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List of Greyhawk deities
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This is a list of deities from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.
A
[edit]Al'Akbar
[edit]Al'Akbar is the Baklunish demigod of dignity, duty, faithfulness, and guardianship. His symbol is a cup and eight-pointed star, images of the legendary Cup and Talisman that now bear his name. Al'Akbar is subordinate to the other Baklunish gods, remaining a mere demigod out of respect for them. His faithful oppose the sadistic elemental cults of Ull. Al'Akbar is allied with Heironeous. Al'Akbar's priests use the Cup and Talisman as metaphors for the good life, urging their flocks to be vessels of kindness and emblems of devotion.
Al'Akbar was the most exalted high priest in what are now the lands of the Paynims. After the Invoked Devastation, during that time of misery and suffering, he was given the Cup and Talisman by Al'Asran to help heal his people's ills and return them to the traditional Baklunish faith. Al'Akbar founded the city of Ekbir and, for the last decade of his mortal life, ruled the nation of Ekbir as the first of its caliphs. Eventually he had a mosque to himself built and allowed his followers to call on his name in their prayers. Soon after, he ascended to the heavens to take his place among the gods. Al'Akbar is revered primarily in Ekbir, Ket, the Plains of the Paynims, Tusmit, and Zeif.
“Akbar” was first mentioned in The Strategic Review #7, wherein Neal Healey described The Cup and Talisman of Akbar [sic], and associated them with worship of Allah without mention of whether “Akbar” (Arabic for “greater”/“greatest”) was a person, place, or descriptor.[1]
Allitur
[edit]Allitur is the Flan god of Ethics and Propriety. His holy symbol is a pair of clasped hands. Allitur was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Allitur is depicted as a Flan man riding a horse, Keph, who never tires. Allitur's realm is Empyrea, The City of Tempered Souls. Empyrea sits on the edge of a cold, clear mountain lake on Mount Celestia's fifth layer, Mertion. The many healing fountains and curative waters in Empyrea can restore withered limbs, lost speech, derangement, and life energy itself; those who ail need only find the right fountain. Empyrea is also known for its healers and hospitals, and many a pilgrim seeks to reach this legendary site of perfect health. Allitur teaches respect and understanding for laws, rituals, and other cultural traditions.
Atroa
[edit]Atroa (ah-TRO-ah) is the Oeridian goddess of Spring, East Wind, and Renewal. Her holy symbol is a heart with an air-glyph within, or a kara tree full of ripe, red fruit. Atroa was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Atroa appears as a fresh-faced blonde woman, often with an eagle perching upon her shoulder. With her sling Windstorm, she can strike the most distant foe, and with Readying's Dawn, her spherical glass talisman, she is able to melt all ice in sight. Atroa's realm, the Grove of Perpetual Spring, is in the layer of Brux in the Beastlands. She is also thought to spend time in the realm of Morninglory in Elysium. As Goddess of Spring, Atroa is the invigorating breath that awakens the world from its slumber. She gives the world new love and new life, renews old friendships, and plucks the heartstrings of lovers, travelers, and poets.
Azor'alq
[edit]Azor'alq is the Baklunish hero-deity of Light, Purity, Courage, and Strength. His symbol is an armed man standing atop a stone summit. Azor'alq is a tall, handsome warrior with a dark complexion. He wears fine chain mail and his helm is topped with peacock feathers. His long curved sword, of elven make, is known as Faruk. Azor'alq is a member of the Baklunish pantheon. In the past, he has been a foe of the demon lords Munkir and Nekir. Azor'alq's sanctum can be entered through the highest peak in the Pinnacles of Azor'alq. There he dwells with his ancient paladins, the Thousand Immortals.
B
[edit]Beltar
[edit]Beltar is the Suel goddess of Malice, Caves, and Pits. Her holy symbol is a set of opened fangs poised to bite. Although often depicted as a haglike human female, Beltar is known to also appear as a beholder, red dragon, or marilith. Some regard the later form as a likely cause of rumors of the existence of a Suloise snake-cult. Beltar was formerly a goddess of earth and mines, but was supplanted by other Suel gods until her only worshipers were nonhuman slaves. It is perhaps for this reason that Jascar is one of her greatest enemies. Beltar will often take mates in her various forms, but few survive, as she eats them afterward, as well as any young born from such a union.
Beory
[edit]Beory is the Flan goddess of the Oerth, Nature, and Rain. She is also known as the Oerth Mother. Her symbol is either a green disk marked with a circle or a rotund, female figurine. Beory was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Beory is considered to be a manifestation of the Oerth itself. She does not care for anything else, and mortals or other deities only concern her if they threaten the Oerth. She is distant even from her own clerics, who wander the earth to experience the different parts of the world. They spend their time communing with nature and often associate with druids.
Berei
[edit]Berei is goddess of Agriculture, Family, and Home. Her holy symbol is a sheaf of wheat stalks. Berei was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Berei is depicted as a brown-skinned, kindly-looking woman carrying a sickle. Berei can most often be found in the first layer of Elysium, in the realm of Principality. Berei tries to strengthen the ties of family and community, and urges care in the planting of crops.
Berna
[edit]Berna is the Touv goddess of passion and forgiveness. Formerly, she was the goddess of hatred and vendettas, but she got better. Her symbol is a red metal heart, preferably red gold. Berna is depicted as a Touv woman wearing the skin of a jungle cat. A red-gold heart shines from her chest. Berna is the third child of the serpent god Meyanok, transformed by the power of Xanag from a spirit of hate to one of passion. Her older siblings are Vara and Damaran. Her grandmother is Breeka and her great-grandmother is the sun goddess Nola, who was awakened by the creator god Uvot. She is a member of the Touv pantheon, which also includes the gods Katay, Kundo, Meyanok, and Vogan. Berna is now the patron of all small emotions, both positive and negative. She also represents the forgiveness of wrongs.
Berna is named for a college friend of Sean K. Reynolds's named Bernadette.[3]
Bleredd
[edit]Bleredd is the Oeridian god of Metal, Mines, and Smiths. His holy symbol is an iron mule, as sturdy and patient as himself. Bleredd was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Bleredd is the one who originally taught the Oeridians iron-working. He is a pragmatic sort, preferring work to idle talk. He created many of the artifacts used by his family, including his hammer of thunderbolts, Fury, and his wife's hammer Skull Ringer. In Bleredd's creed, the gifts of the earth exist to be taken and used to create practical works. Bleredd's followers are expected to be strong of body and will. Bleredd encourages the free flow of information; the knowledge of smithcraft should never be hoarded, but taught freely to anyone with a talent for it. Those who are miserly in sharing what they have learned ought to be punished.
Boccob
[edit]Boccob is the god of magic, arcane knowledge, balance, and foresight. He is known as the Uncaring, the Lord of All Magic, and the Archmage of the Deities. All times and places are open to him, and he has visited many alternate realities and planes unknown to the wisest of sages, places even the Elder Evils avoid. His symbol is an eye in a pentagon; usually this is worn as an amulet. Boccob was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #70 (1983).[4] Boccob is usually portrayed as a middle aged man with white hair who wears purple robes decorated with golden runes. He is described as carrying the very first staff of the magi with him at all times. In addition, he knows every spell ever created and can travel to any time and dimension. He is the possessor of the only magical library that contains a copy of every potion, spell, and magic item in existence.
Bralm
[edit]Bralm is the Suel goddess of Insects and Industriousness. Her symbol is a giant wasp in front of an insect swarm. Bralm was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[5] Bralm's realm, known as the Hive Fortress, is in the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron, in the layer of Avalas. Bralm teaches that everyone in society has their proper position that people are obligated to master even if they don't understand their importance in the greater scheme. She instructs her followers to obey those with higher social positions and greater knowledge. She urges contentment in hard labor, and compares her followers to insects in a hive.
