So I've been thinking somewhat about Dungeons and Dragons, especially the pantheon of deities present in it. I'm quite a fan of making my own stuff up, as well as presenting things that are out of standard or out of the ordinary. I've created something of my own fantasy pantheon, which can be included as an attachment onto the basic DnD pantheon of your choice, or used as their own set of gods.
In my own DnD setting, the main evil god, Irrim Vik was also the creator deity and chief god of life. He's been dethroned, and barely kept imprisoned in the Positive Energy Plane by all the other gods ganging up on him, and now, the other gods are all in competition to be the new head god of the Pantheon.
Irrim Vik
Titles: The Dread Father, Father of the Gods, the Allfather
Home Plane: Positive Energy Plane
Power Level: Greatest
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Chaos, Evil, Life, Disease
Symbol: A six fingered hand with a fanged maw at its centre.
Irrim Vik was the first god of the world, the fountain of all life and the progenitor of every living being, mortal or immortal that ever lived. Being spawned as the apotheosis of the Positive Energy Plane, Irrim Vik suffused the world with life, endless, eternal and constantly changing, roiling and mutating. He created the other gods to watch over this world, add their own elements, and of course, to venerate their father. Taking his most beautiful daughter, the Autumn Queen as his wife, they ruled over a planet inhabited mostly by aberrations and other crimes against nature. Everything lived, and the whole world screamed in roiling madness.
The Autumn Queen was unhappy with this state of affairs, and conspired with Irrim Vik's opposite, the Anti-Presence, god of death, oblivion, peace and silence. Together, the Autumn Queen and the Anti-Presence introduced death and renewal into the world, allowing creatures who had lived too long the mercy of death and silence. It allowed the natural order to take shape, allowed creatures to flourish, and freed some space for new life and civilization.
Irrim Vik was furious at this 'perversion,' of this grand design, and after brutalizing his wife, he planned to open a permanent gateway into the Positive Energy Plane, permanently drowning the earth in endless, ceaseless life eternal. It was at his point when the Autumn Queen and the other gods had more than enough of the Dread Father, and all of them took him by surprise, betraying him and binding him in a cage in the Positive Energy Plane, behind thousands of guardians, wards and world-rending magics.
Of course, the power of the gods were as nothing but flickering candles before a star, and Irrim Vik's cage cannot hold forever. Even now the Dread Father turns his eyes to the planet, seeking followers, creating horrifying abominations to lay waste to the worlds of men and nature, and restore all to his image.
Worship: Irrim Vik is a god that cannot be openly worshiped anywhere, as even the most evil deities are terrified at the merest whisper of his name, and will quell any who seek to appease him. Irrim Vik is the strongest god imaginable, however, and for those brave enough to defy the other gods and help him return, he gives power both great and terrible. Clerics and paladins of Irrim Vik can hide their allegiance and channel Positive Energy, despite being evil, but as they grow in power and level, Vik will gift them with mutations and other changes, so that when they become powerful enough that the opinions of mortal men no longer matter, the mortal servants of the Dread Father are nightmarish fusions of flesh and steel, undying no matter what weaponry is turned on them, constantly growing and constantly regenerating.
Unlike many evil deities, Vik abhors death in all its forms, and while he sees the necessity of death for those who would stand in his way, he demands that his followers 'balance the scales,' bringing at least two new lives into the world for every life they remove. Irrim Vik's clerics are absolute masters of torture, and keep their victims clinging to life, even as they feed their pain to the Father. Dead bodies are used as incubators for seething hordes of maggots and disease, to spread the power of the Dread Father across the land.
Vik's clergy accepts all races and classes, as all living creatures owe their lifesblood to the Dread Father. All creatures who do worship him must be 'reborn' into his service, passing through a horrifying, womblike structure made of roiling, pulsing scar tissue, and usually emerging blessed with a mutation.
Relationships: Irrim Vik has no open allies, as all the gods fear and despise him. That said, he really doesn't need any allies, as he is far more powerful than any of them. If used with other settings, Irrim Vik would be mortal enemies with any god of death, such as Nerull or Tharizdun or Erythnul. He may well be in league with some of the Elder Evils however, especially Ragnorra, who may well be his child or consort (or both).
