Web DM Podcast 245- Elementals

Hey there DMNs! We've got a fresh new podcast for you today. We open by discussing starting off sandboxes, and then dig into a very meaty Q about creating a religion with a deathgrip on salvation in a D&D world with many gods and some certainty about what the afterlife is like.

Our main topic is elementals! Jim Davis had some deep shower thoughts about them and wanted to go down the rabbit hole and chase them as far as they would go. An inspiration-type pod if there ever was one. How do elementals fit into your worlds?

Time stamps!
0:52 - Ari: I'm looking at starting an urban sandbox in a big ravnica-esque city, and I'm looking for some advice, particularly on the best way to start such a campaign. For a campaign where I have a particular big bad or something in mind, I find it's easy to come up with an exciting opening but with the open-ended nature of a sandbox game and how different everyone's characters are, I'm struggling to think of an exciting opening that doesn't feel like a railroad. I'd love to hear your suggestions.

12:00 - Geoff: How do I portray a clerical elite that are effective in acquiring temporal power and wealth and who claim to represent a god while advancing their vices over the god's interests? I am interested in running a mercenary-style campaign drawing largely from the Italian Wars. However, such a project would be all the poorer without highlighting the frankly gross corruption, indulgence, and violence used and condoned by agents of the Renaissance popes. The supporting problems I'm having are:
1) The Renaissance Roman Church is a monopolistic provider of eternal salvation, but in a D&D-style world, there's a liquid market of folks willing to sell you Heaven ("Ours has unicorns! Check it out!"). So why would anyone pay the exorbitant fees that propped up the Renaissance popes if they have cheaper, equally effective options?

2) Why wouldn't the god in question just slap the crap out of the clergy to set them straight?

3) Should the members of the clerical elite have personal access to divine magic? If so, would you recommend divine soul sorcerers, clerics, or warlocks as a better option?

30:12 - Elementals: them, their planes, and their magic!