On Hallowed Ground

On Hallowed Ground is a comprehensive sourcebook for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons that details the divine realms and deities across multiple pantheons in the Planescape setting. The book maps out the domains of gods from 20 different belief systems and provides essential information about their territories, powers, and relationships. The sourcebook includes practical game mechanics and rules for priest characters who venture into these divine realms. It contains survival guidelines for mortals exploring godly domains, detailed planar maps, and extensive appendices that organize deities by both pantheon and sphere of influence. At its core, On Hallowed Ground serves as a unifying text that bridges various AD&D campaign worlds through their divine elements. The book integrates established mythologies with Planescape's unique cosmology while maintaining consistency with existing game systems and lore. The work stands as an exploration of how different belief systems and divine powers can coexist within a single multiverse, raising questions about the nature of faith and power in fantasy role-playing settings.

Reviews indicate readers found this D&D/Planescape supplement unevenly paced but rich in imaginative content. Readers appreciated: - Detailed descriptions of Sigil's neighborhoods and factions - Integration of metaphysical concepts with practical gameplay elements - The dark, philosophical undertones throughout - Usable adventure hooks and plot seeds Common criticisms: - Dense writing that can be hard to parse - Organization makes information difficult to locate - Too much focus on lore versus practical gaming content - Some sections feel rushed or incomplete From available online sources: Goodreads: 4.5/5 (6 ratings) RPGGeek: 7.84/10 (19 ratings) Specific reader comments: "Great sourcebook that brings the philosophy and metaphysics of Planescape down to street level" - RPGGeek reviewer "Sometimes gets lost in its own complexity" - Goodreads reviewer Note: Limited review data available as this is an older RPG supplement with a niche audience.

Sacred Ground by Barbara Wood The story follows an archeologist uncovering ancient Native American burial grounds while confronting modern land rights conflicts.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt Students at an elite college become entangled in ritual murder while exploring ancient Greek religious practices.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova A woman traces her father's research into Vlad the Impaler through monasteries and sacred sites across Eastern Europe.

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco A medieval monk investigates murders in a monastery while exploring religious symbolism and sacred spaces.

The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury Scientists and historians race to uncover the truth behind an ancient religious artifact hidden within a sacred temple.

🎲 The book covers 20 distinct pantheons, making it one of the most comprehensive collections of deity information in AD&D's publication history 🎮 Colin McComb later became a key designer for Planescape: Torment, one of the most critically acclaimed computer RPGs of all time ⚔️ The divine realms described in the book were integrated into TSR's "Planescape" setting, which revolutionized how D&D approached planar travel and cosmology 📚 The organizational system for deities by portfolio (introduced in this book) influenced how gods were cataloged in future D&D editions 🌟 Released in 1996, "On Hallowed Ground" was one of the last major sourcebooks published by TSR before the company was acquired by Wizards of the Coast in 1997