Writing a Pantheon - Need Comments

[Neftren]

Masters of Three

Bariel
Bariel is the god of Dawn, the Sky and all things associated with it, and is Lawful Good. Known as the master of Flight and Cause of Winter and Cold, he is worshipped by those who experiment and those who have dreams of flight.

• Lawful Good
• He is associated with the Sun, Air and Good Domains.

Barkul
Barkul, known sometimes as the Cause of Death, is the god of the undersea watery world and all things associated with it, and is Chaotic Evil. The younger brother of Bariel, they clashed constantly over followers and he is known as the Heartless One. Worshipped by all those who fear and love things mysterious and sinister, Barkul resides among his courtiers in the deepest chasm of the ocean.

• Chaotic Evil
• He is associated with the Water, Death and Evil Domains.

Brelor
Older brother to Barkul and Bariel, Brelor is the god of the land and it's people and is True Neutral. Known as the protector and patron of all wandering travelers alike, Brelor ceased the conflict between his brothers, ending the chaos of 100 years. He is worshipped by all travelers and guardians and is the most powerful, yet least interfering god. He emerges only in times of great need.

• True Neutral
• He is associated with the Protection, Travel and Nature Domains.


The Twin Ascendancy

The Chromatic Avatar
The Chromatic Avatar is known as the creator of the universe and is associated with all things, him being the foundation of the universe. He is worshipped by all races of all professions and he is known to be a powerful but benevolent ruler, who grants divine favors to those who are faithful.

• Lawful Neutral
• He is associated with the Law, Knowledge and Magic Domains.

The Twilight Prodigy
The Twilight Prodigy is everything that the Chromatic Avatar is not. Fabled to be the one to destroy the universe, it was set in legends that the universe had been created from the sundering, the conflict between the two. Worshipped mostly by cults bent on chaos and destruction, the Twilight Prodigy embodies those who supernaturally excel at their profession.

• Chaotic Neutral
• He is associated with the Chaos, Destruction and Anti-Magic Domains.

[Neftren]

Comments anyone?

[BisectedBrioche]

It looks good so far. Some more detail would be nice though (symbols for the gods, dogma for their followers) and maybe an account of how this war between the first two went (did they fight man-to-man, did one of them use ambush tatics, did they have the followers do it all and just glare at each other?).

[Lord_Gareth]

Most gods are associated with three domains - why are the first three associated with only two?

Also, cultures always have gods for things that are important to them, or things that form a central role in the universe. Even a peaceful culture will have a war god. These four not only don't make much cultural sense, they don't make sense in context of D&D either. Why is the sea chaotic evil? Why is winter, the season of death, lawful good? Why does the creator of the universe not give a damn? If he does give a damn, he needs an alignment. If he doesn't, than, like Ao, his clerics get -jack-.

[SilentNight]

Mabe he's going to flesh it out more? For instance, the Hindu trinity Bhrama, Vishnuu, Shiva are only the main three out of thousands. I do agree that the Avatar needs an alignment.

[Neftren]

It looks good so far. Some more detail would be nice though (symbols for the gods, dogma for their followers) and maybe an account of how this war between the first two went (did they fight man-to-man, did one of them use ambush tatics, did they have the followers do it all and just glare at each other?).

I'm working in Adobe Illustrator and drawing the symbols for all four. I've also been keeping a lot of the flavor and plot related things on a tight lockdown, since I'd like to keep it a secret until I decide to release it in full. But if you like, I will go post the major plot summary somewhere... and probably turn that into the draft thread.


Most gods are associated with three domains - why are the first three associated with only two?

Also, cultures always have gods for things that are important to them, or things that form a central role in the universe. Even a peaceful culture will have a war god. These four not only don't make much cultural sense, they don't make sense in context of D&D either. Why is the sea chaotic evil? Why is winter, the season of death, lawful good? Why does the creator of the universe not give a damn? If he does give a damn, he needs an alignment. If he doesn't, than, like Ao, his clerics get -jack-.

Remembered that half an hour ago. Can't decide what would fit, since the given portfolios aren't currently domains.

I'm writing four races total, but the plot motive exists so far. In my setting, Winter is not the stereotypical Season of Death. The Avatar is the ultimate power, no question about it. Winter is lawful good, since you must work with others and discipline yourself to survive. Lawful Good to me does not mean you must run around helping others without breaking the law. No. Not at all. The sea is Chaotic Evil, since the ocean churns, and ever read The Odyssey? The stuff Poseidon does to Odysseus is just plain cruel sometimes.

Perhaps I failed to mention it earlier, but the Greyhawk Pantheon does exist. Remember, the main clause of every setting book does state that if it fits in D&D, then it fits in the said setting. The Masters and the Avatar are the highest tier gods, who are even more powerful than the major gods.


