This was my first crack at a homemade pantheon. I really wanted to design my own setting in which to run our Kingmaker campaign, but the amount of work that it would take for my working-class butt would guarantee that I'd be busy for years. So I went with the base setting in order to appease my players; they are, after all, the stars of the show. :)
The gods and goddesses presented herein represents a month's worth of work. I had intended to call the land in which these deities appeared "Thule", so if you see a reference to this word you can replace it with "Golarion" in your head, that way the entry is easier to understand.
Also, you may find familiar names here and there. Firefly, Mass Effect, Pathfinder and many other sources were borrowed from; I guess you could say that I am tipping my hat to my favorite sources of quality plot.
And finally, the profile pics of each deity are edited artwork that I found from various places around the internet. None these pictures are mine. I have not, and will never claim any IP for them or use them to make money. That being said, I would like to thank the original artists for the use of their work in order to better illustrate my pantheon, as well as any IP of Paizo's that I have borrowed from in this post.
Feel free to utilize this pantheon, any- and everyone. I'd much rather it be used than sit on my hard drive forever for no reason. Enjoy!
[Neutral]
( Pulse of Power, Magelord, Father of the Nine )
Profile Pic here.
Comus is an old god and has changed over the aeons alongside the mindset of his mortal worshipers. Some of the most ancient legends say that Comus is extremely jealous of his dominion over magical power and has consumed other deities whose portfolios have overlapped his own. A priest of Comus is commonly referred to as a theurge and will often dip into an arcane class in order to better-glorify their divine patron. Comus charges his clerics with spreading literacy, education and arcane tutelage wherever they travel. Being not good, evil, lawful or chaotic as a clerical body, priests of Comus obey their strictly neutral-aligned masters without question, ultimately answering to a theocratic head called "The Tail of the Comet" upon the mysterious isle of Abbatoba in the glacial north of the Karibdyn Ocean. Common folk often seek out theurges to interpret omens in the sky or to beg Comus to send his storms to another land.
It is the Stormwardens of Comus that provide for free education to children of tradesman and freemen. Often they will defer lesson plans according to the wishes of parents in order to maintain a neutral presence within pools of local politics. Without the stormwardens it is likely that the level of education possessed by those with a more-common social status would've been neglected. The moniker "teacher of all" is an accurate one and comusian library-temples can be found in nearly every civilized nation.
The only private sector of the church is a clandestine shadow sect called the Sons of Thunder. These divinely-gifted specialists ritualistically hunt down and destroy those who upset existence itself with their magical meddling. There are only nine sons and each was male. Every member of the Sons of Thunder has irrevocably bound himself to this service until death. In exchange for this sacrifice of destiny and will Comus has transformed his Sons, who now use the Pleroma Aeon entry in the Bestiary II (pg. 12).
Each Son of Thunder also possess the following additional special ability:
Temporal Flux (Su):
Comus' Sons of Thunder may travel along the flowing stream of time in any direction as if it were the calmest of rivers. They may take up to six medium-sized or smaller creatures with them if they so desire. This ability may be used at will.
Holy Symbol: Twin, circling purple comets on a field of stars
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: God of magic, sorcerers, wizards, spellcasting, arcane power, educators, celestial phenomena & storms.
Domains: Air, Destruction, Knowledge, Magic, Rune, Weather
Favored Weapon: Morningstar
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: N, NG, NE, CN, LN
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[Chaotic Neutral]
( Lord of War, Old Goretooth, Widowmaker )
Profile Pic here.
Mindless savagery, leadership through brutality and the coppery stink of spilled blood- all of these things excite Havoc, the most violent of the gods. Mythology from several cultures each describe a variant of The Sundering, a popular origin tale of the divine twins Havoc and Bastille. According to legend, long ago two great nations inevitably ended their centuries-long coexistence with a great conflict. Each land waged war in a different fashion, but both were so equally-effective that an elder god turned [his] attention toward the conflict. After weighing both the merits and sins of each culture, [he] could not decide which nation should defeat the other. In a moment of frustration, the great war god tore [himself] into two halves- one favoring each of the two nations. Before the end, both civilizations fell victim to treachery, poverty and starvation. Their exact story was then torn from the pages of history by the god-children Havoc and Bastille- vibrant new gods that had coalesced from the spiritual ruin where the two nations once stood. Or so it is said.
Clerics of Havoc are extremely dangerous opponents, especially in close-quarter combat. The phrase “du-loom” means blood rage in the orcish tongue, and many priests of Havoc supplement their clerical power with the skills of a barbarian simply for the religious ecstasy that they feel when slipping into bouts of uncontrollable rage.
For all of its disorganized appearance, a loose and secretive relationship does exist between clergy of different sects within the church. Three major sects venerate Havoc, god of glorious death; they are: the Othmoot (wandering warmasters), the Salumang (political agitators), and the Shemlin (agents of Havoc). Shemlin worm their way into a local hierarchy and subtly steer it toward war.
