| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 05:05:51
I know this is not covered in books and stuff, but I would like to do some theory crafting here. If AO has "unlimited power" and almost full say of who comes in and out of the forgotten realms area, does that lend itself to believe that Ao has the entire realm within another plane, acting as a bubble, and that is where he lives? |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 23 Oct 2013 : 23:21:41
Some famous entities, like Orcus, have accomplished this feat.
Mystara uses Immortals in place of the Gods/Goddesses/Deities/Powers of the Realms (and other D&D worlds/settings), and although their hierarchy is structured differently they are functionally the same. The old Immortals (of ancient Basic D&D) are indeed something entirely different.
I would say that some deities have outshone the rest of their pantheons so greatly and spanned so many worlds (at least as aspects of each other, in terms of identity and powers) that they might be considered “Lesser Overgods/Immortals“ of a sort. Odin, Thor, Tyr, Hel, Ra, Set, Ptah, and Brahma are good examples. |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 23 Oct 2013 : 18:23:28
Interestingly enough, Wrath of the Immortals suggested that the only way for one to become an Old One is to first be mortal, achieve immortality and then reach the maximum level of the most powerful type of immortal (Hierarch). Then the powerful hierarch must voluntarily sacrifice his immortality and become a mortal and repeat the process - once again achieving immortality and becoming the most powerful of the gods. Needless to say this would be one hell of an achievement since its almost impossible to achieve immortality once. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 23 Oct 2013 : 14:09:12
Well, if you expand upon the notion in Immortals, it could easily encompass the other (or vice-versa).
I am reading the last book of a Cthulhu trilogy (I've NEVER read anything so slowly - I got the trilogy last Christmas!) by Brian Lumley, and there is a whole group of 'Cthulhu Cycle' beings that are not evil. There is no mention of neutral ones, but one might assume there could be. The 'good' ones live in Elysia, and they are responsible for imprisoning may of the 'Elder Evils' in the first place.
Thus, there is a version of 'Heaven' and good gods amongst those Cthulhu 'Old Ones', so it is entirely possible that they are just one cross-section (along the chaos axis) of the OD&D 'Old Ones'.
Anything that is 'a god' but NOT an ascended mortal (Immortal) I call an 'Ordial', and there are many tiers within that hierarchy (with 'Overgod' being one of the lowest). Prime Ordials are basically the 'grunts' of the Over-verse (the machinery behind the multiverse). They are the world-builders (and destroyers).
Deities are usually ascended mortals (Immortals), but it is possible for some other type of god to become a deity (my current theory is that they have to merge with a mortal soul to establish the necessary connection to mortals).
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| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 22:54:10
For everyone reading this who has lost us, what I was referring to were "old ones" mentioned in the Wrath Of The Immortals boxed set. Old regular D&D. Power wise, the old ones are to the immortals (gods) as the immortals are to their mortal worshipers. Very like Ao in my book.
The book Call of Cthulhu (and a couple others by the same author, if I'm not mistaken) had "old ones" as well. These beings, which would today be called aberrations, were included in 1ED&D as Ayrik mentioned.
The two are, unless I REALLY missed something along the way, not the same. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 22:34:18
Cthulhu (or similar entities) have been rather nicely shoehorned into the Far Realms, a place at (or perhaps slightly beyond) the edge of the D&D cosmos from which various Lovecraftian aberrations are said to originate. The Cthulhu mythos was presented in the original 1E Dieties & Demigods sourcebook, but subsequently removed to avoid possible copyright infringement on Chaosium‘s then-popular Cthulhu Mythos RPG. To my knowledge TSR/Wizbro have carefully avoided Cthulhu ever since.
Ao might be older than time in the Realms, but Planescape and Spelljammer lore suggest there are entities, places, worlds, and important happenings (like the Blood War) which are older still. |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 21:15:34
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Bane
So in other words Ao is related in some way to Cthulhu? 
Wrong old ones ;p |
| Lord Bane |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 12:17:32
So in other words Ao is related in some way to Cthulhu? |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 07:31:02
I think of Ao in old D&D terms as one of the "Old Ones" - basically a group of Overpowers who have mostly gone away to their own dimension, called "the Vortex Dimension" which chews up and spits out anyone less powerful. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 07:23:32
Anywhere and any time in his own crystal sphere. You know, the "I am everything at any time" thing. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 21 Oct 2013 : 22:56:32
Ao‘s Overgod stature has been discussed many times before at Candlekeep. Other Overgod contenders have been suggested for Oerth and Krynn, as well as Anubis (across the Astral) and the Lady of Pain (caged within Sigil). I‘m kinda partial to including the Ouroboros World Serpent/Dragon in this category. The D&D Wiki offers several (non-canon) lists of Overdeity entities. |
| charger_ss24 |
Posted - 21 Oct 2013 : 18:09:59
He lives in Compton. But with the Sundering, he's about to move on up to the east side, to that deluxe apartment in the sky. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 21 Oct 2013 : 14:27:21
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Duh. In a pineapple under the sea.
