God/Goddess of Humanity

[Anderlith]

(Foreword, please don't bring up anything from real world religon, my last thread got locked for that)

So if you were to create a deity in D&D/Pathfinder that would be the human equivalent of Corellon Larethian or Gruumsh. What purview would they have. & what would they be like?

Personally I see the god of humanity as an inventor, a mad but well meaning Artificer.

His domains being Fire (because of how symbolic fire & humanity are) Artiice, War, & Knowledge.

You guys probably have different views, please talk about them below :) I'd like to use this new made deity in a campaign setting

[Thinker]

I would prefer to have a god who is never interacted with by humans, but has many avatars that cover all of the human domains. Humans are a diverse lot, far more diverse and numerous than other races. Why should they only have one god? The god itself is an unknowable being who comes from before time and created all of the other gods (making him the greatest and best that there is). The avatars:

The Forger - The god of crafting and of fire.
The Scholar - The goddess of knowledge and invention.
The Healer - The god of medicine and wisdom.
The Wanderer - The goddess of roads, travel, and wine.
The Sailor - The god of the sea, ships, trade, and ale.
The Warrior - The goddess of war, weapons, and combat.
The Rake - The god of ruin, thievery, and lust.
The Lover - The goddess of love, fertility, and destruction.
The Knight - The god of the moon, honor, and armor.
The Lady - The goddess of the sky, storms, and earthquakes.

Of course, they only respond to human supplications and they share the same form as humans. Add more deities as needed.

[jedipotter]

Well, first you'd need to decide what humans are like. And that gets tricky. See it is easy to say a fictional race like evles like magic and nature or orcs like strength and destruction. But what defines a human?

Why would you say humans invent things? Other then every single artificial thing on Earth was invented by a human(well, except maybe things like beaver dams...) Do humans really strike you as more inventive then dwarves or gnomes?

Do humans really have symbolism with fire?

Do humans make war more so then other races?

Do humans know more then other races?


One thing I would give a human god is the Family Domain, as humans have large families, bread a lot and stay connected.

[Sith_Happens]

Well, first you'd need to decide what humans are like. And that gets tricky. See it is easy to say a fictional race like evles like magic and nature or orcs like strength and destruction. But what defines a human?

Why would you say humans invent things? Other then every single artificial thing on Earth was invented by a human(well, except maybe things like beaver dams...) Do humans really strike you as more inventive then dwarves or gnomes?

Do humans really have symbolism with fire?

Do humans make war more so then other races?

Do humans know more then other races?

One thing I would give a human god is the Family Domain, as humans have large families, bread a lot and stay connected.

Humans generally seem to get adaptability and perseverance as their "hats," as vague and bland as those may be.

[Mastikator]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irYYBx8djsU

Maybe something like Picard is describing?

[Dimers]

Well, first you'd need to decide what humans are like. And that gets tricky. See it is easy to say a fictional race like evles like magic and nature or orcs like strength and destruction. But what defines a human?

These are the traits I've seen ascribed to humans that don't apply to most other creatures:

Humans have both pack and individualist social motivations intertwined. Humans have the capacity for laughter and ridicule. Humans are lazy/efficient, always looking for the lowest-effort way to get the highest output. Humans tend to be ruled by emotions but empowered by intellect. Humans plan ahead.

(( Huh. That sounds a lot like this whole forum, honestly. ))

[Frozen_Feet]

In my current setting, the goddess of southern humans (and mermen) was the Daughter of the Silver Dragon. Her task was to treat her mother and keep it asleep, as the departure of the Silver Dragon would mean end of the world. Talking about what she symbolises or what kind of philosophy she embodies is rather pointess, as those are not a thing for gods* in my setting. She was seen as a mother or progenitor figure, but what other qualities were associated with her depended on what humans thought at a time.

The Silver Dragon itself was a gigantic centipede-like creature with a woman's face. It came from the stars and longs to return there. Its dreams suffuse the imagination of mankind. It may or may not be the progenitor of all earhtly life.

The god of northern humans was the Architecht, a steel giant in humanoid shape. As noted, its defining qualities were its ability to build and physical strenght. It lived in a great stone hall, and was considered a king by ancient northern people.