Salumang work with Shemlin to create unrest in an region. The Othmoot are the only truly benign (and usually chaotic good) members of Havoc's church. These charismatic warmasters wander the land and train the morally worthy to unravel the plans of, and defeat the forces of the other two Havocine sects. In this way is self-balancing chaos maintained throughout Havoc's church- by constantly pitting its most-powerful priests against each other.
Holy Symbol: Madness radiating outward from two perpendicular eyes that share a single pupil
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: God of warfare, self-reliance, adaptive tactics, spilled blood, vampires and violence.
Domains: Chaos, Death, Destruction, Liberation, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Greatsword
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: CG, CN, CE, N
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[Lawful Neutral]
( Mistress of Guardians, The Shieldmaiden, Our Lady of the Forge, Bastion of Invincibility )
Profile Pic here.
Logistics experts, master craftsmen and tactical geniuses all, the clergy of the Iron Maiden (as she is called by common folk) enjoy the civilized benefits of their calling more than most. Each initiate into the engineering mysteries must attend formal schooling that can be most easily envisioned as a technical school merged with a liturgical college. Graduation can take from four to ten years depending on an acolyte's aptitude. In addition to their academic studies, an initiate of Bastille's prestigious school (the University of Applied Logics at New Stetven) must master basic combat then take a sacred oath that fobids them from ever forsaking constant martial improvement. According to bastillian liturgy, troops can only ever be as good as the officers that train them. In this way, they constantly seek to improve both their own battle prowess and that of those around them.
The first rank of cleric within the church of Bastille is Sergeant. A sergeant commands squads of initiates in battle. Above Sergeant is Master Sergeant, then Templar, followed by Knight and finally Commander- a rank that typically describes the one cleric that commands all personnel within a temple complex. Across regions a singularly powerful pontiff rules over his temple commanders. This individual is called the Grand Cleric. It is his most important duty to ensure that the region he presides over is adequately defended from invasion, be it in allying with barbarian tribes or serving as a spiritual adviser to a local monarch. Bastille seeks to defend existing cultures and peoples. Through her church, she strengthens a civilization's stability and longevity as a counterweight to the erosive effect that her twin brother's mad campaign to sow bloodshed and chaos has on the minds of the power-hungry.
Though not intrinsically good, bastillian clerics tend to work against any plans that threaten the overall stability of a region. This has incensed many clerics who serve her for ambitious reasons. These heretics of reason (as the church calls them) often fall prey to the bloodthirsty nature of greed and can become double agents for Havoc without realizing it. The church is currently in a secretive state of alarm after recent events have spiraled out of hand across the sea, a land where the Grand Cleric's palace resides. Due to direct and purposeful intervention of a handful of bastillian clerics, a brutal war between splinter groups within the church itself has engulfed local politics. It is madness. Local leadership has cut off communication with outside churches in an attempt to stem the inflammation of insanity and internecine conflict being displayed in their own lands.
Beyond this development, ex-adventurer clerics are the most common choices for the church's higher ranked positions, particularly those with leadership skills and a practical mindset. Lands with bastillian defensive structures built upon them are worth the most and fully half of bastillian clerics are dwarven.
Holy Symbol: A kris-bladed longsword set upon the two circles of the bastillian dueling discipline
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of battle, defense, bodyguards, guardsmen, seigeworks, defensive structures and blacksmiths.
Domains: Artifice, Earth, Law, Protection, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Longsword (& shield, typically)
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: LG, LN, LE
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[Lawful Evil]
( Mistress of Fate, Keeper of Keys, The Dark Sun, Devourer of Souls )
Profile Pic here.
Ankau is one of the most cruel beings ever to plague the mortals of Thule. There once was a great wizard of renown named Ankau the Dark who was infamous for her magical invincibility. As age crept upon her, the necromancer turned to forbidden magical arts for strength. Ankau soon found that by steadily consuming the souls of powerful beings, she could avoid aging. Using vile magics, the mage wove her enemies' life-force into a cloak that fed her eternal youth. After over two hundred years of unnatural life, the elder god of death began to wonder where Ankau's soul had gone as it was long overdue. Journeying to earth to find out, the elder god came upon Ankau, who then handed him her cloak as a gesture of false submission. So curious was elder death about Ankau's cloak that he put it on himself.
Unfortunately the cloak had been crafted so that it would submit to the will of none but its creator. Evil spirits within Ankau's cloak fed upon the essence of the old god, draining him and providing her with all of the power she could ever want. And so it was that Ankau was the first mortal to both successfully destroy a god and steal its divinity. Since that time, Ankau has amused herself by causing all manner of trouble for the rest of the pantheon.
