#RPGaDAY – August 19, 2025 (DESTINY)

 

#RPGaDAY – August 19, 2025 (DESTINY)

Destiny– I associate destiny with something being preordained, or fated to happen and prophecy is basically that destiny set down and recorded before the events occur. Going back to my old 3.5e Godlings campaign, prophecy was an important part of the lore behind the Crown of the Gods and the group of Chosen One characters who were seeking it, that a new area of study arose, that of Prophemancy.   Here is some of the prophecy lore from that campaign.

 

The Crown of the Gods and the beginning of Prophemancy:

Throughout its history, the world of Aergon is rife with various prophets and their many predictions. Prophets foretold the coming end of the reins of the Primordials during the first age, the Titans during the second age, and now the very Gods themselves during the third age. 

Zeus and the other gods banded together to defeat the titans, either killing those they could or banishing/imprisoning the others.  Afraid that even their combined might would not be enough to bring down the titans, the gods all banded together to create an item of such power and magnitude never before seen.  All the gods took a part of their divine essences and bound them all together to create a magical crown that would help them defeat the mighty titans. 

Little is known of the God’s Crown itself, just that it was worn by one of the gods and its power was vital in helping them overthrow the titans and claim the heavens as their own.  Each religion has a legend of one of their pantheons wielding the Crown of the Gods against the titans and it is unclear for certain who made use of the holiest of items.  Many believe it was Pelor or Odin who wore the crown on behalf of the Gods, although Zeus has boasted it was his mighty head that bore it also.   Even the worshipers of the dark gods claim it was their deity wielding its might.  Who better to make use of the crown’s power than Hades, the god of the dead or Hecate, the magical goddess herself?

Once the titans were defeated, it was to dawn the beginning of a new golden age of peace and harmony for Aergon.  Legends however, tell of eventual strife among the various pantheons and gods, with all of them claiming ownership and rights to the God’s Crown.  Many fights occurred, along with various thwarted attempted thefts of the crown.

Most believe the crown’s wearer, must have been one of the good gods, as that being decided the God Crown was too powerful for any one god to bear.  They therefore sundered the item, reducing its godly essences down into nine equal pieces, each bearing a different aspect and outlook of the various like gods who had created the artifact.  Those pieces were then secreted away, protected, and hidden even from the gods themselves, lest they be tempted again by its power and attempt to claim it for themselves.

So, the Crown of the Gods was gone, but never forgotten and from it stemmed the largest known group of prophets and their prophecies about the crown and its pieces. Throughout history, many different visionaries have claimed to receive divine and secret knowledge concerning the crown.  Some of them are deemed false prophets, with their words heretical and untrue.  A small handful of them though have indeed been endorsed by various men and even the gods themselves to be true and so they have become an important area of study the world over, Prophemancy.

Prophemancy is the magical study and interpretations of the various prophets and their prophecies concerning the Crown of the Gods.  Various academic colleges have come and gone over the years, as well as different groups dedicated to the study and pursuit of the Crown Prophecies for their own ends.

 

Generally accepted beliefs concerning the Crown Prophecy:

There are multitudes of various prophets who claim to speak the words of the Prophecy.  While the validity and various interpretations of their words are questioned, there are several generally accepted common themes or beliefs.

•It is agreed that the pieces of the sundered crown will again be brought together by the Chosen Ones, for a host of different reasons.  Study and interpretation of the Chosen Ones is a huge part of each group’s study.

 It is believed that there have been many potential groups of the Chosen throughout the third age, with many groups claiming to be the sought after champions.  Several times in the past, multiple groups have even risen at the same time, competing to locate the artifacts and prove themselves to be the true Chosen.  All of the past groups have been unsuccessful in locating the various pieces of the crown, although some have indeed claimed to have obtained a piece or two over the ages.  After those Chosen Ones have fallen, failed in their quest, or been found to not be chosen after all, those located pieces again disappear and are again magically hidden.

 •All groups agree that the Chosen Ones will be handpicked by the various gods and empowered with their essence and power, as no mere mortal could survive contact with or make use of the crown.

