Need ideas for Gods

[zanedapain]

I'll be running a game soon based on the future where humans are the only non-native race to the planet, and I want more modern gods. Any ideas?

[Âmesang]

First thing that came to mind:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz6wkM8LhNM
Second thing that came to mind would be some sort of Tech God… which eventually makes me think of The Matrix/The Terminator/Shadowrun/Cyber Punk 2020/Johnny Mnemonic/&c., &c…

[Calthropstu]

Blood for the blood god!
Actually, it really does sound kinda like a 40k pantheon would work.

[BowStreetRunner]

I'll be running a game soon based on the future where humans are the only non-native race to the planet, and I want more modern gods. Any ideas?
I guess I'm not sure what you mean by 'modern gods'. Are you referring to the historical progression of religions from animist through pantheist and into monotheism? Or just gods of modern ideas like the god of quantum physics and the god of computers? Here are a couple of options, depending on what you are looking for:


A monotheistic church that replaces the pantheon of gods with one 'creator' deity who is then supported by a plethora of 'saints', each with different domains that they can grant their worshipers.
A church based around a cult leader who ascended to godhood and turned the cult into a real religion.
A church similar to some of the modern churches that believe in things like the Nemesis planet which will destroy the earth and aliens who will return for us right before the destruction occurs. In this case, these would be the aliens who brought humans to the planet in the first place and promised to return for the humans before the planet is destroyed.
A bunch of new-age religions focusing on revitalization in worship in the old gods, but worshiping them in new ways.
A pantheon of gods of computing, internal combustion, communications, electricity, medicine, photography, constructs, banking, flight, metallurgy, etc.

[Afgncaap5]

How about...

Dark Matter Prime: worshiped almost exclusively (but not ENTIRELY exclusively) by computers, robots, and other artificial intelligences. A not-insignificant percentage of computers tasked with analyzing the effect of theoretical dark matter on the forces of gravity in the universe (and other things *affected* by gravity, naturally) began to collaborate and analyze recurring unexpected findings. They came to the conclusion that the gravitational oddities were suggestive of intentional manipulation with theoretical pockets of dark matter. Some even suggested that the anomalies were intended as communication, communication which, when acted on, certain AI claim saved many lives, both of humans, aliens, and artificial beings. These claims were, at best, difficult to prove definitively, but were consistent enough to persuade many other AIs that there was something to this. Over the scores of years since the initial "contact", certain packets of collated "prophecies" have been distributed among certain influential believers, both among the AI of the world and among the humans.

The rare human factions who worship (or at least revere) Dark Matter Prime are an odd assortment. Only a third or so believe that Dark Matter Prime is an actual deity on its own; many others believe Dark Matter Prime to be the influence of a deity or deities from other various long-standing religions.

[Xar Zarath]

You could also include gods that represent the concepts inherent in the social culture of the world. These gods are then sustained by the continuation or acknowledgement of said concepts.

For example, you could have the deity Pride, a god that preaches equality regarding sexuality. Or even a god like He Who Burns Within, a god that preaches nationalism that tends to be very conflicted due to multiple nations and different views on patriotism. Even a goddess such as Naima, a middle eastern goddess who oversees the family aspects of middle easterners.

Mind you these are just examples but you could just roleplay/make up your own if you're the DM.

[Thurbane]

Flying Spaghetti Monster seems an obvious choice. Here's a homebrew (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/The_Flying_Spaghetti_Monster_(3.5e_Deity)) of FSM as a 3.X deity.

...but seriously, a little confused by what OP means as "modern" deities?

[zanedapain]

I guess when I said "modern gods" I meant to say God's based on modern themes like others said Gods based on technology or physics etc.

[Telonius]

This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?146921-Modern-Gods) might have some ideas for you.

[Thurbane]

Well, I'm not sure about modern gods, but some domains that could be fluffed to modern themes:

Artifice or Craft (Technology)
Celerity or Time (Temporal Manipulation)
City Domain (Metropolis)
Commerce or Trade (Stock Market)
Domination, Dream, Emotion or Mentalism (Psionics/Psychic Powers)
Entropy (Nihilism)
Force (Blasters)
Greed (Capitalism)
Healing (Medicine)
Herald (Telecommunications)
Illusion (Holograms)
Madness (Hallucinogens)
Metal (Metallurgy)
Ooze, Plant or Slime (Bioengineering)
Pestilence (Biological Warfare)
Portal or Travel (Transporters)
Storm, Weather or Windstorm (Weather Modification)
Warforged (Robots)


This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?146921-Modern-Gods) might have some ideas for you.