The Autumn Queen
Titles: Queen of Nature, The True Mother, The Lady of Dead Leaves
Home Plane: The Outlands
Power Level: Greater
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Portfolio: Animals, Life, Death
Symbol: A tree with red leaves
The Autumn Queen, commonly known as the strongest god currently in the world is a god of cycles, nature and renewal. She introduced the concept of Death into the world with the Anti-Presence, and by her hand, nature moves in cycles of birth, youth, age and death, moving into new life. She is commonly known as the True Mother of Life, for her role in allowing life itself to have shape and purpose, rather than being a roiling mass of madness as Vik would have wanted.
The Autumn Queen is a goddess paid homage to in at least every major city. Most cities will have a shrine to her, and it is customary to fill graveyards with trees to symbolize her creed of death feeding into new life. Druids revere her, and there are even some assassins guilds who kill on her name, believing that they help the planet by removing elements that do not nourish it.
Despite her gentle nature, the Autumn Queen despises anything that would subvert the natural order, and frowns upon human civilization enroaching upon nature and threatening the sanctity of the forest. In this aspect, she is also a goddess of disasters, and many see those as her wrath, striking down hubristic civilizations that dare to interrupt her grand design.
Worship: The Autumn Queen is worshipped in most places, especially as a goddess of healers, midwives, and those who care for animals and the dead. Many cities feature an Untouchable Grove dedicated to her, where animals and plants are granted free reign, and when storms or disasters threaten the city, citizens can try to appease her. Human sacrifice is not acceptable in most places, but places where people worship the Queen usually have no tabboo toward euthanasia, allowing the old and infirm to move on, feeding the eternal cycle of life.
Clerics of the Autumn Queen work to spread her word in civilized places, but most of her work is done by Druids. No one can ever start out as a Paladin for her, however, she will often choose druids or clerics who have served well to be elevated. Unlike most Paladins, they can continue to take levels in cleric or druid without losing their Paladin progression. Her most fervent servants are often reborn as Dragonborn or werebeasts.
Despite the fact that they usually focus on her more positive aspects, anyone who worships the Autumn Queen knows well that she embodies death as well as life. There are assassins that slay in her name, terrorists that destroy civilizations, ravenous beasts like the Tarrasque that rampage and cleanse areas that have become too overgrown and cancerous. Clerics and Paladins of the Autumn Queen choose which aspect they wish to embody when they take the class, and from then on will only be able to channel positive or negative energy depending on their choice.
The Autumn Queen hates the undead, constructs and aberrations, and commands her followers to seek them out and destroy them.
Relationships: The Autumn Queen is an ally of her Daughter, Allera, lesser goddess of happiness and community, though sometimes their goals do not align. She is also an ally of her uncle/aunt, the Anti-Presence, god of endings and Oblivion. She is a rival with her brother, the Dragon god Mordigauss, lord of science, civilization and artifice, though not mortal enemies with him. If used in other settings, she is an ally of other nature gods like Obad-Hai, the Dark Six in Eberron and perhaps even death gods like Wee Jas. As a supporter of natural selection and strength, she is an ally of both Tiamat and Bahamut, and even Lolth.
The Anti-Presence
Titles: The Black Shepherd, It Who Is Not, The Patient One
Home Plane: Negative Energy Plane
Power Level: Greatest
Alignment: True Neutral
Portfolio: Death, Void, Silence
Symbol: Empty space, in any form.
The being known as the Anti-Presence is believed to be the sibling of Irrim Vik, his shadow given quiet and subtle life. For every beginning there is an ending, and the Anti-Presence promises nothing other than the peace of oblivion and the eternal sleep of the grave. Despit its morbidity, the Anti-Presence is not an evil god. In its view, silence, death and endings are a welcome end to a stale life. It does not encourage murder (though does not mind it either) and sees all things as very slowly dying, whether they want to or not. This has earned it the title 'The Patient One,' as the Anti-Presence does not seek to encourage death and massacres, simply seeing those things as inevitable.
