The world pantheon is organized primarily along racial lines. The majority of each race venerates the patron deity of its species. Such deities are believed to be the architects and makers of each race in question. Some sects, including a large portion of the church of Angelique, consider the worship of any but the primary racial deity to be openly blasphemous, while more moderate adherents allow for looser interpretations. In most cases, cultural ties bind individuals to the beliefs of their people without the need for sanctions.
The racial deities represent most of the developed churches of the world. However, there are alternate deities and modes of belief that direct their focus not to the deity responsible for the creation of the race, but rather to other fields of interest. Such beliefs may minimize the role of racially based beliefs, or might even come into direct conflict with them, as is presently the case between the churches of Angelique and Ludimar.
Deities by Domain and Favored Weapon:
| Name | Title | Alignment | Domains | Favored Weapon |
| Angelique / Valalique | Lady of Mercies, Patron of Humanity | NG | Good, Healing | Heavy Mace |
| - Kora | Hope’s Beacon | LG | Protection, Law | Sword (any) |
| - Anastal | Lionheart | CG | War, Strength | Hand and a Half Sword |
| - Nithalus | The Elder | LG | Magic, Knowledge | Dagger |
| - Ashaneron | The Phoenix | CG | Fire, Sun | Morning Star |
| - Tolast | The Nomad | CG | Travel, Luck | Quarterstaff |
| Corellon Larethian | Patron of Elves | CG | Chaos, Good, Protection, War, Magic, Knowledge. | Longsword |
| Moradin | The Earth Father, Patron of Dwarves | LG | Earth, Protection, Law, Good, Strength | Warhammer |
| Ondalla | Patron of Halflings, protector of Gnomes | NG | Good, Protection, Luck, Trickery, Plant. | Short Sword |
| Bahamut | God of Good Dragons | LG | Air, Dragon , Good, Protection, Luck | Heavy Pick (Bite) |
| Tiamat | God of Evil Dragons | LE | Destruction, Dragon1, Evil, Greed1, Law, Trickery | Heavy Flail (Bite) |
| Gruumsh | Patron of Orcs | CE | Chaos, Evil, Strength, War | Spear |
| Ludimar | The God-lich | NE | Death, Destruction, Evil, Trickery, Magic. | Scythe |
| Gaia | The Tree Spirit | N | Animal, Plants, Earth, Fire, Water, Air | Sickle |
| Goloas | The Warlord | CN | War, Destruction, Strength, Luck | Longsword |
| Mechlas | The Judicator | LN | Law, Strength, Protection | Heavy Mace |
Angelique Patron of Humanity, The Lady of Mercies. NG
Angelique, who crafted humans, is a relative newcomer in the pantheon. Prior to becoming a racial patron, she acted as consort to Corellon Larethian, god of the elves, and much of her handiwork expressed in humankind bears unmistakable resemblance to her lover’s elves. Angelique is also known as Valalique, her elven name. Angelique is a dynamic deity who delights with each new generation of her relatively short-lived creations, but is still careful to care for those who ultimately come to her at the end of their days.
Domains: Good, Healing
The church of Angelique enriches its theology by venerating a selection of saints beyond Angelique herself. These represent not only legendary humans and celestials, but also minor deities who have allied themselves with her. These provide priests of Angelique much greater leeway in terms of their selection of domains. Any humans choosing Angelique as their deity may choose one or both of their domains from any of the saints listed below and still be considered full-fledged members of the church.
- Kora: Kora was a mortal of ancient times who slew a terrible beast to free humanity from fear and despair. Kora is distinguished by her apparently humble beginnings. Many theologians, particularly in eastern churches, view Kora and Anastal as being connected, if not the same individual.
- Anastal: Similar to Kora, Anastal is a mythic mortal woman warrior. She is known to be fiercely loyal to her compatriots. Anastal is also known for a violent and questionable past. Inspired by Valalique, she became a valiant crusader, defending the helpless. Like Kora, Anastal is credited with slaying a terrible beast, although the legends hold that she did so with the help of a valiant band of companions. Her emblem is that of a lion, symbolizing valor, and her herald is named Goldmayne, a celestial lion of incredible power and intellect.
- Ashaneron: Ashaneron, also known as the Phoenix, is a demi-deity closely allied with Valalique. Ashaneron is most often seen as a formidable eagle type creature wreathed in flame and capable of resurrecting himself. Ashaneron is also credited as a master smith and is known to have created many potent blades, including the Phoenix blade itself, perhaps the most legendary of all blades affiliated with the human race.
- Nithalus: Nithalus is a mortal wizard of incredible purity of spirit and resolve. He is known for purifying tainted places and for his nearly godlike arcane abilities. Nithalus has been credited with numerous intriguing spells and items.
- Tolast: Tolast is a tragic figure, perhaps only a myth, whose legend tells of a wanderer doomed to travel the world until the ends of time, never able to find a true home. Though Tolast’s journey is bittersweet, as in his travels, he always finds a way to help those in need, though often at great personal sacrifice.