Possibly her most vile attribute, the death goddess enjoys feasting upon powerful spirits, the souls of great heroes or powerful villains. Although the deceased may be destined for the domain of its patron, the goddess of death is infamous for manipulating the unwise into bartering their destiny away that she might consume them. It is Ankau's thirst for souls that makes Last Rite rituals an important part of most other faiths; blessing the souls of the recently deceased in this way prevents Ankau from stealing them. When no rite is possible, gods often send divine messengers to escort a particularly important soul safely away from Ankau's machinations.
Although Ankau is a despicable being to her core, she is not without wisdom. The Dark Lady recognizes a vital role that she plays in the overall cycle of life and death. In order to appease the general populace (as well as retain their worship), Ankau has separated her clerics into two groups. The Order of the Black Rose consists primarily of lawful neutral clergy who fulfill the function of the previous god's clerics: funerary servicemen. The Disciples of the Dark Sun form the second order and operate strictly in secrecy. To prevent chaos from enveloping her church, Ankau forbids her disciples to infiltrate the ranks of the first order. Dark priests, cruel monks, vile necromancers and a host of stranger subjects populate the Dark Suns and spend their lives in pursuit of greater glory for their dark goddess. By infiltrating other churches, the Suns spread death and poison while intimidating survivors into bartering their eternal soul to Ankau.
Although she would never admit to a weakness, Ankau secretly despises the love and acceptance mortals shower upon her ascended sister, the goddess Vaenia. Vaenia was born from discarded aspects of the elder god killed by Ankau. Both beings wage open war in some of the more remote areas of the world; lands where the trumpets of angels split the ground to reveal noxious green vapors flowing from the remains of long-forgotten crypts...
Holy Symbol: The ancient Telisian symbol Omega (the end) set within a ring
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of the dead, souls, negative energy, necromancers, dissolution, greed and the underworld
Domains: Darkness, Death, Evil, Magic, Repose, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Scythe
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: LN, LE, NE
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[Neutral Evil]
( Demense of Darkness, Queen of Assassins, The Shadow Goddess )
Profile Pic here.
Mad as a hatter and always scheming, Disir represents machaivellianism and the more materialistic side of mortality. The irony of mortals who work all of their lives toward attaining wealth, status and power only to leave it all behind when they die provides the dark goddess with endless mirth. Disir's clergy operate in secret as their scheming often destroys lives and topples kingdoms. Thieves, con-artists, assassins and illusionists make up the bulk of the goddess' laity, and Disir is known for rewarding particularly canny followers with exceptional good fortune. The actions of Disiran clerics may occasionally balance the division of wealth and power in a region, but their intentions are never honorable. Though a typical cleric may be jealous, manipulative, self-interested, murderous, greedy or kleptomaniacal, these traits do not form the heart of the goddess' liturgy. At the core of her faith, Disir teaches that those who are foolish enough to be taken advantage of deserve to be. And so it is that disiran clerics who survive long enough to reach old age tend to be wise and cautious, sometimes to the point of paranoia.
Though sick with vice, Disir's followers are nothing if not resilient and resourceful. The faithful have developed their own language as well as an alphabet of secret markings in order to communicate with their own across great distances. A disiran temple complex is a dizzying maze of wealth and homicide hidden far away from prying eyes. The two most common locations are unremarkable cave networks or secret chapels deep beneath city streets. Regardless of their location, all disiran centers of worship are designed in such a way as to deal a swift death to intruders who aren't familiar with the church's secrets.
There are two holy days of importance within the black church: the winter and summer solstices. The winter solstice represents survival at any cost while the summer solstice is a celebration of success. Each day is celebrated differently according to local tradition but it is no coincidence that more deaths occur on these two days across Thule than any other.
Disiran clerics almost always disguise themselves as priests of other deities in order to utilize their clerical abilities while concealing the source of such power. The organization of Disir's church depends greatly upon the area in which it is set. In a large city, the church may operate almost openly through a local thieves' guild. In smaller areas or those without an entrenched criminal element, a cell of disirans led by a single priest is the most common arrangement. Senior clerics are always those individuals with a penchant for politics. Called “scions”, these high priests rule with impunity until murdered by an ambitious underling who then assumes their responsibilities. Surprisingly, internecine violence is not that common as there are few disirans who desire the constant threat of treachery that a position of clerical power brings.
Adventuring clerics of Disir are exceedingly rare but also very important to the church. They may pass on messages between sects during their travels, obtain powerful magic for the church or aid a local cell in accomplishing an otherwise impossible task.
Holy Symbol: A circle flanked by a pair of crescent moons
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of murder, intrigue, shadows, larceny, lies and assassination.
Domains: Darkness, Death, Evil, Luck, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Short Sword
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: N, NE, CE
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[Neutral Good]
( Maiden of Mercy, Font of Grace, The Helping Hand )
Profile Pic here.
