User:Spanambula/Elegy (3.5e Campaign Setting)/Pantheon

=Overview of Divinity in the World of El=

The Gods before the Illydeaen War existed independently without the need of followers or worshippers (though the impetus to create followers seems to be one of the primary attributes of any divine being). The gods that came after were diminished in power, and relied upon the power gleaned from the worship of lesser beings. The more widespread the worship of a god or goddess is, the more power the god or goddess has access to. Zealous worshippers and priests grant more power to a god than a casual woshipper who goes to the temple only a few times a year and does not pray often or at all. This also explains why many gods and goddesses retain a closer than normal relationship with their most devoted worshippers, as it is in their best interests to reward such devotion with power and other good gifts such as supernatural abilities, prolonged life, and on rare occasions even ascention into the ranks of the Demigods.

There also exists a kind of "divine critical mass," a point where the god or goddess gains enough power to become self-sustaining, and no longer completely dependent upon their followers. These deities are knowns as Eternals. There is no specific number of followers that causes this event, since quality of worship is almost as important to a god as quantity. Once this point is reached, many deities will beget children, who take over more specific areas of their parent's portfolio. Alternatively, an Eternal may grant power to a less-powerful deity if having offspring is not an option.

Though Deities are strictly forbidden to exist in the Prime, most gods and goddesses can and do manifest aspects of themselves by using living avatars, spirit forms, oracles, and suchlike to directly communicate with their followers.

The Gods and Goddesses in Elegy are as varied as the people that worship them. Most of the monstrous races have their own gods as well. This list serves as a basic Pantheon of the most commonly-worshipped deities in Elegy, categorized by race.

=Human Deities=

=Elven Deities= Trilonel: (NG) High Elven God. God of light and of growth and learning. His Symbol is a silver crescent, and his weapon is the scepter (light mace).

Therin: (CN) Elven god of nature, usually the god of druids as well. His symbol is an owl's face, and his weapon is the scimitar.

Niorin: (LN) Elven goddess of justice and wisdom. Her symbol is a pair of scales and her weapon is the short sword.

Fealldroch: (NE) Elven opposite of Trilonel. Some scholars believe this god and Ovu are one and the same.

=Gnome Deities= Gnorg: (CG) God of gnomes, and of alchemy and invantion. His symbol is a golden gear, and his weapon is the hammer.

Ignala: (NG) Wife of Gnorg, goddess of motherhood, the home, and protection.

Addurglarf: (CN) Gnomish god of evil, but also sometimes of sudden, needful inspiration. He's a tricky god, often seeming to draw pleasure in doing

what is least expected. His symbol is a leering face, and his weapon is a sling.

=Dwarven Deities= Kromuk: (LN) Dwarven god of the mines and of the smithy. His symbol is the anvil and his weapon is the Urgosh. Like Aro, he is the most commonly worshipped of all the dwarven gods.

Halat: (N) Dwarven God of justice. His symbol is two crossed hammers, and you can probably guess what his weapon is (warhammer).

Akoli: (CN) Not so much a god as a powerful dwarven spirit of ill-fortune. Clerics speculate that Akoli may be an actual deity, but is more likely just a powerful demi-god.

Tahck'kern: (N) This is the collective term for what is best translated as "The Old Gods" They are mostly forgotten and no longer worshiped, but many believe they still have great power.