The Deities of Gladius, part 2

This is part 2 of the deities of Gladius, click here for part 1 to go into the first 12 deities. As I stated in the previous article, when I was writing my article about using Unearthed Arcana for world building, I ended up going through all of the UA articles.

In light of my article, especially in anticipation of at least some of their inclusion in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, I started thinking about the UA cleric domains for my world. In two previous articles, I had shared my pantheon, but I wasn’t ever completely satisfied with it.  I didn’t consider using the UA domains, largely because I’m not really a fan of including Unearthed Arcana as a whole.

However, in light of the new context of world building, regardless of their inclusion in Xanathar’s (which I would’ve added new deities to match the new domains, anyway), I decided to go ahead and use all three domains to correct what I think was wrong with my pantheon until then.  It took some work, and I shifted some of my original deities around (Kur even became a different god), but I’m very proud of the work I’ve done.

I feel like I’ve struck a real balance with it.  With the now twelve domains (Life, Knowledge, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, War, Arcana, Death, Grave, Forge, and Protection), and the fact that I like to have two deities per domain, that gave me a total of twenty-four deities to play with.

That was surprisingly enough to find a good balance.  I was able to create a solid distribution of alignments, and I was able to create an equal number of male and female deities, including two genderless gods.  With this updated list, I feel like there’s a good chance most characters will be able to find a deity to follow, and the clerics will have something to follow that feels like it fits their domain.

Now that I’ve finally finished it, and I’m finally (currently) satisfied with my pantheon, I wanted to share it with everyone.  I’m sure there are plenty of DMs out there that aren’t really satisfied with any current offerings, but they just don’t have the time to build their own, so I want to share a little bit of mine.

I haven’t completed a full breakdown of my deities, but I’m sharing the full list, as well as a brief description for each of them, as a kind of primer.  When I’m able to get to the full design of all of my deities, I’ll find a way of sharing it.

Please note that these deities are geared towards my world (which I’m calling Gladius, at least for now).  Some things may need to be changed to fit into your world, but I think that they’re not too different than what’s already out there.  Also, the icons are not the final forms.  Most of it is clipart that I have in place that’s for inspiration for when I’m able to include real art.

The Pantheon of Gladius

 

Gambirau, the Ascended One

Not all deities started off as deities.  Gambirau was one of those.  He was a normal man.  One of the earliest monks, in fact.  In his search through the planes of existence, he became stronger and stronger. He developed his Ki to impressive degrees.  Eventually, he was able to tap directly into the life force itself, where he was infused with divine energy.

Gambirau was able to manipulate the very essence of Ki itself.  In time, his power grew so strong that he started to become one with the life force, and became the prime source of Ki.

Hiro, Lord of Chaos

When Hiro came to be, he was born with the darkest impulses.  Nothing in the universe is more dangerous than him.  He is driven by the sole need to consume everything, and he has no tolerance for anything that impedes him.  Worse yet, there’s nothing he won’t do to get what he wants.  He’s prone to violent outbursts, and even his followers fear him as much as they worship him.

Some believe Hiro started the Planar Wars, but he didn’t.  He did, however, benefit from it the most.  The bigger the wars got, the more creatures were needed to fight them, and the more there was for him to consume.  When he absorbed his enemies, he grew stronger, which is one of the biggest reasons why the Planar Wars ended.  Even the Forces of Darkness started to worry about his growing power.

A temporary armistice was created by the two sides to lock Hiro away, binding him to a pocket dimension, and hidden away in the universe that has been forgotten in time.  Mazdayasna forged a powerful spell that was so incredible that it actually removed the memories of Hiro’s prison’s location from the deities, themselves.

The Planar Wars resumed, but the heat of conflict had dwindled.  Astarte, knowing that it was time for it to end, forced a permanent truce.  While not all deities will become allies, and many still oppose each other, the threat of Hiro’s return is so great that they go to great efforts to not wage another war, for fear of his possible return.

