Pantheon-Building by Interconnecting Portfolios

[Dusk Raven]

There's been various user-created settings on these forums, some based on random input and others upon following a sequence. I've decided to experiment, and try something similar. This time, we're making a pantheon. And we'll do it by something that probably has a name, but I call it the chain method.

The rules are simple. I shall start off with an example deity - who encompasses multiple aspects of the world. The next person will create a deity which competes with the previous deity in one of their aspects - not in the sense of the rivalry of Heironeous and Hextor, but more like the overlap between Nerull and Wee Jas, or Ehlonna and Obad-Hai (or if you're into Greek lore, Ares and Athena). Basically, the two would compete for worshipers, but worshipers choose one over another based on what they see the domain as, or what it should be. This sort of overlap will be especially true for deities of nature, death, war, even love.

All you need is a name and a clear description. Assume a generic fantasy setting, probably D&D if you had to pick a specific system or pre-existing world.

So, are we clear? Than I shall start!

Silrain
Silrain, known as the Lady of the Moon and Stars, is the goddess of the night, a term that belies the reach of her domain. While the night is a time of rest, it is also a time of wonder, when the sky becomes a magnificent tapestry. Darkness is her domain, but this is because it is in darkness that the wondrous lights of the sky can shine. She is, in essence, a goddess of beauty - at least in a certain sense. Pure aesthetic, skin-deep beauty is meaningless. When we call a person beautiful, we mean they're sexy or attractive. When we call the night sky beautiful, it's because it evokes a sense of wonder, amazement, and other emotions so deep and rare that words can't describe them. If you ask Silrain, that's what true art, true beauty is - the ability to make someone feel, especially awe. Meanwhile, since the night is less frequented by most humans, and the time when unique creatures thrive, she is the patron of the hidden and the misunderstood.

All right, let's see how this goes. I'm hoping to take inspiration from this, so if it works out I'll have a lot of material - and maybe mention the things I was going to go with before you guys came up with something better. Also, if you feel like you have something to add or ask about a previous deity, put it in spoilers and perhaps something interesting will happen..

[Jendekit]

Silrain
Silrain, known as the Lady of the Moon and Stars, is the goddess of the night, a term that belies the reach of her domain. While the night is a time of rest, it is also a time of wonder, when the sky becomes a magnificent tapestry. Darkness is her domain, but this is because it is in darkness that the wondrous lights of the sky can shine. She is, in essence, a goddess of beauty - at least in a certain sense. Pure aesthetic, skin-deep beauty is meaningless. When we call a person beautiful, we mean they're sexy or attractive. When we call the night sky beautiful, it's because it evokes a sense of wonder, amazement, and other emotions so deep and rare that words can't describe them. If you ask Silrain, that's what true art, true beauty is - the ability to make someone feel, especially awe. Meanwhile, since the night is less frequented by most humans, and the time when unique creatures thrive, she is the patron of the hidden and the misunderstood.

This guy is based off of an NPC proto-lich in a campaign setting of mine. He is basically the setting's equivalent of the late australopiths.

Dark Star
Supposedly once a mortal shaman of a now extinct people, Dark Star lives for and thrives in the night. Glorifying the dark and vilifying the light of the sun, he is a patron for those that wish to keep their activities hidden. Secrets are his bread and butter irregardless of what those secrets are, ranging from something as harmless as a child sneaking a taste of her mother's cookie dough to something as horrific as a serial murderer's identity. When he makes an appearance, it is either what can only be described as a vaguely simian halfling or of some kind of animal of vastly grotesque size (lizards six feet tall at the shoulder and as long as two horses being his favorite).

In addition to secrets and the night, he is the guardian of the wilds and of rural people. He opposes unchecked expansion, but regularly guides hunters to prey that can feed their families for up to two weeks. He points out useful and dangerous plants to the villagers that look for them, but seeks to trick those that look for the same plants on behalf of the nobility. Those that hunt for sport in lands where he is worshiped tend to find themselves the hunted, for while he is tolerant of and supports hunting for food, he cannot stand the wasteful hunting that he sees sport hunters as the embodiment of.

[avr]

Armad
The Lord of Feasts, the Hearth-Heart and wielder of the Axe That Splits the Mountains, Armad is a hero-god worshipped by many rural folk. He promises good harvests from the fields and bounty from the wild lands, and the lost may follow the light of his fire home. If alive they may find their way to a friendly hearth, if dead he gathers them to his own hearth to be reforged and born again.

His followers are known for launching ambitious missions of exploration, trade, raiding or conquest, and if only they were more organised they would be a true threat to the old empires. Their doctrine of reincarnation makes them brave and fatalistic, seeing death as nothing to be feared. Those with mystical gifts they call the flawed, saying that Armad made a mistake while reforging them. Reverence and fascination surrounds those with a piece of the god-realm not quite smithed out of them, but they are not trusted with leadership.

[Vrock_Summoner]

Val'tarix

Val'tarix is known as the Wandering Scholar, the Intoxicated Historian, and the Shepherd of the Pathless Step. He presides over those wanderers who wander for the sake of wandering, to see new things and have new experiences. His doctrine focuses on the ideal of finding your own path without ignoring the paths of those who came before, and in that vein, his churches consider finding and preserving old artifacts and pieces of history to be highly virtuous. Wandering into places that haven't been explored ever or have been abandoned thousands of years is the dream of Val'tarix's followers. Spirits who die while exploring uncharted lands receive his help in getting their bearings and reads the records of adventure on their souls before shooing them off to continue their wanderings in the next life. To that end he is also a god of knowledge and reincarnation, and his followers often keep extensive journals of what they discover during their travels in the hopes that this will help their souls become more full of knowledge between lives and that other souls can become fuller by partaking in the knowledge.