Unofficially dubbed the "goddess of the common man", Mother Holly embodies the altruism of love and fellowship. Other faiths may idolize temporal power or physical beauty but Mother Holly teaches her faithful to place value upon inner grace, humble servitude and selfless action. Her faithful work hard in communion, bound by a spiritual web of brotherly love. Mother Holly is most often venerated by kindhearted parents, faithful lovers, hard working freemen and benevolent medical professionals. Without her pacifying touch, many civilizations would have already been destroyed from within by decadence and despair. Her cathedral in New Stetven doubles as a library of medical knowledge for scholars from the nearby Wellspring College. Many hospices dedicated to the goddess dot well-traveled roads in all civilized lands.
Though Mother Holly is not concerned overmuch with the prominence of law, her church nevertheless boasts the single largest order of paladins in the world. The Angels of Mercy maintain their own fortress-temples, usually near otherwise defenseless communities. The virtuous men and women of mercy are charged with the defense of all sentient beings, and their charitable negotiations with other species has left more frowns than smiles on the faces of overly-ambitious, xenophobic lords. The Angels are renowned for their humility and kindness in the face of an indifferent world, and locals will often add the affectionate prefix ' goodsir ' or ' goodlady ' when referring to a knight.
Initiates of Mother Holly are called 'deacons'; adventuring clerics and parish pastors both hold the title ' chaplain '; priests in charge of other clerics or much larger congregations (such as the pastor of a cathedral) are called ' prelate '; and clergymen with regional jurisdiction are known as ' reverend '. The presiding head of Mother Holly's church on earth is always female and rules until her death. This singular spiritual figurehead is called the ' mother superior '.
Many holy days pepper the church's annual calendar, from harvest festivals to the feast days of prominent church saints. One of the most important galas is the Harrowing of the Heart, a contest of martial skill and moral fiber that is celebrated once every year. During this rite, local militias both retire aged veterans and induct new members into their ranks. Though it is rare, sometimes a child will be born into a community of the faithful that is marked by Mother Holly in some unique way. These favored of the goddess always possess some sort of unique trait such as extraordinary empathy, great wisdom for their age or the like. In addition to their otherworldly nature, these “chosen” mortals always carry the weight of an important destiny with them. Most of her special children happily fulfill their purpose, bringing the blessings of their goddess with them wherever they travel; but it is not unheard of for a rare few to rebel against their birthright, believing that free will is more important than being a divine tool.
Holy Symbol: A stylized version of the ancient Telisian rune for "mother"
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of community, doctors, healers, family, patience, love, kind warriors, fertility and honest work.
Domains: Charm, Community, Glory, Good, Healing, Protection
Favored Weapon: Light Mace
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: LG, NG, CG
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[Chaotic Neutral]
( The Keymaker, Lord of Portals, The Restless God )
Profile Pic here.
Venerated most often by merchants, rogues, swashbucklers, explorers and eccentric spellcasters, Xanas represents the incurable desire to experience new things and explore the distant horizon. No official organization exists within his clergy and clerics of Xanas often serve as translators, guides or eager adventurers. Permanent centers of worship are uncommon within the faith and are always found in port cities, along major trade routes or in other locations where population and politics are always changing. Xanas' single largest earth-bound temple complex can be found within the far-off megalopolis of Polestar, where it is the sacred duty of xanasian priests to maintain the many portals and teleportation circles that are found throughout the city.
The most accurate charts and maps to be had are those found within the libraries of xanasian scholars, and it is not unheard of for priests of the restless god to pay adventurers exorbitant amounts of gold in exchange for protection while mapping out dangerous lands. Clerics of the key-maker have spent countless generations studying and cataloging the interacting forces of planar mechanics. So meticulous are Xanas' clerics that at some point an entirely new field of academic study (called “astromechanics”) has emerged as a result. Utilizing this new science, scholars have developed complex, quasi-mathematical formulas that allow for much safer travel via magical means.
Arcane spellcasters plagued by wanderlust often find kindred spirits within Xanas' church, and it is not uncommon for xanasian communities to include a conjurer (called a “wayfarer” by the faithful). Cloisters of xanasian cells can be found across the multiverse, sometimes in the most unlikely places. The holy city of Sextant is a well-known way-point for extraplanar travel as well as a required pilgrimage for clerics of Xanas who've unlocked the ability to cast plane shift.
Although most xanasian clergy are simply individuals with a penchant for exploration, there exists within the faith a secret sect of fanatics who believe that it is heresy for others to lock up secrets, restrict travel or limit discovery in any way; in fact many rogues worship Xanas for this very reason. Called “gatecrashers” by their brethren, such extremists focus their abilities toward overcoming any type of obstacle that they might encounter. Be it solving puzzles, eluding guards, circumventing defenses, bypassing magical wards or simply picking locks, these specialists get the job done. Unfortunately such an obsession often involves great personal risk and very few gatecrashers live to see old age.
