dying the same as on Earth.

China follows the Chinese notions of the souls but obviously the realms are blown to pieces and there are far too few people even for it to account for the Chinese dead. I think what you're looking at are people whose rituals have tied their hua (let's just go for "spirit" or "ghost" here) to the Chinese system. All the people in China now who don't follow the old rituals and just get cremated wouldn't show up; any player characters whose friends are careful to follow the rituals would (giving them a chance to protect his po by dressing the body in jade, rescue his spirit, and return him to life with the help of an old school shaman).

But that's not canon yet (despite being the probable route for Shi Huangti's resurrection - his more-or-less-mummified body's all done up in jade in an unmolested tomb near Xi'an).

At the same time, it seems that there is a soul (a fully atheist world setting would involve a pretty hefty rebuild) and it can be bound to Mad Haven or Chinese Hell or trapped in the wall of Lichtalon (sp?) or something else, but also that none of those are really where most souls end up. Whether the multiverse defaults to the Heaven/Limbo/Purgatory/Hell version or the reincarnation version or something totally new seems to be up to the GM and the players.

[llywelyn]

Here's something I'm curious about, though.

Rune swords are old hat in RPGs, but no one ever really thought they had all that much power in real life. The real power were in the holy relics that inspired pilgrims to trudge all over Europe & are still there, and in huge abundance in Rome.

Would people be interested in an Italian or Europe-wide sourcebook that (without going into G-d's nature) detailed the holy (and demonic!*) relics that survived the Rifts?

I think it'd be fascinating and would be willing to give it a Rifter or even book-length treatment, but I'm just afraid the company might think it's too controversial and waste the time spent on it. My own take is that Christian gamers would appreciate (or even love) it and others would just accept it as part of the setting (people used to think it has power, so of course it does, some). Liberating holy relics from the blood druids, gargoyles, and wolfen just seems like it would add another layer of fun to Europe, over the mostly techno stuff they have going on now.

*Thanks (?) to the Inquisitions, within the setting, what's left of the Vatican library and archives has to be one of the most powerful caches - for good or evil - of magical artifacts in the world, along with the Met and the British Museum.

[keir451]

I'm courious because all the other gods in other religions do sooooooo...

As much as Allah, Buddha, and others do.
As far as I know most of the gods that exist in rifts earth and from Myth, like Norse and Greek gods.
I do not recall seeing any of the current major religions written up. I would assume this was done on purpose to not offend people.
So to answer your question .... As much as they do in the real world (open to individual beliefs), if you want stats you will have to make your own.

What would say their stats are?
The few times I've used deities I don't bother with stats, they pull the Picard "Make it so!" routine; they say it, it happens. Even in the Bible God works thru "other" means, the burning bush, a voice from the heavens, etc. He (She/it, depending upon personal preference) never appears directly.
I think that detailing various religious/"magical" relics from European history would be neat! I have an old D&D supplement that details many old relics of myth and legend. So long as the direct issue of G_d is avioded it should be cool.

[Giant2005]

Here's something I'm curious about, though.

Rune swords are old hat in RPGs, but no one ever really thought they had all that much power in real life. The real power were in the holy relics that inspired pilgrims to trudge all over Europe & are still there, and in huge abundance in Rome.

Would people be interested in an Italian or Europe-wide sourcebook that (without going into G-d's nature) detailed the holy (and demonic!) relics that survived the Rifts?

I think it'd be fascinating and would be willing to give it a Rifter or even book-length treatment, but I'm just afraid the company might think it's too controversial and waste the time spent on it. My own take is that Christian gamers would appreciate (or even love) it and others would just accept it as part of the setting (people used to think it has power, so of course it does, some). Liberating holy relics from the blood druids, gargoyles, and wolfen just seems like it would add another layer of fun to Europe, over the mostly techno stuff they have going on now.

I'd buy it.
I am an agnostic so I don't really care about religion one way or the other, what I do care about is seeing fancy, new magic items.
I bought The Black Vault specifically for that reason so I don't see any reason why I would change my mind now.

[Mech-Viper Prime]

I believe the pantheons of the megaverse covers this

[Jerell]

@lock
I don't see any reason we can't talk about it civilly.

@question
It's pretty obvious given the way Pantheons was written that in-universe the Abrahamic G-d was the most successful (and therefore by far most powerful god) on this plane.

Whether that means you go the traditional route (He's completely transcendent and only interacts on this plane through priests and prophets and occasionally protecting His Chosen People, whoever that is) or the Gnostic one (Jesus represented the One True God and the Old Testament one was a pretty vicious alien intelligence) is up to you and the GM.

@Buddha
Traditional Buddha should be gone. Theravada Nirvana means you're off the wheel.

Still, there's Guanyin and plenty of bodhisattvas. They'd be all over the map between godlings (Pantheons), gods (ditto, but see also some of the China books), and Taoist immortals (Mystic China and its extra material in of the Rifters).

Guanyin, wasn't that the one who sent the Priest on the mythic Journey to the West?

[llywelyn]

Guanyin, wasn't that the one who sent the Priest on the mythic Journey to the West?