The churches of Val'tarix are often merry tavern-like experiences, full of clergy drinking, being merry, and sharing stories of their adventures. They are known to take a more serious side when it comes to pieces of history, and have specially-monitored rooms to display relevant historical pieces which are only allowed entrance to the sober and clean. Walking from one room to another can be quite jarring in the change in tone as clergy in the same colors switch from loudly and merrily speaking their stories to the world to quietly and calmly revering those objects of the far past. Indeed, this may equally work to describe the ideal of Val'tarix's clergy, as walking from one section of the church to the other can be an educational travel through a new world in its own right.

[GorinichSerpant]

The Gambleman
The Gambleman, Ser Dismay, the Hanged King, the Czar of Card, he is known by many names. The Gambleman is the lord or risk, of danger, of changing fortunes. He is the patron of gamblers, of start ups, of cutthroats, of adventures, of men and women who live on the knife edge of change and risk. Poor sobs down on their luck pray to him for a big break, great men fear he will bring them down. Do to his connection with starting both Tragedies and Comedies* he is also renowned as starter of theater, especially the Wandering Minstrels of the West. Other then the Wandering Minstrels, Ser Dismay has nothing even close to a formal clergy, to have one would be slanderous to his name.

His domain is chance. He can control the outcome of every dice roll, of every draw of the card, of every lucky coincidence and every misfortune. The Gambleman is a self proclaimed agent of change, here to save us all from the boredom of reliability, from the suffocation of stagnation. His gift to the land is the rush of the game, the adrenaline of taking a leap of faith, the moment when the when tables turn, the sliver of a second when a choice has to be made and then everything changes.

[Storm Bringer]

The Gambleman
The Gambleman, Ser Dismay, the Hanged King, the Czar of Card, he is known by many names. The Gambleman is the lord or risk, of danger, of changing fortunes. He is the patron of gamblers, of start ups, of cutthroats, of adventures, of men and women who live on the knife edge of change and risk. Poor sobs down on their luck pray to him for a big break, great men fear he will bring them down. Do to his connection with starting both Tragedies and Comedies* he is also renowned as starter of theater, especially the Wandering Minstrels of the West. Other then the Wandering Minstrels, Ser Dismay has nothing even close to a formal clergy, to have one would be slanderous to his name.

His domain is chance. He can control the outcome of every dice roll, of every draw of the card, of every lucky coincidence and every misfortune. The Gambleman is a self proclaimed agent of change, here to save us all from the boredom of reliability, from the suffocation of stagnation. His gift to the land is the rush of the game, the adrenaline of taking a leap of faith, the moment when the when tables turn, the sliver of a second when a choice has to be made and then everything changes.


Elephas,

The Dealer of Fates, The Giver of Free Will, The Lady In Red. She is the god who gives the every person their Destiny, their ultimate fate that shall come to pass. conversely, she also the deity to grants the special few the status of Fateless, setting them free form their Destinies and granting them control of their path. As the god of fate, she is also one of the most common gods for marriage, as couples come to beseech her to entwine their fates together and become one. It is not clear if she listens to these prayers, but some at some weddings, all those present feel....something which they cannot quite describe, but are certain they felt. the Clergy interprets these events as The Lady In Red answering the prayers and changing the Fates of the married couple. It is noted that such "Blessed" weddings tend to lead to great things, either by the couple themselves, or their offspring. Many a great hero was the fruit of a union Blessed by Elephas, as was many a feared villain.

her churches a always unpainted, expect for a single red stripe, running at chest height, around the structure. Her clergy where plain, undyed, clothes, expect for a single red sash, running form shoulder to waist. the sash is always made with intricate, interwoven patterns, symbolizing the Strands of Fate. elements of her doctrine are a acceptance of ones lot in life (for your Destiny is set, why complain about what the gods have deicide for you?), a dislike for games of chance (for their is no chance, except for the Fateless, so why waste your money on something already decided?), and contentment in your place (even a humble farmer was Fated to be such. A God has chosen your path! Even the lowliest of the low can claim a divine mandate for their life.)

[avr]

Elephas,

The Dealer of Fates, The Giver of Free Will, The Lady In Red. She is the god who gives the every person their Destiny, their ultimate fate that shall come to pass. conversely, she also the deity to grants the special few the status of Fateless, setting them free form their Destinies and granting them control of their path. As the god of fate, she is also one of the most common gods for marriage, as couples come to beseech her to entwine their fates together and become one. It is not clear if she listens to these prayers, but some at some weddings, all those present feel....something which they cannot quite describe, but are certain they felt. the Clergy interprets these events as The Lady In Red answering the prayers and changing the Fates of the married couple. It is noted that such "Blessed" weddings tend to lead to great things, either by the couple themselves, or their offspring. Many a great hero was the fruit of a union Blessed by Elephas, as was many a feared villain.

her churches a always unpainted, expect for a single red stripe, running at chest height, around the structure. Her clergy where plain, undyed, clothes, expect for a single red sash, running form shoulder to waist. the sash is always made with intricate, interwoven patterns, symbolizing the Strands of Fate. elements of her doctrine are a acceptance of ones lot in life (for your Destiny is set, why complain about what the gods have deicide for you?), a dislike for games of chance (for their is no chance, except for the Fateless, so why waste your money on something already decided?), and contentment in your place (even a humble farmer was Fated to be such. A God has chosen your path! Even the lowliest of the low can claim a divine mandate for their life.)
Tarkanaz

Tarkanaz is usually titled the Mirror of Souls. He or She is traditionally referred to as the gender the speaker desires romantically, though by children or in lands less open to homosexuality this defaults to the gender opposite to that of the speaker. With governance over Love, Revenge and Beauty many will make offerings to her or seek her patronage (especially at times such as marriage) but few will admit to devoting their lives to her path.

