Sovereign – king, sorcerer King or God King

from Stardock Forums

In response to Frogboys recent answer about would there be priest, some people responded that surely someone imbued by the Sovereign with the ability to channel was just a wizard not a Priest.

 

I think what that those people are missing is that it’s very much a matter of perception as to what being imbued by a sovereign means in the world of elemental.

 

To see what I mean first of all think what a Sovereign is in the world of elemental.

 

A sovereign is someone who can literally perform miracles, they can even restore life to the blasted and dead lands allowing you and others like you to live under their protection, they can also crush any normal person who opposes or disobeys them should the mood take them. This person has the power of life and death over all who live under their protection.

 

So how do you see them, sorcerer king? Or as a living God? I put it to you this would very much be decided by how the Sovereign themselves want to be seen.

 

So if you are imbued by this godlike being with the power to perform your own miracles do you see yourself as a wizard or a priest blessed by his God?

 

 

elemental
6,150 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Umm, well that's very interesting and I think you already answered it by saying:

...this would very much be decided by how the Sovereign themselves want to be seen.
End of quote

I think it comes down to what type of people you are leading and what the Channeler makes themselves out to be. In truth, a wizard and a priest in a fantasy setting aren't too far apart. basically i think it just comes down to the type of magic they focus on.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Even when it comes to the sort of magic they do they aren't always far apart, I mean the powers of a priest in a fantasy setting often depend on the sort of God they worship. Look at D&D priests can burn people, hit them with lightening, command them to die, heal or harm.

So yes I guess what I'm saying is it more depends on how you choose to describe it, than the actual power.

 

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

a wizard and a priest in a fantasy setting aren't too far apart.
End of quote

You're right there...the only real difference between wizards and priests (if you exclude morality) are that wizards for the most part learn, study magic in general with their magical source being either within themselves or in an artifact like a staff. Priests on the other hand are granted magical power by their deity. Considering that all magic users (as in non-channelers) will have been imbued by their sovereign/God King.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Fenhiro, reply 3

a wizard and a priest in a fantasy setting aren't too far apart.


You're right there...the only real difference between wizards and priests (if you exclude morality) are that wizards for the most part learn, study magic in general with their magical source being either within themselves or in an artifact like a staff. Priests on the other hand are granted magical power by their deity. Considering that all magic users (as in non-channelers) will have been imbued by their sovereign/God King.
End of Fenhiro's quote

 

True that is the classic DnD style distinction and I agree since the sovereign gives them the power an elemental channeler is more like a classic priest. However in the wider fantasy genre sense what if a magic user believed his power derived from a God, while infact it was something intrinsic? Would they be priest or magic user. If they believed in and preached about a God they'd still be a priest in my book.

Of course a sovereign could also believe their power dervived from a God....

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting econundrum1, reply 4


True that is the classic DnD style distinction and I agree since the sovereign gives them the power an elemental channeler is more like a classic priest. However in the wider fantasy genre sense what if a magic user believed his power derived from a God, while infact it was something intrinsic? Would they be priest or magic user. If they believed in and preached about a God they'd still be a priest in my book.

Of course a sovereign could also believe their power dervived from a God....
End of econundrum1's quote

Considering the background story and the difference between essence using Channelers and ordinary magic, he might not be far wrong.

(ie. Essence magic being the only way to access Arnor/Dread Lord level magic around)

It's just not an intentional/voluntary act on the part of the "god". (unless that's how the Channeler got his first shard...)

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

True :-).

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

I HAVE BEEN CHOOSEN BY THE BIG METAL HAND IN THE SKY!

 

but seriously, I  am interested in seeing how in game NPCs react to soveriegns.   I mean, like in Heroes of Might and Magic, a few campaigns had people talking to *you*, often this suggested that the person was talking to a present hero, but sometimes it was a little vague.   In a game like this you are obviously a person, and would a random dude in the woods give you a quest in the non-chelance way that they might give a random traving low-level un-famous (not infamous either) hero?

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Well, I think it's semantics. The difference between "king" and "god king" is the perception you want to convey. Most kings tried to give the impression that they ruled by divine right anyway.

The sovereign is leader of the kingdom, whatever he wants to be called is just a reason why its good to be king. :)

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Obviously, without divine magic, a wizard is "just" a wizard. But there's nothing specifically preventing a wizard from also being a priest. If a Sovereign sets himself up to be the self-appointed god of a nation, what's the prevent him from appointing his own priests, handing out magic to them as he sees fit? In a way, that magic would within that nation be considered divine - after all, it's handed out by the resident god. Other Sovereigns? Pretenders. Pompous charlatans and heretics.

:p

OP:
[...]

So how do you see them, sorcerer king? Or as a living God? I put it to you this would very much be decided by how the Sovereign themselves want to be seen.

So if you are imbued by this godlike being with the power to perform your own miracles do you see yourself as a wizard or a priest blessed by his God?

End of quote
Oh, God-King. Definately God-King.

And so, following the titan's fall of cataclysm, the people despaired. There was famine & death, war & plagues, starvation & sickness, turmoil & murder & chaos as the world wept onto blackened skies of molten smoke. God, who is our God, the true God amongst pretenders & the humbled, watched the despairing masses that was hunched against the deadened soil and had pity on the Chosen. From the green mountain the creator came unto us like a beacon of shining radiance to bring hope & clarity to man, and create new creators once again and liberation from the unclean, impure, the mutant & the fallen.

So sayeth the tome of Sol'Avalon. So sayeth our Grand Architecht. So sayeth we all.
Hallowed be the Creator.

Excerpt, Sermon 19:94:112 by Prior Nylathem.

RisingLegend:
I think it comes down to what type of people you are leading and what the Channeler makes themselves out to be. In truth, a wizard and a priest in a fantasy setting aren't too far apart. Basically i think it just comes down to the type of magic they focus on.
End of quote

I'd say that it largely depends on the setting. In one setting, priests and wizards are very, very far apart.

Edit: I really hate quoting on these boards.