Gods of Druinaan

[Thunderfist12]

So I have my setting's pantheons... roughly outlined. I basically need some response on whether the gods make sense, what you think should change for realism, etc.

Note that some domains listed do not exist, since they are homebrew (this is for 5e). I will post them if you absolutely have to have them.

From the farthest reaches of Dungard to the smoggy cities of Ragnos, the many peoples of Druinaan acknowledge, revere, and even fear the elder beings known as gods. Throughout its expanse, four pantheons are regularly acknowledged: the New Gods, the Ten, the Dragons, and the Lost Gods.

After the War in Heaven and Khybe the Traitor's subsequent murder of the Holy of Holies, the World Above has been ruled by an uncaring, brutal court. At best, they are indifferent to the world below, and at worst, tyrannical and genocidal. Those who follow the New Faith - which encompasses much of the Kingdom - follow the teachings of the Church more out of fear than respect. Common devotees offer sacrifice and prayer at every turn to avoid some form of divine retribution.



Name
Description
Symbol
Domains
Alignment


Khybe, the Traitor-King
An archangel in alabaster armour, seated on a starry throne, god of light and flame, ruler of the gods.
A pendant shaped like a white helmet carved into the shape of a roaring lion, set against a red flame.
Flame, Light
LE


Draal, the Master
A six-armed bipedal beast, hunched over a crystal ball, dressed in woolen robes, god of magick and secrets.
A crystal ball swirling with colored smoke, showing unsettling visages that waver in and out of view.
Knowledge, Trickery
LN


Gallar Two-Heads
A two-headed trow (a kind of troll) clad in dragon hides, god of war and vengeance.
A hatchling drake's head with a knife stuck through its temples.
Trickery, War
NE


Leithe-o'-the-Chain
A formless being imprisoned in a smoldering pit, god of darkness, madness, and strife.
A set of broken iron shackles, worn around the wrists.
Darkness, Madness
CE


Morgir, the Collector
A black-robed skeleton with the hood and axe of an executioner, holding an empty coffer, god of death, poverty, and thieves.
A blindfolded skull missing its jaw.
Death, Trickery
CN


Nuane, the Traveller
A lonely wanderer of indescernable origin, god of luck and wisdom.
A set of pan pipes made of reeds and river grass.
Knowledge, Luck
N






Worshipped by the mad or desperate since the dawn of time, the Ten rule unquestioned over the daemons that dwell in the Pit, granting unspeakable power to those who are willing to pay the price. The Barren East knows no other gods, and this faith is only commonly accepted in those parts.



Name
Description
Symbol
Domains
Alignment


Ragnos, the First King
A fallen angel in black and red plate with black-feathered wings, king of the First Circle, master of conquest.
An obsidian and copper sword with a winged cross-guard.
Fire, War
LE


Hatheptae, the Dreamer
An ever-watchful eye, king of the Second Circle, master of dreams and nightmares.
A red eye floating between the fingers of a man warding off the eye.
Dream, Madness
CN


Asthir, Lord of the Hunt
A massive, black-furred wolf with bloodstained paws and muzzle, king of the Third Circle, master of huntsmen.
A string of totem bones, typically skulls.
Death, Nature
NE


Nyres, King of the Nobodies
A fallen angel with brown-feathered wings in flamboyant clothes, holding a cup of wine, king of the Fourth Circle, master of poetry, drunks, and gamblers.
A n overflowing goblet of wine or a set of knucklebone dice.
Luck, Wine
CN


Draugh, the Pale King
A fallen angel with white-feathered wings clad in thick furs, on a polar bear, king of the Fifth Circle, master of winter.
A crystal dagger shaped like an icicle, typically bearing a ruby point resembling a bloodstain.
Darkness, Snow
NE


Vol, King of Worms
A slithering mass of corpses riddled with maggots, king of the Sixth Circle, master of rot, filth, and the undead.
A glass jar filled with death-worms, white grubs capable of reanimating the dead.
Death, Plague
CE


