Faction/group thought

[Zip]

Keep in mind that a few of the deities share their element with others. For example, although Grumbar focuses entirely upon Earth, Urogalan and Dumathoin also have an earth aspect - which is why they receive the domain, clearly.

Since the four main deities obviously oppose one another, perhaps you could use lesser deities, who're nothing but cool with each other.

[chezcaliente]

The conflict between the churches I say would only really apply if the four characters in question were to become clergy of the Elemental Lords. So I think one option would be to go for looser patron-deity relationships with other character classes.

OR go for other pantheons that have similar deities (and some of which in 4e are revealed to be aspects of the elementals, but as has been mentioned this is not relevant for EfUA).

You could have four druids with the goal of combining the elements to maintain balance using the deities below:
Fire - Kossuth, Talos
Air - Aerdrie Faenya (air/weather), Anhur (thunder), Auril (cold north winds), Sheela Peryroyl (weather)

Earth - Segojan Earthcaller (earth), Sheela Peryroyl (agriculture), Chauntea (agriculture or Toril itself), or possibly any traditional forest or fertility deity could be considered earth related eg. Shiallia, Angharradh.

Water - Eldath (springs/pools/waterfalls), Umberlee (oceans), Auril (Water as Ice),  Deep Sashelas (oceans), Isis (weather/rivers), Anhur (rain), Aerdrie Faenya (bit controversial -rain), Sebek (rivers/wetlands)

I think that's a pretty good start!

You could do an all elven one pretty easily:
Deep Sashelas (water), Aedrie Faenya (air), Angharradh (fertility/planting/earth), Kossuth (random for an elf, but meh), and have your fifth in your pick of Rillifane, Fenmarel or Solonor.

[chezcaliente]

Keep in mind that a few of the deities share their element with others. For example, although Grumbar focuses entirely upon Earth, Urogalan and Dumathoin also have an earth aspect - which is why they receive the domain, clearly. .

Or yes, you could just go by domains if they were to be clerics.

Fire: Talos, Kossuth, Gond

Air: Aerdrie Faenya, Akadi, Auril, Set, Shaundakul, Sheela Peryroyl, Valkur

Earth: Callarduran Smoothhands, Chauntea, Dumathoin, Geb, Gond, Grumbar, Luthic, Moradin, Segojan Earthcaller, Urdlen, Urogalan

Water: Auril, Deep Sashelas, Eldath, Isis, Istishia, Sebek, Silvanus, Umberlee

[Skrillix]

Eldath, Chauntea, Shaundakul and Gond... Spreading peaceful farming with tractors across the entire of Faerun!

[Oroborous]

4E is about 100 years post 3.5.  Unless the Archipelago has some sort of temporal thing going on... entirely possible!

I'll clarify for those who don't know what they're talking about.

1) This information was made canon in fourth edition.

2) This information is entirely consistent with 1-3rd edition.

3) The "Primordials" were already treated as being different from the gods since the setting was created. Notice, Kossuth and others are not seen during the Time of Troubles. There are a large number of suggestions and hints about the real nature of Kossuth, Ubtao, Ishtishia, Ghaunadaur, Grumbar, and Akadi.

4) Version 4 merely clarified what all these hints were leading up to.

My point should have been to clarify that many people who don't know the setting extremely well may not realize what all those hints and suggestions were pointing out--so I am not certain if the DMs here actually are aware of, or even adapted to the fact that a set of deities in the Realms have been consistently treated as if they were not actually deities.

[9lives]

I know you're probably aware, but any changes introduced with the latest ruleset are not to be regarded as canon in regards to EFU, until it is announced so.

[chezcaliente]

Eldath, Chauntea, Shaundakul and Gond... Spreading peaceful farming with tractors across the entire of Faerun!

Gold.

[Letsplayforfun]

i've had that in mind too, but not on a religious basis.

You can skip the clergy part and play sorcerers whose powers come from elemental lords. That way, the opposition will be much less blatant, and that allows cooperation better.

Fire based spells are plenty. With a bit of imagination, you can always pretend that color spray goes for air, acid arrow, grease, for water, weapon enhance for metal, etc... Insulation goes for all for example.

And with the right summoning themes you can pretty much summon any elemental type.

My two cents.

[RIPnogarD]

Can’t clerics summon elementals and with the elemental domains control or turn these forces as well as undead? It would be awesome to see four summoned elementals one of each type in the same place at the same time, now that would be wicked! It would also be awesome if we could get this to rock with four clerics with one of each of the elemental domains. But I don’t now that this would be possible without them killing each other.