Yeah, it was really the Taizong Emperor and a real story, but she was a big part of the mythy retelling.

I was amazed they didn't stat out her or the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Kinda hard to do fantasy China without 'em.

[zaccheus]

There aren't any common world religions described in Rifts simply because for them to exist in Rifts Earth, they would have to exist in Pre-Rifts Earth.
Considering the majority of religions are mutually exclusive and we live in an overly politically correct world, Kevin couldn't possibly have those gods exist without pissing people off.

Umm absolutely incorrect. Hinduism is a massive active world religion and it's detailed in pantheons. Just the abrahamic religions have avoided being directly described in rifts.

[Jerell]

Guanyin, wasn't that the one who sent the Priest on the mythic Journey to the West?

Yeah, it was really the Taizong Emperor and a real story, but she was a big part of the mythy retelling.

I was amazed they didn't stat out her or the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Kinda hard to do fantasy China without 'em.

They did have monkey spirits though. I wish we'd see China 3 some day. Taoist Immortals and that sounds like fun to me. Plus I liked the planned cover.

[Balabanto]

In my home game, I allow priests of these faiths. (See Rifts Priest.)

They're a lot more tolerant of each other, and pantheistic religions, because Big Evil (Demons, Monsters, and even the godless Coalition states-And yes, for most priests, this is a BIG problem) is everywhere.

However, they're pretty rare. Montheistic deities don't run around granting miracles every day.

Every so often, the heroes will run into one. Sometimes, he's mighty. Sometimes, he's a vagabond who believes. It's Rifts.

[Akashic Soldier]

In my home game, I allow priests of these faiths. (See Rifts Priest.)

They're a lot more tolerant of each other, and pantheistic religions, because Big Evil (Demons, Monsters, and even the godless Coalition states-And yes, for most priests, this is a BIG problem) is everywhere.

However, they're pretty rare. Montheistic deities don't run around granting miracles every day.

Every so often, the heroes will run into one. Sometimes, he's mighty. Sometimes, he's a vagabond who believes. It's Rifts.

This makes me wonder. Wouldn't dark priests of the Rifts be cool?
Those who worshiped the rents between the universe and the unadulterated power of infinite possibility and destruction!

[Giant2005]

In my home game, I allow priests of these faiths. (See Rifts Priest.)

They're a lot more tolerant of each other, and pantheistic religions, because Big Evil (Demons, Monsters, and even the godless Coalition states-And yes, for most priests, this is a BIG problem) is everywhere.

However, they're pretty rare. Montheistic deities don't run around granting miracles every day.

Every so often, the heroes will run into one. Sometimes, he's mighty. Sometimes, he's a vagabond who believes. It's Rifts.

This makes me wonder. Wouldn't dark priests of the Rifts be cool?
Those who worshiped the rents between the universe and the unadulterated power of infinite possibility and destruction!

Not sure who they are worshiping exactly with all your jargon there, but if it is an actual entity they are worshiping and not some abstract ideal, wouldn't a dark priest just be a witch?
If that is the case, why is it that evil entities are willing to endow their servants with more power than the good entities? Why isn't there a Witch of Brahma or any other god of light? Do the good guys just not care about their servants as much as the bad guys?

[Nightmask]

In my home game, I allow priests of these faiths. (See Rifts Priest.)

They're a lot more tolerant of each other, and pantheistic religions, because Big Evil (Demons, Monsters, and even the godless Coalition states-And yes, for most priests, this is a BIG problem) is everywhere.

However, they're pretty rare. Montheistic deities don't run around granting miracles every day.

Every so often, the heroes will run into one. Sometimes, he's mighty. Sometimes, he's a vagabond who believes. It's Rifts.

This makes me wonder. Wouldn't dark priests of the Rifts be cool?
Those who worshiped the rents between the universe and the unadulterated power of infinite possibility and destruction!

Not sure who they are worshiping exactly with all your jargon there, but if it is an actual entity they are worshiping and not some abstract ideal, wouldn't a dark priest just be a witch?
If that is the case, why is it that evil entities are willing to endow their servants with more power than the good entities? Why isn't there a Witch of Brahma or any other god of light? Do the good guys just not care about their servants as much as the bad guys?

I've never really understood that either as it seems a bit arbitrary to insist that only the evil ones are going around making such pacts when there's no logical reason the good ones wouldn't be empowering agents the exact same way.

[Giant2005]

In my home game, I allow priests of these faiths. (See Rifts Priest.)

They're a lot more tolerant of each other, and pantheistic religions, because Big Evil (Demons, Monsters, and even the godless Coalition states-And yes, for most priests, this is a BIG problem) is everywhere.

However, they're pretty rare. Montheistic deities don't run around granting miracles every day.

Every so often, the heroes will run into one. Sometimes, he's mighty. Sometimes, he's a vagabond who believes. It's Rifts.

This makes me wonder. Wouldn't dark priests of the Rifts be cool?
Those who worshiped the rents between the universe and the unadulterated power of infinite possibility and destruction!

