God-Dragons?

[atemu1234]

I'm making a set of gods for a culture designed to mimic the culture of feudal japan/middle ages china and to do that, I decided to homebrew a pantheon of gods. Here's the idea.

Add the Kaiju template from Dragon Magazine
Make them gods, around divine rank 10.
Of course, they're great wyrms.
Then make one for each of the base (from MMI) true dragons.


Fluff-wise, I'll say they're the head gods and that for every type of true dragon there's a god in their pantheon, but these are the most important. Now I need help with deciding their domains. Any tips?

[Gildedragon]

I'd say give them varying divine ranks, get a hierarchy going

Domains:
All: Dragon domain
+
Breath-Weapon-Energy (Cold, Fire, Storm, Earth, Force) Domain
+
Alignment Domain (none if Neutral)
+
Habitat Domain (Air, Cavern, Darkness, Planar Domains, Moon, Light...)
+
Domain that might fit (wrath, strength, magic, meditation, scalykind, feast, gluttony, glory, hatred, luck, madness... etc..)


Check OA for the Lung dragons. It adds a few more varieties that can fit
Also Gem Dragons. Then you can cover all 9 alignments / directions




LG
North East
Bronze, Gold, Silver, Steel

NG
East
Platinum?


CG
South East
Brass, Copper


LN
North
Emerald, Sapphire, Chiang Lung (river), Pan Lung (coil),
Shen Lung (spirit), Tien Lung (heaven)


TN
Center
Amethyst, Yu Lung (carp), Li Lung (earth), Lung Wang (sea)


CN
S
Crystal, Topaz






LE
NW
Blue, Green

NE
West
Tun Mi Lung (typhoon)


CE
SW
Red, White, Black

[atemu1234]

I'd say give them varying divine ranks, get a hierarchy going

Domains:
All: Dragon domain
+
Breath-Weapon-Energy (Cold, Fire, Storm, Earth, Force) Domain
+
Alignment Domain (none if Neutral)
+
Habitat Domain (Air, Cavern, Darkness, Planar Domains, Moon, Light...)
+
Domain that might fit (wrath, strength, magic, meditation, scalykind, feast, gluttony, glory, hatred, luck, madness... etc..)

Ok, now I'm going to throw in something I just decided. The metallic dragons each represent a virtue (Gold is honor, Copper is freedom, Brass is Strength, Silver is Justice, and Bronze is Truth) while the chromatic dragons each represent a vice (Black is just sin, since he leads the evil pantheon, Red is rage, white is revenge, Green is Greed, Blue is judgement). Their followers are all accepted overall in their society, because their belief is in the Dao, the middle way, as it were (yes, I stole that from taoism) and they believe that each vice can be balanced by virtue. However, there are two other deities: Shen Nu, who represents time and law. Then there is his counterpart, Shien Ren, who represents chaos and death. Now, there is an overlap, however, because of the other gods of their pantheon who each govern separate things. There are other gods for law and time and death as well as evil, but they are more rarely worshipped. Shien worship is banned because he's literally primordial chaos given the form of a time dragon. Both he and Shen Nu are time dragons, but Shen Nu is less powerful, while Shien Ren has less allies (The pantheon prefers existence to nonexistence, so that's a plus). His divine ranks have less to do with worshipers and more to do with their fear of him. Any tips?

[Gildedragon]

There are also the Epic: Force and Prismatic dragons. An epic dragon n-ity would be interesting
Time, Force and Enegry (light)


and three missing chromatics: yellow (CE), orange (NE) and purple (LE)

And from faerun

Brown (NE)

Deep (CE)

Fang (CN)

Shadow (CE)

Song (CN or CG)

Mercury (CG)

Mist (TN)

---

Giving them domains according to their subtypes also works

[Angelalex242]

Switch Red and Black.

Red Dragons are SO much stronger then black that making Black head of the pantheon just because he's black makes no sense.

Make Red 'sin' and Black 'rage.' Just because green lantern comics make Red Rage and Black Death doesn't mean you've gotta rip off DC Comics.

[Gildedragon]

So reading through draconomicon, which has a neat little section on chromatics and metalics regarding their general temper and MO:

Blacks: described as evil tempered so Wrath fits them nicely as a quality. They also are fond of still waters and swamps, and look skeletal... undeath as a domain would not be bad. Seem to be fond of eating fish and mollusks. Habitat is swamps


Blues: described as vain and territorial so well Vanity fits them, quick and easy. they seem to be fond of burrowing and heat. so caverns as a domain could work, or desert too...

