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[404notfound]

I want to make a campaign for d20 v3.5 based on Dwarf Fortress.  I'm mulling over rules for mining, farming, brewing, masonry, carpentry, smithing, etc.  One thing I'm not sure on is the pantheon, including Armok, God of Blood.  What should his portfolio, domains, and dogma be?  Also, I would like Toady's blessing for this project.

[Vaiolis]

Armok, God of Blood.  What should his portfolio, domains, and dogma be?

I can already foresee many replies coming, each trying to out-do the other on Armok's various ways.

Other than that I can't think of anything witty or useful to actually put in, so I'd say try to list out everything that has anything to do with blood, and put that in. After that, try to define the word "dwarven" and put that in as well.

[404notfound]

Thanks for the initial advice.  I'll keep it in mind.  One rule I'm thinking of is a Name of Madness rule that makes there a chance that anyone mentioning Armok will refer to him as "The God of AAaa!" and go amok on a dwarven tantrum.  Just sounds like fun, but maybe it's too destructive.  On an unrelated note, I really like my title: "Escaped Lunatic," ha!

[chaoticag]

Armok would enjoy torture mostly. And wars and conflict.

This is from the original S2A:

But who or what is Armok? ARMOK is the God of Blood…The Supreme God, he gives name to the game, his powers are literally endless…He creates and destroys whole Universes just for pleasure and fun. He enjoys watching death, destruction and, of course, blood run on his Universe…In an Universe, he can have billions of worshippers, while in another his existence might be unknown...but HE EXISTS. This cannot be denied, and allows to play almost any type universe…from a standard fantasy-type world to a “primitive”, stone age world…and, why not a “future world” with star travel? In fact, when Armok creates an Universe, he likes putting more than one planet in it!

 

Remember…Armok can control and destroy all other creatures, including the other, ”lesser” gods, but he usually enjoys watching civilizations grew, because he hopes that one day these civilizations will fight each other, and thus generate conflict and slaughter!

(Source)

As for the rest of the pantheon, you'll just have to run over some of the random gods created by the RNG, as well as the forces and powers.

[404notfound]

Got it.  ARMOK, the God of AAaa!
*404notfound cancels post; Interrupted by encroaching madness*
...
*One rampage later.*
Ok. ARMOK is supreme.  Highest divine rank.  Creates in order to destroy, much like many a player of Dwarf Fortress.  Atypical overdeity.  Creates entire pantheons.  Rules everything.  I like.  Very cosmic horror.  Kind of Nyarly.  Fun.

[Pilsu]

Creates in order to destroy, much like many a player of Dwarf Fortress.

Almost there, keep thinking

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Destroys in order to destroy some more.

[PTTG??]

Blood is not destruction; blood is in every living thing, it is life.
Armok is the energy and chaos of living things- things as present in war as in art. Armok likes to see more chaos and conflict because it stimulates more creation.

[Demonic Gophers]

Armok, the God of Blood, is just about the only constant in these chaotic random universes.  A general sense of conflict keeps Armok appeased - when the universe becomes too boring it is set on the anvil of creation to be reforged.  In some universes, Armok may be very involved, inspiring priesthoods and millions of followers.  In others, Armok may take a lesser role, or no role at all, up until the apocalypse.

There may be other deities that are a bit more transitory.  These gods may or may not last between different incarnations of the universe, but in a given universe, they are the most powerful beings next to Armok.  They can do virtually anything - although the scope of a deity's powers is sometimes restricted greatly.  That is, a god of earth has control over everything relating to that element but not over water.  A god of disease can spread plagues but cannot or will not cause earthquakes or make farms more productive.  It is not for us to say whether the powers of the deities are actually restricted, or whether their divine thoughts are so focused on their unwavering purpose that other things simply do not matter to them.

From here.

My understanding is that Armok creates worlds and universes for his own amusement.  If they are interesting, he usually just watches.  If things get too quiet (or he feels like it), he takes a hand to stir up the situation.  If he gets bored with a universe, he destroys it and starts over.

[Tahin]

Armok, the God of Blood, is just about the only constant in these chaotic random universes.  A general sense of conflict keeps Armok appeased - when the universe becomes too boring it is set on the anvil of creation to be reforged.  In some universes, Armok may be very involved, inspiring priesthoods and millions of followers.  In others, Armok may take a lesser role, or no role at all, up until the apocalypse.

There may be other deities that are a bit more transitory.  These gods may or may not last between different incarnations of the universe, but in a given universe, they are the most powerful beings next to Armok.  They can do virtually anything - although the scope of a deity's powers is sometimes restricted greatly.  That is, a god of earth has control over everything relating to that element but not over water.  A god of disease can spread plagues but cannot or will not cause earthquakes or make farms more productive.  It is not for us to say whether the powers of the deities are actually restricted, or whether their divine thoughts are so focused on their unwavering purpose that other things simply do not matter to them.

