My current character is a white dragonborn Grave Cleric. Before I created him, I just knew I wanted to do a really terrible Russian accent for a character, because it's fun. So I created his village, the climate, the calendar, seasonal events, cultural customs, and his background, to see how he fit into his world.
Then I created the pantheon. I asked myself, what kind of gods would inhabit a region similar to the frozen wastes of Arctic Russia?
Here's what I came up with:
Topka: Goddess of the Hearth. She is a strong, handsome woman with a powerful maternal sense about her. She is the embodiment of motherhood and the domestic realm. Through her strength of will she binds us all together and reminds us of our obligations, and encourages us to work hard every day. She is respected by most, but is especially popular with mothers, healers, cooks, orphans, and those who bear a heavy burden. (And she very much resembles actress Mariska Hargitay)
Zamorozhnneyy: God of Winter. Zamorozhnneyy is as unpredictable and cruel as the season he embodies. One moment cold and distant, the next volatile and aggressive. One moment hollow and silent, the next vicious and unrelenting. Offerings are not made to him, because everyone knows he would simply make a mockery of them and be even more cruel. His name is often cursed, but only under your breath, or when faking a cough to cover it. He is popular with nihilists, necromancers, and some rogues and barbarians.
Vishcha: God of Wealth & Mining. He is greedy, protective, and strictly contractual. He is popular with merchants, miners, craftsmen of metals and jewels, and especially with the Borean Dwarves of the region. His name is often invoked to seal a deal or to start a new business venture.
Khodosnovy: God of Brewing & Distilling. He is the bringer of good cheer, and the commiserator of sorrows. He is the mad alchemist and the embodiment of opposites. He is curious, friendly, and persuasive; but can also be forgetful, vindictive, and violent. He is popular with almost everyone, but for different reasons all around. He is the life of the party and the personification of the bad example.
The Blyedd: Goddess of Dark Secrets. Her real name is never spoken aloud, for fear that doing so may bring one of her assassins upon you. She is seductive, deceptive, manipulative, and delights in the cruelty of discovering and exploiting weaknesses. She is an expert shapeshifter and has no conscience whatsoever. She is popular among spies, whores, traitors, assassins, and (for some unknown reason) drowning victims. She is a real see-you-next-tuesday, if you know what I mean.
And finally, the highest of them all...
Kurgan: God of Death. Respected above all other deities (except maybe Topka), is Kurgan, who is often addressed as or referred to as "Grandfather". He usually appears as an old man with a gray beard, wearing simple clothes and carrying a walking staff with a burning melting candle atop it. Kurgan is calm, quiet, and patient. He treats everyone fairly, regardless of whether you are rich or poor, tall or short, dwarf or elf, all are the same to Kurgan because all will die. While some cultures consider death to be a bad thing, and their gods of death are often evil, that is not the way of Kurgan. He teaches us that death is just another step in a journey that began long before our birth and will continue long after we die. He watches and waits, and when it is your time, he will greet you and usher you onward. It is all part of the natural order of things. Kurgan teaches us to live every day like its our last, because it might be. He teaches us to live without regret, to cherish not the number of days in our life, but the amount of life in our days. He is the one absolute authority in the universe, but he goes about his task in quiet solitude. The greatest affront to Kurgan is undeath, as it is a violation of the natural order.
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Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
Creating Deities for me is often just getting a new snapshot on a Concept where call a Domain or Sphere Contained within a Gods' Portfolio as a Greater Whole. What I mean is, well there r a slew of War Gods out there, What is Odin's Way of War set Apart from Mars' way or Haelyn's or Ishtar's for that Matter?? Its cuz the close in view of each Portfolio sphere is honed on a perspective, personality, niche, call it as in Deities & Pantheons purview, yet it's the fingerprint of that way to do say War that way that empowers the God in Question n Gives Might n Power Unparalled, to copyright in essence a specific aspect of creation from a certain purview or lens n get mortals to sign on board n herald u as the Example or Paragon of War n preach it to others to get on board too. So Odin is Lord of Fatalistic Epic Warfaring vs Jotuns n Monsters but to Lose in the end, Ishtar is the Lover n Fighting Maiden that Excels at War, Mars' is the War General that Carrie's a Near Perfection n Promise of Victory in Warfare, & Haelyn Fights Crusades of Righteous n Noble Causes in War as Well as Command Leadership.
