In-Game Religions

[Mafia Salad]

Oh, but of course!! A religion that sits about just philosophy and lore is, in the best of the cases, a plain "meh". But when you start performing rituals or doing stuff that results interesting (and non harming), and it proposes something new to the locals... Well, thats a good starting point. I pretty know that :p.

Good to know you can see that. I'll carry on anyway since you're not the only one who will read this and I would love to see some more active religions in the game.

The philosophy and lorebuilding are really fun, so I think a lot of religion creators get caught up in it and never realize they need to build bridges to make it fun for other players in an already existing dynamic world. Just learning your lore isn't enough. The fun you had making the religion isn't really transferable so you got to make it fun to believe it too. (Fun since this is a game, and making it eternally consequential won't sway the players behind the characters over.)

In real life churches that grow are ones that challenge the culture around them. Churches that give their seal of approval to everything in life don't attract new members. Why should they? They already told their potential new members that they are good living the life they already live. Churches that challenge the cultural around them get a lot more push back, but also a lot more converts... up to a point (Amish don't get many converts despite challenging a whole lot of cultural norms.) I think the same would hold true in Cantr, finding the right balance between challenging the culture and being a part of it is the real trick to making a religion stick.

I may have seen several priests and prophets of death cults and other harmful religions in the past. One could add some serious spice if it took off, but town leaders never let them get past the public proclamation of murder and mayhem stage for some odd reason. When characters get into a position of power before the grand proclamation they tend to fare a little better but usually they also wind up dead before attracting any followers.

[Vanya]

I dont know if anyone tried it before but... A cult of death has a failure: it sounds as "murder" too soon, while a cult to the dead sounds creepy, but also misterious and somewhat atracting, and is not inmediately threating everyone as it is being preached.
Specially, you can make something like the Ner´Zhul religion from Warcraft, or the Myrkul religion from D&D. Since the game lets everyone describe themselves as they want, you could describe yourself as sentient undead or something, without going against any rule nor mechanic, right? It sounds somewhat charming, but requires the "turned" subjects to be willing of form part of the cult.

Now, how the religion and hierarchies work? Thats another matter. But for a start, it could work better as a cult of death. Just turn it into a cult of dead, with no murdering, just worshiping the dead and corpses, and add some rituals and mystic stuff.
Idk. What do you think?

[Millhouse]

If I had not already promised I wouldn't spawn another character, I'd do it just to try out a death cult idea I just had.

[Mafia Salad]

Since the game lets everyone describe themselves as they want, you could describe yourself as sentient undead or something, without going against any rule nor mechanic, right?

There is a rule that descriptions should be human, and although you can stretch it (unnatural hair or eye colors can be found, as well as feral but still human characters), describing yourself as sentient undead would probably get you reported. You could certainly describe yourself with dead like characteristics like pale greyish skin, thin or no hair, incredibly thin - that kind of thing. But you have to be a human. Makeup, like white skulls painted over acolytes faces could certainly work and is easy for new adherents to add. And if you RP a creepy ritual where you do it all the better.

[destinysWalrus]

I am very, very slowly working on a religion - though it may more easily be compared to old religions we now call mythology than anything modern. I really haven't given much thought to ritual yet as I am still putting together the pantheon and some of the stories. I can't really say much about it because it is still something I'm actively working on in-game - so 1) talking too much about it would probably spoil my character even if said character hasn't gotten around much and 2) Still a lot of stuff to go before I'm ready to have the character make a big deal of it. For now I'm just settling for occasional in-char mentions of the god xe believes in, and going from there depending on other characters' interest.

Though I did recently come up with the beginning of a death/burial ritual. I plan for it to get more complicated in the future.

[Millhouse]

Since the game lets everyone describe themselves as they want, you could describe yourself as sentient undead or something, without going against any rule nor mechanic, right?

There is a rule that descriptions should be human, and although you can stretch it (unnatural hair or eye colors can be found, as well as feral but still human characters), describing yourself as sentient undead would probably get you reported. You could certainly describe yourself with dead like characteristics like pale greyish skin, thin or no hair, incredibly thin - that kind of thing. But you have to be a human. Makeup, like white skulls painted over acolytes faces could certainly work and is easy for new adherents to add. And if you RP a creepy ritual where you do it all the better.

