Why would the gods create a physical realm?

Is it a plot point?

There's lots of easy outs. Don't mention it if it's not a plot point. Or have the goddesses be purposefully vague or outright refuse to answer. Or have the goddesses themselves not be sure.

God knows. Literally.

If you're looking for the "right" answer, I can't help. None of us can. Cos we don't know. We might have religious or scientific answers to offer, but they won't all be the same.

So the question comes down to this - what do you need for your story? If you want your gods to fight, then they might decide to make a world of conflict where they can fight. If you want your gods to appreciate art then have them make a world where humans create art.

If Gods create worlds for a reason, then authors create world-creating Gods for reasons too. Make one up. It will be as good as anyone else's.

Rabulder said:

Maybe its just me, but I think it could be interesting if the point of conflict of the novel was related genuinely to that question.

What if the goddesses created the world as a prison for these whispering waylaying gods and the people are their unknowing jailers? Why can't the goddesses to that job? Because they themselves would be trapped by it of course. And the other nasty gods warring against the three are looking to get their buddies back.
This is something they naturally avoid talking about. Imagine if you caught wind that all you ever amounted to was a glorified lock.

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That's a really interesting idea! And if you're not going to use it, I'd love to...

This makes me think of the movie, 'Erik the Viking.'

A group of Vikings set out on a quest for Asgard to ask the gods why they hid the sun and forced men to constantly make war on each other. The main character assumes there has to be a reason and is determined to find out what it is.

When he and his companions finally reach Asgard and confront Odin and Thor he is shocked to see they are nothing but a bunch of petulant kids. They don't care about the world of men. Odin agrees to end the darkness and let the sun come out again, but explains that he doesn't force people to hate or love each other.

All religions assume there is some sort of purpose to the world and humanity. That the worshippers matter to the worshipped in some way.

What if the gods simply created the world by accident or because they were bored? And once it was made simply didn't care about it any more? Sort of like a child who gets bored with a new toy.

Just imagine what that knowledge would do to people, and how far the clergy would go to keep the information suppressed.

Two reasons:

1. Sex.
2. Pizza.

Introversion said:

That's a really interesting idea! And if you're not going to use it, I'd love to...

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Why can't you both use it? Odds are when the stories were done, they would still be so unique as to draw different audiences.

Smiling Ted said:

Two reasons:

1. Sex.
2. Pizza.

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No, you're thinking about why people will help you move.

caracy said:

Why can't you both use it? Odds are when the stories were done, they would still be so unique as to draw different audiences.

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True, but it's polite to ask.

WriteMinded said:

I kinda think we are like video games to the gods.

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You know there are some scientists who think the whole universe is a type of hologram?

We're the Holodeck!

Damn it, Picard, you're telling me I exist just so Wesley fucking Crusher has somebody to build a snowman with?

I agree with others that a "right" answer isn't available, but it's such a fun question that I want to contribute.

My categories of reason:

Made it on a whim:
was bored
was creative
was capricious
etc

Wanted companionship:
a place to develop companions
a place to test worthiness of potential companions
a place to try to win followers/servants/worshippers (the egocentric god)
etc.

Innate being:
creation pre-existed god
creation is an intrinsic expression of god's being and character
etc

Purpose invisible within creation:
creation made as a sort of simulation-computer to test possible benefits/outcomes of different beliefs-approaches-actions
creation as a place for multiple gods to compete for something as in a game or contest
etc.

Infinity other possibilities:
creation doesn't actually exist, we just imagine that it does (Je pense, donc Je...well, maybe not)

What core reason creates the most interest or tension in your story?

frimble3 said:

I like this. Maybe something about all those human minds, all thinking different thoughts, distracts the gods, sort of buzzing in their heads, like tinnitus, so they can't focus their powers. (Fun to look at us from a distance, but if they get too close, they're trapped.)
So, 'religion' with the prayers or chants or hymns, is an effort to get a mass of people to think the same thing, at the same time, so the gods can act?

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Nice development. Essentially free will is a bid to create the most chaos and confusion to keep gods from focusing their powers, and religion here is an evil thing that allows the dark gods more freedoms with their powers. If all believe they are free.

Introversion said:

That's a really interesting idea! And if you're not going to use it, I'd love to...

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Go for it. As said, even if I sometime might use something like it, it won't look anywhere near the same. Don't really need another idea for the pile. If you know what I mean?

It's how gods reproduce.

Souls are god-larvae and bodies are .......I dunno........a kind of coccoony thing?