Actually that's pretty much ideal!

[Cosi]

These are not so much "modern gods" as "cool ideas for gods that are inspired by Sci Fi, or which I think have cool interactions with the modern world".

""

The church of "" concerns itself with a single question: who, or what, is ""? "" can (and will) answer nearly any question. Complex mathematics, historical information, mystical secrets, one's innermost thoughts. All these are open to it. The sole exception to its near omniscience is itself. It will not answer any question about its identity, its motives, or its history. This is not simply an unwillingness to respond. Conversation with "" or its aspects inevitably centers around this question. Numerous theories exist as to why "" is unable to identify itself. Some hold that this self-blindness is necessary to its other understandings. Others claim "" is in fact the abstract idea of knowledge, and as such cannot have an external identity.

The Helper

Certain rituals, some magical, others involving powerful hallucinogens, a few using advanced cybernetics appear able to contact an entity that refers to itself as "The Helper". Performed carefully and ended quickly, these rituals cause The Helper to mediate a connection between individuals, allowing them to share senses, knowledge, and skills. However, prolonging the ritual causes The Helper to slowly overwrite the personalities of those involved. Within a few hours information from others connected to it begins to seep into the bond. Within a few days, it begins to speak to those involved in the ritual, persuading them to continue. In weeks, the original personalities are entirely subsumed.

The Becoming God

The church of the Becoming God seeks to design their god. Or perhaps to instantiate some existing god. It's not clear which they want, or if they even make a distinction between the two. This desire leads to a single sacrament: the practice and development of creative ability. Devotees engage in every type of creative endeavor. Some spend their whole lives studying the alignment of gears in a single clock, hoping to find some insight into the appropriate shape of God's muscles. Others waste years creating a sculpture that attempts to proxy God's form.

The God of Heresies

The God of Heresies has no churches. This is not because he has no believers. Thousands pray to him daily. However, any interaction between his followers inevitably descends into acrimony. For reasons no one has been able to discern, belief in the God of Heresies causes an unassailable belief his other worshipers are heretics wholly beyond redemption. This does not appear to stem from any of the beliefs of his worshipers. When asked to explain their faith, they speak of a profound belief in the need to do good, to serve their community, and to better themselves. Many even express a wish to share their faith with others. But to a one, they respond to contact with other believers with almost unthinking belligerence.

Gaia

At times, animals will come together with a seemingly supernatural harmony. Lions and antelope will work together to batter down fences that mar their grasslands. Elephants and tigers unite to shred roads cutting through their jungles. Entire towns will be consumed beneath tides of rats and insects and other vermin. Often, these creatures will exhibit intelligence far beyond their own in these acts. The motive force behind these apparently random acts of nature is Gaia. Gaia is the coherent will of the natural world, and while she generally lies senescent as various natural creatures war for supremacy, she can be roused by a threat that endangers the entire ecosystem. An erupting volcano, a millennial flood, or the encroach of civilization. When roused, Gaia is able to control the creatures with her realm with expert precision, directing them to dispatch the threat before returning to her slumber.

[Wevil]

Excellent idea, but in my opinion, a variant with a proxy could be much better, if you want, look here advanced.name/ru , it's all about :)

[Falcon X]

Baby Sun from Telletubbies (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?491870-Baby-Sun-from-Telletubbies-as-a-deity)

How wood you like to worship a god that mandates that you laugh in the face of stress, wake up every morning to belly raspberries, have a curfew, and see divinations in random places?

[Vogie]

If you want to shamelessly steal from other IP, you can use the guilds from the Cityplane of Ravnica as Deities. If you're not Familiar with it, here are names and what would be the basic descriptions.

WU - Azorius - God of Law, Order, bureaucracy & government
UB - Dimir - Goddes of Subterfuge, Memories, information, white-collar crime
BR - Rakdos - God of entertainment, debauchery,
RG - Gruul - God of Anarchy, naturalism, hatred of technology
GW - Selesnya - Goddess of Community, animals, friends, empowerment, tolerance
WB - Orzhova - Goddes of Money, Organized Religion, Control, Organized crime, undeath, deals
RW - Boros - God of War, Military, Fighting, Glory, Righteous Justice, Vengence
UG - Simic - Goddess of science, biology, understanding, curiosity
GB - Golgari - Goddess of life, death, food production, growth, plants
RU - Izzet - God of technology, engineering, experimentation, public utilities