Mabe he's going to flesh it out more? For instance, the Hindu trinity Bhrama, Vishnuu, Shiva are only the main three out of thousands. I do agree that the Avatar needs an alignment.

Correct. As for the Null Alignment, I can't come up with a suitable alignment and have two True Neutral Gods. He (The Avatar) isn't a heartless person per se, he just prefers to work through his followers, thus the part about granting divine favors.

[Lord_Gareth]

Well, it depends on how his methods are. Someone (or something) that, for example, uses any means necessary to gain their ends, no matter how cruel it might be, might be NE. Sure, he's saving the world..but look at all those tortured people to do it.

Not that I know your god's methods. That was just the first idea in my mind.

[Neftren]

I assume you're talking about the Chromatic Avatar here? Well, Brelor is sort of the "Mediator" type, whereas the Chromatic Avatar is more of the "Commanding Type", which suggests Lawful Neutral to me...

[Neftren]

Updated the domains and provided three sample domains for the Avatar.

[magic_unlocked]

I like this, and so far, what you said makes sense to me. I can't poke around fer oddities, cause i don't see them, that, or I'm tired and my brain isn't working right. :smalltongue:

[Xuincherguixe]

I think it needs some more fluff. But it seems like this is just the starting point.

It may be a bit against the D&D stereotypes, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Chaotic Evil Sea God? Works especially if it's even the least bit Lovecraftian.


Winter doesn't have to be about death either. And even if it is, death doesn't have to be bad. Both can be about change. Winter gives snow, which melts in the spring.

Okay, not so much where I live. Here winter is just rain rain rain. But we have weird weather and thus don't count.

[loopy]

On a slightly unrelated tangent, I think it would be interesting to see the Lawful Good and the True Neutral gods (for example) having a war, with some reason preventing the LG/CE gods fighting directly, even though their followers might.

Good VS Evil, while something that makes sense, is getting awfully cliche. I want to see some Good VS Neutral bickering! :)

Oh, and I don't really see where my Rogue fits in with. Have to look out for the interests of my larcenous homies, yo. :smallbiggrin:

[Neftren]

On a slightly unrelated tangent, I think it would be interesting to see the Lawful Good and the True Neutral gods (for example) having a war, with some reason preventing the LG/CE gods fighting directly, even though their followers might.

Good VS Evil, while something that makes sense, is getting awfully cliche. I want to see some Good VS Neutral bickering! :)

Oh, and I don't really see where my Rogue fits in with. Have to look out for the interests of my larcenous homies, yo. :smallbiggrin:

Well I've built the godly conflict along the diagonal scale, and it's mostly going to be more Law vs. Chaos along a duality nature sort of... The True Neutral god stepped in to end the conflict.

The whole setting just turned out to be "lower" magic, since the Empire doesn't use spellcasters liberally. Since most adventures tend to take place on land, and there are only three big islands... well you get the idea. The largest island has been conquered and tamed, and is now the Empire, and they're expanding onto the southern island. The original natives of the main island fled to the southern island after the first hundred years of conflict or so, and now they've just been rediscovered 600 years after that, or just about now. The Tilwari are seafaring traders, so they don't really have a set homeland, and then the fourth island is well... the big secret.

[Bitzeralisis]

I'd expect the Chromatic Avatar to be TN, for in nature there is balance among order and chaos, and good and evil; thus, I expect the ultimate creator of everything to be as "balanced" as possible.

[Lizard Lord]

Isn't there a cold domain? I thought there was, and if so should the god believed to bring winter have that domain?

[Neftren]

Bah, people are clicking the sig link, and not the link I need! >.<

Someone go comment upon the Windsinger class.

Edit: Made a few changes to the gods and added one new god. I'll also be writing one more race to fit into my campaign setting.

[Caracol]

Your pantheon looks good. I would just add some more deities for other allignments and roles (something for bards/rogues, for example).
Also, I made a sea deity a while ago that you could like, but maybe her role are already covered by the one you posted.
Plus, favored weapons? you know, just for more flavors.

[Neftren]

Your pantheon looks good. I would just add some more deities for other allignments and roles (something for bards/rogues, for example).
Also, I made a sea deity a while ago that you could like, but maybe her role are already covered by the one you posted.
Plus, favored weapons? you know, just for more flavors.

Mmmm, care to read up on the Windsinger? I don't have a linky at hand, but it's somewhere in the homebrew forums.

The normal D&D pantheon is used. I'm trying to emphasize a Law vs. Chaos conflict between good and evil, where evil is the good and good is the evil.

Favored weapons... they'll be added when I do the items section of my setting.