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Hey e'rybody, I want to design my own pantheon of gods, but I'm having a hard time getting started. About all I've got so far is a determination to make sure all domains, subdomains, mysteries, inquisitions, portfolios for variant channeling, and religion traits are accounted for, not to mention all alignments.
Anybody out there know a good guide to go by when designing a pantheon?
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First, consider whether all the gods are contemporaries or not: are there gods who are latecomers to the pantheon? Ascended mortals, etc.?
Think also about non-sentient sources of divine magic -- concepts, cthonic forces, mindless elemental forces, etc.
Determine whether all gods have a common origin, or whether there are variant ways that gods can come into existence.
Consider establishing a crop of original/creator-type deities, followed by subsequent gods with foci on guardian/patron-style portfolios.
A class of "titan-esque" precursors to the currently-worshipped gods can be useful, along with forgotten gods, the remnants of slain gods (hard to imagine something of that power being stopped by mere death/destruction; even the 'ghost' of a god should be able to hand out some interesting powers to those who will serve it).
I'd recommend racial deities being relative latecomers, emerging post-creation with the rise of sentient lifeforms.
Finally, it's possible to make a relatively-limited pantheon stretch to cover everything by eliminating alignment from the gods entirely, i.e., will deliver power to someone of any alignment who is sufficiently devoted/useful to the god's focus. This option leaves clerics of different alignments worshipping the same god often in conflict with each other, schismatic branches of a religion making alliance with like-minded priesthoods of other deities, etc. It can get complicated, but makes for a very interesting hotbed of intrigue among the temples.
Hope this helps a bit... you've got a big project in accounting for EVERYTHING with domain/subdomain/etc. Luck.
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I've designed a few pantheons for my own settings, and let me tell you something: It's fun and easy to do if you just let creativity lead the way, and rules follow after.
Step 1 is theogenesis - start with a creation myth. Don't worry about domains and all that jazz yet. In fact, ignore the books and rules for a moment and just make up a creation myth that you like for a setting you like. Make it fit conceptually first. It need not be believable or serious, especially considering real world creation myths involving giant turtles, cosmic cows or sexual innuendos involving spears and froth.
Step 2 is to tweak your primal gods to sort out what domains, alignments and favored weapons they have.
Step 3 is to look at a list of domains you've missed. From there, your story of godly origins will develop in a way that covers many of these gaps. If you don't have all the domains covered, don't cry. If you have overlap, good!
This is one pantheon.
One pantheon need not cover all domains.
Do you think the Greek gods cover them all? What about the Aztecs? Hindu? Mesopotamian? No. No pantheon needs to cover every domain.
But if you want to cover every domain, I suggest multiple pantheons, multiple cultures. A setting with only 1 culture is rather 1-dimensional by definition anyway.
That's my blab on the subject. Have fun!
I have 4 pantheons. The good aligned live in the constellations of the heavenly stars and they draw their power from the father star(sun)
The neutrals who are concepts like time, fate, death, etc... live on luna(the moon) in astral space. They draw their power from luna and the time stream.
The deities of Faerie which is parallel to earth are a myriad of alignments and they draw power from the mother tree which lies at the metaphorical edge of the earth.
The evil pantheon calls the hollow it's home. It lies deep within the earth where its corruption and whithering give them power.
You just need a system and themes and it will click from there.
I also based some on old pcs and Npcs from an old 3.5 game we took to level 20 something.
Here are a couple I made for my fave 3.5 setting
Rallack (NG): "That from which all things flow". He is time, he is water, he is change, he is the source of life and existence. For anything to exist, time must exist. So, Rallack is the source of all. He is the catalyst through which existence formed. Worshipped by Druids, and Clerics. Rallack is depicted as a powerfully built, shirtless male of all races and none, with long black hair, the size of a man, the barrel-like build of a dwarf and with the face of an elf. He wields a greatsword, which is also himself, and which he names "Blik". Sometimes he is riding the dragon of storms, Barracus. This symbolism is to show that the rain rides atop thunder and lightning, or that change & the ravages of time can be like unto a destructive, loud and frightening storm.
Domains: (core) Water, Healing, Sun, (SRD) Repose (Other) Celerity, Destiny, Endurance, Fate, Ocean, Time
Weapon: Longsword, Bast. sword or Greatsword
Symbol: Half-sun on watery horizon, with blue eye staring out from the sun.
Alternate Names: Timefather, Stormrider, The Sealord, Holiest of Holies, The Blue Swordsman, Dragontamer
Example Utterances: "By the Timefather's Third Eye!" (in vain), "He's a bit of a Dragontamer in his own right" (admiration), "Stormrider damn you!" (anger/curse), "It's all Blik" (satisfaction, approval).