There are multiple religions on my setting that have more, or different, gods, but I will not dwell on them as their gods do not actually exist in their setting. The only one worth of note for this thread is the religion of the Great Rock, which is centered around a large stone that fell from the heavens. It is said it is a remnant of the god who died to give life to all things, humans included. It was originally white, but sins of humanity painted it black, and this is also why humans have black skin**. This religion was important in promoting humanism and general dominion of humans in my setting. It also may or may not be corruption of the factual story related to the silver dragon.

* "god", when not referring to mere figment of imagination, can have three meanings in my setting: 1) progenitor of a species, 2) embodiment of an universal force and 3) bizarre immortal creature from space. Gods do not need (or even desire, usually) worship, and their true motivations and qualities are often unknown to mortal creatures. Because of this, it's generally useless to talk of them in terms of domains or portofolios, or other aspects attached to them by mortal religions. A god is best defined by what it can do, not by ideals, archetypes or philosophies.

** Yes, I know what this sounds like. It's a belief in a fantasy setting, and feel no need for those to be politically correct. Deal with it.

[Set]

In D&D worlds, one common human trait is being able to breed with anything. There are half-elf/half-humans, half-orc/half-humans, celestial-touched humans, fiend-touched humans, etc. Humans also tend to dominate the map. If elves or dwarves have a nation at all, it's usually just one, tucked away in some woods or mountains. Halflings and gnomes rarely even have that going for them. Human, on the other hand, will tend to have at least ten distinct countries, most of them individually bigger than the elven or dwarven country.

A specifically human god (as opposed to the vast majority of gods in most settings, which are human by default, like the Suel pantheon or Baklunish gods of Greyhawk), would probably have fertility / fecundity / virility as a big feature.

Wide-scale agriculture, of the sort that leads to bigger cities and nation-states, also seems to be more of a human 'thing,' so that domains of agriculture or cities might fit a 'human god.'

The human 'god' could even be a married couple. He's all god of the farms and fields, with a wild side, and she's all goddess of laws and civic planning, the Athena to his Bacchus.

[PlusSixPelican]

Isn't Abadar the patron deity of humans in PF? I might be wrong, but his whole THING screams humanity at me. (Not that this is good or bad, just conceptually fitting)

[Alleran]

Isn't Abadar the patron deity of humans in PF? I might be wrong, but his whole THING screams humanity at me. (Not that this is good or bad, just conceptually fitting)

Aroden was the god of humanity. Until he, you know, died. Iomedae picked up most of his followers in the aftermath.

For my part, a god of humanity? Pelor the Burning Hate who is definitely not Zarus with a beard in any way, shape or form. Nope, nothing fishy going on there.

[Craft (Cheese)]

Isn't Abadar the patron deity of humans in PF? I might be wrong, but his whole THING screams humanity at me. (Not that this is good or bad, just conceptually fitting)

Yeah, and he's apparently dead or something.

The correct answer to this discussion, of course, is that racial deities are stupid.

[jedipotter]

Humans have both pack and individualist social motivations intertwined. Humans have the capacity for laughter and ridicule. Humans are lazy/efficient, always looking for the lowest-effort way to get the highest output. Humans tend to be ruled by emotions but empowered by intellect. Humans plan ahead.

Sounds like the defining trait of humanity might be: Dualality. Humans plan ahead, er except when they don't. Humans are emotional, er except when they think. Humans are lazy, er except when they to great labors and feats.

Makes me think of the Southpark ''we are a little bit country and we are a little bit rock and roll''. So in the show they were supporting the war and opposed to war, at exactly the same time.....

[Hyena]

In my homebrewed setting, humans have a large polytheistic religions (as opposed to majority of other races, who share a single monotheistic religion) , they have a god for every concept and depict other faiths as false and mistaken, while other races as failed attempts of their pantheon to create perfect people. Or demons.
Oh, and humans do not dominate the globe. They have an empire, but there are others.