Not sure who they are worshiping exactly with all your jargon there, but if it is an actual entity they are worshiping and not some abstract ideal, wouldn't a dark priest just be a witch?
If that is the case, why is it that evil entities are willing to endow their servants with more power than the good entities? Why isn't there a Witch of Brahma or any other god of light? Do the good guys just not care about their servants as much as the bad guys?

I've never really understood that either as it seems a bit arbitrary to insist that only the evil ones are going around making such pacts when there's no logical reason the good ones wouldn't be empowering agents the exact same way.

The non-comformist in me now desperately wants to play a good witch .

[Giant2005]

The non-comformist in me now desperately wants to play a good witch .

Like the one from Wizard of OZ?

Thanks, you just managed to get the non-comformist in me back in line.
I no longer want to play a good witch.

[Armorlord]

I will only say that crosses work against supernatural evils throughout the Megaverse, and that Spirits of Light, while often allied with so-called Gods of Light, do not serve them and are instead believed to be connected to some higher power.

In before lock.

Ditto. Bailin' out now.

[Akashic Soldier]

Someone asked why evil and gods of chaos endow their minions with more power. Well, I thought it was obvious... they're cheating.

[Giant2005]

Someone asked why evil and gods of chaos endow their minions with more power. Well, I thought it was obvious... they're cheating.

Cheating works as an explanation .
It does pose another question though: if the forces of evil are quite happy bending the rules to kill and the forces of good aren't willing to bend those same rules to protect; How do the forces of good manage to continue existing? They should have been wiped out aaaaaaaages ago.

[tmikesecrist3]

Here is the thing. KS has made it his made Religions as in common modern practices as hands off. He was wise to do so as people get offended by it. though there is a post apaccpitic fiction series that deals with religion in the wake of a mager world wide disaster, or global war. It is the Ashes Series by William W. Johnstone. The Abrahimic Religions took a big hit. Why because god did not stop it form happening. With the loss of communications it would brake up and splinter the Orginsed Religions. And that leads us to the problem the hero Ben Raines. and that is the Cult of Ben Raines that was where people started thinking that Raines was a god. Because he was helping people help themselves. The cult of NEMA any one? the Cult of Sawyer? just some food for thought I know that the people being deified would probably not like it any better then General Raines did

[Akashic Soldier]

It does pose another question though: if the forces of evil are quite happy bending the rules to kill and the forces of good aren't willing to bend those same rules to protect; How do the forces of good manage to continue existing? They should have been wiped out aaaaaaaages ago.

Why hasn't evil wiped out good eons ago?
1. You player character.
2. The Cosmic Forge.

[Armorlord]

And that leads us to the problem the hero Ben Raines. and that is the Cult of Ben Raines that was where people started thinking that Raines was a god. Because he was helping people help themselves. The cult of NEMA any one? the Cult of Sawyer? just some food for thought I know that the people being deified would probably not like it any better then General Raines did

While I had planned to stay bailed out of the thread, this does raise a very important side point about how the 'mighty Neemans' are only remembered as otherworldly protectors bearing strange technological gifts who appeared during the darkest days of the Dark Age, even by the likes of Ms. Tarn.

[Shark_Force]

Someone asked why evil and gods of chaos endow their minions with more power. Well, I thought it was obvious... they're cheating.

priests of light are essentially the good version of witches.

[Zamion138]

perhapes the comming of the rifts is what happened after the golden age when jesus came back and thoose left were the non-faithfull.

jesus said he would get rid of woe and hatred.
odin said he would rid the world of ice giants.....

I dont see any ice giants around.

[Giant2005]

In before lock!

[The Baron of chaos]

In before lock!

I really wish they'd lock this thread. I know is not such terrible question, but is tricky and riskful.

[llywelyn]

Someone asked why evil and gods of chaos endow their minions with more power. Well, I thought it was obvious... they're cheating.

Cheating works as an explanation .

Not really. If anything, the evil ones would be cheating to get the souls and keep the power for themselves. The Gods of Light would be more likely to be honest and sharing... if that wouldn't precisely encourage the desirous, covetous, selfish nature that their side seeks to diminish.

That mindset is so alien to RPGers, though, that it just seems like Evil Will Always Triumph Because Good Is Dumb.

It does pose another question though: if the forces of evil are quite happy bending the rules to kill and the forces of good aren't willing to bend those same rules to protect; How do the forces of good manage to continue existing? They should have been wiped out aaaaaaaages ago.

A. The G-d of Job plays the very long game and isn't anything like Kev's ideas of "Principled".

B. The Goodies work in Mysterious Ways. Less power up front, but they're the +4 bonuses the players have that civvies don't, the NPC who clues them in on the mission at just the right moment, the car they happen to able to duck behind in the firefight, the hemming and hawing the GM goes through to keep them alive...

I would like the fluff not to confuse Catholicism with Russian Orthodoxy or to so generously favor polytheistic priests, but this is pretty easily worked out on the GM end: I'm fairly certain with a sincere New West priest would have his share of miracles (or "miracles") over a long campaign.

[Nightmask]

In before lock!

I really wish they'd lock this thread. I know is not such terrible question, but is tricky and riskful.

Generally you lock threads where people are obviously on a path to misbehaving, and there's no evidence of it yet.