Raush, Lord of the Depths
A colossal squid with wicked jaws, king of the Seventh Circle, master of the waters and fear.
A pendant shaped like a writhing mass of tentacles.
Madness, Water
CE


Khef, Iron-King
A pale creature whose head is all mouth, grafted to iron armour, king of the Eighth Circle, master of mining, torture, and slavery.
A pickaxe of iron wrought into the form of many screaming visages.
Stone, Torment
LE


Eratoss, the Great Serpent
An enormous snake, king of the Ninth Circle, master of liars, murderers, and poison.
A rod of red-stained wood with a jade serpent coiling about it.
Death, Trickery
CE


Shai'Ol, High King of Hell
A classic daemon with three barbed tails and three thorny tongues, master of all sin.
An overlong trident with a red banner on it, a black skull emblazoned on it.
Darkness, Death, Trickery
NE






While lesser dragons (called drakes) can be found now and again roaming the wilds of Druinaan, true Dragons are beings of godlike power, guardians of the far corners of the world. With the divine purge which has come with Khybe's betrayal, they have awoken from their thousand-year slumber and amassed their armies to reclaim the world and take the Heavens for their own.



Name
Description
Symbol
Domains
Alignment


Hassashe, Moon-Watcher
A dragon of pure ice, ruler of Fraelon, king of the skull, bearded, and snow drakes.
A silver pendant in the shape of a crescent moon, with a sapphire set in the center.
Dragon, Snow
N


Iome, Earth-Shaker
A dragon of raging water, ruler of the Sea, king of the sea, fang, and river drakes.
A greened copper pendant in the shape of a fish, with a jade stone set in its center.
Dragon, Water
N


Kasanue, Edge-Walker
A spectral dragon who is nearly imperceptible, ruler of the Barren East, king of all dragons.
A collection of uncut gemstones - sapphire, jade, ruby, and amethyst - set into a circular stone with a hole in its center (in contrast to the gemstones at the centers of the other dragon symbols).
Death, Dragon, Stone
N


Nix, Sun-Eater
A dragon of hot coals and smoke, ruler of Firesea, king of the sand, laughing, and blood drakes.
A golden pendant shaped into a circle, with a ruby set in its center.
Dragon, Fire
N


Shoras
A dragon of stormclouds, ruler of the Sky, king of the sunset, sky, and shield drakes.
An iron pendant in the shape of a hawk, with an amethyst set into its center.
Dragon, Tempest
N






Though they were slaughtered in Khybe's treacherous revolt, many of the older gods are still worshipped in secret in the world. Of all these gods, the most commonly revered is the Holy of Holies, who has no depictions, but is symbolized with a silver sun wrapped in thorns. His blessed, dead though he may be (dead gods, after all, are never truly gone), can choose from the Death and Life domains. He lost the Light domain when Khybe usurped his throne as the sun god, and gained the Death domain when he died.

[Lord of Shadows]

So I have my setting's pantheons... roughly outlined. I basically need some response on whether the gods make sense, what you think should change for realism, etc.

This looks good. Quite good, actually. Some suggestions...


the Gods, the Kings of Hell, the Dragons, and the Lost Gods

Perhaps "The New Gods" instead of "the Gods" since, after all, they are new... or maybe "the Usurper Gods"


Draal, the Master: A six-armed beast..

Perhaps "A six-armed bipedal beast" since it appears to be standing


Gallar Two-Heads: A hatchling drake's head with a knife stuck through its temples. Trickery, War NE

Perhaps the direction of the knife is some hidden message, pointing left for one, pointing right for the other. Likely something only worshipers would notice.


Nuane, the Traveller: A lonely wanderer of any origin...

Perhaps "of indeterminate origin" or "of unknown origin"


The Kings of Hell:

Perhaps the "Despots of the Circles," or the "Ten Tyrants," or "Tyrants of the Ten Circles"


Draugh, the Pale King: A crystal dagger shaped like an icicle.

Perhaps "A dagger made of ice, dripping blood."


Khef, Iron-King: A pickaxe of iron wrought into the form of many screaming visages.