 •It is accepted by all parties that any Chosen who finds and claims a piece of the crown, are then magically made aware of the location of one, some, or all of the other missing crown pieces. This includes some knowledge of their approximate location, alignment aspect, and if another Chosen has currently found and in possession of it. 

Some groups believe different pieces are tied to each other, some believe that the crown piece will point the way towards any pieces closest to it, and some believe the God Crown, or even the Prophecy itself points the way it wants the Chosen to go.

 

•Due to the immense power and magic that was released during the God’s Crown sundering, neither the current gods themselves nor their avatars can see, touch, or ever make use of the crown pieces ever again.   Because of this, throughout history, the gods have acted through their worshipers and various intermediaries to investigate the various prophecies and have tried their best to create, nurture, or find a mortal avatar to be their champion among the Chosen.

•All groups agree that the Chosen Ones will gain in power and abilities during their quest for the individual pieces, until eventually they will be ready to ascend and either overthrow or take their place among the gods themselves.

•Failed Chosen Ones that are not destroyed or slain, are known simply as the Defeated.  Throughout history, several Defeated have survived, having accumulated enough power to avoid the fates of their comrades.  Some fade into history, forgotten or retire to live out the rest of their days in peace.  Some turn rogue and have succeeded in sabotaging or killing new Chosen Ones to thwart the prophecy.  Some say that even these fallen ones do the bidding of the prophecy, ensuring the true Chosen Ones in the future will rise and take up the quest.

•The various prophecies do not agree what will happen once the Chosen Ones have brought together the nine pieces and recreated the Crown of the Gods.  Some believe it will usher in the end of the 3^rd age, with these new gods throwing down the old gods or joining them, growing the power and might of the gods even greater so they can face some terrible new threat.  Some say the wielder of the crown will destroy the entire world, lay waste to the multiverse, or bring about the end of all realities totally. Some say they will raise one, some, or all the ancient Primordials to life or power again, again to save or destroy the world.

Because all the various god’s essences and beliefs are fused together in the crown, some say that the crown itself will be sentient and divine, ushering in a new age. 

•The Crown of the Gods was sundered and split into 9 roughly even pieces, one which corresponds with each of the various alignments.  They are often referred to individually by their corresponding color and each has a large single gem stone of the corresponding color embedded in it.

•The pieces are said to be able to able to take the shape of normal or mundane things, although each will somehow have the large gem incorporated into it.  Throughout history, chosen who have found pieces in the shape of goblets, an eye patch, a stylish piece of jewelry, and various other items.  They have never been reported to take the shape of any type of weapon.  Any attempts to use the pieces offensively have all resulted in catastrophic failure, ultimately ending up with the disappearance of the piece itself.

It has been surmised that the pieces themselves are sentient in a way and even have some magical control over what happens to them.

Anyone of the corresponding alignment to the piece can safely pick up the crown pieces, although only one of the Chosen can fully bond with the piece and make full use of it.

Anyone not of the corresponding alignment who makes the mistake of touching the crown piece always suffers some horrible fate.   The main exception to that is if the Chosen has already bonded a piece, they can temporarily pick up and handle a different piece.  At various times, this has allowed the transport of pieces by another Chosen, although they cannot make any use of it. 

•Throughout history, several pieces of the crown have been found and lost.  It is believed that if found and not claimed by a chosen of the appropriate alignment or if that person dies and the piece remains unclaimed, it will disappear somehow and be moved to another safe hiding place until it is again found and claimed.

The most pieces any group of chosen have managed to collect at any one time was five.  Due to the differing alignments and outlooks, groups of Chosen often combust or fall apart from within, with someone ultimately betraying their companions and attempting to steal all the pieces for profit.

•Throughout the ages, multiple powerful and mighty people have offered a bounty or reward for the acquisition of a crown piece.  Everyone covets the pieces for their inherent power and value, so it is not just other Chosen Groups seeking to take the pieces, but other factions and parties vying for their control as well.