Her tales speak of her loves and betrayals, and her elaborate schemes to obtain her loves or to revenge herself on those who offend her. Some versions are known to be censored and this leads to other versions 'recreated' by the imaginations of the writers; Tarkanaz does not object and in fact writers and artists may pray to her for inspiration and be granted it.

Her clergy are often part time, showing another face to the world at large. They can be meddlers and tricksters or writers and artists, or merely helpful advisors who seek to promote happiness and love. Her shrines are usually decorated with mirrors or other reflective surfaces, or bowls of still water in a pinch. Her oldest temple is surrounded by a lake noted for its reflective beauty.

[Dusk Raven]

[Man, I keep wanting to respond to this, especially after Elephas, but as it happens I was thinking of a deity that overlaps just a touch with Tarkanaz... I mean, Tarkanaz could also loop back to Silrain, but lets keep the chain going!]


Tarkanaz

Tarkanaz is usually titled the Mirror of Souls. He or She is traditionally referred to as the gender the speaker desires romantically, though by children or in lands less open to homosexuality this defaults to the gender opposite to that of the speaker. With governance over Love, Revenge and Beauty many will make offerings to her or seek her patronage (especially at times such as marriage) but few will admit to devoting their lives to her path.

Her tales speak of her loves and betrayals, and her elaborate schemes to obtain her loves or to revenge herself on those who offend her. Some versions are known to be censored and this leads to other versions 'recreated' by the imaginations of the writers; Tarkanaz does not object and in fact writers and artists may pray to her for inspiration and be granted it.

Her clergy are often part time, showing another face to the world at large. They can be meddlers and tricksters or writers and artists, or merely helpful advisors who seek to promote happiness and love. Her shrines are usually decorated with mirrors or other reflective surfaces, or bowls of still water in a pinch. Her oldest temple is surrounded by a lake noted for its reflective beauty.

Ankquilar: (optional theme music) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjxVA9JxUe4)

Lord of revenge and retribution, Ankquilar cares little for titles, though he is referred to as a bringer of justice, or as a bringer of needless pain and destruction. Ankquilar exists for one purpose - to take the rage and hatred of a wronged individual, and make it his own, and with that grant the supplicant the power to take revenge. His wrath is proportional, giving credence to the notion of him as a bringer of justice - minor slights won't even garner his attention, while legends are told of the survivors of horrific atrocities bringing unimaginable retribution on their foes.

Whatever good he may do, however, he makes no pretenses as to his motives. His desire is malice, pure and simple - the desire to hurt others through any means necessary. It is fortunate, then, that he never hates or hurts without cause.

[avr]

[ How much do you want to maintain variety in your contributors? I've an idea for gods of law, but if you'd rather emphasise the 'crowd' in 'crowdsource' I can shelve it for now. ]

[brian 333]

As Ankquilar remembers all injustice, the following deity remembers everything.


Samandil

The Master of Memory, S/He Who Knows, The Chronicler, Recorder of Contracts

In the wild lands where writing is a rare skill Samandil is known as a patron of loremasters and skalds, keeping the memories of the tribes and teaching them to the new generations. His/her clergy are forbidden to tell a lie in context with their work, and any who do must have their tongue removed. A skald who alters a tale to favor his chieftain, for example, or one who bears false testimony before a tribunal, is cast from the clergy, losing all divine powers derived from the worship of Samandil. Such skalds are required to memorize tens of thousands of lines of lore recording the deeds of their tribe from the dawn of time to the present. Although skalds may remember and tell tales for entertainment, they must never tell such tales as if they were true teachings, (though lessons may be incorporated into such fables.) Their distinctive grey robes and pointed hats serve to mark them as untouchable in the event of war, and as neutral parties forbidden to take sides in any conflict, they often serve in the role of ambassadors and arbiters of disputes. Tribesmen who make contracts with others often will give offerings to the skald to remember the contract and hold both parties accountable for its fulfillment.

In civilized lands this worship is more formal, and temples to Samandil bear a greater resemblance to libraries, maintaining books that record everything from history and 'science' (such as magical and alchemical sciences) to the arts and entertainments of the day. These clergy often wear a chain about the waist to which is attached a book, and as a part of their daily prayer they record the events of the day in their book, thus creating a legacy of their time in office which will be preserved in the temple for all time. They retain the status of neutral party in all matters, and a Chronicler who takes sides in a dispute or who misrepresents any record is subject to being cast out of the clergy after having his tongue removed.

Samandil is a genderless deity, usually represented as being of one sex or the other, but wedded to knowledge. S/He remembers everything ever recorded, but not for the purposes of retribution or revenge. Most often pictured as an effeminate male, though nearly as often depicted as an old maid, s/he rules a vast realm of books holding every work ever written and every tale ever told. The works of every craftsman who ever innovated a new thing, the doings of every king and kingdom, the records of harvests and taxes, and every other kind of knowledge is recorded in this vast realm where shelf after shelf of books, scrolls, and tablets lead away in all directions to infinity. In the vastness of The Great Library, Samandil can put his hands on any book or find any obscure reference he wishes at any time. Those who served him faithfully in life come to this library to tend the books for eternity, forever after to speak only in hushed tones as they silently go about the business of their patron.

Samandil has been known to manifest on the prime plane as a great tome open to a page bearing the message s/he wishes to pass along. His clergy, praying for divine insight, (such as via a contact other plane spell,) will lay their personal book/scroll on the altar and pray, receiving an answer in the form of writings which form on the page. Often a golden quill and specially formulated ink is sacrificed for this purpose. A cleric who visits Samandil's home plane via Plane Shift, Astral Travel, or similar means, may record a number of facts from this library equal to his cleric level, (or otherwise distributed by the power of the character if using a level-less system.) Use the cleric's wisdom score as a determinant to decide if his faith is sufficient to guide him to the answers he seeks in the Library, or he may choose to allow his deity's servants to guide him to knowledge which may or may not be appropriate to his needs or desires at the time, (but which may prove more vital to the cleric's purpose in the long run.)