Thats not a bad guess either. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 21 Oct 2013 : 14:26:32
In a Galaxy far, far way. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 21 Oct 2013 : 01:48:45
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if we found out that Ao is the overgod for the deities found only on Toril (I don't think that would be the case, mind you, but it wouldn't surprise me). The other planets in realmspace may have other overdeities and we don't even know it. Hell, there may be a different Chauntea type deity for each world as well. |
| Gray Richardson |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 22:18:50
If Ao has a "plane" of his own, it's possible that Cynosure is part of it. An antechamber, or a discrete level. You have to be a god to even have access to Cynosure. It seems as good a place as any for Ao to also reside. Although, the part beyond Cynosure, where Ao lives, would not be accessible to anyone, unless Ao invited them.
But I agree also that Ao may not necessarily have a plane. Ao is an overgod, not a god. He is a higher dimensional being. He does not require worshipers. He has no petitioners that need housing in an afterlife of some kind after they die.
It may be that Ao really does permeate the whole of Realmspace. A quantum monad — his wave function extends throughout the whole of the cosmos, but he can manifest as a discrete quantum.
Or, he may live on a higher dimensional plane outside the cosmos, venturing down into the world when needed to manifest as an avatar. Perhaps in that respect, he is like a sysadmin of some vast computer simulation over which he controls the servers, the hardware and the software infrastructure that govern the physics and the engines that power existence. That would make the gods something like forum moderators and referees, and exarchs like lower level customer service reps. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 19:43:28
Does Ao permeate or transcend the Realms?
I note that, in the Avatar series, Ao basically comes whenever the gods choose to summon him. He also can also appear whenever and wherever he chooses, and the threat of Ao‘s omniscience sometimes motivates wayward godlings to behave “properly“. Ao also communicates with (presumably) overgod peers and submits reports to his Master, although the medium of this communication isn‘t specified. |
| Lord Bane |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 12:22:21
If the Lady of Pain truely wanted you gone, you would have been mazed |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 08:43:30
quote:
Originally posted by sfdragon
you just got owned
Owned?
I just survived a run in with the Lady of Pain, man.
There ought to be an achievement for that. |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 08:18:54
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
In a very small Waterdhavian apartment... "Phenomenal cosmic power... Itty bitty living space!"
If we had a Like button, I would like your post.
I think Ao hangs out in a neighborhood full of Overdeities and chats up his neighbor Primus (whose been telling him for an eternity that the Realms needs a thorough realignment) when he gets home from work each day.
Ao likes to think he wears the pants in the family, but such is actually worn by his wife, the Lady of Pain, who doesn't say much on the job but is a real chatterbox at home.
you just got owned |
| Lady of Pain |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 08:02:49
***narrows eyes and glares at Jeremy for daring to even suggest such a tryst***
***briefly considers slow torture by salt extraction***
***becomes distracted, drifts away***
|
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 06:12:00
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
In a very small Waterdhavian apartment... "Phenomenal cosmic power... Itty bitty living space!"
If we had a Like button, I would like your post.
I think Ao hangs out in a neighborhood full of Overdeities and chats up his neighbor Primus (whose been telling him for an eternity that the Realms needs a thorough realignment) when he gets home from work each day.
Ao likes to think he wears the pants in the family, but such is actually worn by his wife, the Lady of Pain, who doesn't say much on the job but is a real chatterbox at home.
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| BEAST |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 04:30:22
Haven't you heard? Ao says, <"I've been everywhere, man."> |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 02:44:34
I largely use the idea put forth in the old Immortals boxed set for regular DnD back in the 80s. That is, the Elder Gods live in a dimension inaccessible to the gods. Ao would also live in such a dimension. I also consider Ao one of the weaker Elders (his job is to babysit the gods under his charge while other Elders have more important cosmic responsibilities). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 14:43:45
In a very small Waterdhavian apartment... "Phenomenal cosmic power... Itty bitty living space!" |
| Dennis |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 11:42:41
Duh. In a pineapple under the sea. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 11:36:05
He's got a loft over a topless bar in Soho. |
| Lord Bane |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 10:10:00
For the sake of giving an odd shot, what if AO resides in the Far Realm? |
| Firestorm |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 09:20:07
Wherever the dm lived |
| Quale |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 06:33:56
Some possibilities are, the Outlands, unknown higher dimensions, the Ethereal, Cynosure, something like the Vortex from Mystara, or the whole of Realmspace is its body ... |
| The Sage |
Posted - 19 Oct 2013 : 06:20:10
It's regularly stated as "Unknown."
Given Ao's status as the creator-god of Realmspace, I don't think we can easily quantify if Ao even has a "home plane" in the same conception as other deities.
Simply, I'd say that Ao lives "Beyond" what we know and [limitedly] understand to be Realmspace. |