Some Gods I craft randomly thru designing d200 & d300 even tables to get as exhaustive of Portfolio spheres as one can; at other times, I latch on to a god of myth either in fiction or on Earth Tales n see a way to modify that God in a fresh way, either in their portfolio, Alignment, Personality, or by combining two or three gods into one n ironing out the kinks to finish with a new fresh original God ready to advance their Portfolio within The Multiverse.
As an example, I start with the lil known Ravenloft mentioned Lost God Andral, referred to in I,Strahd n some novels n adventures but being now almost totally a forgotten God in any active way. Andral was Patron of the Balok of Barovia, God Tied to Warfare, Armies Clashing, The Skies, tiny bit a sun or at least light affirming God, n One Kings prayed to while his priests Healed the masses of troops n injured with Surgeon's skill. I took from this God an alternative name of Eundrel n Ahndral, n saw the Possibility of a new Highest King of Heaven here, & his name became Ehndrurel, Half Brother of Enlil n Son & Heir of Anu Emperor of the Heavens. I cast a broad net of Earth n Setting Gods that Could bring Something fresh n cool to the "King of the Gods" Motif, n drew From El, Eloheim, Shang Ti & other Taoist/Chinese Heavenly Emperors as well as Jove, Assurran, Amaunator, and a few Self Designed Gods of my own from the past to inform him, as God Of: The Heavens/ Atmosphere/Gases/Warfare/Army Warfare/Conquering Cultures/Rulership/Royalty/ Authority/Rule/Divine Right/ Cosmic Law/ Edicts/ Adjudication/Judgements/ Pronouncements/Social Behavior/Order/Nations/Kingdom-States/Government & Cosmic Will
Now that's just one God n not fully fleshed out, but it is some insight into my design process n procedural thinking. U guys tell me what ya think, I'm working on a bunch of gods n could use help pulling it all together. More to come
I often find that their are some niches that arent filled by the current d&d Pantheon, tell me about your deities that you have created.
I don't generally like to have big involvement from the Gods, but if I did I'd 100% steal from Discworld. Rattle your drawers for Anoia, goddess of things-stuck-in-kitchen-drawers!
My current campaign also has a triple goddess based on The Maiden, The Mother, and The Crone, more normally associated with witchcraft. They each represent different things, like the Crone being wise and cunning, the Mother being strong and protective, and the Maiden being curious, brave, and ever-changing. The only religion my players came across revolved around a deceased incarnation of The Mother, who was the queen of the kingdom they were in.
(Being the incarnation of the goddess is not something you're born into like the Avatar, its more something you become, like a Saint.)
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"The beating sound is not my sympathetic heart, but a time bomb."
I often find that their are some niches that arent filled by the current d&d Pantheon, tell me about your deities that you have created.
in a campaign that ended up going to level 20. A friend of mine and I were playing dwarf twin brothers. LG and LE. With a “Lost-esque” good vs evil view. Both wanted to be gods themselves to rule over the world and both had their own ideas of how to do it.
he was the LE war cleric I was a LG forge cleric.
combats took super long, when all our allies died in the final dungeon and we just kept going. We clear it super easily... but it time wise took forever.
back on topic: you can worship whatever you want as a god. Just be prepared to explain why.
”I love lamp” maybe you worship an oil lamp.
maybe you worship money.
etc etc etc etc.
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I often find that their are some niches that arent filled by the current d&d Pantheon, tell me about your deities that you have created.