Kur, Tyrant of the Shadow Realm

Kur is a violent and selfish shadow dragon.  She came to be before the planes of existence and quickly met Dacian.  Knowing that he was pure and noble, she deceived him into thinking that she was also good, and they bore many children.  Some were metallic, who were good, like him.

Some were chromatic, who were evil and selfish, like her.  Knowing that Dacian would eventually see through her deception, she manipulated her chromatic children into being prepared to fight their metallic siblings.

Eventually, Dacian started to become aware of how naturally cruel and selfish his chromatic children were, and was ashamed.  When he confronted Kur about their children, she attacked him.  The chromatic dragons turned on their brothers and sisters in that moment, and Kur escaped.

That’s when the first sparks of time as we can comprehend came to be.  Kur used this new energy to create the first planes of existence, ripping a hole in the universe that existed then, forming the shadow plane.  The tear was so violent that it sprang forth the celestial plane as a form of equal and opposite reaction, the celestial plane, and with it Aotahi and Astarte.  Those of her children that came with her into the shadow plane grew dark and cruel like her, and their forms eventually morphed into shadow dragons.

Those of her children that came with her into the shadow plane grew dark and cruel like her, and their forms eventually morphed into shadow dragons.

When the Planar Wars started, Kur brought her chromatic children that were left behind to the prime material plane, where they waged war against the Armies of Light.

Lenore, the Undying One

All living beings have the potential to tap into magic.  Whether they do is a different story, but the fire of magic exists in all of them.  Lenore was born a young human noble during the earliest days of the humanity.  She was a nasty soul, to begin with, and her privilege only allowed her to fuel her base desires.  She worked for little and demanded more.  Her parents, who were expert arcane users, sent her to the finest wizard school available to humans at the time, but she had no patience for it, and she was eventually expelled.

Her parents, who were expert arcane users, sent her to the finest wizard school available to humans at the time, but she had no patience for it, and she was eventually expelled.

When she was a mortal, Lenore was one of the most beautiful nobles alive.  She had many suitors, but few who could withstand her for long.  She grew older and bitter and began to lash out at others.  One day, when she was out riding in the countryside, her horse became startled and bucked her.  She was kicked into the side of a tree, and her neck was snapped, but she didn’t die instantly.  As she lied there, unable to move or speak, she waited to die.

Instead of thinking back on her life with remorse or regret, Lenore seethed with hate.  As she did, this caught the attention of Hiro, who was amused by her tiny rage.  Seeing an opportunity, he shielded her death from Anezti, and kept her alive, but not fully.  He let her slip in between life and death.  She was conscious, but her body lacked any real life.  When she was found, she was presumed dead.  Her family buried her, but no one mourned her, and so she stewed in her hate.

In her grave, her soul trapped in a body that refused to rot, she began to attempt to tap into the arcane fire inside her.  It was difficult because she couldn’t move, but over time her power grew.  She became stronger and stronger of the millennia in her coffin, and she eventually grew powerful enough to tap into the arcane outside of the universe, until she was able to fully reconnect her soul to her body, and give it a form of life.

However, she was still stuck between the living and the dead.  The first of the true undead.  Not a mindless zombie or skeleton, or some other reanimated corpse, but a fully functional living being, with power strong enough to rival any deity, and the ability to create more like her.  She is worshipped by those who are the true undead, and those that wish to never fully die.

Mazdayasna, Source of the Arcane

If Anezti was the first deity to come to be, Mazdayasna was surely the second.  While he isn’t the physical manifestation of arcane magic, he is the conduit from which arcane magic crosses over into the planes of Gladius.  Arcane magic actually originates from outside the universe, and Mazdayasna channels it into the universe.

It’s not necessary for a deity to channel the arcane in order for it to exist, but he magnifies its flow, making it more prevalent.  It’s one of the primary reasons why magic is so ubiquitous in the planes of existence, and why so much of the technology is dependent on it.

Even though one of the defining traits of a deity is the ability to tap into the various magic elements (including divine, hellish, and arcane) that exists outside of the universe, the other deities are known to also use some magic that flows through Mazdayasna, especially when attempting to perform exceptionally powerful magical feats.