Breeka
[edit]Breeka is the Touv goddess of Living Things. Her holy symbol is a headdress of wooden beads and animal teeth. Breeka is the manifestation of all aspects of nature, both helpful and harmful (unlike her grandfather Uvot, who represents only nature's bounty). Breeka is, by turns, helpful, indifferent, and harmful. She is troubled by the nightmares given to her by Vara. She is depicted as a middle-aged Touv woman with dark green skin and worry lines on her face. Breeka is the daughter of Nola, goddess of the sun, and Vogan, the god of weather and rain, and from this mixture of rain and sunlight was born all the world's plants and animals. She is the mother of Katay, who has no father. Her birthing pains mingled with the darkness to create Meyanok, the god of evil. While sleeping, she vomited forth the nightmares inspired in her by her granddaughter Vara to create the living things that bring fear and danger to the night.
C
[edit]Celestian
[edit]Celestian is the god of Stars, Space and Wanderers. His symbol is a black circle set with seven stars. His color is black. An Oeridian god, he is called the Far Wanderer, and is brother to Fharlanghn. It is said that the two followed similar but differing paths. Celestian is Neutral Good, but his worshipers may be any alignment of good. Celestian was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #68 (1982).[6] Celestian encourages his followers to wander far from home, just as the stars do. Astrology is as much a part of Celestian's faith as astronomy is, and his worshippers are encouraged to discover the secrets within the patterns of the stars and other celestial bodies.
Compare Celestian to the Roman god Caelus, especially in his form as Caelus Nocturnus. The names Celestian and Caelus both derive from the Latin word caelum meaning "sky" or "heavens".
Charmalaine
[edit]Charmalaine (TCHAR-mah-lain) is the halfling hero-goddess of Keen Senses and Narrow Escapes. She gained her nickname "the Lucky Ghost" from her ability to leave her body to scout ahead in spirit-form. In this form, she is believed to warn halfling adventurers of impending danger. Her holy symbol is a burning boot-print. Charmalaine is a young halfling woman with alert eyes, black oiled leather armor, and boots coated in mud. She carries a mace called Fair Warning and is usually seen with Xaphan, her ferret familiar. She is energetic, spontaneous, and fearless. Charmalaine preaches vigilance and attention to one's environment. Her followers are urged to hone their reflexes, to be quick on their feet, to enjoy exploration but also safety. They are taught that too many material things can be too much weight.
Cyndor
[edit]Cyndor is the Oeridian god of Time, Infinity, and Continuity. His symbol is a rounded hourglass set on its side, much like the symbol for infinity. Cyndor was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Cyndor is depicted as a towering, featureless humanoid with powerful block-like limbs. This form symbolizes the inevitability of time itself. Cyndor directs Merikka in her tasks. It is thought that Tsolorandril is his servant. Cyndor's faithful believe in predestination. All time, for them, is a path along a lifeline that Cyndor has already foreseen. Cyndor directs a small group of mortal chronomancers known as the Guardians of Infinity. Their duty is to defend Oerth's timestreams from interference or damage by outside forces. Cyndor is also served by temporal dogs, time dimensionals, and more exotic beings.
D
[edit]Daern
[edit]Daern is the Oeridian hero-deity of defenses and fortifications. Daern's holy symbol is a shield hanging from a parapet. She is often associated with griffins. Daern's priests often advise military leaders on proper placement and construction of fortifications, castles, and keeps. Her priests are valued among rulers who wish to establish stronger borders. The priesthood favors the shortspear. In her mortal life, Daern was responsible for the construction of a number of famous fortifications, including Castle Blazebane in Almor and Tarthax near Rel Deven.
Dalt
[edit]Dalt is the Suel god of Portals, Doors, Enclosures, Locks, and Keys. His holy symbol is a locked door with a skeleton key beneath it. Dalt wanders the Outlands, having no permanent realm of his own. Dalt is depicted as either a white-haired old man with piercing eyes or as a young red-haired thief. Dalt is a lesser deity, almost forgotten on the world of Oerth but slowly gaining more followers. He is primarily worshipped by the Suloise people in the southeastern Flanaess.
Damaran
[edit]Damaran is the Touv god of vermin and other creeping things, as well as the flight-instinct essential to survival. His symbol is ribbons of black metal. Damaran is the vermin that scuttles. He is depicted as a strong Touv man with a skulking look about him, accompanied by rats and insects. Damaran obeys his father, Meyanok, unquestioningly, and is easily bullied into service by his older sister Vara. He often flees when confronted by enemies of any strength. The Touv gods inhabit the "spirit world" coterminous with the realms of the Touv, a somewhat hypothetical realm.
Daoud
[edit]Daoud is a hero-deity whose ethos is Humility, Clarity, and Immediacy. The symbol of Daoud appears as a multi-colored cloth patch or a tangle of yarn, having seven threads consisting of one thread for each color in the spectrum, and extending upwards from the bottom. He usually appears as a leather-skinned old man whose brows are dark and heavy. Daoud has black, piercing eyes. His clothing is simple and worn, like that of a shepherd, with a turban around his head, and he carries a staff. Daoud urges his followers to seek both the good and fortune to unravel every thread of destiny. His followers strive to find contentment only with whatever Fate allows and demands from them. His followers are able to cut through lies using sharp words.
Delleb
[edit]Delleb is the Oeridian god of Reason, Intellect, and Study. His symbol is a phoenix-feather quill, or an open book. Delleb was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Delleb's realm, the Great Library, is in Solania, the fourth of the Seven Heavens. Solania is a place with many scholarly hermitages and monasteries hidden atop high, steep peaks. Delleb's order teaches that the purpose of existence is the accumulation of knowledge, although they are careful to remind others that this does not supersede the sanctity of life.
E
[edit]Earth Dragon
[edit]The Earth Dragon is a Flan spirit of earth, weather, and hidden treasures. It is the spirit of Mount Drachenkopf in the Pomarj. Its symbol is a coiled dragon. The Earth Dragon may manifest as a mottled serpent or a gargantuan dragon formed of variegated stone laced with precious ores. It may also manifest as an earthquake to indicate its displeasure. The Cult of the Earth Dragon is opposed by the Silent Ones. The Earth Dragon is said to live in a large underground lair beneath Mount Drachenkopf avoided by subterranean races. Especially faithful worshippers are brought to their deity's presence to bask in the Earth Dragon's glory. The Earth Dragon is the great provider and the spirit of the earth. Those who worship it and obey it are promised protection. The Earth Dragon is said to know all the secrets of the land, favoring its chosen with power and knowledge. To please their god, the faithful must worship, sacrifice, and spread the faith to others.
Ehlonna
[edit]Ehlonna is the goddess of Forests, Woodlands, Flora, Fauna, and Fertility. Ehlonna is known to the elves as "Ehlenestra." Her holy symbol is a rampant unicorn or a unicorn's horn. Ehlonna was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #68 (1982).[6] Ehlonna is variously depicted as an elven or human woman, and often associates with unicorns and other sylvan creatures. Deep within the Beastlands layer of Krigala is the Grove of the Unicorns, a realm she shares with the like-minded goddess Mielikki. Ehlonna teaches that the animals and plants of the forests are gifts, and are not to be stolen. She is often the goddess of rangers and druids and opposes hunters and anyone who would exploit the land for fun or profit.
Erythnul
[edit]Erythnul is the Oeridian god of hate, envy, malice, panic, ugliness, and slaughter. He is known as the Many, and is worshipped by many gnoll, troll, ogre, and bugbear tribes, in addition to humans. His symbol is a red blood drop, or a bestial mask representing Erythnul's changing visage. Erythnul was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #71 (1983).[7] Erythnul is called the Many, because in battle his features continually shift from human to bugbear to troll to ogre to gnoll and back to human again. His spilled blood transforms into similar creatures. Erythnul delights in panic and slaughter. He can spread fear through his eyes.
F
[edit]Fharlanghn
[edit]Fharlanghn, the Dweller on the Horizon, is the Oeridian god of Horizons, Distance, Travel, and Roads. He is a well-known deity on the world of Oerth. He wanders that world in person, his petitioners present in spirit form at crossroads and in mysterious oases. His symbol is a disk with a curved line representing the horizon, and an upturned crescent above that. He is the brother of Celestian, and is said to make his home on Oerth. Fharlanghn was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #68 (December 1982).[8] Fharlanghn appears as an elderly man. His skin is wrinkled and weathered, but his green eyes sparkle with life. He wears unremarkable, travel-stained clothing of leather and unbleached linen. He carries the Oerth Disc, a magical version of his holy symbol. Fharlanghn insists that everyone travel in order to discover and learn new things. He urges people to look to the horizon for inspiration.
