Asian Pantheons?

[MarauderX]

Has anyone developed any asian pantheons? I am kinda looking to develop something based on east asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, et all) as opposed to Indian. I am curious to know if anyone done this before, and how it worked out.

 

[FireLance]

Are you looking for information about real-world East Asian mythologies or are you just interested in making up a pantheon with an East Asian flavour?

If the latter, a Chinese pantheon would operate very much like a bureaucracy reporting (through various layers) to a single emperor-figure. Every diety and spirit would have a job and responsibilities, and may be promoted if he performs well, or demoted if he does badly.

I am less familiar with Japanese and Korean mythology, though.

 

[The Blue Elf]

The only story that I know that has Chinese Mythology Journey to the East.It had many names of gods and demons in that story.

 

[Xeriar]

Has anyone developed any asian pantheons? I am kinda looking to develop something based on east asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, et all) as opposed to Indian. I am curious to know if anyone done this before, and how it worked out.

AEG's Legend of the Five Rings (d20 version is called Rokugan) is currently the most popular oriental RPG setting - and one of the better ones, I'm told (I just like to think of it as excellent). In many ways, it does an amazing job of blending the four main oriental philosophy-religions. It had a Japanese focus but Chinese elements are also present.

If you want something more authentic, you should look into Shinto, Buddhism (The oriental flavors - Tibetan, Zen, etc), Confucianism and Taoism.

I know little about Korean, Mongolian or Siamese mythology, unfortunately :-(

 

[talinthas]

The Chinese story is actually Journy to the West, and its basically a retelling of Hindu mythology, which isnt what the original poster is looking for, methinks.

 

[johnsemlak]

Has anyone developed any asian pantheons? I am kinda looking to develop something based on east asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, et all) as opposed to Indian. I am curious to know if anyone done this before, and how it worked out.

Not sure this is what you'r elooking for, but the old 1e Dieties and Demigods as well as the 2e Legends and Lore both had Chinese and Japenese pantheons statted out. The 2e version is available for download at the WotC site, I believe.

 

[Desdichado]

There was also an articles in a Dragon magazine a few years ago that had a Chinese pantheon. I guess that's not really what you're looking for, though, is it?

 

[kirinke]

hmmm

well. you could go to a search engine like dogpile and type in something along the lines of chinese/japanese deities or chinese patheons.
you're sure to find something.

 

[MarauderX]

There was also an articles in a Dragon magazine a few years ago that had a Chinese pantheon. I guess that's not really what you're looking for, though, is it?

Actually, yeah, but I want it to be at least sorta 'authentic' in the way the Olympian and Asgardian pantheons were done in Deities and Demigods. Do you have an issue number or link?

well. you could go to a search engine like dogpile and type in something along the lines of chinese/japanese deities or chinese patheons.
you're sure to find something.

Yeah, I did. But found it a bit tough to get my arms around quickly so I thought I would take the ENWorld shortcut and see who has seen or done it already. I have OA and love it, but it doesn't give the depth I am looking for with deities.

 

[MarauderX]

There was also an articles in a Dragon magazine a few years ago that had a Chinese pantheon. I guess that's not really what you're looking for, though, is it?

Did you know which issue it might be? And more importantly, is it at least 3.0?