Many cities pay homage to the Anti-Presence by creating large, empty shrines, as the god is said to hold dominion over all empty spaces. It is prayed to by those who care for the dead, to ask that their souls be ferried to peace, and by those who usher in new life, to ask that the Black Shepherd stay its hand for at least one lifetime. Those who claim to have interacted with the Shepherd claim that it manifests as different kinds of silence, (a pregnant silence, an awkward silence, a calm silence) and holds no judgement to anyone, caring not for sinners or saints. It will reach out and help anyone who makes honest appeasement of it, and honestly does not care how one uses its power. Every invocation of the Shepherd brings all reality one tiny step closer to final oblivion, and that is all the Shepherd wants.
The Shepherd offers only one thing to its worshipers, and that is oblivion. After death, its followers can be assured that they will be annihilated, and experience the peace of true nothingness. This prospect is tempting, especially for those who have done great wrong and fear the hells, but also for those who are merely wary and want true peace. It asks only that its followers bring no new life into the world. People who pledge themselves to the Anti-Presence are rendered permanently sterile, as their vital spark is severed. The Shepherd doesn't mind them enjoying their lives on earth, but objects to them stalling the inevitable extinction, even by only one lifetime.
Worship: Clerics and Paladins of the Anti-Presence can come from all stripes, and all races, as oblivion and death is the ultimate legacy of all life. Clerics and Paladins, even good ones, can only channel negative energy. The Anti-Presence doesn't even mind the undead, as they too will die eventually, and before they do, they will take many lives first.
Prayers to the Anti-Presence are never spoken aloud, simply thought in quiet, empty places. Darkness is sacred and safe to those who ask, and the Anti-Presence can be called upon to bring silence, peace and stillness to madness, illness or other pain.
Relationships: The Anti-Presence is the opposite of Irrim Vik, but holds no great emnity or love for any other god. It occasionally helps the Autumn Queen, but for the most part is content to simply wait. In other settings, the Anti-Presence is the ally of any god that begets death, such as Nerull, Erythnul, Wee Jas and St. Cuthbert, however it will also lend its aid to those who seek to spread peace and mercy, such as Pelor and Obad-Hai. It may also be the only god that will gladly aid followers of Tharizdun and Rovagug.
Mordigauss
Titles: The Steel Dragon, Father of Artifice
Home Plane: Mechanus
Power Level: Greater
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Law, Machines, Knowledge, Fire
Symbol: A double headed, clockwork dragon.
Brother of the Autumn Queen, The Steel Dragon Mordigauss is the god that opposes the natural order of nature, seeing it as the domain of sentient beings to dominate, rule and abuse nature as much as they want. While unequivocally not the most pleasant god, Mordigauss is worshipped as the patron of sentient beings, the father of science, machines, and replicable artifice. He gives humans walls and weapons to fight their battles. He allows them to think in patterns, utilize repeatable principles and forces society forward. His methods and personality may be objectionable, but his results cannot be argued with. Along with the Autumn Queen, Mordigauss is the main contender for the throne of the heavens.
Dwarves and humans are the main worshipers of Mordigauss, and many cities feature immense statues made in the honor of the Steel Dragon, forged of precious metals and fully modular and capable of moving. Blacksmiths and artificers pray to him over their creations, and peasants pray to him to protect them from the wrath of nature and wild beasts. Towns and civilizations blessed by the Steel Dragon prosper, and by his breath of smoke, poison and smog, forests and animals that would threaten civilization choke and die. Mordigauss is not a nice god, however, and his credos emphasizes that the ends justify the means. Provided it creates a better future for all, Mordigauss encourages any pragmatic act, as long as it will lead to a more lawful, secure future. The pursuit of knowledge is sacred to worshipers of the Steel Dragon, and it is a mortal sin to destroy knowledge of any kind.