Fortubo
[edit]Fortubo is the god of Stone, Metals, Mountains, and Guardianship. Originally a member of the Suel pantheon, Fortubo abandoned the Suloise upon discovering that the Suel were behind the creation of the derro. Fortubo now favors dwarves above any other race, and has relatively few human worshippers. Fortubo's holy symbol is a warhammer with a glowing head, though any hammer will serve. Fortubo was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[5]
G
[edit]Gadhelyn
[edit]Gadhelyn the Archer (Gad-THEL-en) is the elven hero-god of Independence, Outlawry, Feasting, and Hunting. His symbol is a leaf-shaped arrowhead. Gadhelyn is a very old figure in elven myth, once a part of the Fey Mysteries but now largely forgotten except among the grugach. He is depicted as an elf with sharp features, long yellow hair, and vivid green eyes. He wears rough clothing of fur and hide, of colors to match the season. Gadhelyn is still a potent hero among the grugach. Sylvan elves and even a few half-elves and humans revere him and participate in his rites. Followers of Gadhelyn prey on the wealthy who dare to cross their woodlands, but they are not truly dangerous unless attacked, or if their forests are despoiled.
Gendwar Argrim
[edit]Gendwar Argrim is the dwarven hero-god of Fatalism and Obsession. His symbol is a waraxe bearing the dwarven rune for destruction. The Doomed Dwarf's appearance is said to be unremarkable except for his sandy blond hair and beard. His dwarven waraxe, Forgotten Hope, screams every time a community of dwarves is attacked. He is in many ways the picture of a dwarven stereotype: dour, taciturn, and focused on the destruction of evil humanoids above all else. Gendwar preaches nothing less than utter destruction of the enemies of the dwarven race. Honor, glory, wealth, and love are all meaningless in the face of this crusade. His followers expect fully to one day die in battle, but strive to take a thousand foes with them to the grave.
Geshtai
[edit]Geshtai is the Baklunish goddess of Lakes, Rivers, Wells, and Streams. Her symbol is a waterspout. Geshtai was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Geshtai is depicted as a young Baklunish woman carrying a clay jug. She stands in a pool of water with Gumus, her fish companion.
H
[edit]Heironeous
[edit]
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Heironeous is the Lawful Good Oeridian god of Chivalry, Justice, Honor, War, Daring, and Valor. His clerics' domains are usually Glory, Good, Inquisition, Law, and War. His holy symbol is a silver lightning bolt, often clutched in a fist.
Heward
[edit]Heward is the god of Bards and Musicians. Heward is notable not only for his musical prowess, but also for his technological skills.
Hextor
[edit]Hextor is the Oeridian god of war, discord, massacres, conflict, fitness, and tyranny. Hextor was created by E. Gary Gygax, and was first detailed for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #67 (1982).[9] Hextor is often depicted as a hideous, gray skinned, six-armed humanoid bearing two large tusks jutting from its lower jaw wearing armor clad with skulls. He wields a weapon in each hand: a spiked flail, a battle axe, a battle pick, a longsword, a mace, and a falchion. His other form is that of an athletic young male, with dark hair and light skin. Hextor's realm is the citadel of Scourgehold on the plane of Acheron.
I
[edit]Incabulos
[edit]Incabulos is the god of plagues, sickness, famine, nightmares, drought, and disasters. His unholy symbol is the magic icon called the "Eye of Possession," a green eye in a red diamond. Incabulos was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #71 (1983).[7] Incabulos's appearance is said to be absolutely terrifying: a deformed body, skeletal hands, and a face from the worst nightmare. Incabulos hates all other gods except for Nerull, the death-god who finishes the work Incabulos starts. Incabulos regards him with total indifference. Incabulos's realm, known as Charnelhouse, is located on the first layer of the Gray Waste, Oinos.
Istus
[edit]Istus is the goddess of Fate, Destiny, Divination, and the Future. She is known as the Lady of Our Fate and the Colorless and All-Colored. Her symbol is a golden spindle with three strands.
Iuz
[edit]Iuz (pronounced YOOZ, EE-uz[10] or EYE-ooze[11][12]) is the chaotic evil demigod of Deceit, Evil, Oppression, Pain, and Wickedness. Iuz is variously called "The Old One" and "Old Wicked," among other titles. Unlike most Greyhawk deities, Iuz makes his home on Oerth, where he rules a broad swath of the Flanaess known as the Empire of Iuz. Iuz was also named as one of the greatest villains in D&D history by the final print issue of Dragon.[13] His symbol is a grinning human skull, or a human skull with blood-red highlights. Iuz was created by E. Gary Gygax in his early Castle Greyhawk sessions in which Robert J. Kuntz's character, Robilar was responsible for releasing nine demi-gods. Iuz emerged as one of these demi-gods.[14]
J
[edit]Jascar
[edit]Jascar is the Suel god of Hills and Mountains, first detailed in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting.[2] His holy symbol is a snow-capped mountain peak. Jascar appears as a muscular human male with a dark beard and breastplate of shining silver. He lacks the color and features of the Suel race, despite his origins. His visage is said to strike terror into the hearts of goblins and orcs. He is sometimes depicted as a pegasus or a horse. He wields a great hammer, which is the bane of all undead. Jascar is the brother of Fortubo, and a close ally of Phaulkon. He is the sworn enemy of Beltar. Jascar associates little with other gods, who see him as driven and aloof.
Johydee
[edit]Johydee is the Oeridian goddess of Deception, Espionage, and Protection. Her sacred animal is the chameleon. Her symbol is a small stylized mask of onyx. Johydee can take any form, but usually appears as a young woman with grey eyes and honey-blonde hair. Though she comes off as mischievous and flighty, this is little more than a mask to hide her true intentions. Her allies are few, and she never sides with evil. Followers of Johydee are urged to protect themselves with many layers of deception, keeping their true intentions hidden from the knowledge of their enemies, and to know more of their foes than their foes know of them. They are taught to judge well the time to strike and the time to flee. They are also expected to help those they are sworn to protect.
Joramy
[edit]Joramy (also called the Raging Volcano and The Shrew) is the goddess of fire, volcanoes, wrath and anger. She is neutral, and even tending towards Neutral Good. Her holy symbol is a stylized volcano or pillar of flame.
K
[edit]Katay
[edit]Katay is the Touv god of decay, inevitability, order, and time. His symbol is a copper disk. Katay is the inventor of the Touv Calendar, and records all events on a metallic wheel given to him by Xanag. Katay is depicted as an elderly man with young eyes, wearing a decaying animal pelt and carrying a great copper disk inscribed with Touv runes. Katay is the son of Breeka, born without a father.
Kelanen
[edit]Kelanen is the hero-deity of Swords, Sword Skills, and Balance. Possibly the most popular hero-deity in the Flanaess, Kelanen's symbol is nine swords arrayed in a star shape, points outward.
Keoghtom
[edit]Keoghtom is the hero-god of Secret Pursuits, Natural Alchemy, and Extraplanar Exploration. His symbol is a round disk, bisected by an upward-pointing arrow.
Keptolo
[edit]Keptolo (kep-toe-low) is the drow deity of drow males, expressed in flattery, intoxication, rumor, and opportunism. His symbol is a stylized mushroom, which symbolizes intoxication and male fertility. He is intelligent, stylish, and exquisitely decadent; in all ways he is the ideal of the upper class male drow. His typical appearance is that of a young dark elvish noble, dressed in elegant silks of red, purple, jet black, and amber hues. He carries on his person a thin and elegant poniard and longsword, and in combat he wields them both simultaneously. Alternatively, he may be dressed as if for a hunt, wearing a velvet cloak and carrying an expensive crossbow. Keptolo is the consort of Lolth. He is polite and unctuous to Kiaransalee and Vhaeraun, but insincere in his flattery. He despises Zinzerena, who tricked a portion of his power from him in order to empower her own ascension.