Holy Symbol: A circle within a ring set below a compass
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: God of travel, planar mechanics, magical transportation, new experiences and good fortune.
Domains: Air, Chaos, Liberation, Luck, Rune, Travel
Favored Weapon: Longbow
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: CG, CN, CE, N
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[Lawful Good]
( Maid of Honor, The Golden Goddess, The Blazing Sun )
Profile Pic here.
The golden goddess is a guiding light to those lost in the shuffle of self-interest, greed and murder that permeates much of society. Calliopea represents purity and truth, shining like a beacon in the darkness. Calliopean clerics value honesty and bravery while despising cowardice and subterfuge. In good-aligned societies, priests of the blazing sun hold their secular brethren to a standard of conduct befitting the church's liturgical beliefs about those with power: to dutifully serve those without it. To calliopeans, it is not enough to simply aid those in need; church law dictates that clergy members actively seek out injustices and correct them. Calliopea's church creates more crusaders and traveling inquisitors than any other faith. Calliopean religious services are held three times a day- once at sunrise, again at highsun and once more at sunset. At every meeting, those gathered pledge their service in life and their actions at death to the church by defending the innocent and uncovering the truth.
Young, headstrong calliopean paladins are the biggest reason that some see the church of the sun goddess as a rabble of unthinking zealots. In fact, more calliopeans die defending others in the service of goodness and justice than in any other faith. Each temple to the blazing sun is a self-sufficient location, as depending upon heathens is seen as a sure way to invite abuses of power and position. Though it isn't common at lower ranks, pride is the most prevalent sin within the church and it is pride that is usually responsible when a priest or paladin falls from grace. Some martyrs within the faith are never elevated to the rank of saint due to posthumous questions involving their intentions.
Regardless, calliopeans generally make brave and loyal allies. Adventuring clerics seek to drag sin and darkness out into the light of day that it may be purged by the scorching sun, while paladins generally seek a glorious death in combat, battling some great champion of evil.
Each calliopean possesses some sort of divinely-inspired fervor that drives them. For most, this manifests as a skilled aptitude for whatever profession or hobby the golden goddess has destined them for. A calliopean community is a vibrant place of kind people, well-trained warriors and peace. The churches of Malfas and Disir are Calliopea's most common foes but corruption and deception are found just as often elsewhere and the clerics of the golden goddess keep a vigilant watch. The Temple of the Eternal Sun within the city of Brigandine to the west is Calliopea's single largest church and boasts a staff of thousands.
The Calliopean Code: Be honest, charitable and inspirational as often as possible. Carry the light of the goddess within your soul, that through you it may burn away the evils of the world. Be ever watchful; the agents of darkness seek to lower your guard with gifts, comfort and flattery. Do not give your life for anything less than the greater glory of holy Calliopea.
Holy Symbol: A ring sunburst with a diamond in the center
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of chivalry, honor, truth, revelation, prophecy and the sun.
Domains: Glory, Good, Healing, Law, Nobility, Protection, Sun
Favored Weapon: Longsword
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: LG, LN, NG
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[Lawful Evil]
( The Scourge, Lord of Misery, The Jealous King )
Profile Pic here.
The church of Malefas has been the preferred religious option for tyrants since the dawn of civilization. The jealous king teaches leadership through use of fear and brutality. In addition, legal maneuvering and the manipulation of trade have gradually wormed their way into his sphere of influence.
Nations where the rebellious spirit of the common folk has long been crushed and the status quo is kept stable through merciless cruelty from those in power almost always venerate Malefas, often under penalty of death. Even in a land where the lord of misery does not maintain a stranglehold on the state, ruthless businessmen and corrupt politicians secretly forward the interests of their jealous god in exchange for wealth and position.
Within nations where the jealous king is worshiped openly, malefic clerics don vestments of black and crimson, upgrading to elaborate suits of plate mail in battle. It is also these bleak countries where slavery is legal and often highly profitable for those willing to soil their souls with such an abominable trade. The rule of malefic law often comes about by the corruption of self-interested merchants or state officials, and the church of Calliopea keeps a keen eye out for telltale signs of this sort of exploitation. In fact the churches of several gods oppose Malefas' influence and wage a secret war for the souls of the ignorant people around them.
Although ruthless and power-hungry, the presence of Malefas' clerics does instil a region with stability and mercantile prosperity. The most recent church legislature has been its most successful. This new policy states that each temple's king (or head priest) is to maintain an embassy in the court of local government in order to help shape its future through influential guidance instead of moving to actually supplant existing authority. Traditionalists are typically those clergy whose families have already ruled a region for generations. There is a cool and distant relationship between these two church branches.
