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[Devling]

So, we humans are a generally religous bunch, especially about a few thousands years ago. Now imagine a world where the tech level is around the dark age, except pelythesiom is still strong and going. Now imagine that instead of all those fairy tales being fairy tales, they were real, with consquences, which we have witnessed in this game. Even though the gods don't do much, they are still part of the world, and almost every dwarf, human, or elf worships something. They come in all shapes and sizes, and I don't think that a athiesom movement is happening anytime soon. So why isn't this a bigger part of the game? Why don't we see dwarves praying, crying out to their gods, holding festivals, building temples? We, the players, are certainly gods. Oh no, it might not come right out and say it, but we're omnipresent overlords, and nearly every fortress has a patron deity. "But that deity is nothing like me!" Sure the description of a cave dwarf thing that likes trees might not sound like you or your play style, but who knows how the dwarves interpet your orders from above.


Thoughts?

[King DZA]

From the recent devlogs, it would seem that Toady is moving away from the idea that the player is some omnipresent being, and more of a watchful government type force.

Also, I hear deities and religion in general are already planned to be much more fleshed out in the future.

[KtosoX]

"Secrets" are supposed to be given by the gods/entities to mortals. That will be a pretty important part of the game...
Also, I think there were temples in human towns few versions ago...

[Loud Whispers]

I WILL KILL THE GODS.

THEN THERE WILL BE NONE BUT ME.

[King DZA]

Hey, That was my plan! 

[Loud Whispers]

Hey, That was my plan! 

You can join in too

[DrKillPatient]

I think the most concise answer is that Dwarven religion just hasn't been implemented yet-- although vampire cults will feature in the next update, which might provide a framework for religions if applied similarly on a larger scale, with multiple deities available to worship instead of one figure. Maybe monotheism will come up too, who knows? Holy wars, schisms, and reformations would be interesting. Since each species' religion will likely conflict one another (eg. ascribing certain events to different gods/demons), religious wars would be especially likely.

It would also be nice to see the occasional atheist/agnostic/skeptic/differently religous (had a revelation?) civ member (prevalence would likely rely on the social and scientific advancement of the civilization, because he might get killed in some cases, eg. Socrates' execution), who might be hated by more devout members. Perhaps, like Socrates, he could attempt to spread his reasoning and would come under the aggression of the priests. Maybe he'd suffer assassination attempts or something? Oppressed and with nowhere to hide, he'd start a subversive cult and eventually catch the favor of the civilization's leader, eventually turning the tables and beginning to persecute the previous religion, such as Theodosius I condemning the pagans after officially adopting Christianity as the state religion. The neighboring civs who were still of the old religion would turn on the new establishment, splitting the empire apart and ending an age of legendary leaders!
...Bah, I've rambled for a while. Doubtful that all of this will ever-- oh who am I kidding, Tarn and Zach think of everything.

(And don't forget the Dwarven philosopher's most potent argument, "Why would a perfectly good, omnipotent Elven god allow us to flood forests with magma?" Elven nature-gods are a fallacy, I tell you!)

[Loud Whispers]

I think the most concise answer is that Dwarven religion just hasn't been implemented yet-- although vampire cults will feature in the next update, which might provide a framework for religions if applied similarly on a larger scale, with multiple deities available to worship instead of one figure. Maybe monotheism will come up too, who knows? Holy wars, schisms, and reformations would be interesting. Since each species' religion will likely conflict one another (eg. ascribing certain events to different gods/demons), religious wars would be especially likely.

It would also be nice to see the occasional atheist/agnostic/skeptic/differently religous (had a revelation?) civ member (prevalence would likely rely on the social and scientific advancement of the civilization, because he might get killed in some cases, eg. Socrates' execution), who might be hated by more devout members. Perhaps, like Socrates, he could attempt to spread his reasoning and would come under the aggression of the priests. Maybe he'd suffer assassination attempts or something? Oppressed and with nowhere to hide, he'd start a subversive cult and eventually catch the favor of the civilization's leader, eventually turning the tables and beginning to persecute the previous religion, such as Theodosius I condemning the pagans after officially adopting Christianity as the state religion. The neighboring civs who were still of the old religion would turn on the new establishment, splitting the empire apart and ending an age of legendary leaders!
...Bah, I've rambled for a while. Doubtful that all of this will ever-- oh who am I kidding, Tarn and Zach think of everything.

(And don't forget the Dwarven philosopher's most potent argument, "Why would a perfectly good, omnipotent Elven god allow us to flood forests with magma?" Elven nature-gods are a fallacy, I tell you!)

We're screwed

[King DZA]

Hey, That was my plan! 

You can join in too

A duo of god slayers, travelling across the realms and committing deicide left and right, growing in power with each kill. That sounds beyond badass.

But what happens when we are the only two all powerful god-like beings left in existence? Neither of us can be supreme god of everything while the other is still alive...

[MagmaMcFry]

Dun dun DUN.

[Loud Whispers]

Hey, That was my plan! 

You can join in too

A duo of god slayers, travelling across the realms and committing deicide left and right, growing in power with each kill. That sounds beyond badass.

But what happens when we are the only two all powerful god-like beings left in existence? Neither of us can be supreme god of everything while the other is still alive...

We troll the world.

[Oliolli]

Hey, That was my plan! 

You can join in too

A duo of god slayers, travelling across the realms and committing deicide left and right, growing in power with each kill. That sounds beyond badass.

But what happens when we are the only two all powerful god-like beings left in existence? Neither of us can be supreme god of everything while the other is still alive...

We troll the world.

An epic fight between Good (Loud Whispers) and Evil (King DZA).

[King DZA]

Hey, That was my plan! 

You can join in too

A duo of god slayers, travelling across the realms and committing deicide left and right, growing in power with each kill. That sounds beyond badass.

But what happens when we are the only two all powerful god-like beings left in existence? Neither of us can be supreme god of everything while the other is still alive...

We troll the world.

Sounds like a plan.

We'll have to start using the DF pantheon as a hitlist.

EDIT: Wait, why am I the evil one??

[Yoink]

It's gonna be !!FUN!! when the younger members of your fort, after extended socializing with the human traders, begin worshipping the human deity, which just happens to be a badger fiend... And then the Mountainhomes declare war. It will be interesting to see how moddable these cults are!

[Devling]

Hey, That was my plan! 

You can join in too

A duo of god slayers, travelling across the realms and committing deicide left and right, growing in power with each kill. That sounds beyond badass.

But what happens when we are the only two all powerful god-like beings left in existence? Neither of us can be supreme god of everything while the other is still alive...

We troll the world.

An epic fight between Good (Loud Whispers) and Evil (King DZA).

*obvious highlander joke that I'm suprised no one else has made*