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Slayer Lord
2018-12-29, 01:35 AM
In a campaign setting I've been developing for my group, most of the known world is divided up into five regions based on ancient cultures: Greeks, Egyptians, Mesopotamia (further divided into smaller kingdoms for its major civilizations), Gaelic Celts and the Norse (to stretch the definition of ancient), with an Atlantis-expy to serve as the ancient and decadent evil empire. The setting is kind of an Age of Mythology-type mashup where each region and people has its own pantheon of gods whose presence outside of clerical magic is heavily restricted outside of their respective territories, and naturally each civilization follows its respective pantheon of gods. But what to do about the Atlantean pantheon?

I've been running with the idea that they worship the Lovecraftian Elder Gods, partly for my own amusement, and partly to for how it lends itself to the decadent, advanced-precursor civilization feel, but on further reflection it feels a little silly. My next thought was the Greek pantheon, since that's where the Atlantis story comes from, but that doesn't feel right either. What are some other directions I could take this?

ngilop
2018-12-29, 02:29 AM
In a campaign setting I've been developing for my group, most of the known world is divided up into five regions based on ancient cultures: Greeks, Egyptians, Mesopotamia (further divided into smaller kingdoms for its major civilizations), Gaelic Celts and the Norse (to stretch the definition of ancient), with an Atlantis-expy to serve as the ancient and decadent evil empire. The setting is kind of an Age of Mythology-type mashup where each region and people has its own pantheon of gods whose presence outside of clerical magic is heavily restricted outside of their respective territories, and naturally each civilization follows its respective pantheon of gods. But what to do about the Atlantean pantheon?

I've been running with the idea that they worship the Lovecraftian Elder Gods, partly for my own amusement, and partly to for how it lends itself to the decadent, advanced-precursor civilization feel, but on further reflection it feels a little silly. My next thought was the Greek pantheon, since that's where the Atlantis story comes from, but that doesn't feel right either. What are some other directions I could take this?

I would go either with the Aztec pantheon


Tlaloc: the god of rain and storms
Huitzilopochtli: the god of war, sun and sacrifice
Quetzalcoatl: god of civilization and order (law)
Tezcatlipoca: god of night and earth (the element)
Ehecatl: the wind god
Tezcatlipoca: god of destiny and fortune (luck)
Tlaltecuhtli: goddess of the earth (planet)
Mictlancihuatl: goddess of the underworld



or the Chinese Pantheon
Ao Kang: god of the seas
Ne Zha: child-god of protection
Nu Wa: creator goddess
Chang'e : goddess of the moon
Fei Lian: God of the win


(that is all I can remember off the top of my head)

rferries
2018-12-29, 03:23 AM
Lovecraftian deities are a great touch, especially if you want to differentiate Atlanteans from a "Greek" faction. Presumably the citizens have been mutated into hideous fish-folk or illithid-like creatures as well?

As another alternative to ngilop's suggestions, what about having monotheistic Atlanteans (that fanatically reject all other deities than Poseidon/Cthulhu/whomever)?

RedWarlock
2018-12-29, 03:25 AM
You mentioned Age of Mythology, that game specifically HAD an Atlantean race added in its expansion. They worshiped the Titans, the prior generation of the Greek Pantheon (Kronos, Gaea, etc) instead of the Olympians for the Greeks. How does that suit you?

Alternately, you could go with other Titans, like using Elemental Lords of some sort. If they're the decadent precursor to all the other cultures, going with the elementals in a 4e-Dawn-War-esque style (including the elemental Giants, for instance) would be an interesting contrast, and fit them into the other pantheons' histories, since fighting precursor giants is in a lot of other mythologies, like the Norse Aesir opposing the Jotun.

XionUnborn01
2018-12-30, 12:16 AM
Going off of elemental themes, they could worship those elder elementals from the ELH, with the king being an elder omni-elemental. Basically they worship the foundations of creation itself

Crim the Cold
2018-12-30, 10:09 PM
How about a greek derived society that worshiped the concepts of Logos, Pathos, and Ethos so much that the concepts manifested as gods. Those gods involved themselves in the evolution of Atlantean society and became known as the Triumvirate. This explains how their society became so advanced. Logos taught logic and reasoning and favored the sciences and their practical application. Pathos's role expanded beyond emotion and taught the people to pursue their passions and encouraged their creativity for an advanced society cannot exist without the ability to imagine things better than what you already have and the drive to create those things. Ethos was the moral center of the Triumvirate and taught the mortals morals and ethics.

As their society aged the people of Atlantis began to fall to corruption and let their technological prowess excuse their excesses and decadence. After centuries Ethos was but a vestige, a ghost of a God, and her temples lie in disrepair all but forgotten by the Atlanteans. In the absence of morality and ethics the Atlanteans still advanced technologically though their pursuits have taken a stranger and more evil bent as time passes. After all mad science is wondering if you can do something without ever stopping to ask if you should.

Recently in Ethos's place two other gods have manifested Sapros (corruption) and Kakos (evil - closest word to the modern concept that I could find). They work in secret whispering dark dreams and desires in Atlantean hearts growing the dark seed within that gave birth to them. They have made themselves known only to a trusted few who have recruited cults in their name. These cults have many members in the upper echelons of Atlantean society. Their work is only completing Atlantis's descent into decadence and evil.