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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Halivar" data-source="post: 1824828" data-attributes="member: 9327">I'd like to start a thread series geared towards campaign creation aids and advice. One recurring theme I'm seeing is people having a problem coming up with a creative or convincing pantheon. So, the first "Campaign Workshop" is all about gods.Campaign Workshop: Building a Better PantheonThe basis of any significant historical pantheon begins with the personification of those elements of society that are most important. Each of these elements of society is embodied by one or more members of the pantheon, and these deities are favored by those people most impacted by their portfolio. For nomadic barbarians, it's war. For farmers, it's agriculture. For fishermen, it's the sea.The first step of designing your pantheon is to make a list of those aspects of your campaign's culture (or cultures) that are most important, in order of importance. Some things that would be important to a pseudo-medieval society, for instance, are:AgricultureBirthCommerceDayDeathDreamsFishingHealing/medicineHuntingLawMarriageMiningMusicNightRomanceThe elements (earth, air, fire, water, etc.)The seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall)WarWealthWineNow, because we are in a fantasy pseudo-medieval society, let's add a few more things that might be important to such a fantasy society:Arcane magicBooks/knowledge/loreFeyNature magicPsionicsQuestsRacial identities (humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, dragons, etc.)For a darker campaign setting, consider adding some less-desirable items to the list:AberrationsChromatic dragonsNecromancy/undeadSecretsTyrannyVengeanceWrathFeel free to add or subtract from the combined list as you see fit. These items form the basis of each deities portfolio. Each deity should have at least two or three items from this list. Remember that odd combinations are not only okay, they are preferred for historical verisimilitude. For instance, Mars was the Roman god of both war and agriculture; Apollo was god of sun and music, etc., etc.If you want to cobble together a really unique pantheon, consider randomly determining each deity's portfolio. Take your list of portfolio items and assign them to a percentile range. For each deity, roll 1d3 times on this list. Make sure all or your “most important” items are covered by at least one deity.But we're not done with those portfolios! Now make a list of virtues and vices:CourageCowardiceEnvyHateHonorHumilityLovePatienceRageSelf-sacrificeSelf-seekingSlanderValorVanityIf you want a good-aligned campaign world, consider limiting the number of vices, or limit virtues for a darker, grittier campaign world. Remember that historical pantheistic societies reflect the deities they worship. Have a list long enough to cover your whole pantheon (or, at least the main players) and assign a virtue or vice to each deity. For more fun with odd combinations, assign each virtue/vice to a percentile range and roll for each major deity (rerolling any duplicates, unless you want five gods of courage or somesuch).From looking at each deities portfolio, you should be able to formulate a plausible alignment for each deity. In those cases where you cannot determine an alignment naturally from the portfolio, try filling in the gaps on the alignment grid, so that each of the nine alignments are represented in your pantheon (make sure to weight each axis to reflect your campaign world). Otherwise, you can randomly roll on each axis, dividing each axis in thirds for percentile ranges.Assign each deity domains that reflect the items in their portfolio. Each deity should have at least two domains (preferably more). If you can't draw two domains out of a deity's portfolio, consider either creating a new domain, or adding to the deity's portfolio.At this point, you need to develop the deities as NPC's. Though your players may never meet them, your campaign world needs to treat these deities as though they were near-omnipotent NPC's who can and do interfere with the day-to-day activities of your campaign world. Their personalities and dispositions matter to each and every individual in your campaign world, so don't skimp on this. I also include in this step writing the deities' respective histories. Knowing where they came from helps me understand where they're going.At this point, you can start determining which deities are most likely rivals, by pitting virtues/vices against each other, or a pair of deities that differ on the law-chaos or good-evil axis but happen to share a virtue or alignment (a la Hieroneous and Hextor sharing law and courage). You can also start determining relationships between deities based on their portfolios, and any history you may have written for them. Who's married? Who's who's kid? These are things that will affect how the pantheon works internally, and therefore how their campaign-world churches relate.Following this method of pantheon building, I came up with this pantheon for my campaign world, which has a lot of coverage over the average fantasy character's everyday life.:Bacchus (CN) – Wine, fey (original, eh?)Brishvar (LN) – Fire, metalwork, fire giants, dwarvesCrystara (NG) – Dreams, enchantmentCyrena (NE) – Fire, jealousyDromos (CN) – War, courage, stormsDrusilla (CG) – War, strength, good giantsGra'al (NE) – Evil, powerHalene (NG) – Good, healing, plants, earthHalivar (N) – Knowledge, magic, the mind, psionics (self-aggrandizement, too <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> )Justicus (LN) – Law, wrath, vengeanceKrylos (CE) – SlaughterLucinda (CG) – Luck, commerceMontor (LG) – Stone, dwarvesPyros (CE) – Fire, chaosRemyr (CN) – Romance, song, poetrySelenne (N) – Magic, literatureSivrin (NE) – Secrets, knowledge, bankingSt. Brenton (LG) – Honor, quests, war, courageSu-chan (LN) – Balance, healthSylinda (CG) – Maidens, fey, compassionTyrean (LE) – Tyranny, courage, warVarash (CN) – Water, stormsVeric (CG) – Hunters, wolvesVorthos (LN) – Death, harvest, agricultureAnyone got suggestions/additions/comments? Do you have a trick for building your pantheon? I'd like to hear it.</blockquote>

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