I’ve shifted the focus of my RPG-related time allowance, in a serious way, to developing the God-eaters campaign. In the mid to long term this will mean that I’ll need to fill in more mechanics (beyond just magic spells with an implied framework of rules somewhere behind and off to one side). In also means that I’ll need to fill in a bit of a setting, with maps and cultures and so on. (I’m thinking I might keep on running with the Monoke-hime influence: somewhere off the map, a distant and largely unconcerned imperial capital that occasionally meddles; closer at hand, a handful of squabbling fiefs beholden to the capital… and a handful of relatively independent clans or outposts.) In the short term, though, it means I need to design some gods that the characters might want to eat. What follows is an overview of the template I’ll be using in that design process.

Name: A primary appellation for the god
(Title(s)): Other titles, names, nicknames, or descriptors

Description: This section talks about the god’s sensory manifestations such as appearance or smell, its common behaviors, and (if it has a fixed territory or preferred location to visit) its surroundings.

Worshipers: Do humans actively and routinely serve and honor the god in return for its protection, forbearance, or gifts? If so, the relationship is described here.

Servitors: Do non-human creatures or spirits do the god’s bidding or aid it in some way? If so, they are described here. Note that from their point of view, many sentient “servitors” should count as “worshipers.” For our purposes, the distinction is made in human terms.

Confrontation: How the god, its worshipers, and its servitors respond to outside forces, including their general strategies and tactics for responding to violence.

Aspect: Key words that describe the god in a metaphorical way, and what character traits are boosted in those who absorb energy from the god’s death or defeat.

Powers – Tier 1: Those who consume part of the defeated god or its essence gain access to these powers (and drawbacks, and quirks).

Powers – Tier 2: Those who actively embrace the god’s essence as part of themselves gain access to these powers (and drawbacks, and quirks).

Powers – Tier 3: Those who have moved far enough away from their Humanity gain access to these powers (and drawbacks, and quirks).

Powers – Other: Miscellaneous other effects of consuming or accepting the god’s essence.

Example Checks: The god’s essence, even after being largely dissipated, divided, and diluted, remains potent. While the GM (or even the player!) should call for Humanity checks based on what seems most appropriate to the campaign’s dramatic, narrative, and mechanical needs, this section provides some examples to spur the imagination and suggest an overall tone.

Notes: Anything else that seems worth mentioning but doesn’t fit into the above categories goes here.