Those Above Us
The gods of the world are a pretty well established and understood pantheon. Though, like most pantheons, there are fringe entities and deities at the edges that raise some dispute about their divinity or even their existence.
Some gods are favoured by certain races for whatever reason. For example, Orcs follow Gruumsh basically to the exception of even acknowledging any others. By contrast, other races acknowledge the existence of Gruumsh, but would only invoke him in the most dire circumstances. For the most part they would only want to avoid or, at best, placate Gruumsh.
Many people acknowledge one or two gods regularly based on their profession, priorities, or common activities but will pray to many others under the appropriate situations. Many treat it as polite and a kindness to acknowledge or invoke a god beloved by another when interacting with them.
The primary deities are as follows:
- Avandra, goddess of change and luck. Sometimes depicted as three wavy lines. Favoured primarily by Halflings.
- Bahamut, god of justice and nobility. The Platinum Dragon. Sometimes depicted as a dragon's head, in profile, facing left. Very much favoured by Metallic Dragonborn, guards, protectors and nobles of various types.
- Bane, god of war and conquest. Sometimes depicted as a claw with three talons pointing down, or as an armoured figure looking down covered in blood. Favoured by military leaders or career soldiers.
- Corellon, god of magic and the arts. Sometimes depicted as an eight pointed star. Favoured by Elves, Wizards, Bards and Sorcerers.
- Erathis, goddess of civilisation and invention. Sometimes depicted as the upper half of a clockwork gear. Elves consider Erathis to be a sister to Melora. Most favoured by Gnomes and Dwarven craftsmen.
- Gruumsh, god of destruction. Sometimes depicted as a triangular eye with bony protrusions. Considered by some to be the Ur-Orc. Favoured by Orcs and the truly depraved.
- Ioun, goddess of knowledge. Sometimes depicted as a crook shaped like a stylised eye. Favoured by Wizards, Monks, academics, scribes, and some Bards.
- Kord, god of strength and storms. Sometimes depicted as a sword with a lightning bolt cross guard or as a lightning bolt above a mountain. Favoured by Goliaths, Dwarves, sailors, those who travel the high mountain passes.
- Lolth, goddess of spiders and lies. Sometimes depicted as an eight pointed star with a web motif, or simply as a web or spider. Favoured by Drow, and factions within the underdark as well as poisoners, assassins and those leading double lives.
- Melora, goddess of wilderness and the sea. Sometimes depicted as a wavelike swirl, or a leaning tree. Considered by Elves to be the sister of Corellon. Favoured by Druids, Elves, Rangers, sailors, and those who make their lives in the wildest places.
- Moradin, god of creation. Sometimes depicted as a flaming anvil, or as a dwarven hand holding a hammer. Favoured by Dwarves, Gnomes, artisans, and warriors. Closely allied with Erathis.
- Pelor, god of the sun and agriculture. Sometimes depicted as a circle with six outwardly radiating points or as a crossed hoe and scythe. Usually considered the Brother of Melora and as a bastion against Lolth. Favoured by farmers, vintners, and so on.
- Sehanine, goddess of the moons. Sometimes depicted as a crescent moon or as three overlapping circles. Considered to be both an ally and a foil for Pelor. Favoured by Innkeepers, entertainers, and anyone who works by night as well as navigators and cartographers.
- The Raven Queen, goddess of death. Oversees the passage of souls into the afterlife. Often depicted as a woman in a raven cloak with a nearly featureless white face mask.
- Tharizdun, god of duty and of madness. Provides guidance and strength of will to those who must adhere to duties. In particular arduous or distasteful obligations. Also provides relief or comfort to those afflicted with madness or those scarred by the things they have had to do in the past.
- Tiamat, goddess of wealth, greed, and vengeance. The dragon of five heads. The eternal enemy of Bahamut. Sometimes depicted as a star with five curved points. Favoured by the ambitious and vengeful, and by some chromatic Dragonborn who consider her unfairly judged by Bahamut and in need of restoration to her proper place in the world.
- Zehir, god of darkness and poison. Sometimes depicted as a snake wound around a dagger, or as a single drip. Favoured by assassins, thieves, keepers of secrets, and the truly lost. Sometimes allied with Lolth, and sometimes at odds with her.
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