Most of the financial strength of the country of Athenasia can be traced back to the trade laws set in place by influence from the church of Malefas and the jealous king has numerous followers among the nobility of both Upper and Lower Athenasia. International laws levy a heavy tax upon imported goods, but as most expatriate trade is purchased at the country's border and then brought in by local companies, foreign merchants still tend to spend less than making the rest of the trip in person. It was only after the new king (Damos Morai) ascended to the ebony throne that Malefas' church was tasked by the state to become Athenasia's newly-appointed legal arbiters in all matters of trade. This drastic restructuring of athenasian government by the new king has fractured the loyalty of many southern lords, and both the church of Mother Holly and the church of Calliopea have moved the bulk of their personnel into Lower Athenasia. The clergy of both goddesses prepare for battle, should their army of paladins be needed.
Holy Symbol: A skull set upon chains forming a circle with an 'X' through it
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: God of commerce, legal manipulation, ambition, slavery, oppression, control & leadership through tyranny.
Domains: Artifice, Evil, Knowledge, Law, Nobility, Strength
Favored Weapon: Flail
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: LE, LN, NE
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[Neutral]
( Mistress of the Night, Mariner's Muse, The Siren Queen )
Profile Pic here.
Salahiel is the creative inspiration that flows through a savant's veins. She is the guiding light behind historical breakthroughs and the hand that painted the night sky. Through the mediums of art, magic, music and theater, the siren queen enlightens the ignorant and helps to expand the understanding of all. The goddess' faithful observe a calendar of religious services that follows the phases of the moons. Navigators use Salahiel's twinkling skymap to find their way and it is considered good fortune to have a musician on board any journey at sea.
The moon goddess is actually quite a unique being, even for a deity. Rare are the occasions where Salahiel summons her full form. At any given time, she is more likely to have split her divine essence between one of nine different forms. Each individual personality is known as a muse and Salahiel can maintain up to nine different muses at once. They are as follows:
Epollya is the muse of oratory and epic poetry.
Klio is the muse of history and fame.
Erata is the muse of passion and erotic poetry.
Aurora is the muse of theater and acting.
Melpomene is the muse of drama and tragedy.
Denaria is the muse of celebration and dance.
Thalia is the muse of humor and comedy.
Urania is the muse of astronomy and foresight.
Clarisce is the muse of divine hymns and song.
A mortal follower may dedicate herself to either the entire goddess or perhaps just one of the muses. In either case, no class abilities/options are changed. The church of Salahiel is unified, despite the differing focuses that its followers are allowed to possess. It is rare for Salahiel's agenda to conflict with that of another deity, and because of this her church flourishes in most lands across the globe.
A curious tradition that has been sweeping Salahiel's faithful is that of the moonroot treatment. Moonroot has long been associated with the church of the night goddess as a unique element that only ordained clergy members of Salahiel's faith may use. In anyone else' hands, the root's special properties becomes inert. Used mostly as a key ingredient of regenerative and medical serums, more inventive salahians have developed a method for vaporous absorption using sweat rooms. Aside from the obvious beneficial effects of sweating, the peculiar bluish vapor produced by scalding heated rocks with a moonroot reduction has a gradual, mutating effect upon the physical form of mortals that inhale the fumes. Over prolonged periods, this manifests as a shift in skin tone to that of milky white while the individual's hair color becomes jet black. Although not an article of faith, this transformation is used frequently by clergy who claim that they must do all they can to become more like their goddess. Ignorant faithful sometimes assert that their clergy's shift in appearance is proof of the goddess' favor, especially when a prideful salahian cleric says nothing to refute such a claim.
Holy Symbol: A stylized crescent moon
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of the moon, stars, sailors, dancing, inspiration, ideas, artists, music, creativity, poetry, theater & bards.
Domains: Charm, Darkness, Glory, Knowledge, Magic, Travel, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Short Sword
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: NG, NE, N, LN, CN
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[Neutral]
( The Earthmother, Queen of Druids, Womb of the World, Gaia )
Profile Pic here.
Amaya is embodied as mother earth in a very literal sense; her body actually is the planet. As all things depend upon Amaya for continued existence, she is in a league of power all by herself. She is the All-Mother, the single most powerful god in existence. Many who serve her would say that she is too busy to spare a thought for ambition. This may be speculation, but in her long existence Amaya has never displayed a taste for control of any kind; the simple maintenance of natural forces seems to keep her content.
Druids of the goddess handle the politics of their kind without fear of judgement passed by Amaya, as is her indifferent way.
Amayans (as clerics of the goddess are called) live out their lives in remote colonies, far from civilization. Amayan monasteries are paradises of natural beauty where animals run free and endangered species of all varieties are protected.
Without an agenda, Amaya just is. Her purpose is to continue surviving in one form or another and with all of the possibly world-shattering events happening at any one time around the earth, she and her followers are kept busy. Amaya has birthed about half of the pantheon herself, while the other half has come about via either mortal ascension or as a result of other divine pairings. Amaya and Xanas have been romantically linked several times but no demigod has ever been produced. In ancient times, Amaya has produced children by pairing with gods who are now long-forgotten. Her youngest daughter is the goddess Shotah, who was born mortal but later attained divinity by using the natural strengths given to her by her mother.