From here.

My understanding is that Armok creates worlds and universes for his own amusement.  If they are interesting, he usually just watches.  If things get too quiet (or he feels like it), he takes a hand to stir up the situation.  If he gets bored with a universe, he destroys it and starts over.

This is my favorite theory as to who Armok is, and it sounds like it is or was official. It also implies heavily that you, the player, are playing the role of Armok, at least when you generate a world, not necessarily when you play an adventurer/fortress.

[Demonic Gophers]

I tend to assume that Armok is the 'forces unknown' noted for guiding adventurers, as well, although there's less support for that theory.

[Aqizzar]

Some random dude just one day grabbed a weapon and hauls out into the world, slaughtering mayors, killing demons, and throwing bugs at children, all while hopping on one leg with a quiver full of arrows sticking out of his face.  Sounds like possession by a mad deity to me.

[404notfound]

This is my favorite theory as to who Armok is, and it sounds like it is or was official. It also implies heavily that you, the player, are playing the role of Armok, at least when you generate a world, not necessarily when you play an adventurer/fortress.

I agree with you.  I like it best.  So then is Armok CN or CE?  I assume he's chaotic since the universes he creates are.  If Armok is played by us, there's a chance he's not evil, but since he revels in strife and slaughter he can't be good and most likely is evil.
Here's my checklist for the project:

• Mining: Essential.  I'm working on adapting the official cave-in rules for this purpose, but I think that on this count I may only get by with a little help from my friends.  Sorry, bad joke.
• Brewing: Sobriety has no place in the fortress.  I think I'm going to refer people to the Arms and Equipment Guide for alcohol rules and to Unearthed Arcana or the Book of Vile Darkness for addiction rules.  The only thing left is deciding whether to use Craft(Brewing), Profession(Brewer), or Craft(Alchemy) as the appropriate skill and setting Craft DCs.
• Stress & Insanity: It's important to keep your dwarves happy.  I think I'll use a modification of the Sanity rules from Unearthed Arcana with more clear and tangible rules for mental illnesses, perhaps using a few from the Ravenloft Player's Handbook and the phobia rules from Heroes of Horror.  I'll also write up some DM guidelines, such as suggestions for different illnesses based upon the primary cause of sanity loss and the character's mental disposition.  I'm also thinking of using a Stress meter along the lines of the Panic meter in Panic, which can be found at http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Panic.  Sanity only works for major stressors, but the Stress meter is a good way of measuring minor stress accumulating over a period of time.  Does this sound like a good idea to anyone else?  I'm also thinking of using a variant of Panic's stamina rules in which max stamina is determined by Con, max HP, and/or class.
• Armok & Pantheon: I think you can use pretty much any pantheon as long as Armok is supreme.  I have a few ideas, though, such as a goddess of love, fertility, hugs and kittens, which I think fits the humorous tone many of us have ascribed to the game.  Perhaps she's too silly, though.
• Masonry
• Adamantine Strand Extraction and Ore Refining
• Smithing and Metal Crafting
• Bone Crafting
• Stone Crafting
• Wood Crafting
• Wood Burning
• Lye Making, Potash Making, Soaping, and other Alchemy Uses
• Farming
• Milking and Cheese Making
• Milling
• Butchery: Survival check
• Fish Cleaning and Dissection: Survival
• Animal Dissection: Survival
• Herbalism: Survival/Knowledge(Nature)
• Engineering
• Animal Taming: I'm not sure if the Arms and Equipment Guide has rules for this.  I know it has training rules.
• Tanning
• Leatherworking
• Glassmaking
• Carpentry
• Engraving and Fortifications
• Gem Cutting and Setting
• Clothiers

Most of these are a single skill and most are just a matter of figuring out times, Challenge Ratings, material costs, item weights, building dimensions and item values.  Feel free to request prioritization if you're interested.  I've also got an idea for rules for broken bones and the like forming in my head.  Another rule I'm thinking would be good for a Dwarf Fortress themed campaign is the Working Gives Experience rule at http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Working_Gives_Experience_(DnD_Variant_Rule).  I also plan to ask DanielLC for permission to use his Dire Carp at http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104022.

[Armok]

Blood is not destruction; blood is in every living thing, it is life.
Armok is the energy and chaos of living things- things as present in war as in art. Armok likes to see more chaos and conflict because it stimulates more creation.

My understanding is that Armok creates worlds and universes for his own amusement.  If they are interesting, he usually just watches.  If things get too quiet (or he feels like it), he takes a hand to stir up the situation.  If he gets bored with a universe, he destroys it and starts over.

Use a mix of these two.

... yes, yes I really am.

[Tahin]

I like the concept of blood both being a symbol of life and a symbol of destruction, so in a sense Armok is god of everything.