Narryl (CG): "The Sword Nymph". She is the Rallack's wife, and also his mind. Rallack is such a primordial force that it is Narryl who reminds him of himself. She is also the goddess of music and the arts, war, love, lust, beauty, rage, vengeance and the magic inherent in nature. She is revered mostly by Fighters, Druids, Rangers and Bards, as she seems to have characteristics of all these people. She is usually depicted as a stern-faced goddess with long blonde hair, wielding a bloody longsword, heavily armored in steel plate from neck to navel. Her preferred weapon is the longsword made from her mother's vengeful spirit.
Domains: (Core) Luck, Travel, War, (SRD) Liberation, (Other) Fey, Passion, Retribution, Lust, Wrath
Weapon: Longsword, Bast. sword, Greatsword, Rapier.
Symbol: Any display using a used silver longsword (chipped, worn and/or bloody) and white wildflowers or blossoms.
Alternate Names: Goddess, Warmaiden, Queen of Passions, Half-nymph, The Golden Slayer, Lady Ironclad, the Songstress, Wildflower
Example Utterances: "That's a load of Narrylskirts" (aka B*!+++@$), "The Golden Slayer take you!" (curse or expression of anger), "An Ironclad's chest" (secure, unreachable, impenetrable)
The myth is that Rallack lived through eternity alone, then out of loneliness returned to the beginning of time, became mortal and influenced events to create himself a wife, Narryl, though he did not know where she would be born or to whom. She was born unto a nymph in captivity by a demonic wizard. The wizard's chaotic underlings rose up against their master, entered his tower by way of the dungeon, and happened upon Narryl and her mother, whom they took by force. When her mother died from the abuse, Narryl went mad with rage, killed her assailants and took up their armor, which she used to cover her womanhood that the goblins desired, and also to symbolically clad her heart in cold iron. She also took up a sword, born of her mother's vengeful will, and slaughtered her way to the top where she avenged her mother by tearing the demon wizard apart. Later, as she wandered without purpose, she found the mortal Rallack, who she was destined for, and reminded him of his divinity. Years later they married and became god and goddess. Some claim that the demon wizard is none other than Malignor himself, who tried to corrupt Narryl before giving her to Rallack, and whose false form was slain in her rage. Other claim that the wizard was instead fooled by Malignor into playing his part in Narryl's origin, staining this goodly nymph's story with lust, blood and vengeance.
Malignor (NE): "The Spectre of Death". The god of magic, knowledge, darkness, madness and solitude. He is only paid homage to ward off the things he represents. Sacrifices are made to Malignor much like protection payments to the mafia. His priests are often involved in the inquisition, but mainly so that they can take the arcane knowledge and power for themselves, and hoard it for the day when Malignor calls upon them to wield it. Many priests also consider themselves martyrs, willing to feed themselves to the abyss for the good of their people; so long as they are d4mned by being Malignor's servants, they can hold back the darkness from their neighbors, families and loved ones. Others join the ranks because they feel that it makes them best equipped to crush those who wield the arcane without Malignor's consent, which is the common interpretation nowadays for wizards according to Malignor's dogma. Malignor is depicted as the grim reaper - a skeleton clad in black robes. Sometimes he wields a scythe, but more often he holds a magical staff.
Domains: (Core) Magic, Knowledge, Trickery, (SRD) Darkness, Madness, (Other) Moon, Pain, Planning, Transformation, Undeath
Weapon: Quarterstaff or Scythe
Symbol: White moon, shrouded in blood red clouds.
Alternate Names: Grim Reaper, Lich-god, The Mocking Shadow, Spectre of the Final Death, Fleshtwister, the Drifting Madness, Lord of the Abyss, the Dark Master
Example Utterances: "Clouds of Blood!" (vain, horror, worry), "May the Shadow pass you by" (well-wishes), "Final Death for you all!" (an extremely malicious and vile curse), "Fleshtwister..." (expression of exceptional pain or sorrow - also used by masochists to express pleasure).
Malignor's origin is that of a mortal who, through trickery, stole magic from the demons, outwitted death itself and impressed Rallack into being employed as his counterweight - the embodiment of oblivion to counter Rallack's embodiment of genesis, while Narryl represents life itself, and the paradoxical nature of it (birth, life, feeding upon life, death, mortality, fertility, etc.). They act as rivals, though Rallack is recognized as far more powerful and Malignor far more cunning. The events of the world is described like a friendly game of chess between the friends, Malignor being tricky and deceptive and Rallack simply having unstoppable moves and infinite experience (having existed for eternity). Malignor is also the experimenter, mixing things into horrors unimaginable. He is rumored to capture people for no reason and turn them into misshapen terrors. For example, Orcs were Elves until Malignor toyed with their forms.