Amayan holy days vary by region and custom, race and celestial event. Every church celebrates the Summer and Winter solstices as well as the harvest and the fertility of spring. Beyond that, diversity is Amayan law. Athenasian druids often perform clerical roles in small communities. Iobarian clerics celebrate the role of seasons in their country's yearly raids. Numerian priests study the functional precision of the natural world. Though she is venerated in many different ways, each of Amaya's factions respects the others and all answer the goddess's call to arms should the need arise. It is said that when the earthmother requires the help of her children, she sends a spirit-animal to guide them to where they are needed most.
The Children of Amaya
None of Gaia's offspring are born into the world as deities. For her own purposes, each of her children is born mortal and then given up to be raised by flesh and blood parents. It is only through their indomitable will and personal strength that any of Amaya's progeny survive the many difficult trials set before them by their divine parent. Occasionally, successful offspring themselves ascend to join the lofty ranks of the gods; while those who fail often face deadly consequences. Although Amaya has had many children, (some of whom existed as gods in ancient times) only two of them survive to this day- the goddesses Shotah and Arianna.
Holy Symbol: An oak tree with its branches connected to its roots, forming an overall circular shape
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of elemental fury, fertility, animals, plants, survival, the weather, the harvest, natural cycles and the unchecked power of the wilderness personified.
Domains: Air, Animal, Darkness, Death, Earth, Fire, Healing, Plant, Sun, Water, Weather
Favored Weapon: Greatclub
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: NG, N, NE, CN, LN
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[Chaotic Neutral]
( Queen of Jubilation, Flame of Desire, Lady of Excess, The First Lover )
Profile Pic here.
Vaenia's clergy are simultaneously loved and hated by the people of Thule. The faithful bring fertility, romance and love to a region, as well as jealousy, lust and over-indulgence. It is said that vaenian celebrations are unsurpassed in their revelry and whatever a person's passions may be, they can usually be found somewhere within the Lady of Excess' temples. Physical attractiveness is important to the Lady, but not paramount. More often than not, she finds genetic perfection far superior to exterior expressions of the flesh. A uniquely-powerful breed of cattle would please the First Lover more than a weaker, fairer stock would. On the other hand, nearly every priest and priestess of Vaenia ensures that they are a vision of divine elegance (more often an expression of magical transmutation than any natural endowment). It is a liturgical commandment to look after one's appearance so that one does not insult Vaenia by representing her with anything but perfect beauty.
Secondary to physical superiority in importance are gracefullness and asthetic allure. Every temple dedicated to the Queen of Jubilation is a wondrous work of architecture. Attractive scents permeate every chamber and hall while complimentary colors treat the eyes to a pleasant tapestry of hue and balance. Even the clergy itself speaks in a soft, disarming, almost hypnotic prose.
Most of the church's support in civilized areas comes from the nobility- the only class of people with enough finance and free time to worry overmuch about such trivial concerns as physical perfection and festivals of abandon. In rural areas, vaenian clerics focus more on assisting the local populace with disease and physical infirmity. A staple of their continued success, herbal tinctures that either ensure or prevent conception are wildly popular and form a dependable income for such agrarian locales. Regardless of their location and support, Vaenia expects her followers to follow a lengthy series of spiritual beliefs. This system of doctrine is very general however, and much room is given for individual interpretation. So far the goddess has not protested these liberal perceptions.
Some examples of vaenian liturgy-
from The Litany of Saints:
Great heroes represent the perfection of an ideal. Whatever their disposition, beware of their power. Aid them if it forwards the church's agenda but never trust them. Grant them shelter, love and rest. Heal their wounds and do not cross them. The first saints of the church were great women who brought the light of the lady's beauty to the dark corners of the world. Ever it is wise to remain the allies of those who will change the world.
from The Litany of Perfection:
Do no harm to others when it is possible; disruption of divine purity is a sin. Every creature is lovely in their most natural state, but helping them to attain complete perfection is your most important purpose. Only in a perfected state of mind, body and soul can one retain her identity and outwit vile Ankau.
Holy Symbol: A heart with elaborate petals surrounding it.
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of love, lovers, lust, jealousy, hatred, alchohol, drugs, sensation, celebration and emotion.
Domains: Chaos, Charm, Glory, Liberation, Madness, Magic
Favored Weapon: A whip
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: CG, CN, CE, N
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[Chaotic Good]
( Lady of Laurels, Herald of Freedom, Mistress of the Hunt )
Profile Pic here.
Arianna is one of the oldest gods still worshiped in Thule. Her religion dates back to before the Age of Ignorance when small farming communities and hunter-gatherers prayed to her for bountiful harvests and successful hunts. She is a god of the hunt and of farming, leading her followers by example and good deeds rather than flowery rhetoric.
