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Light
Learned Scribe
Australia
233 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Sep 2011 : 12:55:47
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So I have a few question about Ao, the overgod. I'm sure I thought of others last night but can't for the life of me remember them. I understand that some, perhaps many, (maybe all) will not be able to be answered yet if ever. So here goes...
1. Where does he reside? Any specific plane?
2. How often do the other gods normally see him? Does he appear only when something major is happening?
3. What does he looks like? (he can no doubt look like anything he wants but what is his preferred appearance if any)
4. How often does he interact with the other gods?
5. Can another god meet with him whenever they please?
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"A true warrior needs no sword" - Thors (Vinland Saga) |
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2011 : 14:25:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Light
So I have a few question about Ao, the overgod. I'm sure I thought of others last night but can't for the life of me remember them. I understand that some, perhaps many, (maybe all) will not be able to be answered yet if ever. So here goes...
1. Where does he reside? Any specific plane?
2. How often do the other gods normally see him? Does he appear only when something major is happening?
3. What does he looks like? (he can no doubt look like anything he wants but what is his preferred appearance if any)
4. How often does he interact with the other gods?
5. Can another god meet with him whenever they please?
It's been years since i read the Avatar trilogy, but i think i remember a few scenes where Ao is conversing with the entire pantheon. Possibly a physical description as well. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2011 : 16:05:29
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1.
Game details about Ao are sparse, stats have never been provided, he does not respond to (nor need) followers to sustain his divine stature, and is apparently not bound by any of the normal restrictions on how he chooses to exert his divine power. It should be noted that demonstrations of his power are always applied to the gods of Toril rather than to Toril itself; it may be that Ao is entirely unable to directly affect mortals and can only influence the world through manipulation of other divine powers and portfolios within the Faerūnian pantheon. Note that Ao himself reports to other beings of an even more mysterious nature, presumably of equal or higher cosmic order. Ao has never been anchored to any particular extra-planar residence or domain; he is seemingly beyond the normal belief/alignment structure which defines the planes.
2. 4. 5.
The other gods appear to respect or fear Ao and generally have no wish to attract his attention or have him become involved in their affairs. This is because Ao seems to only manifest when one or more of these undergods have overstepped Ao's decrees and he needs to reassert his authority over them. Usually this means stripping away portfolios or powers as a punishment, Ao has even arbitrarily maimed gods (such as when he blinded Tyr) for the mildest of provocations. Basically, Ao is only around when there's trouble, and he fixes his troubles by imposing his will upon other gods ... the less they see of Ao the better. Some gods of course insist on pushing the limits, The Dead Three actually stole his Tablets of Fate, even Gond constantly tries to introduce world-changing technologies (like smokepowder) under the radar. Note that mortals were entirely unaware of Ao's existence prior to the Time of Troubles, so clearly the gods don't like to admit their own limitations to their followers. Ao did briefly manifest upon Toril at the conclusion of the Time of Troubles; choosing the classic image/avatar of a bearded patriarch of impossibly large stature, filling the entire sky; again, his focus was not on the world, but on addressing some of the gods who were standing on it.
Short version: Ao is basically the author/DM who's running the setting and establishing whatever "balance" he deems necessary. He has, in effect, ultimate power over everything on every scale, his whim can seemingly change or destroy the world at any time, he is not bound by any rules but rather is the one who creates them. It is fortunate that he is relatively benign, insofar as he has charged himself with maintaining "balance" instead of just wiping the slate. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 13 Sep 2011 16:10:37 |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2011 : 02:32:54
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Ao is supposed to be the greatest unknown. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31792 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2011 : 03:36:02
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| 3 -- Ao's *avatar* has appeared only once. He took the form of a 12 feet tall being -- with an ageless face [neither young nor old] and he was neither handsome nor ugly. He had symmetrical and unremarkable facial features... while his hair and beard appeared white. He wore a robe that was apparently crafted from celestial cloth -- black and dotted with millions of stars and thousands of moons -- in patterns that were not quite perceptible but lent the robe a harmonious feel. |
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MalariaMoon
Learned Scribe
324 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2011 : 04:59:08
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| The best source for information about Ao is probably the Avatar trilogy of adventures - in particular the final installment Waterdeep; the source of the Sage's description if I'm not mistaken. The novels of the same name might also be useful, although I read them so long ago that I can't remember anything. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31792 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2011 : 05:02:14
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quote:
Originally posted by MalariaMoon
The best source for information about Ao is probably the Avatar trilogy of adventures - in particular the final installment Waterdeep; the source of the Sage's description if I'm not mistaken. The novels of the same name might also be useful, although I read them so long ago that I can't remember anything.
That, and Ao's brief write-up in 2e's Faiths & Avatars.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Azuth
Senior Scribe
USA
404 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2011 : 07:02:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Light
So I have a few question about Ao, the overgod. <snip>
1. Where does he reside? Any specific plane?
2. How often do the other gods normally see him? Does he appear only when something major is happening?
3. What does he looks like? (he can no doubt look like anything he wants but what is his preferred appearance if any)
4. How often does he interact with the other gods?
5. Can another god meet with him whenever they please?
1. Ao resides in a place beyond space and time. It's in the closing page of the novel Waterdeep.
2. Ao has only manifested once, as noted by the Sage. He is more a force than a physical being. He can penetrate the minds of all gods on a whim.
3. Ao's charge is the Balance. He is tasked by his higher power with maintaining it. In equal form, and again as The Sage stated, he is neither handsome nor ugly, old nor young. Pretty much as unremarkable as possible as he must balance all spectrums.
4. As little as possible. Ao interacted with the gods in the Avatar Trilogy by summoning them and casting them from the heavens. He then had no interaction with them until the end of the series. The "Circle of 12" (greater powers) can summon Ao, but Ao doesn't like to be summoned needlessly. Ao charged the gods he created with maintaining the Balance. When they stray from that too much, he will intervene (in theory).
5. No. Ao is the sole decider as to whether or not he will interact with a deity. He seems to manifest almost exclusively on the demiplane of Cynosure. He's not restricted by any of the rules that govern the other deities; he can destroy or create deities at whim. He is virtually limitless in power, and has absolute control over Toril. He cares about mortals only insofar as his deities create a balance, possibly to allow mortals free will to choose their own destinies without divine influences. Again, per The Sage, Ao entertains no followers (including deities), grants no spells, and relies on no known power structure. Whether or not Ao chooses to interact is usually transparent to mortals, with the exception of the events in the Avatar Trilogy. Tyr is charged with upholding Ao's decrees, and does so (in Cynosure) acting as judge.
Ao is a plot device: he is the ultimate anything and everything. If you need a reason for something to happen, Ao can be the cause. Ao was first thought to represent the DM, but then that fell (again, in theory) to Ao's "master" listed in Waterdeep's closing pages. Little is known about him because he isn't meant to be a major character in play. His unlimited powers make him an unbeatable protagonist and antagonist. Ao is mentioned very briefly in the 3E FRCS hardcover in a footnote section. Unlike the deities, who have controls and limits (placed on them by Ao) as to what they may and may not do to mortals, Ao has no restrictions at all, with respect to anything. Because of this, he is a very dangerous tool and not generally suitable for use in gameplay unless your PCs are playing divine beings in the Toril Pantheons. Helpful?
Cheers,Azuth |
Azuth, the First Magister
Lord of All Spells
The greatest expression of creativity is through Art.
Offense can never be given, only taken. |
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Ao - Some Questions