A note about neutrality:
A skald or librarian may not take sides in a dispute between his tribe/nation/race, but he may take sides with his tribe/nation/race against an outside power. A tribe which is at constant war with orcs, for example, will expect their skald/librarian to aid in the prosecution of that war. However, in a war between two nations of humans or two nations of elves, the skald/librarian must remain neutral, even if the ideological differences between the nations are dramatic.

A note about contracts:
All parties to a contract are bound to fulfill that contract, or risk a curse. A party may beg relief from fulfilling a contract due to matters outside his control, ("Them orcs done ate the pig I promised!") However, intentionally disregarding the terms of a contract, attempting to twist the original intent, or otherwise failing to fulfill it without seeking relief or adjustment of the contract via arbitration will invoke a curse which can only be removed via fulfillment of the original contract or the intercession of a cleric of higher level than the cleric/skald who recorded the contract.

This also applies to treaties between tribes or nations which are supervised by the clergy of Samandil. In this case, multiple parties may fall under the curse if they participated in breaking the treaty, so the whole raiding party, for example, falls under the curse if they participated in a breach of the treaty. Just following orders is insufficient grounds for avoiding the curse, though a sympathetic cleric may find it sufficient grounds for mitigation of the curse if the cursed party begs relief and performs suitable atonement.

Multiclassing (D&D):
Clerics of Samandil may freely multiclass as wizards or bards, but may not multiclass as sorcerers.
In civilized areas, a cleric of Samandil may multiclass as a paladin, but not fighter or ranger. If ever the levels of one class exceed the levels of the other by two or more, progress in the lower class must stop, thereafter leveling as the higher of the two classes exclusively.
A cleric of Samandil may end progress in cleric levels to take levels in rogue, thereafter being prohibited from gaining another level in cleric. By the same token, a rogue may take levels in cleric, but cannot take another level in rogue unless s/he abandons progress in cleric levels thereafter.
Monk orders devoted to Samandil maintain libraries in urban and wilderness locations, but monks devoted to Samandil may never multiclass as clerics and vice versa.
Loremasters are almost always devotees of Samandil, and may come from any class or race.

Affiliations:
Servants of Val'tarix are welcomed as guests in Samandil's temples. It is traditional, but not required, that such guests will repay their hosts with a new tale, book, rumor, or snippet of gossip. The head of the local order may permit such scholars access to their libraries, with or without a fee. Servants of Val'tarix who become unable to travel through age, infirmity, or other disability, will be housed and cared for in an out-building of the temple set aside for their use. Those of advanced age are often kept as honored guests, encouraged to recount their tales to the acolytes who learn about the world outside the library as they practice their skills at memorization and recording. The temple of Samandil places no restrictions on such guests other than that their disputes be kept away from the grounds of the library.

Servants of Kerra Shadowborn often raid the libraries of Samandil, and while the tenders of the library will attempt to catch such infiltrators simply to prevent the loss of valuable books or scrolls, they otherwise take no retribution from the thief. If such a servant succeeds in her/his raid, the thief may instead be rewarded by Samandil with additional information related to her/his cause. One tale of such is the tale of the halfling One-eyed Rory, (said to have been looking in the wrong keyhole at the wrong time...) whose quest was to discover how to defeat the bulettes that infested his homeland. (His interest was in superior armor rather than direct relief of the woes of the local farm folk.) The bestiary he stole was one which had been annotated by the Archmage Beeser, whose enchanted armors were world renowned for their lightweight design and toughness. Not only did the book contain information on the nature of bulettes, what they eat, how they live, and how to control and slay them, in its margins were the formulas required to convert their hides to suitable material for use in light armor. Within six years of this theft the population of bulettes was culled and only a small group remained, kept as a breeding herd by the now famous armorer whose maker-mark was an eye with no pupil.

[Storm Bringer]

[Man, I keep wanting to respond to this, especially after Elephas, but as it happens I was thinking of a deity that overlaps just a touch with Tarkanaz... I mean, Tarkanaz could also loop back to Silrain, but lets keep the chain going!]



[why, thankyou!. :smallredface::smallredface::smallredface:. are you interested in more form us?]

[Inspector Valin]

There are those who remember. And then there are those who discover.

Kerra Shadowborn blesses the bold, the daring, the risk-takers and the innovators. She is a deity of revelation and revolution, paradigm shifts, innovation, reinterpretation and rediscovery. Old greybeards smile and ruffle the hair of her worshippers, honouring Kerra is always seen as the prerogative of the young. Age breeds wisdom, it is said, and thus leads souls away from Kerra's fire. Still, there are always a few old souls who never lose the fire for creation and glory that the Shadowborn prizes, and these are dear to Kerra's heart. As long as someone is trying to excel, to pass boundaries and challenge conventional thought, Kerra will be there in the shadows to offer a smile and her blessing. Shadows are sacred to her, as they hold the promise of secrets yet unknown, and shrines to Kerra are generally put together in basements

Kerra has no formal clergy, no grand temples or holy orders. However, when a society grows stagnant or oppressive, enforcing traditional ideology at swordpoint, clerics of Kerra will arise spontaneously to lead academic rebellion. Kerra grants them spells of shadow and conjuration, letting her Clerics slip away with worshippers whenever the City Watch shows up. Small chains of master and apprentice have come to extend through the ages, isolated sages striving to discover lost lore in forgotten temples or challenge conformity amidst the older nations. Clerics of Kerra do not always live long, but they always strive to live gloriously.