Kord
[edit]Kord is the Suel god of Athletics, Sports, Storms, Brawling, Strength, and Courage. His symbol is an eight-pointed star composed of spears and maces. Kord is depicted as a hugely muscular man with a red beard and long red hair. He wears a fighting girdle made from a red dragon's hide, gauntlets from a white dragon's hide, and boots from a blue dragon's hide. He wields the greatsword Kelmar in battle. Kord is sometimes depicted by his urbanized faithful as a more civilized athlete or wrestler. He is the son of Phaulkon and Syrul, and the grandson of Lendor. He is a foe of dragonkind, especially lawful evil dragons. Kord's favorite heralds are titans. His allies include eladrin and huge earth elementals. Kord is the most popular of Suel deities, and his followers are found throughout the Barbarian States of the Thillonrian Peninsula, northern Ulek, Keoland, Almor, Aerdy, Hepmonaland, the Amedio Jungle, Lendore Isle, and in the Bandit Kingdom city of Alhaster. Kord was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax He was further detailed by Lenard Lakofka in Dragon #87 (1984), in the article Gods of the Suel Pantheon.[15] He would go on to appear in 2nd and 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons.
Kundo
[edit]Kundo is the Touv god of building, noise, music, and defense. His symbol is an ornate but functional shield or breastplate. Kundo is the union of storm and metal, a loud and boisterous guardian god obsessed with building and construction. He is the sound of metal on metal, or the roar of the summer rains on the roofs of shelters, or the happy songs sung by those who build and protect. He is depicted as a laughing Touv man carrying a great shield and a cluster of saplings. Kundo is the son of Xanag, goddess of metals, and Vogan, god of rain and storms. Xanag's beauty entranced Vonag.
Kurell
[edit]Kurell is the Oeridian god of Jealousy, Revenge, and Thievery. His holy symbol is a grasping hand holding a broken coin, fingers pointed upwards.[citation needed]
Kuroth
[edit]Kuroth is the Oeridian god of Theft and Treasure-Finding. Kuroth's symbol is a gold coin bearing the image of a key or a quill. Kuroth appears as an Oeridian man with a fancy mustache and medium-length black hair. He is occasionally accompanied by a ferret. Kuroth was sponsored to godhood by Olidammara. Kuroth's priests prefer daggers and rapiers.
Kyuss
[edit]Kyuss (pronounced "Kai-uhs" /ˈkaɪ.əs/) is a demigod concerned with the creation and mastery of the Undead. Known as the Bonemaster, the Wormgod, the Worm that Walks and the Herald of the Age of Worms, his symbol is a skull erupting with writhing green worms.
The sons of Kyuss, later referred to as spawn of Kyuss, were an iconic monster in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game before the story of Kyuss was fleshed out. Kyuss was described as "an evil high priest who created the first of these creatures, via a special curse, under instruction from an evil deity" within their creature entry in the first edition Fiend Folio (1981).[16] Kyuss is a lich in the adventure accompanying the album First Quest: The Music (1985).[17] Hints at Kyuss's origins were added in the adventure Rary the Traitor (1992), when sons of Kyuss were said to be contained in the Necropolis of Unaagh, a cursed city of Sulm inhabited by undead. This was made more conspicuous since any of the contained undead that "move or are carried even a few yards from its buildings collapse into inanimate heaps of bone." This is suggested in the work to be the possible consequence of an ancient curse. That makes the creator of the undead ancient as well, painting Kyuss as once having been a high priest in Sulm.[18]
In the From the Ashes boxed set (Atlas of the Flanaess, page 69), the entry for the Storm Lake of the Amedio mentioned that sons of Kyuss manifest in the vicinity after a phenomenon called the Storm of Unknowing. Later, in Iuz the Evil (1993) the home of the "infamous evil priest Kyuss" was claimed to have been the Wormcrawl Fissure, a "mile-long ravine away from the main body of the Rift Canyon."[19] Still later, in The Scarlet Brotherhood by Sean K. Reynolds, the entry for Matreyus Lake said, "undead such as sons of Kyuss walk the nearby jungle – the evil demigod is said to have spent time here." Kyuss is also one of the epic-level villains detailed in Elder Evils, and is also featured on that book's cover.
In his divine form, Kyuss appears as a towering humanoid shaped entirely of green Kyuss worms, with two blazing eyes peering from beneath the hood of his ragged cloak. According to the Kyuss sidebar in Dragon #336's "Ecology of the Spawn of Kyuss", his original divine form was a gaunt man with empty eyesockets filled with writhing worms and hands of bare bone, but he has evolved into his appearance of a gargantuan Worms That Walk as his cult grew stronger.[20]
Stoner rock band Kyuss, originally named as Sons of Kyuss, took their name from the character.[21]
L
[edit]Lendor
[edit]Lendor is the Suel god of Time, Tedium, Patience, and Study. His holy symbol is a crescent moon superimposed upon a full moon surrounded by stars. Though the exact number of stars varies, it is usually fourteen. Lendor is a distant deity, seeming to care little for the affairs of the world. He considers himself superior to other deities, especially his children. He has the ability to banish or undo the magic of any of his brood. Lendor was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[5]
Lirr
[edit]Lirr is the Oeridian goddess of Poetry and Art. She was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2]
Llerg
[edit]Llerg is the god of Beasts and Strength. Among the savage Suel tribes of the fictional world's Amedio Jungle and Hepmonaland, he is known as Hlerg.[citation needed]
Lydia
[edit]Lydia is the Suel goddess of Music, Knowledge, and Daylight. Her holy symbol is a spray of colors from an open hand. She is depicted as a dynamic, white-haired woman with clear blue eyes. She wears a white gown trimmed in silver and gold. She is constantly surrounded by a sphere of force. Lydia interacts with many other deities, exchanging songs and information. She opposes Pholtus, feeling that others must see the light of truth without being blinded by it. Her philosophy pleases Trithereon, who similarly presses for the freedom of the individual.
Lydia was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax. Lydia was further detailed by Lenard Lakofka in Dragon #92 (1984), in the article Gods of the Suel Pantheon V.[22]
M
[edit]Mayaheine
[edit]Mayaheine is the demigoddess of Protection, Justice, and Valor. Her symbol is a downward-pointing sword with a V on either side. Mayaheine is an unusually tall woman with auburn-gold hair with blue eyes. She carries a bastard sword and a longbow, and is garbed in silvery plate mail. Mayaheine is a servant and paladin of Pelor, and her faith serves as a more strongly martial complement to Pelor's church. Her relationship with Heironeous is more uncertain, but most of their respective clergy sees their roles as complementary, Mayaheine as protector and Heironeous as the one who marshals the hosts to battle.
Merikka
[edit]Merikka is the Oeridian demigoddess of Agriculture, Farming, and the Home. Her holy symbol is a basket of grain and a long scroll. Merikka is described as a quiet, gray-haired woman of faded beauty, carrying a basket of grain and holding a scroll, though her image in her temple in the village of Orlane is that of a beautiful young woman. Merikka is obsessed with dates and cycles. Merikka is a cousin of Velnius, Atroa, Sotillion, Wenta, and Telchur. She reports to Cyndor, who helps her coordinate the proper times to plant and harvest with the gods of the seasons. Merikka was imprisoned for some years in the Godtrap beneath Castle Greyhawk by the archmage Zagyg, but is now free. She resents chaotic gods and any who would disrupt her work.
Meyanok
[edit]Meyanok is the Touv god of serpents, poison, discord, darkness, and famine. His symbol is a snake coiled around a skull. Meyanok is always depicted as a serpent coiled around a skull. Meyanok was born when the pain of Breeka's childbirth mingled with the darkness. He is the progenitor of Vara, Damaran, and Berna, who hatched from eggs spawned from the mating of Meyanok's anger and lust. Meyanok, like the other Touv gods, is a greater spirit who dwells within the mortal world.
