Shrines in pirate Town

[Balor01]

What sort of shrines to which gods do you think would be set up in a pirate town like Tortuga from Pirates from Carribean?

Also, anybody has some good names for main gangs in such a town?

tnx

[tyckspoon]

Plenty of icons and shrines of various sea gods, weather gods (if they're not the same beings as the sea gods) and/or elementals, if those are a big enough thing in the world to be recognized as near-deific powers. If a code of conduct is important to your particular piratical culture, then there's probably a temple of a god of law around too for dispute resolution. The resident god(s) of thievery and general "screw you, we're pirates" attitude naturally has a presence. Other than that, probably not many; you might see a few hopeful missionaries of other gods. If it's a lawful trade center in addition to a pirate hangout, you'll see the usual mix of shrines for a more cosmopolitan area.

[Frozen_Feet]

Well, sailors are known for being superstitious folk. Even if there are no shrines per se, the residents woud likely be carrying loads and loads of amulets and good-luck-charms and whisper prayers to sea gods and spirits ranging from mermaids to Poseidon to Dagon.

[Balor01]

Are there any gods in D&D universe that are gods of seas? I like the idea of trinkets, amulets and charms.

[drakir_nosslin]

Are there any gods in D&D universe that are gods of seas? I like the idea of trinkets, amulets and charms.

In the Forgotten Realms you have Umberlee (aka the Bitch Queen), CE god of the sea, then there's Talos (aka the Storm Lord), CE god of bad weather and manners.
Those are the two I can remember on the top of my head. I guess you should check out the greek pantheon too, Poseidon can probably be used as well.

[Poil]

I'm sure they would also have a shrine or temple dedicated to a healing god out of necessity. Maybe you could fluff it to be a non-good god whose only interest is in keeping people well enough for fighting and plundering.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

If you're playing Pathfinder, then they actually have a goddess of pirates. Besmara, queen of the seas. Though people don't so much pray to her as beg her to spare them just one more day when they're lashed by a storm at sea or attacked by a giant squid or something.

[tyckspoon]

If you're playing Pathfinder, then they actually have a goddess of pirates. Besmara, queen of the seas. Though people don't so much pray to her as beg her to spare them just one more day when they're lashed by a storm at sea or attacked by a giant squid or something.

A lot of fictional storm and sea gods work that way, really- not many people actually worship them as their patron gods (because they tend to be.. not very pleasant,) but you don't dare go to sea without paying your due respects. So they get a lot of prayer and sacrifices, but not so many followers.

[hangedman1984]

Nor Treblig, voodoo god of the crossroads

[drakir_nosslin]

A lot of fictional storm and sea gods work that way, really- not many people actually worship them as their patron gods (because they tend to be.. not very pleasant,) but you don't dare go to sea without paying your due respects. So they get a lot of prayer and sacrifices, but not so many followers.

Yup, Umberlee works the same way.

[Dr.Epic]

Well, I'd image anyone who spends that much time on a ship would want to please both the god of the sea and the god of weather considering you'd be in their mercy.

[Funkyodor]

And don't forget dietys of luck or wealth.

[Talya]

The King and his men
Stole the Queen from her bed
And bound Her in Her bones
The seas be ours and by the powers
Where we will we'll roam...

+1 for capricious sea and storm goddesses.
Monkey shrines, native (aztec) themed gods, gods of wine (rum!) and dance.



Arrrrr.

[Yora]

And as someone had mentioned before Dagon, "the demon lord of sea monsters" if you will. Demogorgon is supposed to be aquatic as well, but that aspect almost never shows up.

[hamishspence]

In 4E, Melora, goddess of nature, is a sea deity.

[Ason]

You could also do what the ancient Athenians supposedly did and have a shrine to an unknown god. Basically, it acts as a cover-all: sailors and locals offer sacrifices and prayers there as a way of appeasing gods whom they might not actually know, in order to be extra-sure of not pissing off anyone powerful. Given that sailors/pirates might be more superstitious than others in a fantasy setting (or at least definitely more reliant upon the whims of the sea), they might be partial to making sacrifices at a catch-all kind of temple in addition to the usual sea-god ones.

[Ravens_cry]

I would imagine just about any god that exists or has existed in the setting that is known the denzions of said town. After all, if you are worried about your future, you don't want to leave anyone out who might take offense.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

A lot of fictional storm and sea gods work that way, really- not many people actually worship them as their patron gods (because they tend to be.. not very pleasant,) but you don't dare go to sea without paying your due respects. So they get a lot of prayer and sacrifices, but not so many followers.

Besmara doesn't even really get many people paying their respects before sailing out to sea. Prayers to her usually happen in the middle of a storm or monster attack and usually consist of "BESMARA, SAVE ME! PLEEEEEEEASE!!!"

And honestly, she doesn't really care. She's too busy sailing around divine realms to plunder them, press-ganging the souls of the dead to serve on her ships and wrangling sea monsters while slammin' down a good strong beer. Aboleths and other such aquatic menaces loathe her because while she's the goddess of sea monsters, she treats them more like pets or trained animals to obey her whims, rather than intelligent beings that she draws worship from.