[Dusk Raven]

[ How much do you want to maintain variety in your contributors? I've an idea for gods of law, but if you'd rather emphasise the 'crowd' in 'crowdsource' I can shelve it for now. ]

[Well... okay, my main priority is good ideas. And until I'm certain we'll actually get a crowd, so long as you don't post too rapidly I'm okay. (Also had a hard time understanding the question until I realized I misread "contributors" as "contributions"]


[why, thankyou!. :smallredface::smallredface::smallredface:. are you interested in more form us?]

[Well, I meant that in the sense that I had an idea for a deity with a connection to fate - one I've had for quite some time and who is a bit dear to me. But, if you have supply, I will demand. ^^]

[avr]

There are those who remember. And then there are those who discover.

Kerra Shadowborn blesses the bold, the daring, the risk-takers and the innovators. She is a deity of revelation and revolution, paradigm shifts, innovation, reinterpretation and rediscovery. Old greybeards smile and ruffle the hair of her worshippers, honouring Kerra is always seen as the prerogative of the young. Age breeds wisdom, it is said, and thus leads souls away from Kerra's fire. Still, there are always a few old souls who never lose the fire for creation and glory that the Shadowborn prizes, and these are dear to Kerra's heart. As long as someone is trying to excel, to pass boundaries and challenge conventional thought, Kerra will be there in the shadows to offer a smile and her blessing. Shadows are sacred to her, as they hold the promise of secrets yet unknown, and shrines to Kerra are generally put together in basements

Kerra has no formal clergy, no grand temples or holy orders. However, when a society grows stagnant or oppressive, enforcing traditional ideology at swordpoint, clerics of Kerra will arise spontaneously to lead academic rebellion. Kerra grants them spells of shadow and conjuration, letting her Clerics slip away with worshippers whenever the City Watch shows up. Small chains of master and apprentice have come to extend through the ages, isolated sages striving to discover lost lore in forgotten temples or challenge conformity amidst the older nations. Clerics of Kerra do not always live long, but they always strive to live gloriously.

Hiyalga

The Crossroads Witch is there waiting when the truly desperate - or the madly overconfident, or those who haven't yet come to believe in consequences - come to the crossroads at the turning of the seasons and perform the rites to see her. Her bargains offer power for lives, wealth or other things sacrificed to her and are almost always regretted by those who make them. That 'almost' keeps people coming though.

The exact power can be many things in tales but in practice is usually the service of one of her demons to achieve some goal. Some few are instead changed or charged with a spark of sorcerous power which they may grow. Despite the tales she never gives away her magical treasures.

Hiyalga is also worshipped by a few who revere her greed and seek to emulate it. Accusing someone of such worship is a serious insult. Rumors persist of a society banished beneath the waves devoted to her, but serious scholars know that no society based on such rampant lust for wealth could hold itself together. Sailors still make tribute to her to avoid attacks from beneath out of ancient superstition.

[Dusk Raven]

Hiyalga

The Crossroads Witch is there waiting when the truly desperate - or the madly overconfident, or those who haven't yet come to believe in consequences - come to the crossroads at the turning of the seasons and perform the rites to see her. Her bargains offer power for lives, wealth or other things sacrificed to her and are almost always regretted by those who make them. That 'almost' keeps people coming though.

The exact power can be many things in tales but in practice is usually the service of one of her demons to achieve some goal. Some few are instead changed or charged with a spark of sorcerous power which they may grow. Despite the tales she never gives away her magical treasures.

Hiyalga is also worshipped by a few who revere her greed and seek to emulate it. Accusing someone of such worship is a serious insult. Rumors persist of a society banished beneath the waves devoted to her, but serious scholars know that no society based on such rampant lust for wealth could hold itself together. Sailors still make tribute to her to avoid attacks from beneath out of ancient superstition.

[It was tough choosing a god to link to this one. At first I seized upon the "ocean" aspect. I had an idea thought out, beforehand even, and I even had music to go with. But then I got an idea...]

Refostinon, Blackest Marketeer

Refostinon is a deity of transactions and contracts. In some cultures he is considered by common folk to be the patron of merchants, which speaks volumes of how such cultures view those who deal too much in trade. He strikes bargains with mortals, but often they can only be called "bargains" in his favor. While his devils and servants have amassed quite a collection of material wealth, and his knowledge, influence, and powers go even deeper, he exacts a high price for his wares. His persuasiveness - and penchant for trading with those who direly need what he has - often ensures he gets what he barters for.

Refostinon has a peculiar compulsion whereby he is utterly unable to give away or receive anything for free. On the occasion when he wants to actually give a mortal something (which occurs more often than one would think), he demands very little, and can be bartered with to reduce the price to a single gold coin - but never any less. Care should be taken, however, to avoid giving the impression that one is ungrateful or undervalues such generosity - most famous of Refostinon's patrons is a man who gained worldly power for a mere seven gold coins - but the man's method of bartering, appearing uninterested in such things and only willing to pay a small fee - led Refostinon to comment, darkly and cryptically, that the man must not value such "gifts" very much. Years later - some say due to Refostinon's machinations - the man's powers brought him to ruin, and he begged Refostinon to take it all away, which he did, leaving him with nothing but those same seven coins. As a corollary, Refostinon always repays any gifts to him above one gold coin in value, especially when such rewards are accepted with gratitude, and the gifts are given without expectations. True generosity seems to be something Refostinon truly respects, even if he shows little of it himself.

Respect is something Refostinon has no qualms about giving to those who reciprocate. He is polite and composed regardless of mood or situation, expressing himself with measured words and precise language. His meticulousness extends to contracts, which he is adept at drafting or proofreading. In a similar vein, no code of law is complex enough to confuse him, and those knowledgeable about this facet of him may call upon him to act as judge, a task he takes to with some amusement. He may, however, interpret ambiguous laws to his favor or to the misfortune of others - or in the petitioner's favor if the price is right.