The church of Angelique also fosters relationships openly with other churches, while strongly recommending that the faithful stay true to their divine mother. Three of the largest such sects represent theological alliances with other major deities. Adherents to these sects may not select domains from Saintly domains, but may instead select a single domain from that of another deity. These sects include:
- The Earth Bretheren: Allied with Moradin, the Earth Father of the dwarves. This sect is particularly strong in Meridian where humans opened their borders to the displaced dwarven monarchy for many generations.
- The Valal: Allied with Corellon Larethian, the maker of the elves. This sect looks to the relationship between Angelique and Corellon Larethian. The name derives for the elven term for Angelique which is Valalique.
- Southwatchers: Allied with Ondalla of the halflings and Protector of the Gnomes of the Prime Material Plane. This rather small sect consists of adherents with strong ties to halfling realms such as Dallaros.
- Other Sects expressing unity with other deities such as Gaia, Bahamut or even Gruumsh of the orcs are not entirely unheard of, but these are ussually considered heretical by the church at large.
Corellon Larethian: Patron of Elves CG
Corellon is very much as described in the Player’s Handbook except as denoted below:
Domains: Chaos, Good, Protection, War, Magic, Knowledge
Moradin: Patron of Dwarves, The Earth Father, LG
Moradin is very much as described in the Player’s Handbook except as denoted below:
Domains: Earth, Protection, Law, Good, Strength
Ondalla: Patron of Halflings and Protector of the Gnomes of the prime material plane. NG
Ondalla is the creator and protector of the halfling race. She has the added responsibilities of caring for a large number of gnomes who have migrated to the prime material plane from the plane of Bytopia over the years. She espouses stalwart defense of halfling and gnome communities, through innovative means.
Domains: Good, Protection, Luck, Trickery, Plant
Ondalla is otherwise similar to Yondalla as described in the PHB.
Bahamut:Patron of Good Dragonkind, LG
God of Metallic Dragonkind: Bahamut is exactly as described in many sourcebooks, most prominently the Draconomicon. The listed Dragon domain can be found therein.
Domains: Air, Dragon, Good, Protection, Luck
Tiamat: Patron of Evil Dragonkind, LE
God of Chromatic Dragonkind: Tiamat is exactly as described in many sourcebooks, most prominently the Draconomicon. The listed Dragon and Greed domains can be found therein.
Domains: Destruction, Dragon, Evil, Greed, Law, Trickery
Gruumsh: Patron of Orcs, CE
Gruumsh is very much as described in the Player’s Handbook with access to identical domains:
Domains: Earth, Protection, Law, Good, Strength
Other religions and philosophies
Gaia: Mother Nature, N
Gaia, the way of the druid, is a religion dedicated to the worship of nature itself rather than a specific deity. Many adherents of the Gaia philosophy feel that nature is personified, by one or more dryad-like Gaia spirits of unfathomable power. Some sages hold that the Gaia spirits are in fact deities resident to the prime material plane. Most adherents to these beliefs are druids, though clerics are not unheard of, particularly in more developed areas.
Domains: Animal, Plants, Earth, Fire, Water, Air
Ludimar: The God-Lich, NE
Ludimar is a terrible deity who through deception, intimidation and ruthlessness has effected a meteoric rise to power over the last century to an extent that it rivals many of the racial deities. Ludimar is always referred to as “it” rather than using a gendered pronoun. Ludimar hungers to gain in power through the creation of undead, particularly sentient undead who can hail it as their maker. It is unlikely that Ludimar is patron of the undead as its faithful claim. By most other accounts, undead pre-exist Ludimar considerably and thus it cannot be responsible for their inception. However, Ludimar pursues their propagation and creation with significant fervor.
Domains: Death, Destruction, Evil, Trickery, Magic
Ludimar is otherwise similar to Wee Jas
Goloas: The Warlord, CN
Goloas is a primal deity of conflict and warfare. He delights to hear his name as a battle cry. Goloas is worshiped by many tribes and in less civilized areas. He may also be observed as a primary or secondary object of worship among fighting units. He is popular among mercenaries and adventurers.
Domains: War, Destruction, Strength, Luck
Goloas is otherwise very similar to both Erynthnul and Kord
Mechalus, The Judicator, LN
Mechalus is an exacting deity who demands careful obedience to a set of codified rules. For most individuals these stringent demands have made the deity unpopular, but in Athalin, the worship of Mechalus is required by the state as part of an attempt to keep its massive populace peaceable despite its diversity. Mechalus employs Inevitables often as he shares much perspective with such creatures, and their goals coincide frequently. Many of the more powerful Inevitables, however, are beyond the authority of any single deity.
Domains: Law, Strength, Protection
Martial Arts
Pathism:
With very few exceptions, the Pathites are loyal to Angelique. This is one of the foremost orders of monks in the world. Their monasteries are often adjunct to clerical orders.
Silent Hand:
This small, mysterious organization is native to an island in western Karalon. Monks of this stripe practice an utterly silent combat aesthetic.
Onyx order:
Rumours hold of secretive order of monks sworn to service of Ludimar. These monks are thought to possess the ability to slay with little more than a touch.
All Images by Amanda Green, drawn for the campaign and used with permission.