Mok'slyk
[edit]Mok'slyk is an old Flan name for an entity known as the Serpent, an entity of godlike power believed to be the personification of arcane magic. The Serpent is said to be a member of a group of unfathomably old entities known as the Ancient Brethren, which, though similar to gods, are not exactly gods, though some beings honor them as such. The Lady of Pain, Asmodeus, and Jazirian are also sometimes said to belong, or to have once belonged, to this group, and supposedly Vecna is a descendant of the Ancient Brethren. There may also be a connection between the Ancient Brethren and the draedens and baernoloths born before the multiverse began.
Mouqol
[edit]Mouqol is the Baklunish god of Trade, Negotiation, Ventures, Appraisal, and Reciprocity. His symbol is a set of scales and weights. Mouqol is a neutral deity; in the ancient war between Darkness and Light that resulted in the Baklunish Hegira, he refused to take a side, trading with both antitheses. Mouqol is a skilled bargainer, able to haggle skillfully even with the notoriously tricky and sly genie races. Mouqol's greatest talents, however, are his ability to discern the true desires of his clients and procure rare items from exotic and seemingly impossible sources. Mouqol takes the side of neither the gods of good nor the gods of evil. As he does with the rest of the Baklunish pantheon, Al'Akbar remains subordinate to Mouqol in the divine hierarchy.
Myhriss
[edit]Myhriss is the Flan goddess of Love, Romance, and Beauty. Her symbol is the lovebird. Myhriss was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Myhriss is shown as a Flan woman just reaching adulthood, a garland of flowers in her hair. She has two aspects, a dark-haired, intimidating woman wielding a whip and a golden-haired, gentler woman wielding a shortbow.
N
[edit]Nazarn
[edit]Nazarn (NAZZ-arn) is a half-orc hero-god of formal, ritualistic, and public combat. His symbol is a chain wrapped around a short sword. He appears as an older half-orc with a strongly orcish appearance. His hair is gray, on its way to becoming completely white. He carries his short sword, Crowdpleaser. Nazarn has no known relationships with the orcish pantheon. Nazarn was once a popular gladiator slave owned by a member of the Scarlet Brotherhood, but he escaped to find a better place for himself elsewhere in the world. Nazarn's apotheosis was sponsored by the Suloise deity Kord. During his travels, he impressed a half-giant descendant of the god Kord and eventually convinced Kord himself to elevate him to godhood after defeating all opponents (including a young green dragon) in a Hepmonaland arena run by yuan-ti.
Nerull
[edit]Nerull is the patron of those who seek the greatest evil for their own enjoyment or gain. His worshipers, who include evil necromancers and rogues, depict him as an almost skeletal cloaked figure who bears a scythe. He is known as the Reaper, the Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, King of All Gloom, and Reaper of Flesh.
Nola
[edit]Nola is the Touv goddess of the Sun. Her symbol is a gold or copper image of the sun. Nola is depicted as a Touv woman of serene beauty, her head surrounded by a corona of flame. Nola is the first being created by Uvot, who brought her to life by thanking the warm sun for blessing the land, that the land might create Uvot. Nola admired Vogan, the god of rain and storms, the aspect of one complementing the other, both enriching their father Uvot. Vogan and Nola became the parents of Breeka, goddess of beasts and plants. Uvot blessed Nola, and she gave birth to Xanag, goddess of metals and beauty, born from Uvot's earth and shining with the fire of her mother. Nola is named for a college friend of Sean K. Reynolds's.[3]
Norebo
[edit]Norebo is the Suel god of Luck, Gambling, and Risks. His symbol is a pair of eight-sided dice.
O
[edit]Obad-Hai
[edit]Obad-Hai is the god of Nature, Woodlands, Hunting, and Beasts, one of the most ancient known. He is often called the Shalm. He is also considered to be the god of summer by the Flan. Originally a Flan deity, Obad-Hai is most favored by Rangers, druids and other nature priests. His holy symbol is a mask of oak leaves and acorns. Obad-Hai was first detailed for the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game in the article "The Deities & Demigods of the World of Greyhawk", by E. Gary Gygax in Dragon #69 (January 1983) with game statistics on page 29 and a description on page 30, including a black-and-white illustration by Jeff Easley.[23]
Old Faith
[edit]The Old Faith is the chief druidic order in the Flanaess. Though strongly associated with the faiths of Beory and Obad-Hai, the Old Faith also encompasses other deities, principally those concerned with natural phenomena. A quartet of gods representing the seasons is common, though the identities of these deities vary from culture to culture. The Old Faith is closely associated with the bards of the Old Lore, to whom they entrust many of their secrets. The druids of the Old Faith are more loosely allied with the Rangers of the Gnarley. Their alignments differ, but their goals are compatible.
Olidammara
[edit]Olidammara is the god of Music, Revels, Wine, Rogues, Humor, and Tricks. He is often called the Laughing Rogue. Olidammara is one of the more eccentric gods of Oerth. The Laughing Rogue is often involved in good-natured schemes involving the other gods (less good-natured for the more evil deities), with repercussions that can make life difficult for his faithful. He has few proper priests, but is held in high regard in almost all non-evil regions of the Flanaess. Olidammara was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #70 (1983).[24] Olidammara was subsequently detailed in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983),[5] though a typo in the work identified him as a god of "rougery".
Osprem
[edit]Osprem is the Suel goddess of Sea Voyages, Ships, and Sailors. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman in a flowing gown, or as a dolphin, barracuda, or sperm whale. In human form, she wears a ring carved from a whale's tooth, a gift from the grandfather of all whales. She is the occasional companion of Xerbo. Osprem was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2]
P
[edit]Pelor
[edit]Pelor is a Flan deity worshipped throughout the Flanaess, and on other worlds as well. He rides a mighty ki-rin named Star Thought, summoning eagles and destroying evil with bolts of light. He is depicted as an older man with wild golden hair and beard, dressed in robes of shining white.
Phaulkon
[edit]Phaulkon is the Suel god of Air, Wind, Clouds, Birds, and Archery. His symbol is a winged human silhouette. Phaulkon was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the modules The Secret of Bone Hill (1981).[25] Phaulkon appears as a powerful winged man, clean-shaven and bare-chested. Among the gods of the Suel, Phaulkon is regarded as second only to Kord in fighting prowess. Though he resides on Arborea, he often visits the plane of Elemental Air. Phaulkon is the son of Lendor, and fathered Kord upon Syrul. He is a staunch ally of Jascar, Murlynd, Atroa, and Aerdrie Faenya. He is very active, and dedicated to the eradication of evil.
Pholtus
[edit]Pholtus was one of the first gods created by Gary Gygax as he and Dave Arneson developed the game of Dungeons & Dragons. Pholtus eventually evolved into Greyhawk's Oeridian god of Light, Resolution, Law, Order, Inflexibility, the Sun, and the Moons, and was also used in the Planescape campaign. His symbol is a silvery sun with a crescent moon on the lower right quadrant. His colors are white, silver and gold.
In the early 1970s, when Gary Gygax was using the dungeons beneath Castle Greyhawk to playtest the game that would become known as Dungeons & Dragons, he did not include any references to any organized religion. Eventually his players asked that their clerics be able to gain their powers from someone more specific than "the gods". Gygax, with tongue in cheek, created two gods; Pholtus, and Saint Cuthbert.[26]
Phyton
[edit]Phyton is the Suel god of Nature, Beauty, and Farming. Phyton's symbol is a scimitar in front of an oak tree.
Procan
[edit]Procan is the Oeridian god of Seas, Sea Life, Salt, Sea Weather, and Navigation. His holy symbol is a gold and coral trident above or piercing a cresting wave.
Pyremius
[edit]Pyremius is the Suel god of Assassins, Fire, Poison, and Murder. His symbol is a demonic face with ears like a bat's wings. Pyremius is depicted as a hideous human with a bald, jermlaine-like head. He wears large bracers of brass. He wields a sword, the Red Light of Hades, and a whip called the Viper of Hades. Pyremius's closest allies are the goddess Syrul and the Oinoloth Mydianchlarus. He is distrustful of all other gods; he remembers how he betrayed Ranet, the previous Suel deity of fire, and doesn't wish for the same thing to happen to him. Geshtai particularly loathes him.