[Talya]

(Foreword, please don't bring up anything from real world religon, my last thread got locked for that)

So if you were to create a deity in D&D/Pathfinder that would be the human equivalent of Corellon Larethian or Gruumsh. What purview would they have. & what would they be like?

D&D already has those.

Corellon is not "the" God of the Elves. He's simply the most powerful Deity and leader in the Seldarine Pantheon (This is true across all D&D settings which feature Corellon, starting from Dragon 60 and in several other splatbooks). Deities & Demigods (not referencing RW religion, but the entries in the RPG book - which is equivalent to mentioning Thor in The Avengers... or in OotS) has equivalents in Zeus and Odin. In the Forgotten Realms, the druids have their equivalent in FR under Silvanus. The predominant pantheon of the Realms has no true leader, but gods such as Mystra, Tempus, Oghma, Tyr, Sune and a dozen other major deities all form a significant human equivalent to Corellon Larethian. I suppose Pelor would be the closest thing in the default (and boring) D&D pantheon.

[Calmar]

Humans are fighters and philosophers, heroes and craftspeople. It looks like... a deity like Athena would be reasonable... YEEAAAAHH

[Sith_Happens]

Humans are fighters and philosophers, heroes and craftspeople. It looks like... a deity like Athena would be reasonable... YEEAAAAHH

*casts Detect Pun*

...I got nothing.

[Frozen_Feet]

Athene is essentially the goddess of reason.

[Sith_Happens]

Athene is essentially the goddess of reason.

That's what I figured, but the ellipsis and emotes are in the wrong place. Should be "Looks like Athena... would be reasonable. YEEEAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!"

[White Blade]

Either a Prometheus esque god of hope/ambition or a beneficent god of farming and rain. Farmers religion almost always became dominated by a god of rain or fertility. But I think humanity at least dreams of a better god than that - Hence hope/ambition

[vasharanpaladin]

...There's one in Races of Destiny. Started with a "z." Can't remember the actual name.

[Calmar]

Either a Prometheus esque god of hope/ambition or a beneficent god of farming and rain. Farmers religion almost always became dominated by a god of rain or fertility. But I think humanity at least dreams of a better god than that - Hence hope/ambition

That is a great suggestion. Prometheus is the champion of mankind among the Titans.

[PersonMan]

...There's one in Races of Destiny. Started with a "z." Can't remember the actual name.

That's Zarus, who is basically a human supremacist who wants humans to enslave other races and kill half-breeds. He also thinks it's good for people to be the best they can be.

[neonchameleon]

(Foreword, please don't bring up anything from real world religon, my last thread got locked for that)

So if you were to create a deity in D&D/Pathfinder that would be the human equivalent of Corellon Larethian or Gruumsh. What purview would they have. & what would they be like?

Personally I see the god of humanity as an inventor, a mad but well meaning Artificer.

His domains being Fire (because of how symbolic fire & humanity are) Artiice, War, & Knowledge.

You guys probably have different views, please talk about them below :) I'd like to use this new made deity in a campaign setting

I know that when I created a setting for the Setting Search many years ago, I had a God of Humanity. Domains: Knowledge, Community, Luck.

The dictates of the God were something like the following. "Go forth and multiply. From the elves learn the secrets of magic. From the dwarves learn the secrets of craftsmanship. From the orcs, the secrets of combat. And do not worship me. Do not even mention my name except to keep one small shrine in the corner of your houses. Do not build temples for there I dwell not. But prayers may be answered in hours of need. Follow my commands, and if you ignore all but one, follow this. Keep talking.

The God of Humans is commonly mocked by those non-humans who know of the God Without Temples - otherwise known as Foresight (Prometheus) or just The Lightbringer. At least those who only know a little. Those who know a little more add up the number of humans and shudder at all the powe the God Without Temples has and hasn't used. And those deep in the lore know that only twice has the God Without Temples been known to display his power.

The first time was right at the dawn of time when Tharizdun looked like conquering all. The other Gods were banding together for a stand when Prometheus without temples stopped playing patience, stood, and walked towards Tharizdun's black keep. None of the Gods saw what happened after that but Tharizdun became the Chained God. Chained by the craftsmanship of Moradin, the spells of Boccob, the subtlety of Corellon, and more. All the Gods saw their spells and workmanship but none had contributed their part. (That none actually contributed their part is deep knowledge).

