Creating a new pantheon

steeldragons said:

That's what I would do. I don't see why not.why they aren't or can't be two elements of the same thing, varying faces/interpretations of the same "element."



Well, you'd have to better explain what you mean by 'shattering". From what I understand, there still dragons int he world, just significantly "lesser"? Sooo...like, if a villain got a bunch of lesser dragons together, is there a way for him to "fuse" the "shattered" dragon bits back together and create some massive "full/real dragon of the ancient world" that would be like having a nuclear weapon at their disposal (or so the villain would believe. The dragon, of course, would seek to dominate/enslave all lesser beings of the world, insist on worship and tributes,...maybe even restore itself to/threaten to assume godhood?)

I would suggest that...how each religion deals with the dragons/"The Shattering" [if I may], is different and that plays into how each would approach or view dragon-like creatures and the loss/destruction of the dragons. As with practically all myth/legend, there are seeds of truth in each view, but none of them (except perhaps the Air temples/highest cleric who would have access to practically unlimited knowledge from teh Celestial Queen) have the full/"real" story.

Without knowing more, it's difficult to say, but something like:

"Seeing the devastation of the dragons that was coming, the Celestial Queen sent those dragons, that were so dear to her, away, to hide amongst/behind[within?] the stars before the shattering destroyed them all. What dragons would, did fight...and fall as others of their kind did flee the world, awaiting their benevolent patroness' word to return. Silver and Gold dragons, in particular, are viewed as agents or symbols of [and hold a healthy reverence for, if they ever/still exist in the game] the Air goddess.

"The Earth King and Prince of Fire did make mighty war against the dread wyrms who sought to usurp the wealth of the earthly realms and rule the powers of the fiery sphere as their own. Indeed, the "Hundred Headed Lord" [of Dragons] sought to destroy the world with the sun, itself. So the Earth religion sees dragons as the avaricious and dangerous monstrous foes "they were."

"With his mighty holy hammer,<insert mythic weapon name here>, the King of Earth smashed the Lord of Dragons into the thousand multi-colored shards that became the remnants of draconic power and creatures within the world. True to their treacherous nature, these shards sank into the deeps of the world and the sea, hiding in the darkness to fester and regain their strength to harry the goodly peoples of the Earth deity.

"The Fire Prince used his great flaming broad sword, <insert name>, to further shatter and smash the shards of dragonkind that rained down upon the world. But, ever-clever and seeing the opportunity for power and the mighty creatures these shards might be, the Fire Prince did caught some shards as they fell. In his secret forges at <insert mythological place/godly fortress here>, he toiled and crafted, in his fashion, into his own shapes, that they might serve him and add to his power.

"So the religion/temple of the Fire Prince, moreso than any other factions, would be interested or willing to seek out/work with/attempt to use the shattered draconic creatures to their own aims. [Which, I suspect, probably entails claiming the divine Earth King's throne as his own?]

"The Water Princess, similarly, was more than happy to fight to protect her beloved world and the life and beauty that existed therein, from destruction of the Hundred-headed Lord. What shatterings fell within her water realms, she was able to help and heal and shape into forms that could, and in their gratitude continue to, do her bidding and so, she uses them in her ages old fight against the Fire Prince, ever ebbing and flowing but never able to completely quench his raging power-lust.

"As is to be expected, the Outsider [of Spirit/Void] did nothing to assist or hinder the Shattering. Merely observed. Nor did It aid or harm the shards that followed it. Some shards and the spirits of shards have come to It of their own accord. Seeking the secrets they might use to increase their power in the current world and/or restore themselves to their former glory. The Outsider has no particular interest in the dragons, seeing them, as all things [even immortals] eventually will be, coming to and falling under/to the inevitable [transition/death/etc...], that is It."

Obviously, the actual "truth", causes, and outcomes of any of these tales is something else entirely/somewhere in the middle.


Couple of things caught my eye...nothing that's a "problem" really, it is your world/pantheon and having little idiosyncrasies within the deities portfolios is a nice touch of "mortal-ness" or "falability" in their design/distribution of powers.

1. If Fire rules the area of "creation", should not the "creativity" [as emotion], and possibly inspiration, belong to fire instead of earth? Would be a good reason dwarves, in particular, but all smiths might revere the earth and fire deities together.

2. Just a personal preference, but I think "travel" is more appropriate to Air...in its traditional role as the "communication" element, traveling would seem to fall under it. But in a civilization that is reliant on sea-travel or using rivers to get quickly from one place to another, it makes sense where it is.

3. I'm not really getting/seeing the Rat as a symbolic animal of Spirit or Void. Not 100% on the Ankheg either, but at least it's a large monstrous (breath weapon, even) thing. Air with the eagles is just traditional/makes sense and is a "king of the air/winds" and flying creature that can have impressive size and, theoretically, could be seen as something that could fight a winged dragon in the skies. Water and Fire get actual draconic creatures.

So, I guess, first, why don't they each just have a dragon type of their own?

And second...why rat? I'm good with spider. Makes webs. Can form cocoons. Millions seem to come out of nowhere...and decidedly different than other animals and insects. I could even see the Worm as good for a spirit/void area. They're seemingly everywhere but no one ever knows for sure/you don't know they're there. They consume and transform the soil into different/"healthier" soil...I wouldn't so far as to say "life giving"...but "transformative" for sure. And then you can use giant/monstrous [perhaps Purple ] worms as their more draconic/divine form. Or for a bit more "in your face" symbology, a catepillar/larvae-like creature that metamorphoses [could be part of the yearly calendar?] and emerges as butterfly [or moth?]

But...yeah...not really following the rat imagery.

I do like the inclusion/choices for the related metals. And the rest all looks cool. Sounds like a cool place/setting for a game. Hope it's not that short a run.

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