Glorban: Glorban is the man who brought humanity across the desert to the promised land. He was a woodsman, a hero, a prophet and a sort of everyman all at once. After his greatest task - that of guiding millions to the promised land, he was taken up to the heavens to become a god. From there, he fathered Galemine, and sent him to the world. There are many different churches of Glorban, who revere him in his different aspects. Each church has its own symbol, depiction of Glorban and Cleric domains.
Church of the Ascension (NG): This church worships Glorban, the woodman. The dogma is essentially that of divinity being found in simple origins - that anyone has the potential for greatness. It is basically a dogma that praises the mundane, reveres human nature and pays homage to many of the Glorban-centric fables and legends that have been chronicled and/or fabricated over the years.
Symbol: A coniferous tree
Favored Weapon: Battleaxe
Domains: Animal, Earth, Luck, Plant, Glory, Nobility
Church of the Prophet (NG): This church worships Glorban, the prophet. This church is very philosophical and peaceful. Much time is spent on meditation, mantras and so on. Much like a fusion of Taoism and Buddhism from IRL. Very popular among Monks.
Symbol: A great eye in the sky, looking at a mountain peak
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff
Domains: Air, Knowledge, Sun, Liberation
[u]Church of the Traveller[/u] (NG): This church worships Glorban, as a guide who discovered the promised land. Dogma is centered around paths, following, seeking, leading, remaining in motion and sticking together as a community against the harsh world. Popular among Rangers and Barbarians.
Symbol: A sandaled figure so wrapped in cloth as to have no features.
Favored Weapon: Sling
Domains: Community, Sun, Travel, Liberation
Church of the Father (LG): This church worships Glorban, as the divine father of Galemine. Strong emphasis on guidance, nurturing, fertility, protection, and the family as a bloodline, name and community.
Symbol: A great trident, stuck into the earth, whose shaft ascends into a cloud
Favored Weapon: Trident
Domains: Air, Community, Good, Nobility, Protection
Galemine: Angellic son of Glorban. Dragonslayer, bringer of floods, dream of inspiration. Like with Glorban, Galemine has different churches, symbols and Domains.
Church of the Winged Son (LG): Worships the image of the messenger who took in the state of the world and carried the message to Glorban. Doctrine emphasizes wisdom in observation ('Do not look, do not hear, but see and listen.'), observance of authority and efficiency of method (as per the speed of the messenger).
Symbol: A feather, between the clouds of Heaven and the mountain of Earth.
Favored Weapon: Javelin
Domains: Air, Knowledge, Travel, Good, Law
Church of Dragonbane (CG): Worships the image of Galimine the dragonslayer. Very popular among fighters. There are no paladins of this church, as it has too much emphasis on violence and chaos. Doctrine based around tactics, wits and strength, and how they can be used to defeat every "dragon" you must overcome in life.
Symbol: A dead white dragon with its head held up by being impaled on a trident, sticking out of the ground.
Favored Weapon: Trident
Domains: Glory, Luck, Strength, Trickery
Church of Holy Judgement (N): Worships Galimine as the bringer of volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, and as the spiritual instigator of the great revolution, subsequent crusades and inquisitions. Dogma centers around great change, sacrifice, and the endurance of righteous suffering (such as cleaning a wound, tough love and so on). This church has all the doomsday sub-groups of wackos and extremists who perform self-inflicted wounds, burning or drowning people as "wizards", and so on. However, despite this bad reputation, there are also some moderate subgroups who take things less literally and less extreme.
Symbol: A burning drop of water.
Favored Weapon: Heavy or Light Mace, whose head is shaped like a fist. Symbolizes the raised fist of revolution.
Domains: Chaos, Fire, Death, Destruction, War
Start with a theme or idea to focus around. write a story. The rules will work them selves out.
If offering options to your players is a big thing for you why not take the next step and consult your players?
The Forgotten Realms setting has a deity that was created this way. One of Jeff Grubb's players said he wished to worship "money". He used for a symbol a Walking Liberty Half-Dollar coin, and thus was born Waukeen, goddess of coin and wealth.
The player feels a lot more involved if he has a say in his god's development, and you take some small load of your back (you do have a ton of other gods to create).
I took the alignment charts, picked some of my favorite superheroes/archetypes, mashed them up with the second-string types from the Greek Pantheon (Batman/Nemesis, Superman/Phaeton, Lex/Phobos, etc.), and put them at war with the Lovecraftian gods.
Then I added the "Son of Zeus" cult, just for fun, as the hippy pilgrims, and threw in Gruumsh for good measure.