Thoughts on reshaped pantheon (3.5)

[Adamaro]

I am a DM who leads several different groups in a same world which - due to actions taken by PCs - experiences different changes. Recently, a very serious change happened and I’d appreciate some thoughts on how this new distribution of power (in divine pantheon) would in your opinion affect the world.

What happened:
Arcane casters got really powerful and wanted to spread all over the world, while dwarfs, mostly clerics of Moradin, opposed such expansion. Magic holocaust followed, leaving a blistering ruin of a world behind and almost all members of opposing factions dead. (permanently, no resurrection)
Due to their involvement in this war, many gods died also, so all of a sudden, a large portion of generic pantheon is missing. Generally, some gods were permanently killed (epic magic involved) and some retreated into seclusion. Due to all death and dying, the strongest diety became Nerull, actually abandoning his evil alignment and becoming a highly neutral aspect of death. It was in fact he who lent his knowledge of undoing life to the Serpent (old god, re-awakened by all arcane power released), master of magic who forged a Truedeath spell (Ranged touch attack. You die. No save, no resurrection, no way to wiggle out, no nada. Even if you are a god.) and let arcanists and gods duke it out with this monstrosity of a spell.
So, it is now an post-apocalyptic world. Here is the status on gods. Some are dead, some silent (inactive, secluded, fate unknown, etc … ) and some are active.
Dead gods: Corellon Larethian, Gruumsh, Heironeous, Hextor, Kord, Moradin, Pelor
Silent gods: Boccob, Ehlonna, Olidammara, St. Cuthbert, Wee Jas
Active gods:

Nerull: Arisen from petty trifle with other gods, Death incarnate now does nothing but thrives on all the death, released by the Arcane war and in part, heeds to calls of his followers

Erythnul The Survivor: One of the few gods who fought the evil side of pantheon and lived. Stronger then before, Erythnul does nothing but saws seeds of discord among sentient creatures to incite war and death.

Fharlanghn The Uncommitted: One of the gods who took no sides in the Arcane war. Due to many refugees and wondering creatures, a strong god, but not really an opposition to Nerull or Erythnul.

Garl Glittergold The Uncommitted: One of the gods who took no sides in the Arcane war. Due to his protection and their unmatched skill in art of creating constructs, most of gnomes had it pretty good during and after the Arcane war. Unconcerned with other races, Garl Glittergold, remains a neutral diety.

Obad-Hai, The Uncommitted, The Restorer: One of the gods who took no sides in the Arcane war. In despite the proportions of dying during the Arcane war, Obad-Hai sees this as a natural course of things. He is instrumental in providing the surviving world with new life and thus, new death, so he is not in opposition with overdiety, Nerull.

the Serpent: One of the gods who re-appeared during Arcane wars and co-forged Truedeath spell. A diety on-par with Nerull, but unintrigued in such competition. A patron of lizard species, who restored old powers of fallen lizard kingdoms and established a firm grip of dragons on the world.

Yondalla, , The Uncommitted: Another god who took no part in Arcane war, but is greatly revered by many in post-Arcane war world. Not really a competition to any of other gods.

Demigod of Rape, Soulblighter: A minor, yet dreaded demigod, released into the World during the Arcane War. His ability to corrupt all things was once feared even by gods, but, Demigod of Rape now remains a firm and feared entity in the world. His clerics and acolytes are feared and persecuted by most lawful, neutral and good societies.

[Minion #6]

Where does Vecna fit in to this? Given his history, he'd've still jumped at the the chance for the Truedeath spell, no? And, in the core books, Nerull never struck me as THE Death - that fell more to Wee Jas. I just can't think of a non-neutral Grim Reaper, and always thought Nerull just wanted things to die, on general principles, rather than embodying death. Mind you, it's your campaign setting, so I dunno what other changes you've made.

[Yora]

With Yondalla and Obad-Hai still around, I'd imagine a rise of nature orientated cults all over the world. Also given that it was all the fault of wizards and clerics, druids might be quite popular with the people.

Also, this really seems to be an environment in which the gnomes can thrive. Moradin is dead, which makes Garl Glittergold the only one associated with science and crafting. (As he's courious and gnomes are often good craftsmen). Depending on how the dwarves fared, their industry might quite possibly be in ruins. Gnomes probably work more small scale, but they went through the whole thing without taking too much damage. So my guess would be that gnomes really take over the market for crafted goods. Also machines can do similar things as wizards, and people might be more comfortable to trust into gnomish machines than wizards.

[Adamaro]

@Minion #6
Vecna never existed in my world, but I saw Nerull exactly as you did, still I think that with such massive power, one gets a bit *meh* attitude regarding "everything must die". Things are dying, things will die, and during that time, new, smarter Nerull can now fully immerse itself in art of making paper planes which he wanted since he was a tiny lvl 0 diety .

@Yora
Great input. Very close to my ideas. Nice.

[Fouredged Sword]

I wonder what the platinum dragon (bahamut) and the many headed b**** (Tiamat) think of some old god comeing in and bossing thier children around? Nither are mentioned in the dead and gone section, so what are they up to now?

[Chilingsworth]

Three possibilities:

1. The existing gods diversify their portfolios.

2. New dieties arise to take over missing portfolio elements. Healing might be a good example here. Maybe some surviving mortal healer takes up Pelor's mantle?

3. People start getting sick of the gods and the divine population drops further. Perhaps only the overdieties survive in the end.