Arianna is an elder deity, her worship hearkening back to the time when mankind first set about harnessing the wilderness and mastering nature. Legends claim that it was the Lady of Laurels herself who crafted the first bow and entrusted it to humans, a gift to assist them in overcoming the challenges of the world. Even as the accomplishments of civilization mount, Arianna continues to embrace and represent the simpler pleasures life has to offer.
The woodland goddess teaches her followers to embrace traditional and simpler ways of life, free of the constraints of modern civilization, a trait that often results in disagreements with more progressive deities such as Bastille; this difference in opinion often leads to increased conflict between these deities' respective clergies.
Depictions of Arianna are commonplace in the homes of her followers. Such images usually portray the ancient deity as either an attractive young woman with the bow and gear of a trapper, or as a doe-headed humanoid. These depictions often show the Lady holding fast against various beasts and animals of the wilds. In times of need, Arianna has also been known to appear to lost hunters in the form of an albino deer.
Creatures held in high esteem by the Mother of the Woods include elk, deer, and other hooved animals. Those who please Arianna are often rewarded by increased yields, both from farm and field, while earning her disfavor can lead to damaged or ruined crops and poor hunting. Arianna's herald is known as the Grim White Stag. It has the appearance of a gigantic white stag with branches in place of its antlers and vines wrapping around its legs.
Over the millennium mankind's veneration of the hunting goddess has both waxed and waned. As empires crumble and are swallowed up by the passing of years, the number of Arianna's worshipers tends to increase; survivors look to gods who help them to thrive in a forced agrarian lifestyle. Eventually civilizations rise up again and Arianna's church becomes less important to the needs of Thule's people. When this happens, worship of the Lady tends to fade quietly into the background of rural culture.
Throughout it all, the Lady's mother (Amaya) constantly rebalances herself in almost rhythmic cycles. Arianna and Shotah are the only offspring of the Earthmother to survive the Eye of Mu event, roughly 1500 years before the present day. Each of Amaya's daughers despises the ethical nature of the other, and many remote forests see blood shed daily by warring servants of these wild goddesses.
Holy Symbol: The silhouette of a female archer.
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of bravery, farming, the woodlands, hunters, trappers, rangers, some druids and many good fey creatures.
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Community, Freedom, Good, Plant.
Favored Weapon: Short Bow
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: CG, CN, NG
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[Chaotic Evil]
( The Witch Goddess, Maid of Misfortune, Lady of Thorns, Queen of Seductresses )
Profile Pic here.
The church of Shotah is not a faith for the faint of heart. The goddess herself sees males as the means to an end, nothing more. Only women, gifted with the divine ability to bear children, are allowed within her clergy. Shotahn clerics often celebrate momentous events by luring young, virile men into their beds for a night of carnal abandon and then ritualistically sacrifice them to satiate the lurid appetites of their spiteful goddess. Male children produced by these pairings are either ceremoniously murdered or given over to a neighboring fey community in exchange for goods or services rendered.
Shotahn priestesses are masters of manipulation and deception; each harboring a fanatical abhorrence toward civilization and its destructive effect upon the natural world. Within the clergy there are no set holy days and celebratory worship usually takes place deep within a wild grove that is sacred to the goddess. Shotahns (as the faithful call themselves) work toward halting the encroachment of civilization into the wilderness by manipulating men of power in order to turn them against one another. Infiltration, seduction and assassination are all hallmarks of shotahn liturgy.
Clerics of the Lady usually operate in small groups of two or three called covens and disingenuous folk often refer to shotahn clerics collectively as “hags”. Shotahn clerics are tolerated by nearly all types of fey and often enlist the aid of the more malign varieties. In civilized lands shotahns never reveal the nature of their faith and often conceal their clerical profession as well. Shotahn clerics take a perverse delight in deceiving others through careful manipulation and subtle magics; open violence being a last resort. Folklore is full of legends about the 'Daughters of Shotah'. Each tale inevitably concludes with the shotahn revealing her true nature only when her plans have irreversibly succeeded, and even then it is only after she has plunged a poisoned blade deep into the heart of her unwitting lover.
When shotahn priestesses do engage in battle, they prefer non-metallic armors and utilize animals or ensorcelled henchmen to waylay opponents for them as they whittle their enemies down with spells.
Holy Symbol: A circle set within a sunburst of green thorns
[Holy Symbol Pic here.]
Portfolio: Goddess of malign fey, savage beauty, enchantment, illusion, trickery, the wilderness, witches & seduction.
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Charm, Evil, Luck, Plant, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Dagger (almost always poisoned)
Cleric Restrictions:
Alignments: NE, CN, CE
Special: Female only
I can't believe that I missed the Gyronna entry before creating this pantheon. It looks like I ripped off of her to create Shotah. I actually did not. I guess that I thought up an existing deific idea without realizing it. Apologies folks.