Mordigauss is rightfully feared by beings that live in ways that are not strictly 'civilized.' He has a special hatred for creatures of the Fae, who would keep humanity in the dark in order for them to play their games, and Mordigauss orders to destruction of any place holy to Fae creatures. It is believed that it is him who placed the curse of iron upon the Fae, that mortals may have a chance to fight them. Elves dislike Mordigauss, but acknowledge that their civilization is built on his principles. For the most part, creatures that have cities and technology, but no interest in improving them are ignored by the Steel Dragon, for good or ill.
Mordigauss is often considered a traitor to other draconic deities, for favoring humans and other mammalian creatures, but they do not say this too loudly for fear of incurring his wrath. It is believed that currency is his creation to, and many dragons pray to him for a greater acquirement of wealth and prestige.
Worship: Clerics of Mordigauss usually take levels in Artificer, and most often are blacksmiths or clockworkers. His paladins form a specialized order, similar to the Silver Knights of Bahamut and the Talons of Tiamat, called the Clockwork Templars. Slowly, these people replace more and more of their bodies with prosthetics, becoming true Warforged or Dragonborn (a specialized type called Steel Dragonborn with a breath weapon of choking smog).
Mordigauss, despite being a god of knowledge, has very little interest in Arcane or Divine magic, as those are usable only by a select group of mortals, and have no applicability to civilization as a whole. That said, he welcomes arcane and divine casters into his fold, and actually encourages them to breed among the populace, spreading dragon blood to more people, and allowing a greater percentage to become magical.
Those who please Mordigauss can expect to be granted wondrous items and artifacts of great power, as well as ancient, forbidden knowledges. Despite all these positive aspects, however, Mordigauss still has a dragon's pride and bloodlust, and demands his followers seek knowledge and spread progress at any cost, encouraging them to harvest forests and despoil nature in order to achieve their goals. Sacrificing a Fae creature, or a servant of the Autumn Queen at one of his altars is a sure way to get his attention and divine favor. Other acts like burning forests and plundering ancient tombs also work.
Relationships: Mordigauss is a rival, though not mortal enemy to the Autumn Queen, his sister. He occasionally deigns to lend a hand to Allera, his niece, goddess of happiness and community. He is served by other gods who favor humans and dwarves. In other settings, Mordigauss is a close ally of Hextor and Asmodeus, gods of civilization and tyranny. He is also an unlikely ally of Moradin and an enemy of Obad-Hai, Corellon Loretheon, Erythnul and Gruumsh. Despite not favoring dragons, who have no interest in building civilizations, he has a neutral relationship with Bahamut and Tiamat.
Allera
Titles: The Maiden, The Protector of Life
Home Plane: Arborea
Power Level: Intermediate
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Chaos, Goodness, Life, Love
Symbol: A dove
Allera is the most popular goddess by far, the daughter of the Autumn Queen and Irrim Vik, heir to the legacies of both. It is impossible to hate Allera, and every god, even the evil ones like Mordigauss have a certain fondness for her. Allera is a protector of all life, and rejoices in birth, love and happiness. She is the light on the horizon, the beautiful dream that all hope for. In this aspect, she is the shining beacon that is gladly venerated by almost all mortal races.
Allera asks only one thing of her worshippers, and that is simply to do no harm. They are encouraged to do as they please, love, live, drink, dance and be merry, and Allera only asks that those who do wrong take responsibility for their actions. A loving and forgiving goddess, Allera knows the burden of growing up beneath a psychopath and a cold, unfeeling mother, and desires nothing more than to allow life, both new and old to know that it is cared for. Allera gives sanctuary to all who ask for it, and will heal anyone or anything. She forgives all sins if the repentance is sincere, and places where she is worshiped will accept any race, as long as they are given over to the ideals of goodness.
Despite not being as powerful as the Autumn Queen or Mordigauss, Allera has an incredibly devoted following. Her ultimate aim is to unite all races and cultures into her eternal love and goodness. The Autumn Queen and Mordigauss both aid her when it serves their purposes, and both of them have a certain degree of affection toward her, as much as they are able.
Worship: Allera is worshiped by all races and beings, but most prominently among humans and elves. She encourages her followers to live symbiotically with their environments, never taking too much, or sacrificing their own hopes and dreams for the sake of the natural order. She encourages mercy, forgiveness and rehabilitation, and her clergy boasts of many redeemed orcs, Drow and other villains.