Pyremius was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax. He was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes] set (1992). Pyremius's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).
R
[edit]Ralishaz
[edit]Ralishaz is the god of Chance, Ill Luck, Misfortune, and Insanity. His holy symbol is composed of three sticks of bone.[27]
Rao
[edit]Rao is the Flan god of Peace, Reason, and Serenity. His holy symbol is a heart-shaped mask with a calm expression, or a simple white heart crafted of metal or wood. His followers are called Raoans.
Raxivort
[edit]Raxivort is the patron god of the xvarts. He also acts as a patron of wererats, bats, and rats. His symbol is a fiery blue hand.
Roykyn
[edit]Roykyn (ROY-kihn) is the gnomish hero-goddess of cruelty, particularly cruel pranks. Her favored animal is a feral cat, and her symbol is a furled scroll dripping dark fluid. Roykyn is commonly depicted as a dark-haired gnomish woman with a wicked gleam in her eye, but she can appear in almost any humanoid form. Roykyn was formerly a priestess of the gnomish deity Urdlen, but her apotheosis was sponsored by Erythnul, who perhaps in selecting this particular servant was seeking to broaden his appeal beyond simple violence.
Rudd
[edit]Rudd is the Oeridian goddess of Chance, Good Luck, and Skill. As the Great Gambler, she knows every card game invented. Rudd's holy symbol is a bull's eye target.[citation needed]
S
[edit]Saint Cuthbert
[edit]Saint Cuthbert of the Cudgel is the combative deity of Wisdom, Dedication, and Zeal.
Sotillion
[edit]Sotillion is the Oeridian goddess of Summer, the South Wind, Ease, and Comfort. Her holy symbol is a winged tiger of pure orange. Sotillion was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Sotillion appears as a beautiful human woman of about twenty-five dressed in diaphanous clothes, accompanied by a winged tiger of pure orange. Sotillion is the wife of Zilchus, whose prosperity allows her to retain her favorite comforts. Her realm on Ysgard's first layer is called the Green Fields. She is also sometimes found in Grandfather Oak in Arvandor. Sotillion promotes all the joys of comfort: warm weather, good food and drink, pleasant company, good conversation, and relaxing quiet. Stress and hard work should be avoided when possible. One's comforts should be protected and defended with zeal, as a life without comfort is worth little.
Stern Alia
[edit]Stern Alia is the demigoddess of Oeridian Culture, Law, and Motherhood. She is also the tutelary goddess of the island nation of Thalos in Western Oerik, which was settled by Aerdi explorers many centuries ago. Her holy symbol is an Oeridian woman's face. Alia is the mother of Heironeous and Hextor, although they have different fathers. Another son, Stratis, is mentioned in literature for the Chainmail miniatures game in Dragon #285, but he is deceased. The clerics of Stern Alia organize local militias to fight back against threats, buying time for the professional armies.
Stratis
[edit]Stratis was an Oeridian god of War once worshipped in Western Oerik. He is now dead. He is morally neutral in alignment, neither good like Heironeous nor evil like Hextor. It may seem likely that he was lawful in alignment like his mother and brothers, but the fact that he grew to adulthood on the plane of Ysgard makes a chaotic neutral alignment a possibility. Stratis was an armed and armored warrior, looking like a strong, handsome human man with four arms. Stratis is a son of Stern Alia, and therefore a brother or half-brother of Heironeous and Hextor. Stratis was god of war in all of its forms, both just and unjust.
Syrul
[edit]Syrul is the Suel goddess of Lies, Deceit, Treachery, and False Promises. Her holy symbol is a forked tongue.
T
[edit]Telchur
[edit]In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Telchur is the Oeridian god of Winter, Cold, and the North Wind. His symbol is a leafless tree in a field of snow. Telchur was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[28] Telchur is depicted as a dark-eyed, gaunt man with and a long beard of icicles. Bitter and brooding, the God of Winter strikes at his enemies from the back of a winged albino bull with his icy shortspear. He is also represented with Vexxin, an axe made of ice, as tall as he is; with a great club of bronzewood called Tla, or with a broadsword called Issai.
Tharizdun
[edit]Tharizdun (/θəˈrɪzdən/)[29] is the god of Eternal Darkness, Decay, Entropy, Malign Knowledge, Insanity, and Cold. He originated in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting but has since also appeared in other settings. Created by Gary Gygax based on Robert J. Kuntz's dark god "Tharzduun",[30] Tharizdun first appeared in the module Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun.[31][32][33] He would later appear in Gygax's series of Gord novels.
Tharizdun was described in Dragon #294 as a pitch-black, roiling, amorphous form. As the Dark God, he is described as an incorporeal wraithform, black and faceless. Gary Gygax described Tharizdun as a "primordial deity, that of matter at rest and decay of energy, viz. entropy."[34] Tharizdun has been depicted on the cover of Gygax's Gord the Rogue novel Come Endless Darkness as a huge, bald, humanoid man, with claws, greenish-black skin, and pointed ears. Gygax said that in the Gord novels, "the worst and most terrible of Tharizdun's forms could come into full power and attack".[34] Tharizdun's "free" holy symbol is a "black sun with variegated rays". His second holy symbol of an inverted ziggurat indicates that the work of those who bound him would be overturned, according to Gygax.[34] His holy number is 333.
Tharizdun is sometimes worshiped as an entity called the Elder Elemental Eye (a being similar to Ghaunadaur), but few of these worshipers recognize the two as being the same entity. Gygax himself indicated that the two creatures were separate beings.[34] The Elder Elemental God is described as a huge, mottled, tentacled being, or as a pillar of vast elemental force with a body of burning magma, radiating steam.
Some say that Tharizdun originated in the Far Realm or in a previous universe. Tharizdun was imprisoned eons ago by the forebears of those beings known as the Great Powers, although it is said that Pelor was also involved. It's said that both good and evil deities worked together to ensure his imprisonment. As the Dark God, he is credited with the corruption of the Seelie Court. Through the Scorpion Crown, he is said to have destroyed the ancient kingdom of Sulm. Tharizdun was imprisoned long ago, but his prison may weaken at times, allowing his influence to creep out into the worlds beyond. Tharizdun's temple in the Yatils is thought to have been originally defeated with the aid of the legendary Six from Shadow.[35]
Tharizdun has many known artifacts. "One" that is known is actually many: a collection of gems known as the 333 Gems of Tharizdun. Their current location is unknown, but it is certain that the collection was split up long ago. Other artifacts associated with Tharizdun include the horn known as the Wailer of Tharizdun, the thermophagic sword Druniazth, and the Spear of Sorrow. The Scorpion Crown was gifted by him to the last king of Sulm. Still another artifact, the Weeping Hexagram, is in the hands of the Scarlet Brotherhood. In Gary Gygax's Gord the Rogue Series, there were a set of three artifacts known as the Theorparts, which, combined, could free Tharizdun. Each Theorpart represented one of the shades of evil (i.e., neutral, lawful, or chaotic.)
The Demiplane of Imprisonment is hidden somewhere in the depths of the Ethereal Plane, resembling a swollen, crystalline cyst nearly a mile in diameter. The ethereal substance surrounding the demiplane boils with the dreamscapes of Tharizdun's worshipers and others whose dreams the dark god invades. Within the prison, Tharizdun dreams of a multiverse where his goals succeeded, where he destroyed all of Creation and rebuilt it in his own foul image. The binding magic is less concerned with preventing his escape - which he could accomplish with ease should he discover the truth - but to prevent any outside source from informing him otherwise.
In the Dungeons & Dragons Novel Series "Abyssal Plague", Tharizdun's prison is revealed to be a universe that has long since been destroyed by that realm's own version of the Abyss known as the Voidharrow. Mildly intelligent and with the ability to corrupt and warp living creatures, the Voidharrow spent eternity alone in this realm of utter destruction until Tharizdun was imprisoned there by the other gods for his creation of the abyss. The reason behind this realm as the prison in which he would be trapped was to leave him in a realm just like the one he would have turned the multiverse into if he had been able to; with all of his power intact, he would have nothing to destroy and an infinite amount of time to lay out an infinite number of plans to free himself, only for him to have no way of implementing any of them.
