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Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@Stanifly

I'm intrigued by Sirna's concept, but I have some questions about the characterization that I'd like you to clarify. You've titled them "Benevolent Lord," but the described behavior (craving mortal neediness, being "hard-pressed to let them go," and viewing their struggles as "all a game") reads quite differently. Is Sirna genuinely benevolent, or is that title meant to reflect how mortals mistakenly perceive them?

When you say Sirna "craves the neediness of mortals," what exactly does that mean? Are they compassionately drawn to help those in need, or do they feed on desperation in a more predatory sense? Similarly, if mortals who turn away from Sirna will "inevitably return," does that mean they never truly have agency to escape, or are you suggesting that most (but not all) struggle with the pull of fantasy over reality?

I'm also unclear on what Oblivion represents for you as a domain—is it death, forgetting, madness, ruin through delusion, or something else entirely? The way other gods, as well as the world itself, will interact with her depends on the answer to this question.

Finally, your roleplay example shows Sirna passively observing a mortal; could you help me understand how Sirna actually interacts with mortals in practice? All in all, is Sirna meant to be a helper who guides mortals through the dangers of dreams and desire, or a beautiful trap they fall into?

What's your vision here?

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@ActRaiserTheReturned @Theyra

Well, this is up for discussion. What do you guys want? Do you prefer clean boundaries between the domains or delicious overlap? If you guys think you can use this ambiguity to make a plot IC, I am all for it.

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@Cyclone You've clearly done your homework and I respect the commitment to playing a deity whose greatest enemy is basic forestry management. Approved. I'm actually excited to watch Sarhush learn resource management the hard way, preferably through divine arguments with Saries who should absolutely despise you on sight. Their first meeting should be spectacular.

'Hello, I protect all wilderness.' 'Hello, I want to burn it all.' This will be fine.

Speaking of, @Frettzo, I see you changed your Domains. I was half and half between approving it, but had some apprehensions regarding the Beauty domain and whether Saries could effectively govern the WHOLE Domain of Beauty and not just "the Beauty of Nature," but with the new domains that fixes things. Approved.

You guys can put your chars in the char sheet tab, along with @Timemaster too. so 9/12, waiting for @Legion02, @Stanifly, and @TimelessParagon and we are set for Monday.

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@Timemaster RE: Alechior
Strong concept with great personality and writing! One core issue needs addressing: in your roleplay example, Alechior changes a 100-sided die to show "101" after it's rolled. This breaks the fundamental premise of gambling (outcomes are determined by genuine chance within agreed rules). If Alechior can alter results arbitrarily, he's a trickster (Trickery Domain) using games as theater, not a gambling god. Both archetypes work, but you need to choose which one you're playing.

Aside form that, consider what happens when gambling causes real harm (addiction, ruined families). You don't need grim consequences, but some philosophical boundary between playful mischief and cruelty would add depth. Also, clarify whether "making up rules" applies only to games or extends to all social contracts (laws, oaths, agreements)—this affects how other gods will interact with Alechior.

@Cyclone RE: Sharhush
Compelling concept. Three structural issues to resolve:

Firstly, Sarhush believes the strong naturally dominate, yet he blesses rulers. Every intervention proves his philosophy wrong—if they needed help, they weren't naturally strong. You could, instead, reframe blessings as tests: "I grant you one advantage; if you cannot turn it into lasting dominion, you were never worthy."

Secondly, Burning every tree and destroying all wilderness doesn't build civilization but causes famine and ecological collapse. Even brutal empires practiced resource management. Change "destroy nature" to "subjugate and exploit nature ruthlessly." This comes off with the same intensity and ruthlessness, but remains functional. After all, a god of Civilization who advocates destroying the natural resources civilization needs is self-contradictory. It's like a god of War who wants all weapons melted down.

Thirdly, right now Sarhush only opposes things (democracy, kindness, nature). Give him a positive vision, like monuments piercing the sky, dynasties spanning millennia, cities so magnificent mortals willingly serve. This makes him ambitious rather than merely spiteful.

@Legion02 RE: Excelsis
Domain mismatch: Your roleplay shows conquest and ambition (manipulating kings into war), not discovery (uncovering unknown knowledge). Either rename the domain to match your actual concept, or revise the example to show genuine discovery. Additionally, the "God of gods" goal is an interesting touch; seeking supremacy over other deities creates inherent conflict and that is welcomed, however it's not really acknowledged here. I hope you are ready to be seen as an antagonist to both the good as well as bad guys (possibly the only way these two sides would ever come together for), or reframe this ambition as unreachable/tragic.

Lastly, "I stop caring once you burn to ash" undermines long-term worship. Why would mortals serve a god who explicitly discards them post-usefulness? Either add posthumous care (honoring their legacies) or explain how clergy reconcile this. The manipulative elements work as morally gray which is it's fine, so these three issues just need clarity on whether he's meant to be villainous or complex neutral.

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@Theyra Yeah my bad, I had been reading the other character sheets to compare general power levels and it must have bled into my feedback while I was writing yours. As for the changes you're OK, just hoped to have you think about the character a little more deeply.

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

Okay so, going down the applicant list @Stanifly and then @TimelessParagon are next. How are your character sheets going, good?

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@Theyra

This is much more improved from the previous version (love the idea of honoring worthy mortals as constellations, it creates wonderful mythology potential) and I will accept it, but I want you to consider the following whilst we wait for the roleplay to begin.

• Your characterization is contradictory: the concept describes Arstus as distant and struggling to remember mortals ("his focus is away from others, he tries to think about others"), but your roleplay example shows him deeply engaged—watching the old man's entire life, knowing personal details about his daughter, appearing personally at his deathbed. A truly distant god wouldn't track individual mortal lives; an engaged god wouldn't be framed as forgetful or remote.
  
  • Is Arstus a compassionate guardian who watches over mortals closely, or a remote cosmic force who observes from afar? The current version tries to be both and ends up being neither convincingly.
• Additionally, "the darkness" Arstus opposes is completely undefined currently (another god? abstract evil? literal absence of light?), "worthiness" has no clear criteria (the old man was worthy because... he was a liberator? held light in his heart? was he one of Arstus' worshippers?), and "those who forsake the light" are never specified (worshipers of other gods? criminals? people who just prefer nighttime?).
  
  • Other players need to know whether their characters/followers might be considered enemies of Arstus, what actions could earn constellation honors or, conversely, Arstus' ire.

So as I said, I will accept him, but think about my suggestions please. Pop him in the CS tab :)

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@CmmelodyA Ripple happens regardless of who triggers it, be it an evil or good god. On the contrary, an evil god running around causing negative ripples for mortal followers of other gods paints a target on their back for said gods to chase him around. Don't rest on your laurels mel :)

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

The Zeroth post has been updated with new information about another core mechanic of this roleplay, Ripples! Peruse it at your leisure.

Edit: made some format changes

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@Cmmelody There are 12 applicants right now with 8 having posted a character sheet and 5 of those having been accepted. I am willing to accommodate up to this number of GOD characters at max, as I have already extended the limit by 2 already one time, but any more and it's gonna get unwieldy.

Edit: Everyone that has applied thus far plus @Legion02 who notified me by PM can get a chance to send in their sheets. I am going to be closing applications for anyone else.