I like that Greyhawk has so many deities as it isn't hard to surprise players with an NPC cleric, worshipper, church, etc. Few of my players when for Ralishaz and I only remember using him once, but it was memorable. Players were tasked by a lord to find someone who swindled him in a card game. The NPC turned out to be a priest of Ralishaz and they ended up in a card game with him. I brought out real cards and it was blast as the priest was talking about travels, food, and such while everyone was making bets and just before he showed his cards, I (in front of the players) would switch one of his cards out). Players were p'd until they realized he was a priest of Ralishaz and he gave all his winnings to the city's work house.
There was a very cool reference to Ralishaz in the novel Artifact Of Evil. When Melf suffered a bit of bad luck, he muttered, " 'Shaz sneers at me!' It shows how Ralishaz is perceived in the Flanaess by those who do not worship him. He is clearly seen as the cause of unexpected instances of bad luck.
It's been a long, long time, but I remember in, like, the early 90s maybe, an older player teaching me that Ralishaz made for a really good *IMP* that can tempt PCs (and NPCs the group has befriended). It was the Carl Sargent era of Greyhawk and while we were reading Sargent, we were playing FR. Again, it's been a long, long time since I ever even considered Ralishaz but, listening to the video, I think I really like Ralishaz as an IMP in the game to tempt PCs or to have corrupted the group's favorite barkeep, rather than a deity.
This was great! 🙂Thanks Joe! That was the best break-down of Ralishaz I've heard yet, and actually super helpful. Looking forward to what your next one will be.
@@GreyhawkGrognard - On a side note, a few years back I saw this funny meme - it looked like that old "Hollywood Squares" show, with a pic of a character for each alignment. All I can remember is Chaotic Neutral having peanut butter all over the character with a funny caption (cant remember), and a Lawful Evil one dressed in black armor that captioned: "Lawful Evil gets sh*t done". 😆
Good idea. Didn’t Gygax have a lot of evil PCs in his campaign? I think his rule of thumb was if you behaved really selfishly, he made you switch to an evil alignment!
I think it's interesting that From The Ashes expanded the people who worship him to include those who make offerings to placate him, so that they will avoid misfortune. This should be something that evil deities would receive in most campaign worlds. For example, many people who would never worship a god of disease would still make offerings during a plague to persuade that god to spare them.
I like that Greyhawk has so many deities as it isn't hard to surprise players with an NPC cleric, worshipper, church, etc. Few of my players when for Ralishaz and I only remember using him once, but it was memorable. Players were tasked by a lord to find someone who swindled him in a card game. The NPC turned out to be a priest of Ralishaz and they ended up in a card game with him. I brought out real cards and it was blast as the priest was talking about travels, food, and such while everyone was making bets and just before he showed his cards, I (in front of the players) would switch one of his cards out). Players were p'd until they realized he was a priest of Ralishaz and he gave all his winnings to the city's work house.
There was a very cool reference to Ralishaz in the novel Artifact Of Evil. When Melf suffered a bit of bad luck, he muttered, " 'Shaz sneers at me!' It shows how Ralishaz is perceived in the Flanaess by those who do not worship him. He is clearly seen as the cause of unexpected instances of bad luck.
Awesome! Thanks for that factoid. Perhaps GG could do a book review on the Gord the Rogue book(s).
(Joe.) My bad.
This is a great idea...unless he already has? Or maybe some readings/discussions?
@@wperdew6078 Great ideas!
Fun deity. Really flies under the radar.
Ralishaz would be a great one to have show up periodically crossing the PC's path, being both helpful and harmful, depending on his whim.
This dude is begging for a short story collection. He needs to be a serial.
It's been a long, long time, but I remember in, like, the early 90s maybe, an older player teaching me that Ralishaz made for a really good *IMP* that can tempt PCs (and NPCs the group has befriended). It was the Carl Sargent era of Greyhawk and while we were reading Sargent, we were playing FR. Again, it's been a long, long time since I ever even considered Ralishaz but, listening to the video, I think I really like Ralishaz as an IMP in the game to tempt PCs or to have corrupted the group's favorite barkeep, rather than a deity.
Sounds remarkably like my luck Grognard. When it’s bad it’s really bad.
This was great! 🙂Thanks Joe! That was the best break-down of Ralishaz I've heard yet, and actually super helpful. Looking forward to what your next one will be.
I bet you could make an excellent video on how to play PC's with evil alignments.
I'll add it to the list. 🙂
@@GreyhawkGrognard - On a side note, a few years back I saw this funny meme - it looked like that old "Hollywood Squares" show, with a pic of a character for each alignment. All I can remember is Chaotic Neutral having peanut butter all over the character with a funny caption (cant remember), and a Lawful Evil one dressed in black armor that captioned:
"Lawful Evil gets sh*t done". 😆
Good idea. Didn’t Gygax have a lot of evil PCs in his campaign? I think his rule of thumb was if you behaved really selfishly, he made you switch to an evil alignment!
I think it's interesting that From The Ashes expanded the people who worship him to include those who make offerings to placate him, so that they will avoid misfortune. This should be something that evil deities would receive in most campaign worlds. For example, many people who would never worship a god of disease would still make offerings during a plague to persuade that god to spare them.
Love your deity videos. I got an idea for a Ralishaz random ability weapon, which I will include in my campaign. 😊
A whole book is coming soon...
Wasn't the high priest from Bone Hill or Assassin's Knot a cleric of Ralishaz at the Church of the Big Gamble?
That was Norebo
I wonder what would happen if some adventurer didn't blame Ralishaz for his bad luck?
🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉
May the dodecahedrons of fate roll naught, naught!