Discussion of the LEW Panthon (and potential changes)

[Erekose13]

Heres another bit of info. You had asked to see what clerics there were, voila!

Antonidas (Knowledge, Magic) - ACTIVE
Ayratha (Fire, Strength) - ACTIVE
Chennet (Fire, Good) - ACTIVE
Chennet (Fire, Good) - Inactive
Geoth (??) - ACTIVE
Gliran (??) - Inactive?
Gliran (Knowledge, Magic) - ACTIVE
Grendath (Good, War) - Inactive
Grendath (Luck, Good) - Inactive
Grendath (Luck, Trickery) - Inactive
Grendath (Luck, War) - Inactive
Grendath (Trickery, War) - Inactive
Grendath (Trickery, War) - Inactive
Hyrag (??) - Inactive
Hyrag (Good, Sun) - ACTIVE
Hyrag (Good, Sun) - Inactive
Hyrag (Healing, Sun) - Inactive
Jareth (Knowledge, Death) - Inactive
Mongrel (Travel, Luck) - ACTIVE
Mongrel (Travel, Trickery) - ACTIVE
Mongrel (Travel, Trickery) - Inactive
Mortalist (Knowledge, Protection) - ACTIVE
None (Chaos, Good) - Inactive
None (Law, War) - Inactive
Phyrah (Protection, Travel) - ACTIVE
Russna (Communication, Magic) - ACTIVE
Sela (Strength, Community) - ACTIVE
Shural (Knowledge, Protection) - Inactive
Shurassa (Air, Water) - ACTIVE
Taurusk (Blood, Destruction) - ACTIVE
Ulura (Charm, Trickery) - ACTIVE

Only 15 Active, no Grendath clerics are active. The following gods have no active clerics - Delanor, Grendath, Gundar, Halina, Halor, Jareth, Kazikazi, Lilitu, Mishtuli, Seto, Shural, Taka, Verdante.

 

[doghead]

I remember looking for a deity for something or other, I can't remember exactly. What struck me at the time was a number of mundane activities didn't seem to be represented. I haven't had a chance to look over the thread again, I'll try in the next day or two.

thotd

 

[Bront]

I remember looking for a deity for something or other, I can't remember exactly. What struck me at the time was a number of mundane activities didn't seem to be represented. I haven't had a chance to look over the thread again, I'll try in the next day or two.

thotd

That was why I made Halina first. By far one of the most central deities to any pantheon is a motherly fertility figure.

If you can think of any more, let me know.

 

[Erekose13]

I've got an idea for a black sheep of the Seven Sisters if we are open to a totally psycho one joining their ranks. She'd be daughter of Halor and touch on Madness and Mind, clarity through insanity. Something to that effect. I'll try to write one up.

 

[Bront]

That sound entertaining.

I was going to make a god of aberations with Madness as well, but I might not. Heck, perhaps this sister will work well for that too.

 

[Erekose13]

ooh aberrations. hmm more things twirling in head, will let the madness sink in over night and try to come up with one tomorrow.

 

[Bront]

Zephos, God of the Dead, Shepherds and Azwan, God of War and Nobility have been proposed.

 

[Someone]

Orthar the polivalent god has been proposed too, though I´ll polish it in the following days, as he´s meant to be an important god thought for the common folk.

 

[El Jefe]

Hmm. I'm starting to wonder if the pantheon isn't getting to be a little lopsided. I want more time for the bad guys.

Before this thread started, we had a bit of a hole in the dark side. We had 4 evil lesser dieties, and 1 evil demigod. That sort of cried out for 1 (just one) BBEG, who in most campaigns or pantheons is some sort of arch-god of evil and death and all things bad and nasty. Most always a greater god, and (at least, historically) a notch or two down in power from the pantheon leader ('cuz good always triumphs, right?)

Well, with Zephos, that means we don't have the stereotypical God of the Dead (GotD) that a lot of campaigns have (think Nerull from Wizards). Ok, avoiding stereotypes is good. I started thinking of a BBEG who was a sort of god of deceit or something, quite miffed that Zephos had cornered the dead market, and who was a big sponsor of undeath for that reason. ("Hah! You like shepherding souls to their proper repose? Well, here's some skeletons, zombies, and vampires for you to play with! Muhahahaha!")

Then we got Orthar, and I'm somewhat torn. See, the problem with Orthar is that he's self-balancing. It's hard to get steamed at him for being the god of destruction when he's also the god of creation as well. I mean, how do Gundar and Halor and Halina feel about this? "Heh-heh, sorry guys, I was just being a little destructive today"? If you've got 3 good greater gods and one greater god that's sometimes good, sometimes neutral, and sometimes evil, it's hard to see how much challenge ever gets established for good-aligned adventurers to take care of. And who do all the evil monsters pray to? It's a little confusing.

I don't have an easy answer, or I'd just propose it. I don't want to shoot down Orthar just because the pantheon is getting crowded, but I do think we're at the stage where we need to consider the structure of the whole pantheon when we vote on diety proposals. Maybe I'd feel better if Orthar was demoted to an intermediate diety or something, I'm not sure.

Ideas?

 

[Someone]

I think is a good idea to define the structure of the pantheon, or at least of the upper echelons. Those should cover basic things: Earth and Sky, Nature/Life, Change are a good start, counting Othar or his substitute/s. I see greater gods as more impersonal, more unconcrened by what happens with mortals. Intermediate status should go for things important for mortals: war, what happens with the dead, daily things; the lesser and demigod status should be for specialized gods: assasins, cooking, gambling, etc.

I do not see however the need of the pantheon to be balanced. Since LEW is not like the Realms, where the unbelievers are screwed, not everybody needs to have a patron god. We´re allowed to have a more “organic” pantheon, where the gods do whatever they please, and are not fighting for portfolios (a thing that IMO implies they get power from worshippers). If the status of a god comes from the number of worshippers, yes, the pantheon should be balanced. If not, there´s not an absolute need.

That said, a bad guy is always handy. We could however go the “greyhawk rute” and make the main bad guy a Neutral Evil demigod, whose apotheosis happened not so long ago. Since he was a mortal he´s very concerned with what happens with the world, and still wants to conquer it.

Or better still, a couple demigods: one chaotic evil, of treachery and selfish gains, and other, lawful evil, of tiranny and cruelty. Both were allies, but they are at war. They want followers, so they are not afraid to recruit anyone to fight among themselves and the good guys.

What do you think?