Healing someone from NDS could be viewed as a form of necromancy though. I always think of Princess Bride when I see someone being brought back from NDS ("Your friend isn't dead. He's only mostly dead!") I think if properly RP'd most players would give characters a pass if they came back from NDS and claimed they were some form of resurrected dead. (And now I've just given away my death cult idea)

[Money]

Since the game lets everyone describe themselves as they want, you could describe yourself as sentient undead or something, without going against any rule nor mechanic, right?

There is a rule that descriptions should be human, and although you can stretch it (unnatural hair or eye colors can be found, as well as feral but still human characters), describing yourself as sentient undead would probably get you reported. You could certainly describe yourself with dead like characteristics like pale greyish skin, thin or no hair, incredibly thin - that kind of thing. But you have to be a human. Makeup, like white skulls painted over acolytes faces could certainly work and is easy for new adherents to add. And if you RP a creepy ritual where you do it all the better.

Healing someone from NDS could be viewed as a form of necromancy though. I always think of Princess Bride when I see someone being brought back from NDS ("Your friend isn't dead. He's only mostly dead!") I think if properly RP'd most players would give characters a pass if they came back from NDS and claimed they were some form of resurrected dead. (And now I've just given away my death cult idea)

Feed em poison till they fall into NDS, heal em back up. Presto bango, fallen out hair and dead looking skin as a result of their near fatal poisoning. Claim to be "undead", use the looks to justify claim. Apply body modification as needed to make something truly inhuman looking.

[Optimus Christ]

Religions eh? I have one in mind. Too bad it's not your typical religion, as the character wouldn't share it.

I don´t understand XD. Why?

Well it's a theory I am playing around with. Can't exactly say on here.

[Vanya]

Since the game lets everyone describe themselves as they want, you could describe yourself as sentient undead or something, without going against any rule nor mechanic, right?

There is a rule that descriptions should be human, and although you can stretch it (unnatural hair or eye colors can be found, as well as feral but still human characters), describing yourself as sentient undead would probably get you reported. You could certainly describe yourself with dead like characteristics like pale greyish skin, thin or no hair, incredibly thin - that kind of thing. But you have to be a human. Makeup, like white skulls painted over acolytes faces could certainly work and is easy for new adherents to add. And if you RP a creepy ritual where you do it all the better.

B-b-but... An undead is still human. Its just not a fully living human, not yet a corpse (CRAP!! Britney´s song "Im not a girl, not yet a woman" is sounding now in my head XD). What I mean is... as you can have unnatural features like feral features, or stuff like nails as claws, or furlike hair, or something like that, and still being a human, as you said: you can have undeadlike cosmetic characteristics and still being a human. That, plus saying you are or you believe that you are an undead. And still being human, with humanlike functions like eating, being killable, being able to be wounded, healeable, and so.
Im not meaning to go against the "border", but pretty much aproaching it without crossing the line. And obviously: having a pretty dense RP background. Just as Money said.

[Wolfsong]

This may have been said already, but people approach religion the wrong way, IMO. They build a religion OOCly and write down everything, then pass out pamphlets IG and expect people to just go along with it. That's boring. That religion is more or less already dead. What I would like to see more of is a religion in its infancy, with its creator/prophet still discovering its tenets and inviting others to add to the religion organically - start with something, but don't have everything already decided. I would love to see competing views written by different "disciples", and an organised effort later on to codify everything and bring widely divergent worldviews into alignment.

Give me a Jesus-like figure with a cadre of followers, or a Mohammad.

[Moonflame]

Give me a Jesus-like figure with a cadre of followers...

Its just not a fully living human, not yet a corpse (CRAP!! Britney´s song "Im not a girl, not yet a woman" is sounding now in my head XD).

I humbly request cult of Britney. All shave your heads at initiation, tell the acolytes to "work bitch", and sing praises to a deity named Baby. Create IC reasons for all. Now go!

Er, sensible talk to balance: Make it easy to follow your religion. If you want followers, some of their players are going to be less active or don't want to remember/read pages and pages of lore.

