Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Obscure Divinity: Three Ready-To-Use Minor Deities

Monday, I discussed how to create some minor, obscure deities for your campaign settings. Today, I decided to continue along that path and present three minor deities you can use in your games. Two of these deities, the Mother of Rats and Taniwha, use the steps and guidelines I mentioned the other day. The third one, Sylva, uses a method that I didn't mention (the Recently Ascended Deity) to show another way you can add a minor deity to your game. You are free to use these deities as you see fit.

THE MOTHER OF RATS
Neutral Evil Goddess of Filth, Pestilence, and Vermin

Her name lost and long forgotten, the mysterious deity known simply as "The Mother of Rats" is the goddess of plagues and vermin. Her crude idols and secretive holy texts generally depict her as either an enormous rat with sickly, white fur or a diseased hag dressed in filthy robes and surrounded by swarms of vermin. The Mother of Rats revels in the spreading of disease and the suffering of mortals, enjoying the pain and misery of the sick and those plagued by her "children". Her most common worshipers are evil alchemists, ratfolk, and wererats. 

Clerics devoted to the Mother of Rats usually wear filthy, brown robes and are incredibly paranoid individuals who lurk in the shadows and garbage, watching those around them suffer from the plagues they secretly spread. These clerics have access to the Animal, Death, Evil, Strength, and Trickery domains. The goddess' favorite weapon is the claw or the dagger. 

TANIWHA
Neutral God of the Coastal Tribes, the Sea, and War

The chief god of the Coastal Tribes ((A group of humans that closely resemble the Maori. They are merely a stand-in and can easily be swapped out for another culture of your choosing)), Taniwha is the god of the sea and war. His wooden idols and primitive holy texts usually depict him as either a Coastal Tribesman with the eyes and teeth of a shark or a gargantuan shark who's skin is engraved with tribal markings. Taniwha is seen as both the protector of the Coastal Tribes and a destroyer of those who dare harm his chosen people and their coastal home. He teaches his followers to be strong in the face of adversity and to never back down, no matter what. Due to his ties with the culture, the majority of Taniwha's worshipers are found amongst the Coastal Tribes. However, a handful of sahuagin and war-like sailors worship him as well. 

Clerics devoted to Taniwha are generally heavily tattooed individuals who wear jewelry made from the teeth and bones of sharks. They are usually very aggressive as well, willing to do anything to protect their tribe and companions and will take on almost any challenge set before them. These clerics have access to the Animal, Destruction, Protection, War, and Water domains. Taniwha's favorite weapon is the spear. 

SYLVA
Lawful Neuutral Goddess of Humanity, Perfection, and Youth

Known by many as the Young Goddess, Sylva presents herself as the goddess of humanity and youth. Her recently-constructed idols and freshly-written holy texts depict her as a beautiful maiden wearing simple white robes with a warm smile present upon her face. As her title implies, Sylva has only recently ascended to godhood. In life, she was a human sage who managed to reach a state of mental and physical perfection. Now, she wishes to become the patron of humanity and help them reach their full potential. 

Her worshipers are mostly young humans who hope to reach a state of nirvana by following her footsteps. However, there is a small splinter sect within her growing faith who believe the story of Sylva shows how inherently better humans are than the other demi-humans and hope to one day lead humanity to greatness and to take their rightful spot above the other races. Members of this sect are viewed by other Sylvanites as heretics and not worthy of Sylva's divine grace and teachings. Sylvanite clerics have access to the Healing, Knowledge, Law, Protection, and Strength domains. Her favorite weapon is the quarterstaff.  

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