Another class that at least the primordials allow is monk I believe. Who’s to say they all have to be of the same class? Maybe one of each of four different classes like maybe a sorcerer, monk, druid, cleric or whatever.


We need to start pasting something together, like which deities are best suited and which ones are definitely out. Which cementing idea is the best or most fun. (I kinda like the inner conflict and turmoil over the druid elementalist idea. Too many druids running around already.) It also wouldn’t hurt to hear whom amongst those helping out might be interested in playing this?
Those that aren’t helping :p.

[Secutor]

Eldath, Chauntea, Shaundakul and Gond... Spreading peaceful farming with tractors across the entire of Faerun!

Yeah. If you wanted a cooperative and generally good-aligned quartet of clerics each with one of the elemental domains, this is the most probable combo. A good one too, if you ask me... maybe a little boring, but Shaundakul could provide for some shenanigans.

edit: Yeah, throw in a cleric of Sune or maybe Ilmater (depending on your interpretation of "heart") you'd have cpt. Planet down pat. They band together to summon a badass avatar of Silvanus with a mullet.

[RIPnogarD]

So is the rivalry for love the best choice for this ‘captain planet’ idea then? No leader save that they all sort of do all they can to please the female PC. This would also not need a DM intro, simply that the female was getting teleported away and all four males tried to grab and hold her, getting dragged along to the top of the Zigg.

Four (4) male clerics, one (1) each of the following deities each one possessing the elemental domain of their respective god:
Chauntea (Earth)/(LG, NG, CG, TN)
Eldath (Water)/(CG, CN, NG)
Gond (Fire)/(Any)
Shaundakul (Air)/(CG, CN, CE)

The glue; one female (high charisma)/(any class) of any one of the following deities
Sharess (CG, CN, NG)
Lliira (CG, CN, NG)
Eilistraee (CG, CN, NG)
Lathander (LG, NG, CG)
Sune (NG, CG, CN, LG paladins only)

Due to the possible alignment issues with the female PC I think evil aligned males would be out, not to mention they would probably want to just kill their competition.  

I also think that part of this idea would have to be meta-game in that the female PC should be drawn up first and then the male players should be given some basic info about her.
Deity
Race
Alignment
These three things would almost be a must due to keeping the balance and the prospect of the theme of the idea in working order. I mean if the female PC is an Elf then I doubt a half-orc or a dwarf male would have much of a chance at winning her heart kind of issue.

This idea also, not being a true faction and more of a team would not have to worry about always being together. Although they would probably be with the female PC as often as they possibly can trying to win her heart. They could even join other factions that may suit their PC and all that and still be part of this group.  

Anybody interested in this idea please feel free to PM me and maybe (if there four others willing) we can set up an IRC channel and hash out some details. Personally I would play any of the five PC’s although I doubt I’d be any good at the female role.

Actually it might be fun to app out the female PC to be a beautiful half-drow follower of Eilistraee (or an aasimar paladin of Sune). This would cause some turmoil and get other players involved.

[RIPnogarD]

Okay, maybe if I present another angle…
Who said they have to be ‘good’[COLOR="purple"][SIZE="2"]?[/SIZE][/COLOR]
Fire: Talos / CE, CN, NE
Air: Auril / CN, LN, NE
Water: Umberlee / CE, CN, NE
Earth: Grumbar / CN, LN, N, NE, NG

This could work with either four or more players. Still using the same angle of the one they love has sworn them all not to kill each other, but going one step farther and saying that this person they all love is using them (NE) for their combined power. These clerics may even know they are being used and don’t care because they think if they are the last one left they will win the heart of the one they love.

The only stipulations would be there has to be at least four players to start out and at least four players have to have at least one level in cleric with the given elemental domain. If only four then one of the clerics is the one the other three is in love with (the PC’s sexes really don’t matter actually).

If there were five or more then I think it would be cool if the PC the others were in love with was some sort of cool approved app PC (preferably with a reasonable Cha), but it really wouldn’t matter.

Whatever, just tossing the thought out there…

[dragonfire9000]

I'm quite glad you've not given up on this yet RIP. I'd be perfectly willing to join you, but I 'am' working on something rather cool with some scholarly fellows at the moment. Please keep me posted though.

I CALL GRUMBAR!!

[RIPnogarD]

Genasi, Air
Genasi, Earth
Genasi, Fire
Genasi, Water

Hmmm??? Can you say DM prelude… :twisted:
(Now that would be alot of apps.)