What's the difference between gods and demi-gods in OOTSverse?

[Nephrahim]

Just occured to me as we've been reading this comic, but what is the separator from the "Main pantheon" of gods and their demigods? Is it raw power? Are Demi-gods all offsprings of the major? Were the Demi-gods not around when they made the world, for whatever reason?

[Yuki Akuma]

In D&D 3.5, Demigods are Powers with a Divine Rank of 0. So I assume it's just to do with their level of power.

[Cizak]

Gods are the original gods who originated somewhere from the outer planes and created the world from space's chaos.

Demigods were orignally mortals who rose again after death due to intense worship from other mortals. For example, The Dark One rose because
after he got assassinated, his goblin followers set out on a widespread massacre through the human lands. This bloodshed dedicated to a single person gave him new life as a deity.

[hroþila]

Gods are the original gods who originated somewhere from the outer planes and created the world from space's chaos.

Demigods were orignally mortals who rose again after death due to intense worship from other mortals. For example, The Dark One rose because
after he got assassinated, his goblin followers set out on a widespread massacre through the human lands. This bloodshed dedicated to a single person gave him new life as a deity.
This is not supported by the comic, actually. The Dark One and the Elven gods are never identified as "demigods", they're always called "gods". I'd wager the demigods were among the original deities too, and that the difference is one of power or rank, not of origins.

[Cizak]

This is not supported by the comic, actually. The Dark One and the Elven gods are never identified as "demigods", they're always called "gods". I'd wager the demigods were among the original deities too, and that the difference is one of power or rank, not of origins.

King Dvalin (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1016.html) is a risen mortal, and Sigrun, Surtur and Thrym (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1012.html) call themselves "Lord" and "Queen" which sounds like they held those titles before they became demigods. But it's true I may have extrapolated too much from memory.

[hroþila]

King Dvalin (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1016.html) is a risen mortal, and Sigrun, Surtur and Thrym (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1012.html) call themselves "Lord" and "Queen" which sounds like they held those titles before they became demigods. But it's true I may have extrapolated too much from memory.
It's a very reasonable assumption and I wouldn't bet against its being correct, mind.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

It's a very reasonable assumption and I wouldn't bet against its being correct, mind.

On the other hand, the demigods of youth and poetry don't fit the assumption at all. Likely, it is a mix, with lesser gods (with few followers) being relegated to demigod status with the ascended mortals. Other pantheons might even do things differently: the way they are spoken of, I doubt that the elven gods are merely demigods under the "only get a voice if the actual gods tie" arrangement. And the South doesn't seem to have demigods at all.

ETA: Is Hermod an actual Norse god, or is he an expy of Hermes?

Grey Wolf

[hroþila]

On the other hand, the demigods of youth and poetry don't fit the assumption at all. Likely, it is a mix, with lesser gods (with few followers) being relegated to demigod status with the ascended mortals. Other pantheons might even do things differently: the way they are spoken of, I doubt that the elven gods are merely demigods under the "only get a voice if the actual gods tie" arrangement. And the South doesn't seem to have demigods at all.

ETA: Is Hermod an actual Norse god, or is he an expy of Hermes?

Grey Wolf
Possibly, yeah.

As for Hermod: yup

[Grey_Wolf_c]

As for Hermod: yup (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermóðr)

Huh. That is a remarkable coincidental naming, then. From what I can find, Hermes' etymology is unknown, but I can't imagine it having a common root with "Hermóðr"

GW

[hroþila]

Huh. That is a remarkable coincidental naming, then. From what I can find, Hermes' etymology is unknown, but I can't imagine it having a common root with "Hermóðr"

GW
Yeah, they're unrelated. "Hermóðr" is a perfectly standard Germanic name. I haven't looked into this so this is a wild guess, but I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Snorri had indeed come up with Hermóðr as an expy of Hermes.

[JennTora]

In D&D 3.5, Demigods are Powers with a Divine Rank of 0. So I assume it's just to do with their level of power.

Ackchyually, those are quasi deities, demigods are rank 1-5.

[woweedd]

On the other hand, the demigods of youth and poetry don't fit the assumption at all. Likely, it is a mix, with lesser gods (with few followers) being relegated to demigod status with the ascended mortals. Other pantheons might even do things differently: the way they are spoken of, I doubt that the elven gods are merely demigods under the "only get a voice if the actual gods tie" arrangement. And the South doesn't seem to have demigods at all.

ETA: Is Hermod an actual Norse god, or is he an expy of Hermes?

Grey Wolf
The Elven Gods vote alongside the Western Gods, counted as apart of the same pantheon. Meanwhile, I like to imagine there is one demigod of the Southern Gods, who they simply refuse to acknowledge, that being Cat. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_(zodiac))

[Grey_Wolf_c]

The Elven Gods vote alongside the Western Gods, counted as apart of the same pantheon.

What are basing this statement on?

GW

[woweedd]

What are basing this statement on?

GW
Panel 4. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0999.html)
Filler.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Panel 4. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0999.html)
Filler.

Inconclusive: Dvalin votes as part of the Northern Pantheon. That doesn't means he gets top billing.

GW

[Kantaki]

What are basing this statement on?

GW

On the Godsmoot scenes I would guess.
Veldrina- who is a Favoured Soul of a minor elven deity -was there as a emissary of the Western Pantheon.
Plus, I'm pretty sure it was mentioned at some point too.

However, there was nothing about them being demigods.
They are just counted as part of the pantheon for stuff like the Moot.
Unlike for example the Dark One who is his own pantheon- and most likely a full god.

I guess (demi)god status depends on a number of things. Your personal power, the importance of your domain(s)/responsibility, worshippers...
I guess some of those might be the same in some cases.
Thrym and Surtur for example might be demigods because well, giants aren't that important and less numerous worshipper wise than what the other gods get.
Dvalin- worshipped for being himself basically -would be in a similar boat.
Hel on the other hand, despite having no living followers is a full deity because she's the goddess of death- something that matters to everyone -so she can sustain her power on the scraps that stupid bet with daddy leave her.
And the juice she carried over into the new game+ I guess.

[Mad Humanist]

Other pantheons might even do things differently: the way they are spoken of, I doubt that the elven gods are merely demigods under the "only get a voice if the actual gods tie" arrangement.


My guess would be that the Elven gods only get one vote between them in the Western pantheon. So they are demi-gods that collectively have the status of a single god. I believe that fits with what we know but I don't think I have solid evidence.

EDIT: We know from Velddrina that the Elves get full voting rights in some capacity but not her God.



ETA: Is Hermod an actual Norse god, or is he an expy of Hermes?


Hermóðr (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herm%C3%B3%C3%B0r)

[goodpeople25]

For whatever it's worth our look at the western moot looks like it has 4 elven representatives. (at least one most likely being a different subtype) Yeah that's hardly conclusive but I'm leaning towards most or all of them representing elven deities (with the possibility for others with non elven priests) if the moot is at all similar.

[Gift Jeraff]

Hel on the other hand, despite having no living followers is a full deity because she's the goddess of death- something that matters to everyone -so she can sustain her power on the scraps that stupid bet with daddy leave her.
And the juice she carried over into the new game+ I guess.

It's also possible there's no ranking down for OOTSiverse gods. Once your divine rank is X it can't get any lower than X.

[Wristlet Eater]

It's also possible there's no ranking down for OOTSiverse gods. Once your divine rank is X it can't get any lower than X.

Are there even divine ranks in the OOTSverse? They are an optional rule even in real D&D anyway, right?