My current character is a white dragonborn Grave Cleric. Before I created him, I just knew I wanted to do a really terrible Russian accent for a character, because it's fun. So I created his village, the climate, the calendar, seasonal events, cultural customs, and his background, to see how he fit into his world.
Then I created the pantheon. I asked myself, what kind of gods would inhabit a region similar to the frozen wastes of Arctic Russia?
Here's what I came up with:
Topka: Goddess of the Hearth. She is a strong, handsome woman with a powerful maternal sense about her. She is the embodiment of motherhood and the domestic realm. Through her strength of will she binds us all together and reminds us of our obligations, and encourages us to work hard every day. She is respected by most, but is especially popular with mothers, healers, cooks, orphans, and those who bear a heavy burden. (And she very much resembles actress Mariska Hargitay)
Zamorozhnneyy: God of Winter. Zamorozhnneyy is as unpredictable and cruel as the season he embodies. One moment cold and distant, the next volatile and aggressive. One moment hollow and silent, the next vicious and unrelenting. Offerings are not made to him, because everyone knows he would simply make a mockery of them and be even more cruel. His name is often cursed, but only under your breath, or when faking a cough to cover it. He is popular with nihilists, necromancers, and some rogues and barbarians.
Vishcha: God of Wealth & Mining. He is greedy, protective, and strictly contractual. He is popular with merchants, miners, craftsmen of metals and jewels, and especially with the Borean Dwarves of the region. His name is often invoked to seal a deal or to start a new business venture.
Khodosnovy: God of Brewing & Distilling. He is the bringer of good cheer, and the commiserator of sorrows. He is the mad alchemist and the embodiment of opposites. He is curious, friendly, and persuasive; but can also be forgetful, vindictive, and violent. He is popular with almost everyone, but for different reasons all around. He is the life of the party and the personification of the bad example.
The Blyedd: Goddess of Dark Secrets. Her real name is never spoken aloud, for fear that doing so may bring one of her assassins upon you. She is seductive, deceptive, manipulative, and delights in the cruelty of discovering and exploiting weaknesses. She is an expert shapeshifter and has no conscience whatsoever. She is popular among spies, whores, traitors, assassins, and (for some unknown reason) drowning victims. She is a real see-you-next-tuesday, if you know what I mean.
And finally, the highest of them all...
Kurgan: God of Death. Respected above all other deities (except maybe Topka), is Kurgan, who is often addressed as or referred to as "Grandfather". He usually appears as an old man with a gray beard, wearing simple clothes and carrying a walking staff with a burning melting candle atop it. Kurgan is calm, quiet, and patient. He treats everyone fairly, regardless of whether you are rich or poor, tall or short, dwarf or elf, all are the same to Kurgan because all will die. While some cultures consider death to be a bad thing, and their gods of death are often evil, that is not the way of Kurgan. He teaches us that death is just another step in a journey that began long before our birth and will continue long after we die. He watches and waits, and when it is your time, he will greet you and usher you onward. It is all part of the natural order of things. Kurgan teaches us to live every day like its our last, because it might be. He teaches us to live without regret, to cherish not the number of days in our life, but the amount of life in our days. He is the one absolute authority in the universe, but he goes about his task in quiet solitude. The greatest affront to Kurgan is undeath, as it is a violation of the natural order.
Tayn of Darkwood. Lvl 10 human Life Cleric of Lathander. Retired.
Ikram Sahir ibn Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad, Second Son of the House of Ra'ad, Defender of the Burning Sands. Lvl 9 Brass Dragonborn Sorcerer + Greater Fire Elemental Devil.
Viktor Gavriil. Lvl 20 White Dragonborn Grave Cleric, of Kurgan the God of Death.
Anzio Faro. Lvl 5 Prot. Aasimar Light Cleric.