Greens: described as treacherous and belligerent so war domain, naturally, as well as domains that induce deception. Treachery is a good flaw here as hate has been taken

Reds: also described as vain, but Greed is their canon identifier; these are the hoarders of the chromatics

Whites: stupid (for dragons), sadistic, grudge bearing Rancor or Hate would be a good fit for how they are described

[Coidzor]

Domains are usually but not always generally related to the personality and portfolio of the deity in question.

So what's their deity job? That'll give you between one and three domains just from that.

What are their concerns beyond their job? That should give you at least one other domain.

If you're looking for more dragons, this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?303204-The-Truest-of-the-True-A-Handbook-to-non-Kobold-Dragons-%28WIP%29)is a handy listing of dragons and their sources, though it misses out on most or all of the planar dragons such as the Force and Time dragons and the Pyroclastic one. And I think it may skimp on the Gem Dragons.

[RedMage125]

So reading through draconomicon, which has a neat little section on chromatics and metalics regarding their general temper and MO:

Blacks: described as evil tempered so Wrath fits them nicely as a quality. They also are fond of still waters and swamps, and look skeletal... undeath as a domain would not be bad. Seem to be fond of eating fish and mollusks. Habitat is swamps


Blues: described as vain and territorial so well Vanity fits them, quick and easy. they seem to be fond of burrowing and heat. so caverns as a domain could work, or desert too...

Greens: described as treacherous and belligerent so war domain, naturally, as well as domains that induce deception. Treachery is a good flaw here as hate has been taken

Reds: also described as vain, but Greed is their canon identifier; these are the hoarders of the chromatics

Whites: stupid (for dragons), sadistic, grudge bearing Rancor or Hate would be a good fit for how they are described
Rancor/Hate and Wrath are a little similar, don't you think?

I think you're dead-on for Blues and Reds.

Here's something to consider...Whites are savage, brutish beasts, little more than animals, but filled with hate and anger. Make White Wrath.

Treachery fits well for both Greens and Blacks, because Black dragons often lie in wait, and attack from hiding. Greens are usually Lawful, and they're more of manipulators/controllers while Blacks will sneak, lie and betray.

I'd say Treachery for Black dragons, and Deception for Greens. Seems like another fine line, but Deception is usually manipulation and lies, while treachery also includes dishonorable combat tactics, such as those that Black dragons employ.

[Gildedragon]

Wrath is just destruction, it is irascibility, propensity for immediate violence

Hate is simmering, it is grudges held, it is persistent, it can be scheming...

[RedMage125]

Wrath is just destruction, it is irascibility, propensity for immediate violence

Hate is simmering, it is grudges held, it is persistent, it can be scheming...

In that case, White is DEFINITELY Wrath. White dragons don't even have the patience to use their natural abilities in combat tactically. They just charge in, and use their most powerful attacks first. It's not until well after the adult age category that they even acquire average human intelligence. Their propensity to scheme is limited.

Greens scheme and plot, though..and Blacks to a more limited degree. I maintain what I said about Greens and Blacks earlier, though. But yes, Whites would be Wrath by that definition.

[atemu1234]

Ok, but for right now can we try good dragons? I'm thinking giving Gold the War, Good and Law domains. Its portfolio includes good dragons, honor and lack thereof.

[RedMage125]

Ok, but for right now can we try good dragons? I'm thinking giving Gold the War, Good and Law domains. Its portfolio includes good dragons, honor and lack thereof.

If any of the classic 5 metallics deserve War domain, I'd say Bronze. Of all of them, Bronze are most likely to be drawn into human conflicts for a noble cause.

Gold dragons are more Wisdom/Knowledge based.

Silver more compassionate.

Coppers are tricksters.

Brass...well, they're chatty and friendly, but don't know what else to categorize them as.

[Gildedragon]

Brass: Community, they are chatty and like to form networks.
Bronze: War is goood as they "wage constant battle against evil sea creatures" they seem real sticklers for Honor.
Copper: they are talkative, but also the more covetous of the metalics. Joy seems to be a good descriptor for them, domain-wise Knowledge seems like a good one, as they are fond of hoarding lore. Mind seems to be a good one for them too. as would Competition
Gold: Total destruction of evil they say... Glory seems like a good one
Silver: Healing, Protection. they are more of tackling the causes of evil and shielding others from evil's harm

[Werephilosopher]

For Neutral Good, don't use Platinum. There's only one Platinum Dragon, and he's already a Lawful Good god. A fine choice for the draconic epitome of goodness would be an Adamantite Dragon, seeing as their already one of the most powerful species of dragon.

EDIT Also, if you want a True Neutral god or spirit "keeping the balance" or something between Shen Nu and Shien Ren, Sardior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030124a) is a fine option.