The second time was when the Original God of Dragons decided to declare humans snack food. It is called the Original God of Dragons because all that is known now is that the God once existed, and any attempt to write an actual name for the God will end up as George. And any attempt to represent said God as a picture will end up as a knight in shining armour. Tiamat, the child of George George The Original God of Dragons, and Bahamut, the greatest of Dragonkind took the worship because it had to go somewhere.

Meanwhile the Lightbringer is playing patience, and sometimes answering questions. Always truthfully. Sometimes usefully. And the Lightbringer's people are fruitful and multiply, bringing their worship to other Gods. None know the rules of the game of patience he plays, or what would happen if the game ever came to an end.

[Anderlith]

That's what I thought. Prometheus. But add in a bit of war & philosophy & base him around the Sun, instead of just any old fire.

[Rockphed]

I know that when I created a setting for the Setting Search many years ago, I had a God of Humanity. Domains: Knowledge, Community, Luck.

The dictates of the God were something like the following. "Go forth and multiply. From the elves learn the secrets of magic. From the dwarves learn the secrets of craftsmanship. From the orcs, the secrets of combat. And do not worship me. Do not even mention my name except to keep one small shrine in the corner of your houses. Do not build temples for there I dwell not. But prayers may be answered in hours of need. Follow my commands, and if you ignore all but one, follow this. Keep talking.

The God of Humans is commonly mocked by those non-humans who know of the God Without Temples - otherwise known as Foresight (Prometheus) or just The Lightbringer. At least those who only know a little. Those who know a little more add up the number of humans and shudder at all the powe the God Without Temples has and hasn't used. And those deep in the lore know that only twice has the God Without Temples been known to display his power.

The first time was right at the dawn of time when Tharizdun looked like conquering all. The other Gods were banding together for a stand when Prometheus without temples stopped playing patience, stood, and walked towards Tharizdun's black keep. None of the Gods saw what happened after that but Tharizdun became the Chained God. Chained by the craftsmanship of Moradin, the spells of Boccob, the subtlety of Corellon, and more. All the Gods saw their spells and workmanship but none had contributed their part. (That none actually contributed their part is deep knowledge).

The second time was when the Original God of Dragons decided to declare humans snack food. It is called the Original God of Dragons because all that is known now is that the God once existed, and any attempt to write an actual name for the God will end up as George. And any attempt to represent said God as a picture will end up as a knight in shining armour. Tiamat, the child of George George The Original God of Dragons, and Bahamut, the greatest of Dragonkind took the worship because it had to go somewhere.

Meanwhile the Lightbringer is playing patience, and sometimes answering questions. Always truthfully. Sometimes usefully. And the Lightbringer's people are fruitful and multiply, bringing their worship to other Gods. None know the rules of the game of patience he plays, or what would happen if the game ever came to an end.

This is pretty much the best thing so far in this thread.

[The Dark Fiddler]

For my part, a god of humanity? Pelor the Burning Hate who is definitely not Zarus with a beard in any way, shape or form. Nope, nothing fishy going on there.

Definitely not.

Anyway, last time the topic was brought up, I think that Zarus/Pelor was the general consensus. However, somebody linked to a particularly nice piece of homebrew, a God of Shadows that had created and championed humans, and was also the God of Adversity. He challenged his children in order to better them.

[GungHo]

I know that when I created a setting for the Setting Search many years ago, I had a God of Humanity. Domains: Knowledge, Community, Luck.

I liked this (and the text following it). Thank you. Because I do not know you, I cannot pay you, and so I will likely be perceived as stealing this at some future time. I hope you can get over that.

[neonchameleon]

I liked this (and the text following it). Thank you. Because I do not know you, I cannot pay you, and so I will likely be perceived as stealing this at some future time. I hope you can get over that.

I'm just glad that other people enjoy my writing. if you steal it for something you publish I'd like a credit. But if it's for personal use steal away by all means. I produced it for entertainment and am very glad if others like it enough to steal.