RangerWickett
Legend
I'm working on a novel, and I have done a lot of world building to establish the main social groups and power players in the society, but I could use a little help from some people with different brains than me to come up with other elements of the world that I can add to give it more flavor, and make sure it doesn't feel like it was holy created by a single person's imagination.
So far, the main action centers around a Babylon-esque city, where the ziggurat called the Palace Hill serves as a focal point for a polytheistic religion. Four primary deities whose shrines sit atop the structure. Then there are about ten minor deities I've come up with that are recognized, plus religions of other hostile cultures that are not well received.
Quick list (which lacks a ton of nuance):
The Big Four
Beshel. Sea, commerce, enforcement of order across the region.
Abgal. Animal domestication, protection from natural disasters.
Jetwan. Medicine, higher learning.
Ixon. Metallurgy, artisans.
B-Listers
Allatu. Warfare, summer heat, sickness.
Melendiel. Vanity, beauty, ennui.
Methodra. Guarding the frontier, rural communities.
Nasda. Travelers, roads, storytellers.
Imsiah. Mercy, familial love.
Regkel. Prisoners, burial, mining.
Amrita. Deserts, illusions, personal metamorphosis.
Artyr. Child of Allatu, also warfare but with a vibe of retribution rather than conquest.
Mateshur. Suffering, solitude. Loathed by the gods but forbidden from dying.
Nhedu. Weaving, poison, sneaking.
The Outliers
Chebash. Floods and agriculture. Her priesthood has chosen not to align with the Palace Hill, believing the goddess's gifts should belong to all. Not hostile, but skeptical.
Brakal. Nomads, raiders. Many tribes have their own private gods, but revere him as a sort of focus of opposition to the cities that drive them from the best lands.
Sica. Wild beasts, the terror in the night. Her priestesses say she never speaks to them, just sends signs, but she hates the Palace Hill.
Aphrax. Primordial destruction, hunger. Appeased with offerings but no formal priests.
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So, do you have any ideas for deities that bronze age or stone age cultures might revere? Maybe some small minor things? Any inspiration is appreciated.
So far, the main action centers around a Babylon-esque city, where the ziggurat called the Palace Hill serves as a focal point for a polytheistic religion. Four primary deities whose shrines sit atop the structure. Then there are about ten minor deities I've come up with that are recognized, plus religions of other hostile cultures that are not well received.
Quick list (which lacks a ton of nuance):
The Big Four
Beshel. Sea, commerce, enforcement of order across the region.
Abgal. Animal domestication, protection from natural disasters.
Jetwan. Medicine, higher learning.
Ixon. Metallurgy, artisans.
B-Listers
Allatu. Warfare, summer heat, sickness.
Melendiel. Vanity, beauty, ennui.
Methodra. Guarding the frontier, rural communities.
Nasda. Travelers, roads, storytellers.
Imsiah. Mercy, familial love.
Regkel. Prisoners, burial, mining.
Amrita. Deserts, illusions, personal metamorphosis.
Artyr. Child of Allatu, also warfare but with a vibe of retribution rather than conquest.
Mateshur. Suffering, solitude. Loathed by the gods but forbidden from dying.
Nhedu. Weaving, poison, sneaking.
The Outliers
Chebash. Floods and agriculture. Her priesthood has chosen not to align with the Palace Hill, believing the goddess's gifts should belong to all. Not hostile, but skeptical.
Brakal. Nomads, raiders. Many tribes have their own private gods, but revere him as a sort of focus of opposition to the cities that drive them from the best lands.
Sica. Wild beasts, the terror in the night. Her priestesses say she never speaks to them, just sends signs, but she hates the Palace Hill.
Aphrax. Primordial destruction, hunger. Appeased with offerings but no formal priests.
---
So, do you have any ideas for deities that bronze age or stone age cultures might revere? Maybe some small minor things? Any inspiration is appreciated.