[avr]

Refostinon, Blackest Marketeer

Refostinon is a deity of transactions and contracts. In some cultures he is considered by common folk to be the patron of merchants, which speaks volumes of how such cultures view those who deal too much in trade. He strikes bargains with mortals, but often they can only be called "bargains" in his favor. While his devils and servants have amassed quite a collection of material wealth, and his knowledge, influence, and powers go even deeper, he exacts a high price for his wares. His persuasiveness - and penchant for trading with those who direly need what he has - often ensures he gets what he barters for.

Refostinon has a peculiar compulsion whereby he is utterly unable to give away or receive anything for free. On the occasion when he wants to actually give a mortal something (which occurs more often than one would think), he demands very little, and can be bartered with to reduce the price to a single gold coin - but never any less. Care should be taken, however, to avoid giving the impression that one is ungrateful or undervalues such generosity - most famous of Refostinon's patrons is a man who gained worldly power for a mere seven gold coins - but the man's method of bartering, appearing uninterested in such things and only willing to pay a small fee - led Refostinon to comment, darkly and cryptically, that the man must not value such "gifts" very much. Years later - some say due to Refostinon's machinations - the man's powers brought him to ruin, and he begged Refostinon to take it all away, which he did, leaving him with nothing but those same seven coins. As a corollary, Refostinon always repays any gifts to him above one gold coin in value, especially when such rewards are accepted with gratitude, and the gifts are given without expectations. True generosity seems to be something Refostinon truly respects, even if he shows little of it himself.

Respect is something Refostinon has no qualms about giving to those who reciprocate. He is polite and composed regardless of mood or situation, expressing himself with measured words and precise language. His meticulousness extends to contracts, which he is adept at drafting or proofreading. In a similar vein, no code of law is complex enough to confuse him, and those knowledgeable about this facet of him may call upon him to act as judge, a task he takes to with some amusement. He may, however, interpret ambiguous laws to his favor or to the misfortune of others - or in the petitioner's favor if the price is right.
[ Another opening for my gods of law, cool. ]

Tal, Mekk and Yata

The blind oracles have guided their three cities since torch-bearing men first ventured into their caverns, seeking to scribe the magic which guaranteed success in the hunt on their walls. Over time the statues' proclamations have layered complexity upon complexity until only the priesthood know all the precedents required to understand them or even speak their ancient language.

There are some differences in philosophy between the oracles, encapsulated in their reputed first pieces of advice ("talk to your friends", "work hard" and "try something new" for Tal, Mekk and Yata respectively) but their advice is consistent enough that it has been woven into a system of law which governs their cities and surrounding lands and which has influenced peoples far away. It emphasises foresight and consequences beyond the immediate ones, gives out rights based on a hierarchy which extends into the natural world, and while it seldom allows execution of sentients it does endorse slavery. It binds the priesthood more tightly with its ancient traditions than it does the populace at large.

Over time the oracles have shaped their respective cities so that Tal is a trade nexus where ships sail down the river to distant lands, Mekk is a breadbasket exporting grain to the other two, and Yata's mercenaries fly their lightning banner in most of the nearby countries. All three have been conquered at one time or another, but given generations the oracles have remade the conquerors in their own image.

[In a D&Dish system the priesthood are druids and their ancient language druidic.]

[Storm Bringer]

[ Another opening for my gods of law, cool. ]

Tal, Mekk and Yata

The blind oracles have guided their three cities since torch-bearing men first ventured into their caverns, seeking to scribe the magic which guaranteed success in the hunt on their walls. Over time the statues' proclamations have layered complexity upon complexity until only the priesthood know all the precedents required to understand them or even speak their ancient language.

There are some differences in philosophy between the oracles, encapsulated in their reputed first pieces of advice ("talk to your friends", "work hard" and "try something new" for Tal, Mekk and Yata respectively) but their advice is consistent enough that it has been woven into a system of law which governs their cities and surrounding lands and which has influenced peoples far away. It emphasises foresight and consequences beyond the immediate ones, gives out rights based on a hierarchy which extends into the natural world, and while it seldom allows execution of sentients it does endorse slavery. It binds the priesthood more tightly with its ancient traditions than it does the populace at large.

Over time the oracles have shaped their respective cities so that Tal is a trade nexus where ships sail down the river to distant lands, Mekk is a breadbasket exporting grain to the other two, and Yata's mercenaries fly their lightning banner in most of the nearby countries. All three have been conquered at one time or another, but given generations the oracles have remade the conquerors in their own image.

[In a D&Dish system the priesthood are druids and their ancient language druidic.]

[taking the nature hook and trying to drag this thread in a new direction]



Sēnlín
The Evergreen, The God-Oak.

The god of trees. Sēnlín has something of an arms length relationship with his followers. His mind is focused on the forests and their maintenance, and would have nothing to do with humanoids if he could. But humanoids are, paradoxically, both the greatest threat and best protection for the trees he cares so much about. while the fires of industry consume vast numbers of trees, intelligent beings are also able to "police" the woods, help regulate their growth and ensure their ultimate survival. Thus, the relationship between Sēnlín and his followers is one of mutual benefit: Sēnlín has clergy that can tend to the forests and keep them healthy, and the humans have access to the resources of the forest and the knowledge of how to manage the forest.

clerics of Sēnlín prefer to hold services in natural places, often natural clearings in the trees or the edge of a forest. their doctrine is one of sustainable development, and of using the forest without damaging it's long term viability. The clergy has legal right to large swathes of woodland and forests, and controls the development and harvesting of these lands as their primary source of income. They are known for using magic to shape living wood into intricately carved woodwork, which they sell as a side-business.

Sēnlín is popular with the more naturally inclined types of elves, with rangers, and other "wilderness" types.

