I think I've found a new play group at last, and I hope to be running them through AoW soon. I'd really like to get my homebrew pantheon finished and start using it by the time that happens. However, I've come to the realization that I don't have a good replacement for Hextor (which is important considering the Ebon Triad and Alhaster).
I've fallen into using real-world mythological/occult names for the various evil gods I've created (who mostly have no further connection with their namesake). So far, I've used Apollyon, Asmodeus, Astaroth, Baal, and Nergal. Asmoedeus is much the same as he is in standard D&D, Lord of Hell, Lawful Evil, etc. He's the god of deception, greed, pacts, power (political typically), and slavery. But he's not really a warrior-type god.
Within the context of AoW, this presents a problem due to the warlike nature of the LE branch of the Ebon Triad (an element I don't want to lose). I would replace the Vecnans with the Asmodeans if I didn't already have another, even more appropriate deity in place. I've construed Astaroth as a violent a brutal god, but he's CE (and technically god of destruction, not war), which would really mess with the tactical elements of Theldrick's group in 3FoE, something I want to hold on to.
In a larger sense, which further spurs me to seek another member for the pantheon, I don't have any deity for the other militant LE groups in my world to worship (for example, the armies of the hobgoblins; they're not so interest in plots and pacts, but rather discipline and strength).
Thus, I come to the living encyclopedia of obscure mythological knowledge that seems to reside here at Paizo! Names are a touchy issue for me. I want something that conveys a strong, warlike disposition for this deity. I also need to make sure this gods identity is sufficiently separate from Astaroth, who is roughly equivalent to Erythnul. I've done a scan of Wikipedia and the Fiendish Codex II, but no names really jump out at me.
Two more things: I don't want to use the name of any prominent or semi-prominent archfiends/gods already within D&D (such as Mammon, Dis, Bel, Pazuzu, Surtr, etc.), nor prominent names from mythology (such as Ares, Hades, Thor, etc.).
That's probably more info than was required for something so relatively trivial. What can I say? I'm chronically verbose. :)
I'd highly recommend getting a copy of "A Dictionary of Angels, including the fallen angels" by Gustav Davidson. There are tons of fantastic names for villains/gods/demons etc. that haven't been taken into D&D yet. It's also a treasure of lore.
Good luck w/ the campaign.
Huitzilopochtli is very similar to Hextor, but I suppose you're looking for something Indo-European sounding?
|
I'd highly recommend getting a copy of "A Dictionary of Angels, including the fallen angels" by Gustav Davidson. There are tons of fantastic names for villains/gods/demons etc. that haven't been taken into D&D yet. It's also a treasure of lore.
This is definitely a treasure trove of names and lore, useful for any gm or scenario designer.
As to names i might suggest for a war diety - i'm partial to Morrigan because i use her in my home campaign. Her writeup the Legends and Lore 2 ed -
"Morrigan is the Celtic goddess of war. She is a fearsome warrior, causing great fear in her opponents, driving home her own battles with a spear in either hand. She is terribly ugly, laughs a maniacal laugh, and has dreadful manners. She expects all Celts and especially her followers to fight constantly, encouraging petty wars where there otherwise would be none."
It was she who "gifted" berserker rage to the barbarian tribes of my north.
Other names- Guerre (french for war), Gera (filipino for war), Sota (Finnish for war), and so on
Bane from FR is the epitomy of a le diety.
Taken from Tolkien -Melkor (who Sauron learned his dirty tricks from)
I've been always partial to Melekieth the Backstabber, the Accursed, the Foresaken
And of course there is Mordred from King Arthur.
Good luck w/ the campaign.
I'd highly recommend getting a copy of "A Dictionary of Angels, including the fallen angels" by Gustav Davidson. There are tons of fantastic names for villains/gods/demons etc. that haven't been taken into D&D yet. It's also a treasure of lore.
This is definitely a treasure trove of names and lore, useful for any gm or scenario designer.
You know what's funny about this? I've had that book for over 10 years now, and just today I thought to recommend it on these forums. And now I've just browsed through the quite excellent "Anger of Angels" by Sean K Reynolds. Guess which book is the 1st he listed in his bibliography? That's a freaky little coincidence.
|
|
I've had that book for over 10 years now, and just today I thought to recommend it on these forums. And now I've just browsed through the quite excellent "Anger of Angels" by Sean K Reynolds. Guess which book is the 1st he listed in his bibliography?I have had the book for a long time as well, i used the names i found in it to bring life to the 7 paragon Solars that were the caretakers of the 7 layers of the heavens.
This is a god I created for a specific pantheon, but you might find it useful:
Tarchak, the Storm Lord
LE
Portfolio: Ambitious war, storms, tyranny
Domains: Evil, Law, War, Weather (from CD)
Favored Weapon: Greatsword
Thank you all; interesting ideas.
I definitely want this additional god. As I said, I was missing a patron god for several influential groups (such as the aforementioned hobgoblins). I also want this for symbolic/structural reasons. Though there are evil gods who don't fall into this category, in the cosmology I've developed, the primary evils belong to a group called the Baal. The term can refer generically to any fiend, or to their lords (which are the Archdukes of Hell and the Demon Lords and Princes) and gods (who are just more elevated versions thereof). I had four primary Baal, the ones most commonly encountered, but I really wanted a fifth so that the pentagram might stand as a perfect symbol for them (though there are far more than just five).
I had even thought about the name "Abaddon" before, but initially rejected it because almost half the pantheon starts with the letter A (Asmodeus, Apollyon, Astaroth, plus three of my own creation, Akar, Arias, and Azuun). But, I guess one more won't tip the scales farther than they already are. :) Abaddon has the perfect ring to it. Thanks again!
|
|
I had four primary Baal, the ones most commonly encountered, but I really wanted a fifth so that the pentagram might stand as a perfect symbol for them (though there are far more than just five).
Maybe you could even have 6 primary baal with the all the connotations of the #, there would be 5 for each piont of the pentegram and the last 1 in the center of it. Each would be jockeying for that key position (kind of the Lord of the 9th layer of hell or being the "prince of demons").
I had even thought about the name "Abaddon" before, but initially rejected it because almost half the pantheon starts with the letter A (Asmodeus, Apollyon, Astaroth, plus three of my own creation, Akar, Arias, and Azuun).
Abaddon all hope ...