Why aren't there more gods?

[Kantaki]

The main risk for newly ascended deities is that their concept might not exist in the next world, I think.
Sure, messengers, beauty and stuff are universal, so as long as they can bridge the time between worlds they're fine.

Racial gods though? Like Dwalin, the Elven Gods or the Dark one?
If Rat decides to revive the "cyberpunk animals" thing or Marduk wants another food based setting or Odin goes for shapeshifting warforged they're out of luck.

Makes me wonder how Tiamat is still around though.
Not every world can have had dragons.
On the other hand Monkey threw ninjas into a generic western fantasy setting, so as long as they stay in theme dragons can probably be pretty broad a category.

I think that Dark One, like Hel, probably is a member of a pantheon but not really involved in the formal stuff.

He's a pantheon of one, so he kinda has to.
Even if it's just killing the emissaries of other gods.

[Taevyr]

I think that Dark One, like Hel, probably is a member of a pantheon but not really involved in the formal stuff.

....Except the entire plot hinges on the fact that the Dark One has a unique quiddity, because he's the only member of his "pantheon". It's literally impossible for him to belong to a known pantheon, and unless there's suddenly a bunch of purple gods that never appeared/weren't ever mentioned before that undermine the entire plotline, I doubt he's part of a new one.

[masamune1]

Oh yeah- forgot about the unique colour xD

[Riftwolf]

There's a lot of explanations for why there aren't more Gods in the world. Along with the attrition that Thor talk about, Gods fight amongst each other, and its unlikely the evil Gods would necessarily go easy on the new guy. Minor Gods might willingly give up existence out of despair, or in the hopes of keeping their idea alive with a higher Deity (My Headcanon now for the Elven Pantheon; in a previous fantasy world, the Western Pantheon had sponsored a bunch of Elven demigods, but none of them survived the pause till the next world. In their memory, the Western Pantheons more Lawful Gods agreed that they'd open up demigod sponsorship to elves whenever they did fantasy worlds, so elves could have their own worship and religion as they were meant to.)

[snowblizz]

Makes me wonder how Tiamat is still around though.
Not every world can have had dragons.
On the other hand Monkey threw ninjas into a generic western fantasy setting, so as long as they stay in theme dragons can probably be pretty broad a category.

Not every world will have dragons as we would recognise them. But it doesn't have to be literally dragons either. I think we should think more in the realms of concept than physical beings. I don't know what the snack based food world equivalent of dragon is, but am sure it exists and Tiamat is the 7, 9? headed goddess of hot kebab pizzas with lots of sriracha or something. I guess Fenrir made e-coli bacteria for that world.

This is also why I think the elven gods predate the current world. Some fantasy world had them. And the concept of elves is recycled each time thereafter.

[JonahFalcon]

Where are the Mesoamerican Gods? The Egyptian Gods? I see a Babylonian God or two with Ereshkigal being there. But if Ereshkigal is there, where's Ishtar and company?

D&D had a gigantic number of Gods to play with, like Bast, etc.

There may be three or four Quiddities, but the pantheons may have more Gods than that.

I mean, you have the Chinese zodiac gods, or a pastiche of them. Does that mean Tsukuyomi isn't around, too? Or Amaterasu?

[Thales]

But if Ereshkigal is there, where's Ishtar and company?

Pretty sure we have heard Ishtar mentioned as one of the Western gods, though I can't find the relevant comic right now.

[Shadowknight12]

Pretty sure we have heard Ishtar mentioned as one of the Western gods, though I can't find the relevant comic right now.

Here, but she's mentioned in... a bit of an unpleasant context.

[Thales]

She says the soul power of the dwarves will make her Queen of the North (heh heh) and that will lead to her temples being everywhere in the next world. Roy confirms that his belief is that her winning will create hundreds of undead tyrants in the next world.

What does this mean? Just because the gods take turns making the world, doesnt mean the turns are equal. It seems more likely that the stronger gods get a bigger say.

This might not always be true. Odin is still top of the Northern pantheon, but he's been badly weakened by how the last world went. It's possible he's the leader of it in this world solely out of respect for tradition by the other northern gods. Additionally (though we don't have basis for comparison beyond the northerners of the last world being able to get away with dismissing magic) this world doesn't seem especially like the product of a process where the god of magic had unusually little say in the design. Maybe the other pantheons have other voices for magic, maybe it actually is pretty low-magic as compared with most other worlds the gods have made, or maybe this is also the other gods recognizing that Odin's impairment is temporary and honoring what he would have pushed for had he been up to the task.

[Riftwolf]

This might not always be true. Odin is still top of the Northern pantheon, but he's been badly weakened by how the last world went. It's possible he's the leader of it in this world solely out of respect for tradition by the other northern gods. Additionally (though we don't have basis for comparison beyond the northerners of the last world being able to get away with dismissing magic) this world doesn't seem especially like the product of a process where the god of magic had unusually little say in the design. Maybe the other pantheons have other voices for magic, maybe it actually is pretty low-magic as compared with most other worlds the gods have made, or maybe this is also the other gods recognizing that Odin's impairment is temporary and honoring what he would have pushed for had he been up to the task.

It might be that some of the sillier parts of the world were when Odins turn didn't coincide with his more lucid moments.

Odin: my turn? OK, fruit pie sorcerer!
Thor: *sigh* sure thing dad.
Tyr: he did specify only one of those, right?
Odin: yes, but he can only be slain by one who rejects his delicious goods!
Tyr: *nudges Fenris* any chance you could add fruit intolerances to goblins?
Fenris: y-b-fff... Why are you acting like we owe each other favours!?
Tyr: is that a yes or a no?
Fenris: they're already fruit intolerant so stop talking to me!

[KorvinStarmast]

Where are the

How much world building have you done as a DM? Putting in too many gods (the way FR does in 5e, for example) just makes the DM's job harder.

[rbetieh]

How much world building have you done as a DM? Putting in too many gods (the way FR does in 5e, for example) just makes the DM's job harder.

I totally agree, Dark Sun is the greatest world, I worship Water

[Sigako]

Thor mentions he could kill The Dark One immediately after the latter's ascencion if not for Loki. While fights between pantheons are limited by snarls (unless there's a huge difference in power, so one side is killed before the snarl can form), fights inside pantheons may be a thing, contributing to a turnover rates.

Also, I think old gods purviews are deliberately broad - basically, Tiamat can either create a type of beings, declare them dragons and morph into their believed form regardless of the setting, and/or holds other, more universal positions, like avarice, tyranny, vengeance and seawater.

[KorvinStarmast]

I totally agree, Dark Sun is the greatest world, I worship Water

I find your post persuasive and wish to subscribe to your newsletter ...

[UnintensifiedFa]

I’m honestly leaning very strongly for 3, because there actually is a reason.
Its a DnD parody, and DnD specifically has rules for gods and ascension. That seems to me like it would make for ideal god-creating conditions.
Perhaps ascensions were never allowed (or at least very difficult) and then when they made the DnD parody world they decided, “since it’s in the rules, we might as well add it” not thinking much of it.