[Inevitability]

Altraze, the Imprisoned Devastator

Long, long ago, there were two deities of nature. One symbolized nature's gifts that gave life and health, while Altraze, the other, symbolized a crueler side of nature; forest fires, earthquakes, and floods. Both received many prayers; the first out of adoration and gratefulness, the second out of fear. Even so, this second deity was not evil, nor was the first one good.

The first deity had many true worshippers, who created shrines and temples dedicated to him, offered fruits and other gifts of nature to him, and did great things in his name. The second deity had no true worshippers, and no temples of him existed.

Then one day, the second deity heard something he had never heard before; a grateful prayer. He turned his gaze to the mortal world, and beheld a tribe of orcs.

The orcs were standing at the edge of a large burning forest. Hundreds of animals were trying to escape the flames, and the orcs were waiting for them. Beast after beast was cut down by orcish axes, until finally the hunt was over. There, amidst the feasting orcs, Altraze saw an orc kneel down and pray to him.

For the first time in his existence, the god knew love.

The resulting orc tribe was sheltered over by Altraze. They were safe from disasters, but their foes' lands were wracked with earthquakes, flooded, burned, or ravaged by storms. The tribe flourished, and over time more orcs started thanking Altraze. The deity, pleased by his servants' worship, sent the tribe's leader a special gift. It was a horse the color of ash, with flaming hooves and manes. The tribe's leader was the only one able to ride it; when he died, the horse was passed on to his successor, never growing old or tired.

For two centuries did the tribe, now known as the Ashen Steed Tribe, grow and prosper. The very sight of its leader mounted on his flaming steed was often enough to send even the bravest defenders running. To celebrate victories, they started fires, which they considered the only of Altraze's Great Disasters (Flood, Storm, Earthquakes, Eruptions, and Fires) mortals were allowed to cause.

The tribe became one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of the continent, and several nations prayed to all gods they knew to protect them.

One of those gods was the other nature god. He looked upon the orcs, burning and pillaging, and spoke to Altraze:

"You will tell those monstrosities of yours to leave the lands of humans, or I shall curse them. They shall no longer eat from tree nor bush. No stream or well will quench their thirst, no sea or lake will give them fish. Their hunts will fail, and what little they steal will be tainted with disease."

Altraze answered decisively.

"No. Even if it would mean the death of all other life, the destruction of this world, or my death, I would not abandon those people."

The god of nature looked upon Altraze with hate, and answered:

"Then prove your devotion to them. If you accept my offer, I will leave those creatures be. However, you will be imprisoned beneath the largest tree in the eldest forest, unable to monitor and guide your followers, unable to bless them and doom others. Only when one of your tribe's blood burns down the tree will you be freed and allowed to rule them once more."

To the nature god's surprise, Altraze accepted immediately.


Today, Altraze's name has been forgotten by most. His tribe, severely weakened without disasters to strike its enemies or gifts from its god, was defeated less than three years after Altraze's imprisonment. This their god did not know, and he remains imprisoned, waiting for freedom that may never come.

Altraze is still worshipped by a few secret cults, all of which seek two things; a child of the tribe and the tree Altraze is sealed beneath. Some of the cults are peaceful and scourge libraries in search for information on either of those things, while others are more destructive, wantonly burning down forest in the hope of destroying the right tree.

Altraze's holy symbol is a flaming branch, often carved out of fossilized wood or black onyx.

[brian 333]

Sēnlín bore twelve daughters, each hatching from an acorn grown at the tip of a branch of his mighty being. One of these was Ullo, mistress of herbs, who tended a small garden in a glade of the vast forest of her father's realm. It was there that Altraze came upon her, and finding her comely he ravished her, leaving her with his seed. In time Ullo bore Sarai, demigoddess of springs and fountains, known as the Mother of Rivers and Mistress of the Floods.

Sarai favors her mother in temperament, being a kind soul who seeks to help by bringing water to the thirsty, be they plants or people. However, she is a child with her father's temper, and in her rage great floods sweep across the lands. But in time she relents and allows her floods to subside. In repentance for her outbursts, she blesses the flooded realms with fertility. Priests along the various river systems of the world have learned to appease her with offerings so that she will send water to their fields and fountains in moderation and bless their crops. However, with the advent of winter, Serai grows cold, sleeping until awakened by the warmth of spring. Then, aroused and energetic, her power rises up the waters of the world in springtime floods.

While no one can predict where and when her next tantrum will take place, causing floods to devastate a land out of season, her clerics teach their people how and where to build so that the annual spring floods do not devastate them, but where her waters still flow in the drought of summer to quench their thirst.

Desert folk revere her for her wells and oasis in the middle of the parched dry world. It is said that each was created in answer to the prayers of devout followers whose torment of thirst wrung tears from her, to fall to earth forming a pool or seeping into cracks in the ground where it remains hidden from all save those who know its secret.

[brian 333]

In his wrath, Altraze raised up a great fire that burned a great land into desert and ash. From this devastation came Allor, mistress of the Hearth.

As the people of the land starved and shivered of the cold at night, she taught them to make use of her fire for warmth and to cook foods which would otherwise be inedible to them. In that time she walked the world cloaked as a mortal woman, and many men came to court her. Fights broke out and wars were threatened, and the old women came to her and pleaded with her to take a husband and put an end to the fighting.

So she came before the suitors and said, "I shall wed one of you, but will only take him to my marriage bed in my true form." So saying, she cast off the maidenly cloak she wore and revealed herself a being of living flame. Each of her suitors then declared her beautiful, but none were willing to take her as his bride. Therefore she cast her cloak again about herself and as a maiden she resumed her life on the mortal plane until she learned the way to the immortal realms.

Those who tend hearth and cooking fires revere her, and she rewards those who are thrifty with fuel and who keep a clean and orderly home. Those who are wasteful she punishes by withdrawing her blessings from them in the middle of winter, and those who are careless and slovenly she punishes with home fires which rid the person of uncared-for possessions.