The other great beings, who are very powerful, but not quite deities, can’t tap into arcane sources from outside the universe, but they are strong enough to channel power directly from Mazdayasna and grant creatures artificial control over the arcane to their followers.

Samas, the Lawbringer

Not all deities are a part of the Forces of Darkness or the Armies of Light.  Samas is one of those who isn’t.  He considers the concepts of good and evil to be trivial concerns.  To him, there is only the law.  The only thing that matters is maintaining order, but he also believes that the ends never justify the means.

There are some things that Samas considers to be natural laws, that regardless of kingdom, plane of existence, or culture, are not lawful.  These are things that violate a person, which includes murder, theft, kidnapping, and other forms of violations of mutual consent.  However, if an individual gives informed consent to give up their natural rights, then that is within the law.  An individual also gives up certain rights when they violate another person’s natural rights.

Samas’ power is nearly unparalleled, with the power to even overcome other deities.  When the other deities banded together to take down Hiro, they called upon Samas to capture him, and he was the one who created the prison plane of existence where Hiro now resides.

Domains and the Deities of Gladius,

part 2 of this D&D homebrew

Seshat, Mistress of the House of Books

For most, the neutral alignment is representative of their moral choices.  For Seshat, it’s indicative of her total indifference.  As Mistress of the House of Books, her primary concern is the collection of knowledge.  She’s indifferent to activities of the universe, except ensuring that it’s recorded.  The House of Books is an endless library that exists on its own plane of existence that was created by Seshat.

Seshat and her followers are also involved in the development of civilizations and technology.  Gladius’ inventions are largely based on arcane advancements, but that doesn’t mean that it’s exclusively the case.  Science and magic often work together to improve the lives of the denizens of the planes of existence, but they can also develop independently.

Civilization is developed through exposure to other cultures, which is best done through the sharing of knowledge of other cultures.  Seshat and her followers integrate themselves into many different cultures, to learn as much as they can to share with each other, and with all of the cultures of the universe.

The temples of Seshat are extensive libraries.  Her acolytes and clerics act as librarians and guardians of knowledge.  Her temples are open to the public, regardless of faith.

Sethlans, Crafter of the Divine

Sethlans was one of the earliest deities to have come to be.  While he’s somewhat of a proto-dwarf, and he’s the prime ancestor of all dwarves, he didn’t create them until long after the Planar Wars had died down.

While the soldiers of the Forces of Darkness and the Armies of Light settled the western and eastern halves of the Great Continent, Sethlans chose to place his children in the relatively untouched content to the south, where they evolved into the dwarves that are known today.

Before the Planar Wars, and during them, Sethlans crafted mighty weapons and armor, as well as many magical items.  He granted them as gifts to the other deities and was happy to see them adorned with his finest works.  During the beginning of the Planar Wars, Sethlans didn’t take sides, but it eventually became clear to him that he could stay on the sidelines.

Knowing that he was no warrior, he set out to craft the most fierce weapon he’d ever devised, Gladius, which he presented to Astarte, to help end the wars sooner.  When the other deities banded together to take down Hiro, Sethlans was called upon to craft a set of manacles that could contain the evil god.

To this day, Sethlans hasn’t stopped crafting magical items.  Everything that he creates has immense power that few mortals can contain, but he will arm heroes in times of great need against evil forces that are too powerful to defeat unaided.  He vowed to never allow evil to reach such great heights, but he’s also much more careful with his creations, so those that seek his aid must prove their valor and their worth.

Silvanis Moonbeam, Walker of the Woods

Unlike the other planes of existence that were formed by the deities, one way or another, the Feywild was formed as a direct result of the Planar Wars.  The Feywild is a place of powerful magic and extreme emotions, and emotions don’t get any more extreme than during conflict.  When those in conflict have the power to shape the universe, their cumulative feelings are bound to do something.  That something was the formation of the Feywild.

When those in conflict have the power to shape the universe, their cumulative feelings are bound to do something.  That something was the formation of the Feywild.

