Pantheon: Human Deities
This post details three human deities. While Aventernus is a racial deity of the aventi, an amphibious race from Stormwrack, in my setting he is the main deity of the human pantheon.
Aventernus
Lesser deity
Alignment: Lawful Good
Symbol: a white spear striking and parting
water on a diamond
Home plane: Elemental Plane of Water
Portfolio: humans, islands
Domain (-30%): water spells, communication and
empathy spells
Worshipers: humans, island dwellers
Aventernus is a sea god whose nature has
changed along with the lives of his favored people. Once a human deity of
maritime concerns such as naval endeavors and fair mercantile work, Aventernus
was the patron of an island nation of powerful magicians and skilled sailors.
These island-dwelling humans called themselves Aventians to honor their patron.
Aventernus’s priesthood played an important part in the daily workings of the
city. All that changed, however, when a mighty catastrophe sank the nation into
the waters of the sea.
Aventernus became a stern and strict
god of justice and fair practices, and the honorable nature of the High
Aventians can be traced back to the influence of his precepts on the lives of
his people.
Dogma: Aventernus’s
creed is the application of strength in the assistance of the weak. Do not
tolerate treachery.
Urbanus
Lesser deity
Alignment: Neutral Good
Symbol: green helm decorated with emeralds
Home plane: Outlands
Portfolio: cities, growth, improvement
Domain (-30%): making and breaking spells,
spells that shape unliving matter
Worshipers: city dwellers
Urbanus is the god of cities. One day, in their
dreams, the city planners began seeing a strange figure that showed them
designs for new buildings, new streets, a completely new city layout. When each
of the planners awoke, he remembered every detail of the dream. Later, the men shared
their dreams, and they were awed to learn that each dream was the same. The
city was built following the new designs, and the planners dedicated it to this
strange visitor.
Since then, Urbanus has appeared in
every large human settlement. He visits leading citizens in their dreams,
encouraging them to improve and expand the city. He also watches over cities,
protecting them and their inhabitants.
Urbanus appears as a male human,
middle-aged and dignified. His skin is made of brick and stone and other building
materials. His eyes are windows. His teeth are paving stones. His helmet (or
perhaps it is his hair) is a domed spire. When he speaks, his voice sounds like
wagon wheels and church bells and water pumps. Though primarily a human deity,
Urbanus accepts the worship of anyone who lives in a city.
Dogma: Urbanus
believes that the cities need to grow, but not always by becoming larger.
Sometimes they need to destory and evil lurking within them, or to straighten
crooked streats or repair old buildings. His followers often lead campaigns to
restore old city sections, and they also help organize neighborhood watches.
Zarus
Greater deity
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Symbol: golden face of a man over a golden star
Home plane: Elysium
Portfolio: humanity, domination, perfection
Domain (-30%): spells that improve physical and
mental characteristics, spells that improve appearance, spells that improve
charisma, mind control spells
Worshipers: tyrants, conquerors
Long ago, according to legend, Zarus was the first
man, created by the world itself. No deity had a hand in his creation, because
no deity could have conceived such a perfect creature. Members of the other
races trembled to see him, for they knew that he was their superior in every way.
His grace surpassed that of the elves, his sturdiness astounded the dwarves,
his crafts were the awe of gnomes and halfl ings everywhere.
As long as Zarus was alone, the
other races allowed him to live, secure in the knowledge that he could not reproduce.
But Zarus was not content. He spoke with the world and begged for a mate—and it
created his wife, Astra. She was as perfect a woman as Zarus was a man, and the
other races trembled yet again, fearing that this perfect couple would spawn a
new race that would overshadow them all. To prevent this, the leaders of each race
gathered in secret and plotted Zarus’s demise. They brewed a poison and mixed
it in fine wine, which they gave to him as a wedding present.
Zarus knew that the others plotted
his death, but he could not honorably refuse the gift. He toasted their health,
and drank. The poison worked swiftly, but as Zarus felt his life departing the
world took pity upon him and elevated him to godhood. Now Zarus looked down upon
the world, and he wiped away the tears of his wife Astra. “Do not weep for me,
beloved,” he consoled her, “for I am now a god, and set to watch over our
people. You will bear me children—they already lie in your womb—and these will
be the start of our race. All the other races will quake in fear, knowing that
they cannot match us.”
This is the story told in the Book of
Zarus, the holy scripture of his church. Zarus is called “the true human god”
and is considered the only god who places humans before all others. He cares
nothing for the other races, only for humanity, and encourages his followers to
prove themselves better than any nonhuman. Unfortunately, he also fosters the
belief that humans deserve to rule the world, treating other races as servants.
His priests teach that other races are inferior, in need of human guidance—and human
masters.
The clerics of Zarus encourage
conquest and slavery. The worst sin a human can commit, according to the Church
of Zarus, is to mate with a nonhuman and produce a child. This child is a taint
on the race and must be removed.
Zarus appears as an incredibly
handsome human male in his prime, suffused with a golden glow.
Dogma: Zarus
encourages his followers and priests to become as perfect as possible, and to
dominate other races.
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