Reception
[edit]Tharizdun was #4 on CBR's 2020 "Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Endgame Bosses You Need To Use In Your Next Campaign" list — the article states that "What's interesting is that all of Tharizdun's followers and subjects are insane. DMs can easily make a horror insane asylum-type of adventure where deep within the institution's underbelly is a cult threatening the world by summoning and freeing Tharizdun. That ought to be full of mystery and they don't even have to kill Tharizdun, just send him back to prison".[36]
Riley Trepanier, for GameRant, highlighted Tharizdun as a deity for players to oppose in 5th Edition. She wrote, "This elder interloper god, sometimes known as The Elder Elemental Eye, features in the Princes of the Apocalypse module as a mostly-forgotten god locked away in a prison from the Greyhawk setting, as opposed to the Forgotten Realms. [...] With such a powerful combination of powers, Tharizdun is another deity that could easily turn out to be a major reckoning for the most overconfident of parties".[37]
In 2019, Matthew Mercer incorporated a cult dedicated to freeing Tharizdun as a major antagonist in the second campaign of Critical Role, a Dungeons & Dragons web series.[38][39][40]
Trithereon
[edit]In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Trithereon is the chaotic good god of Individuality, Liberty, Retribution, and Self-Defense. Trithereon was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #68 (1982).[41] Trithereon is a foe of evil and oppression. His love of freedom sometimes causes him to come into conflict with other good deities, such as Pholtus and Heironeous. Bralm hates Trithereon for his promotion of individualism. He is a strong ally of the quasi-deity Krovis, and he is allied with Kurell and Pelor as well. Trithereon is pleased with Lydia's philosophy of individual empowerment through learning. Trithereon is depicted as a young man with red-gold hair, tall and well-built, wearing a chainmail shirt with clothes of blue or violet. He is armed with three magic weapons: a sword named Freedom's Tongue; a spear called Krelestro, the Harbinger of Doom; and a scepter known as the Baton of Retribution. He often appears with three summoned animals which serve him without question: Nemoud the Hound, Harrus the Falcon, and Carolk the Sea Lizard.
Tsolorandril
[edit]Tsolorandril is the hero-deity of Wave Motions. It sees itself as a keeper of records, noting the natural cycles of things like politics, nature, and time, and predicts how these patterns will take shape in the future. Its symbol is a sphere with a simple wave-shape repeating around its circumference. Tsolorandril is a tall, androgynous humanoid with very white skin, muted facial features, and silver-blue hair, carrying a length of metallic rope that moves as if it were liquid. Tsolorandril is an ally of Elayne Mystica. It is thought to have been sponsored to its present status by Cyndor.
U
[edit]Ulaa
[edit]Ulaa is the goddess of Hills, Mountains, and Gemstones. Her holy symbol is a mountain with a ruby heart; she places rubies in the earth as gifts to miners, who do her husband's work.
V
[edit]Vara
[edit]Vara is the Touv goddess of Nightmares and Fear. Her symbol is a necklace of mummified animal feet. Vara prefers to be depicted as a Touv woman with red eyes and stars in her hair. Vara is the first child of Meyanok, and considers herself to be superior to her younger brother Damaran and younger sister Berna. She uses her status as the eldest to compel them to do her bidding. Like her father, Vara loathes the other Touv gods, and revels in the act of twisting their minds. Like the other Touv gods, Vara dwells on the Material Plane.
Vathris
[edit]Vathris is a hero-deity of anguish, lost causes, and revenge worshiped by some few in the Bright Desert. His symbol is a black spear. Originally, Vathris appeared as a shirtless Flan man with coppery skin, approximately nine feet tall, wearing beads of metal and clay in his long black hair. Today he is much diminished from his previous form, with a grisly torso wound that still oozes black bile, wielding the onyx longspear that killed him. His eyes are empty sockets. Where he once stood for the future, now he only obsesses about the past. He can manifest only once or twice a year, and then he dies again, to reemerge a year later. Needless to say, he has no permanent realm.
Vatun
[edit]Vatun is the god of Northern Barbarians, Cold, Winter, and Arctic Beasts. His symbol is the sun setting on a snowy landscape. Though rather popular among the Suel barbarians of the Thillonrian Peninsula, Vatun was not worshipped by the Suloise Imperium and is not generally considered part of the Suel pantheon. Vatun appears as a massive Suel barbarian dressed in the skins of polar bears. His beard is made of snow and ice, and his breath is a frozen fog. He wields a mighty battleaxe called Winter's Bite, made completely of ice. Vatun's only allies are his brother, Dalt, and the Suel god Llerg. His enemies include Telchur, Iuz, and the archdevil Belial.
Vecna
[edit]Velnius
[edit]Velnius is the Oeridian god of the Sky and Weather. His holy symbol is a bird perching upon a cloud.
Vogan
[edit]Vogan is the Touv god of Rain, Storms, and Water. His symbol is a rain cloud. Vogan appears as a Touv man with hair of cascading water and laughing eyes. He is said to be temperamental, and to have a wandering nature and roving eye.[42] Through the sun goddess Nola, Vogan is the father of Breeka, and thus the grandfather of Katay. He is also the father of Kundo, through Nola's daughter by Uvot, Xanag.[43]
W
[edit]Wastri
[edit]Wastri is the Suloise god of Amphibians, Bigotry, and Self-Deception. His symbol is a gray toad. Wastri was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #71 (1983).[7] Wastri appears as a human with froglike features, dressed in clothes of gray and yellow and wielding a glave-guisarme called Skewer of the Impure. Wastri teaches his worshippers that humans are superior to all other races. Some humanoid races such as goblins, orcs, and bullywugs are fit to serve humanity as slaves; other races, like dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings, must be exterminated.
Wee Jas
[edit]Wee Jas is the Suel goddess of Magic, Death, Vanity, and Law. Her symbol is a skull in front of a fireball, or just a red skull. Wee Jas was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[5] Wee Jas always appears as a highly attractive human female; other than that, details of her appearance vary wildly. Wee Jas thinks of herself as a steward of the dead. Though she is a relatively benign death goddess, she has no problem with undead being created – as long as they are not reanimated against their will, and their remains are procured in a lawful manner.
Wenta
[edit]Wenta is the Oeridian goddess of Autumn, Brewing, Harvest, and the West Wind. Her symbol is a large mug of beer. Wenta was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Wenta always appears as a young, rosy-cheeked, buxom woman with straw in her hair and holding a large mug of beer. Wenta sends the cool winds of autumn as a signal that it is time to reap the harvest. She advocates staving off winter's chill with beer and ale, and instructs brewers to care for their product as they would a lover. Wenta rewards each day of hard work with pleasantly cool nights, boon companions, and plenty of good spirits to loosen the tongue and quicken the heart.
X
[edit]Xan Yae
[edit]Xan Yae is the goddess of Twilight, Shadows, Stealth, and Mental Power worshiped by some of the Baklunish people who inhabit the fictional lands of Flanaess and Oerik. Her symbol is a black lotus blossom. She appears as a Baklunish human of any age and gender, with a slender and graceful build, and wielding a pair of magical falchions that she can shrink to easily conceal. Xan Yae was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] She is usually dressed in cloth of dove gray, dusty rose, or golden orange. Xan Yae is revered in Ket, the Plains of the Paynims, Tusmit, and Zeif.
Xanag
[edit]Xanag is the Touv goddess of Metals and Beauty. She represents the bounty of the earth transformed by fire (that is to say, metals) and the beauty of things made from it. Her holy symbol is a circle with seven lines radiating from it. Xanag is depicted as a Touv woman seemingly made of gold, surrounded by a radiant light. She is indifferent to questions of morality and easily distracted by the superficial. Xanag is the daughter of Nola and Uvot, combining her father Uvot's affinity with the land's bounty with the radiant light of her mother the sun. Xanag mated with stormy Vogan and birthed Kundo, god of noise, music, and the hardiness of building.