[Vanya]

Give me a Jesus-like figure with a cadre of followers...

Its just not a fully living human, not yet a corpse (CRAP!! Britney´s song "Im not a girl, not yet a woman" is sounding now in my head XD).

I humbly request cult of Britney. All shave your heads at initiation, tell the acolytes to "work bitch", and sing praises to a deity named Baby. Create IC reasons for all. Now go!

Er, sensible talk to balance: Make it easy to follow your religion. If you want followers, some of their players are going to be less active or don't want to remember/read pages and pages of lore.

Yeah. Actually, a religion more based in dogma than in facts and action is pretty boring. YISUS KRAIST!! If its for some people somewhat boring IRL, its more boring in a game!!
Actually, the core of a religion should be the feeling of community, of being part of something bigger than yourself. Something that supports you as much as you work for it, and that will go beyond you in power and will last for generations. Something that needs you an makes you feel like an important sand grain. And, of course, something that tunes your favourite song (there you can insert "self mortification and love for others", "being a sadistic killing machine", "being a lab rat who borrows in lore and books", "being a tree-hugher", or the tune your god personificates and sings).

Its all about feelings and passions, with a bit of rituals and a bit of texts. And another bit of feasts and party-hard.

[Mafia Salad]

This may have been said already, but people approach religion the wrong way, IMO. They build a religion OOCly and write down everything, then pass out pamphlets IG and expect people to just go along with it. That's boring. That religion is more or less already dead. What I would like to see more of is a religion in its infancy, with its creator/prophet still discovering its tenets and inviting others to add to the religion organically - start with something, but don't have everything already decided. I would love to see competing views written by different "disciples", and an organised effort later on to codify everything and bring widely divergent worldviews into alignment.

Give me a Jesus-like figure with a cadre of followers, or a Mohammad.

I can think of four characters that my characters look to as religious or spiritual authorities, three feel like the religion (I use the term loosely here) is being developed/revealed in an organic or, the very least ongoing way and the fourth is clarify/revising an older religion. So what you want to see if definitely out there. The problem comes with the cadre of followers. Most of my character are at the least religiously curious or superstitious but I usually feel like they are the only ones who are. Admittedly there is a lack of fantastically charismatic characters in the game right now so maybe that's all it would take to pull in the religiously apathetic.

Actually, the core of a religion should be the feeling of community, of being part of something bigger than yourself. Something that supports you as much as you work for it, and that will go beyond you in power and will last for generations. Something that needs you an makes you feel like an important sand grain. And, of course, something that tunes your favourite song (there you can insert "self mortification and love for others", "being a sadistic killing machine", "being a lab rat who borrows in lore and books", "being a tree-hugher", or the tune your god personificates and sings).

Its all about feelings and passions, with a bit of rituals and a bit of texts. And another bit of feasts and party-hard.

Honest question: Why would I need a religion for any of that? Couldn't I just join the Elks lodge or edit Wikipedia? IRL religious movements that become about community and being a part of something bigger than yourself bleed members and die. Religious movements that are about TRUTH, a truth the rest of the world doesn't know or refuses to accept, they grow and thrive. Dogma and doctrine (or a living source of truth - a prophet) are far more central to a healthy religion than feelings of community and purpose.

[Wolfsong]

There are a lot of broken characters out there for whom religion would be a natural refuge, but nobody seems to try to recruit them. A lot of people seem to want to wait for interested people to come to them; they don't go out converting.

[nateflory]

There are a lot of broken characters out there for whom religion would be a natural refuge, but nobody seems to try to recruit them. A lot of people seem to want to wait for interested people to come to them; they don't go out converting.

The best religions, be they popular "mainstream" ones or small Cults, offer something that is missing in the person's life. Whether that be a Sense of Purpose, or a guiding ethics, or Hope... in some vague fashion, ALL religions contain within themselves a way to better ones-self. The details vary, and... I too have my Faith, so don't mean to put down "religion" as simply psychological trappings... but without a Goal or something to offer beyond "use these words to describe God/Goddess/etc".... religion in Cantr is tough, because the ones I've personally run across are more simple dogma, or Names of The Divine... and no penalty for not following, or real benefit for the followers.