Creating Deities for me is often just getting a new snapshot on a Concept where call a Domain or Sphere Contained within a Gods' Portfolio as a Greater Whole. What I mean is, well there r a slew of War Gods out there, What is Odin's Way of War set Apart from Mars' way or Haelyn's or Ishtar's for that Matter?? Its cuz the close in view of each Portfolio sphere is honed on a perspective, personality, niche, call it as in Deities & Pantheons purview, yet it's the fingerprint of that way to do say War that way that empowers the God in Question n Gives Might n Power Unparalled, to copyright in essence a specific aspect of creation from a certain purview or lens n get mortals to sign on board n herald u as the Example or Paragon of War n preach it to others to get on board too. So Odin is Lord of Fatalistic Epic Warfaring vs Jotuns n Monsters but to Lose in the end, Ishtar is the Lover n Fighting Maiden that Excels at War, Mars' is the War General that Carrie's a Near Perfection n Promise of Victory in Warfare, & Haelyn Fights Crusades of Righteous n Noble Causes in War as Well as Command Leadership.
Some Gods I craft randomly thru designing d200 & d300 even tables to get as exhaustive of Portfolio spheres as one can; at other times, I latch on to a god of myth either in fiction or on Earth Tales n see a way to modify that God in a fresh way, either in their portfolio, Alignment, Personality, or by combining two or three gods into one n ironing out the kinks to finish with a new fresh original God ready to advance their Portfolio within The Multiverse.
As an example, I start with the lil known Ravenloft mentioned Lost God Andral, referred to in I,Strahd n some novels n adventures but being now almost totally a forgotten God in any active way. Andral was Patron of the Balok of Barovia, God Tied to Warfare, Armies Clashing, The Skies, tiny bit a sun or at least light affirming God, n One Kings prayed to while his priests Healed the masses of troops n injured with Surgeon's skill. I took from this God an alternative name of Eundrel n Ahndral, n saw the Possibility of a new Highest King of Heaven here, & his name became Ehndrurel, Half Brother of Enlil n Son & Heir of Anu Emperor of the Heavens. I cast a broad net of Earth n Setting Gods that Could bring Something fresh n cool to the "King of the Gods" Motif, n drew From El, Eloheim, Shang Ti & other Taoist/Chinese Heavenly Emperors as well as Jove, Assurran, Amaunator, and a few Self Designed Gods of my own from the past to inform him, as God Of: The Heavens/ Atmosphere/Gases/Warfare/Army Warfare/Conquering Cultures/Rulership/Royalty/ Authority/Rule/Divine Right/ Cosmic Law/ Edicts/ Adjudication/Judgements/ Pronouncements/Social Behavior/Order/Nations/Kingdom-States/Government & Cosmic Will
Now that's just one God n not fully fleshed out, but it is some insight into my design process n procedural thinking. U guys tell me what ya think, I'm working on a bunch of gods n could use help pulling it all together. More to come
I don't generally like to have big involvement from the Gods, but if I did I'd 100% steal from Discworld. Rattle your drawers for Anoia, goddess of things-stuck-in-kitchen-drawers!
My current campaign also has a triple goddess based on The Maiden, The Mother, and The Crone, more normally associated with witchcraft. They each represent different things, like the Crone being wise and cunning, the Mother being strong and protective, and the Maiden being curious, brave, and ever-changing. The only religion my players came across revolved around a deceased incarnation of The Mother, who was the queen of the kingdom they were in.
(Being the incarnation of the goddess is not something you're born into like the Avatar, its more something you become, like a Saint.)
"The beating sound is not my sympathetic heart, but a time bomb."
♦Character art commissions♦
in a campaign that ended up going to level 20. A friend of mine and I were playing dwarf twin brothers. LG and LE. With a “Lost-esque” good vs evil view. Both wanted to be gods themselves to rule over the world and both had their own ideas of how to do it.
he was the LE war cleric I was a LG forge cleric.
combats took super long, when all our allies died in the final dungeon and we just kept going. We clear it super easily... but it time wise took forever.
back on topic: you can worship whatever you want as a god. Just be prepared to explain why.
”I love lamp” maybe you worship an oil lamp.
maybe you worship money.
etc etc etc etc.
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