Perhaps "A pickaxe made of iron whose blade and handle are fashioned into screaming visages."


Iome, Earth-Shaker: ruler of the Sea...

Perhaps change to plural, "Ruler of the Seas," maybe even insert a number if there is a known number of seas, as in "Ruler of the Seven Seas"


Kasanue, Edge-Walker: A collection of uncut gemstones - sapphire, jade, ruby, and amethyst - set into a circular stone with a hole in its center.

Nix, Sun-Eater: A golden pendant shaped into a circle, with a ruby set in its center.

This is interesting... makes me wonder what happens when the symbol of Kasanue is overlaid/placed in front of/eclipses a symbol of Nix, so that the ruby can be seen. Maybe nothing... or maybe...[fill in the blank] As in something baaad that combines Fire and Tempest? Or protects from the same? I dunno, but that is interesting.

[Thunderfist12]

Lord of Shadows:

Thanks for your feedback. I have changed many things accordingly to your suggestions - the symbol of Draal included. However, there were a few things which I decided to leave unchanged. The only one I can think of offhand is the title of Hassashe, and that's simply because the only known Sea in the world is the one West of the Kingdom. Aside from that, practically every suggestion you made was taken into account.

I especially liked your idea for the dragon symbols - which was intentional from the start, although not exactly as a magical effect, but more as a symbolic element. The hollow center of Kasanue's sign, as opposed to the stones at the centers of his subordinates, symbolizes how all dragon priests - and drakes - are welcomed into his fold, and simultaneously that all of such are subject to his will.

[Lord of Shadows]

Thanks for your feedback. I have changed many things accordingly to your suggestions - the symbol of Draal included. However, there were a few things which I decided to leave unchanged. The only one I can think of offhand is the title of Hassashe, and that's simply because the only known Sea in the world is the one West of the Kingdom. Aside from that, practically every suggestion you made was taken into account.

It all looks good. Got anything else that needs a second trio er, pair of eyes? :smallsmile:


I especially liked your idea for the dragon symbols - which was intentional from the start, although not exactly as a magical effect, but more as a symbolic element. The hollow center of Kasanue's sign, as opposed to the stones at the centers of his subordinates, symbolizes how all dragon priests - and drakes - are welcomed into his fold, and simultaneously that all of such are subject to his will.

The direction the knife is pointing for Gallar Two-Heads' symbol could also be more symbolic than having any actual effect. As a player, I always enjoy looking for these little hints that the DM might try to slip by everyone else.
.

[zeek0]

I really like the idea here of competing pantheons, I myself homebrewed a pantheon that replaced an old one - but my new pantheon was (relatively) the good guys.

I really like the Ten; it's cool to have so many choices to choose from for your bad guys.

I also like the Dragons, because they are so worship-able. I could imagine one of my characters really fervently worshiping one of them. And on a map, they could be depicted on the edges (except, of course, for Kasanue.

As a player (especially a cleric), I would like to have a bunch of cool choices to choose from for my god. But here I only have the good god (Holy of Holies - which might be hard to scream into battle...), some evil demons, elemental dragons, and sketchy newcomers. I would want some Good options that cover the standard archetypes - such as nature, knowledge, or war. Maybe this can be done by expanding on who the Lost Gods are.

I also wonder - who does the farmer pray to for increased crops? The mother for her sick child? The doctor for skill in surgery? Gods are not only the domain of heroes/villains, but the common folk - and in some worlds, mass worship is where they draw their power from. Again, perhaps the Lost Gods cover this? I don't know how much power the Lost Gods still hold, but it seems that they can still grant cleric abilities.

I'm living in Rwanda at the moment - and while the people here have been converted to Christianity for generations, there is still a remnant of traditional medicine and practice around. A person will go to mass on Sunday and to the Health Center for a mosquito net, but when they become badly ill or their child is sick they go to a traditional healer. This may be how some people worship the New Gods, depending on how long they have been in power.

Just some thoughts. Happy homebrewing!