Allera of all the gods has the most paladins by far. She sees goodness in almost every type of person and if she sees it, will give them to power to see their dreams fulfilled. Her Paladins stand are defenders of freedom, never allowing the tyranny of progress or nature to harm the common man.
Relationships: Allera is friendly with both the Autumn Queen and Mordigauss, however their interests do not always intersect. Allera is the only god who would try to see Irrim Vik redeemed, however she is in no way powerful enough or foolish enough to crack his cage open. In other settings, Allera would very much be an ally of Pelor and Saranrae either the lover or sister of Kord. She supports Ellistrae and Bahamut, and while she dislikes most evil gods and goddesses, will work toward their redemption before their destruction.
Azryx
Titles: The Barbed Spider, Lord of Discord
Home Plane: Pandaemonium
Power Level: Intermediate
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Chaos, Perversion, Madness, Aberrations
Symbol: A barbed spider with a spiral on its abdomen.
Azryx is a god that is commonly spoken of, but barely worshiped. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that people pray its attention does not fall on them. Formerly a demon prince, Azryx turned against Irrim Vik when the other gods convinced it that it would be against the natural order for the chief god to fall, and it was only by Azryx's venom that Irrim was incapacitated long enough to be trapped. His elevation to godhood was one that was not met with great joy, but rather considered a necessary evil.
Azryx, as a god, embodies perversion, or anything that goes against what is acceptable. It revels in murder, rape and madness, and is considered the parent of those abstract entities that go against sanity and life. Wherever the breakdown of patterns and logic can be found, the Barbed Spider's eye is said to be watching, slowly picking apart the threads.
Azryx is not a popular god, and usually not acceptable to be venerated in civilized areas, but as a god chaos and misfortune, it is a popular god to pray to for the downfall of one's enemies. It is said that the best way to avert Azryx's baleful gaze is to give it a better target, the more good and innocent the better. Azryx delights in misfortune and chaos, however, so praying to this power is a dangerous prospect without proper sacrifice and appeasement. Generally, appeasement of Azryx involves committing acts that go against the recognized social or moral order, with greater acts required for greater service. Small acts of vandalism may be enough for a minor boon, but for great ones, Azryx requires the death or violation of multiple sentient creatures.
Open worship of Azryx as a civilization goes somewhat against Azryx's portfolio of chaos and misfortune, so any city that does openly worship the Barbed Spider will be given contradictory and self-destructive edicts until it tears itself apart. Azryx does not need an organized church, and as it detests order in all forms, it will gladly see them fall.
Worship: Worship of the Barbed Spider is conducted on one's own, and as it has no clergy, its clerics are rather uncommon and usually self-named. It is a popular patron for barbarians and rogues, however, as well as some evil aligned spellcasters and bards.
Paladins of Azryx are very rare, but where they exist, they are utter monsters, accepting its credos of utter perversion, madness and terror into every aspect of their beings. Where they walk, they spread chaos and destruction, and they revel in feeding the souls of the innocent to Azryx.
For all its evil and destructive power, however, Azryx has some positive aspects. It is seen as a god of monsters and chaos, and thus can be appeased to ensure misfortune strikes elsewhere. While its existence is objectionable to mortals, it is very much a necessary evil for the gods, and it will fight to ensure that the natural order remains violated, in other words, to ensure that Irrim Vik, the rightful leader of the gods remains bound.
Relationships: Azryx is not particularly friendly with any of the gods, due to being a former demon, though holds a perverse enjoyment for foiling the minions of Irrim Vik, one day hoping to usurp his portfolio and repopulate the world with aberrants and fiends. Its main enemies are the Autumn Queen and Mordigauss, however, as it knows it has no hope of challenging either of them, it focuses on foiling both their plans and annoying them thoroughly. In other settings, Azryx may be an ally of Lolth and other demon gods like Orcus, as well as other gods of madness like Erythnul. It would be a firm enemy of any god of order. It very likely has a good relationship with Olidamara.
- More to come when I flesh them out more.
- Kephn
