Ryan Freire wrote:

> Ive always played out that after a certain amount of bloodpower, you
> would become a demigod, after all that seems to be how the new gods got
> their godhood, absorbed enough divine essence. That could be why the
> gorgon is so intent on bloodtheft, if he gets enough, and then starts
> gathering worshippers, he could become a god

I'd agree with this concept in principle. It does raise two major questions in
my mind, however. How does one become a god in a non-BR setting? Shouldn't
the Gorgon have reached that level a LONG time ago? He's been running around
doing bloodtheft for 1,500 years. If a mortal can become a demigod, the Gorgon
should have been able to do it thirty times over by now. Why isn't he a divine
being by now?

The Gorgon is the only creature that I have seen that is noted as having a
bloodline strength of 100+. Just what the @#$* does that mean? His bloodline
is 101? 201? 1,012? I'm thinking, however, that 100+ is all the information
we really need. The Gorgon has all the divine essence in him to ascend, but
something is keeping him back.

I've been saying that I think the domain rules for BR should be translated into
the core rules of AD&D by having characters collect regency equal to their
experience level + bloodline + any magical items that increase one's bloodline
power for the purpose of collecting regency the same way certain times do that
in Birthright. Characters can spend RPs to increase their "bloodlines" even in
non-BR worlds. In effect, spending regency gained would "create" a bloodline,
except in a non-BR world this would have to be called something else.
Kingship, Rulership, Regal Power, or something like that. It will act in a
similar manner to a bloodline, but only BR bloodlines spawn blood powers and
have a derivation based upon the battle at Deismaar.

Only BR characters are able to store unlimited RPs indefinitely and transfer
them to their heirs. A non-BR character cannot store more RPs than he has
levels of experience. Any RPs above that number must be spent during the
domain turn, or they are lost. This is to reflect that in a non-BR world, the
effects that create RPs; favors, accolades, hero worship, etc. all fade in
time. In the BR setting, these things are stored up by the bloodline and can
be kept indefinitely.

If someone can raise his bloodline or "Rulership Power" to 100+, then I think
he could potentially become a god. Why hasn't the Gorgon? Well, my solution
is that it requires something else in addition to divine essence. Here's what
I think someone should have to do to become a god:

1. Raise his/her bloodline (or "Rulership Power" in a non-BR world) to 100 or
higher.

2. Meet all the requirements for divine ascension noted in Legends & Lore.
(Except the 18 charisma one. I still think that's bunk.)

3. The character must accomplish some individually tailored, monumental task
that is known only to the DM. Maybe the gods know what task this might be, but
the character does not unless he is somehow told by one of the powers or their
intermediaries. Scholars could guess at it, but no mortal could discover it
for sure. This task should be epic in every sense of the word. The Twelve
Labors of Heracles is a good example. (After all, he did ascend, didn't he?)

#3 is why the Gorgon cannot ascend. He does not know what his monumental task
must be. What is this task? I think it should be that the Gorgon must restore
(read: conquer) the Anuirean Empire and rule it in his iron fist for a
century. He must make it as dark and evil a force upon the face of Cerilia as
it once was a force of good. If he pulls that off, he becomes a god.

But the Gorgon does not know this. Why? Because no one will tell him. Only
the gods could do that, and it is hard to imagine any of them doing so. The
good aligned gods would keep it quiet for the "good" of all humanity. The evil
ones out of spite.

In thematic terms, this could be rockin' good fun. It explains why the Gorgon
seems to be driven to conquer. It takes into account his history and how his
frustration at not becoming a god is based on factors that begin with his own
illegitimate birth. Imagine how the Gorgon would react if he ever discovered
what it was that has kept him from ascending? He is the epic tragic anti-hero
of all time. All these centuries he has been on Cerilia, and the one thing
that has kept him from godhood is something should have been his as his....
BIRTHRIGHT!

Gary