She is also said to have eyes that can see into the future or past, or even into dreams. Those who gaze into her flames may see with her eyes, but without her understanding. Many a would-be fortune teller has been lead astray by his misunderstanding of what he saw. Still, young girls look into her flames hoping to see their future husband's face, while old folk gaze upon her in hopes of seeing faces long since passed away.

[Bruno Carvalho]

Sinyar, minor god of wine, courage and fertility
Another of Sēnlín's daughters were Pinãn, mistress of fruits. Weak and frail, she was the youngest and the most beautiful among her sisters. In a young age, she drew the lust of several gods, and Armad took her by force from her father. In Armad's possession, she became pregnant, but died at childbirth.

Her only child is Sinyar. When he was a baby, Armad sent his brave and daring forest nymphs to nurture and educate his son. When reaching adulthood, Sinyar became a splendid man, handsome, bold and lustful. He once traveled through the realm, engaging in countless parties and fights, courting beautiful women and showing his great courage. In this travels, he revealed to mortal men the secret of how to make wine.

In these travels, he met a woman who resisted his charms. After doing everything he could do to win her favor, he commited to the greatest gamble: a marriage proposal. Unknown to him, the woman was actually Allor, mistress of the Hearth, who happily married him. Some stories says that even the marriage didn't quell his thirst for women, and that some days he sneaks out of Allor's bed to find and court mortal women.

Sinyar is revered by young men and women alike, but fall in favor with older men quickly. Many unmarried women, when praying for a good husband, often recite Allor's rites while thinking about Sinyar. He have also remembered by winemakers and most wine bottles use his seal as a proof of quality. It is said the greatest of all wines can instill Sinyar's favor into the body of men - at least for a while. No organized clergy of Sinyar exist, albeit there are many clerics of other gods who pray him respect, at least in secrecy.

[avr]

Sinyar, minor god of wine, courage and fertility
Another of Sēnlín's daughters were Pinãn, mistress of fruits. Weak and frail, she was the youngest and the most beautiful among her sisters. In a young age, she drew the lust of several gods, and Armad took her by force from her father. In Armad's possession, she became pregnant, but died at childbirth.

Her only child is Sinyar. When he was a baby, Armad sent his brave and daring forest nymphs to nurture and educate his son. When reaching adulthood, Sinyar became a splendid man, handsome, bold and lustful. He once traveled through the realm, engaging in countless parties and fights, courting beautiful women and showing his great courage. In this travels, he revealed to mortal men the secret of how to make wine.

In these travels, he met a woman who resisted his charms. After doing everything he could do to win her favor, he commited to the greatest gamble: a marriage proposal. Unknown to him, the woman was actually Allor, mistress of the Hearth, who happily married him. Some stories says that even the marriage didn't quell his thirst for women, and that some days he sneaks out of Allor's bed to find and court mortal women.

Sinyar is revered by young men and women alike, but fall in favor with older men quickly. Many unmarried women, when praying for a good husband, often recite Allor's rites while thinking about Sinyar. He have also remembered by winemakers and most wine bottles use his seal as a proof of quality. It is said the greatest of all wines can instill Sinyar's favor into the body of men - at least for a while. No organized clergy of Sinyar exist, albeit there are many clerics of other gods who pray him respect, at least in secrecy.

Firaca

The Storm Dancer, Lady of Screams, Firaca is mainly worshipped among the nomadic tribes in the high steppes beyond the Great Desert. Their young warriors test their bravery against her lightning strikes in rituals that occasionally cost lives. The survivors claim that nothing more will frighten them, and the most dedicated seek to spread fear among those who have not participated in the rituals with means that range from pranks to actual raids.

Stories usually depict Firaca as a force of nature more than a character; great heroes withstand her unharmed, villainous enemies run when her storms scourge them. Bad dreams are described as the wake of her passing through the realm of dreams, one story claims she was born of Silrain's nightmare.

At the rare times she takes mortal form it is as a werewolf and wolves are sacred to her, the tribes will hold a full funeral for a wolf that starts attacking people and which must be slain. Werewolves are respected among her worshippers but not trusted; too much of the touch of the Lady of Screams makes them unpredictable and dangerous.

[brian 333]

Aul the Sun, in his daily path over the world, gazed down upon Sarai as she spread her waters across the land, growing green pastures where once was only dry stone. His radiance she reflected back to him and he was dazzled, but when he went down to take her as his wife she turned to mist and vanished, untouched. Again and again he sought her, but with every touch of his great heat she vanished in a cloud of steam.

Then he became aware of another, who came to him as he strove to capture the Mother of Rivers. She was delicate in appearance, but as shy as her mother, never allowing him to approach her, but always standing off at a distance, dancing in the mists his amorous attempts had made. She was Brethyl, the Dancer, whose appearance was as a rainbow. He discovered that she appeared wherever he attempted to court Sarai, but when he reached out to her she drew away or vanished, only to return again when his light struck the curtain of water in a waterfall, or pierced a droplet of water, or when the mists of his would be lover cooled and fell again to the ground as rain.

Brethyl is revered as the demigoddess of dance, and her worshipers tend to be young and beautiful. Her beauty is such that her presence has halted wars, and poets world-wide sing her praises. Mothers pray to her asking her blessings of grace and beauty on her children, girls beseech her blessings in the art of dance, and those seeking to find a mate offer sacrifices of clear crystals and gems to her. Indeed, it has become customary for a suitor to offer his beloved such a gem when pledging his intent to wed.

Brethyl herself remains wary and unwed. It is said that her 'treasure' will be given to the first who can catch her, but none have succeeded. Children are told a fable about a pot of gold, but adults know the real treasure is her untouched beauty. Waterfalls are sacred to her, and her priests often create shrines near them, built so that they do not interfere with the natural beauty of the falls.

Her domains are youth, beauty, and dance.