As the Feywild took shape, Silvanis Moonbeam, an eladrin, emerged from the Crescent Forest.  She traveled across the lands and watched new life form from the extreme emotions of the creatures fighting in the Planar Wars.  This was her land, and she would not let it be turned into some abomination.  She was powerful, but she didn’t know how to control the magic she had access to, so she returned to the Crescent Forest to the strongest concentration of magic, and tore a hole in the universe to a spot in the prime material plane.  Silvanis Moonbeam joined the Armies of Light, and helped bring down the Forces of Darkness, who she felt were the more destructive side to her beloved Feywild.

She was powerful, but she didn’t know how to control the magic she had access to, so she returned to the Crescent Forest to the strongest concentration of magic, and tore a hole in the universe to a spot in the prime material plane.  Silvanis Moonbeam joined the Armies of Light, and helped bring down the Forces of Darkness, who she felt were the more destructive side to her beloved Feywild.

While they were successful, and Silvanis gained considerable control over her power, the tear between the planes was irreparable.  The trees that populate the Lost Woods come from the Crescent Forest.  The elves on the prime material plane are the descendants of the eladrins that crossed over to settle the new lands.

Skell, Destroyer of Civilizations

While the common assumption is that Hiro was the one who started the Planar Wars, because he ended up becoming the greatest threat to all of existence, the truth is that it was Skell.  He revels in the most basic levels of destruction, and a series of wars that shaped the planes of existence as we know it, is exactly what he wanted.  He staged a series of attacks on different creatures and made it look like the work of the deities of the Forces of Darkness, so they would be forced into a war.

During the Planar Wars, used the very ground and other extra-planetary objects to wage war.  He would shake the earth, raise volcanos to erupt, and bring down meteors.  The two moons that surround the planet of Gladius on the prime material plane were his attempts to bring down world-ending celestial bodies.  He would’ve succeeded had Aotahi not interfered, and settled them into orbit.

After the rise and fall of Hiro, and the end of the Planar Wars, Skell resigned himself to never waging that level of destruction again.  He still enjoys the occasional earthquake or volcanic eruption, and he occasionally sends meteoroids towards planets, but he knows better than to attempt extinction level attempts.

Talus, the Warforged

Not everything Sethlans crafted was a weapon or a magic wand.  During the Planar Wars, he created Talus, the very first construct, to fight for the Armies of Light.  In his initial efforts, he over-engineered his design.  Sethlans granted Talus with significant power.  Enough to be able to access the magic outside the universe.  Enough power to be considered a deity.

Another side effect was that Talus was granted a consciousness.  He’s still a construct and thus doesn’t have a soul, but he is self-aware.  He has the power to grant constructs consciousness but does so with great rarity.  Others have found a way to do it, and those constructs, sometimes called warforged, worship him.  He’s considered a juggernaut construct.

After the Planar Wars, Talus retreated into hiding.  Even though he understood the necessity of his creation, and the need to fight, he didn’t want to be used as a weapon of war ever again.  It’s not known where he is.  Most believe that he travels Gladius, on the prime material plane, because history has examples of his intervention in some conflicts across the lands, but they’re rarely in the same place in the same era.

Tethys, Mother of Storms

Tethys rose out of the oceans of Gladius during its creations.  Of all of the deities, she’s the only one who is considered to be directly tied to the prime material plane.  She has total control over the weather, even if she isn’t always directing it.

No one knows her intentions, or what motivates her.  She has her own reasons for doing things.  She’s just as likely to destroy a ship as she is to save it.  Some believe that she has a better understanding of events than anyone can comprehend, where others believe that her actions are completely random.  Even if you were to ask her, she’d unlikely answer.  At best, she’s enigmatic, and there’s nothing that excites her then bewildering people.

Tethys is primarily worshiped by ocean-based peoples, including tritons, sailors, ocean port cities, and islanders, including the aarakocra and kenku that live in the Floating Isles.

Domains and the Deities of Gladius, part 2 of this D&D homebrew

As I mentioned in the beginning of the article this is part 2 of the deities of Gladius. These are the second set of 12 out of the 24 deities and their domains, a homebrew that could be used in your d&d campaign. For part 1 click here