Xerbo
[edit]Xerbo is the Suel god of the Sea, Sailing, Money, and Business. His holy symbol is the dragon turtle. Xerbo was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[5] Xerbo is depicted as a large man with matted, kelp-like hair, wearing armor made from a dragon turtle's scales. He wields a trident called Murky Deep. Xerbo is married to the sea-goddess Osprem, and is depicted as being a rival to both Procan and Zilchus. Xerbo is worshipped by Suel peoples across the Flanaess, especially the Lordship of the Isles, the Sea Princes, and Sunndi.
Y
[edit]Ye'Cind
[edit]In the core Greyhawk setting of the Dungeons & Dragons game, Ye'Cind is the elven deity of musical magick and music in general. Harkening back to Tolkien's Ilúvatar, Ye'Cind is depicted as teaching that music is an inherent part of the patterns of the multiverse, and that magick and music together can create something superior to either one alone. Ye'Cind is shown as an attractive androgynous elf wearing blue and green clothing; like thons patron Corellon, Ye'Cind is male and female, both and neither. Ye'Cind's holy symbol is a recorder. Ye'Cind spends most of thons time in the realm of Brightwater in Arborea. Clerics of Ye'Cind are scholars of music, who know how to play many different musical instruments. Many clerics of Ye'Cind are also talented composers who can weave subtle magicks into their songs and music. Designer Gary Gygax derived the name Ye'Cind from the name of one of his daughters, Cindy. (The name Cindy is itself a diminutive of an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Selene.)
Z
[edit]Zagyg
[edit]Zagyg (formerly known as "Zagig Yragerne") is the god of Humor, Eccentricity, Occult Lore, and Unpredictability. His symbol is the rune of insanity. When Gary Gygax first created the dungeons underneath Castle Greyhawk in 1972, the complex labyrinth encompassed 13 levels filled with devious traps, secret passageways, hungry monsters and glittering treasure. For anyone who made it to the bottom level alive, the insane architect of the dungeons, Zagyg, awaited them. ("Zagyg" is a reverse homophone of "Gygax", and was Gygax's inside joke that the person who designed this crazy, purposeless place—himself—must be insane. In later material, Gygax expanded Zagyg's name to "Zagig Yragerne", a reverse homophone of his full name, Ernest Gary Gygax.)[44] Only three players ever made it to the bottom level and met Zagyg, all of them during solo adventures: Rob Kuntz (playing Robilar), Gygax's son Ernie (playing Tenser), and Rob's brother Terry (playing Terik).[45] Their reward was that Zagyg instantly transported them to the far side of the world on a giant slide,[46] where they each faced a long solo trek back to the city of Greyhawk.
Zilchus
[edit]Zilchus (ZIL-chus) is the Oeridian god of Power, Prestige, Money, Business, and Influence. His holy symbol is a pair of hands clutching a bag of gold. Zilchus was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Zilchus was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign.[47] His role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).[48] Zilchus's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).[49]
Zodal
[edit]Zodal is the Flan god of mercy, hope, and benevolence. His holy symbol is a man's hand partially wrapped in gray cloth. Zodal is depicted as man dressed in simple gray robes with large, careworn hands. He encourages compassion in situations where vengeance and anger might be easier, and defuses the negative emotions of all around him. Zodal is a servant of Rao and Joramy's estranged lover. He is allied with Heironeous and Pelor. He considers even the most hateful gods to be his friends, believing that with his encouragement they might change their ways.
Zuoken
[edit]Zuoken (/zuː ˈoʊ kɛn/ zoo-OH-ken[49]) is the Baklunish god of Physical and Mental Mastery. His symbol is a striking fist. Zuoken was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.[2] Zuoken was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign.[47]
References
[edit]- ^ Healy, Neal (April 1976). "Mighty Magic Miscellany". The Strategic Review. Vol. II, no. 2 (#7). Lake Geneva, Wis.: TSR Hobbies, Inc. p. 11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Gygax, Gary. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (TSR, 1983)
- ^ a b Seankreynolds.livejournal.com
- ^ Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk". Dragon #70 (TSR, 1983)
- ^ a b c d e f Gygax, Gary. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (TSR, 1983)
- ^ a b Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." Dragon #68 (TSR, 1982)
- ^ a b c Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." Dragon #71 (TSR, 1983)
- ^ Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." Dragon #68 (TSR, 1982)
- ^ Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." Dragon #67 (TSR, 1982)
- ^ "Dungeons & Dragons FAQ". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. D&D Gazetteer (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)
- ^ Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)
- ^ Bulmahn, Jason; Jacobs, James; Mike McArtor; Mona, Erik; Schneider, F. Wesley; Todd Stewart; Jeremy Walker (September 2007). "1d20 Villains: D&D's Most Wanted; Preferably Dead". Dragon. 32 (359). Paizo: 54–69.
- ^ Kelly, Kent David. "Hawk & Moor – Book II" (2014) Chapter 18
- ^ Lakofka, Lenard. Gods of the Suel Pantheon. Dragon #87 (TSR, 1984)
- ^ Turnbull, Don, ed. Fiend Folio. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981
- ^ Miller, Dave. First Quest: The Music (TSR, 1985)
- ^ Pryor, Anthony. Rary the Traitor (TSR, 1992)
- ^ Sargent, Carl. Iuz the Evil (TSR, 1993)
- ^ Jacobs, James. "The Ecology of the Spawn of Kyuss." Dragon #336 (Paizo Publishing, 2005)
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Kyuss Biography". All Music. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
- ^ Lakofka, Lenard. "Gods of the Suel Pantheon V." Dragon #92 (TSR, 1984)
- ^ Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." Dragon #69 (TSR, 1983)
- ^ Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." Dragon #70 (TSR, 1983)
- ^ Lakofka, Lenard. The Secret of Bone Hill (TSR, 1981)
- ^ "Gary Gygax: Q & A (Part XII, Page 8)". EN World. 23 August 2006. Archived from the original (Forum) on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
...St. Cuthbert was more of a joke than otherwise. Consider the advicacy of pounding sense into someone's head by dint of blows from a club.
- ^ Gygax, Gary E. "The deities and demigods of the world of Greyhawk." Dragon Magazine, No. 71, March 1983, pp. 52-56, TSR.
- ^ Gygax, Gary. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (TSR, 1983)
- ^ Mentzer, Frank. "Ay pronunseeAY shun gyd" Dragon #93 (TSR, 1985)
- ^ Kuntz, Robert. "Rob Kuntz biography".
- ^ Appelcline, Shannon. Designers & Dragons (1st ed.). Mongoose Publishing. p. 442. ISBN 9781907702587.
- ^ Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. pp. 116–117. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
- ^ Tresca, Michael (February 19, 2012), Book review of Player's Option: Heroes of the Elemental Chaos
- ^ a b c d Stormberg, Paul J. (July 2002). "Thus Spake Gary Gygax: Ye Secrets of Oerth Revealed". Oerth Journal. 2 (12): 4–5.
- ^ Stark, Ed, Chris Thomasson, Ari Marmell, Rhiannon Louve, and Gary Astleford. Complete Champion. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007
- ^ "Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Endgame Bosses You Need To Use In Your Next Campaign". CBR. 2020-07-25. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "Dungeons and Dragons - Gods Players Can Fight Besides Icewind Dale's Frostmaiden". Game Rant. 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "Dark Bargains | Critical Role | Campaign 2, Episode 83". YouTube. 2019-11-04. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
- ^ "A Critical Role First: DM Matt Mercer Directs His Famous Finisher Line to Himself". TheGamer. 2019-12-07. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ "Laura Bailey Left The Game Awards Early to Play Dungeons & Dragons on Critical Role". ComicBook.com. December 13, 2019. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- ^ Gygax, Gary. "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk." Dragon #68 (TSR, 1982)
- ^ Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet Brotherhood p41. Renton, Washington: Wizards of the Coast, 1999
- ^ Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet Brotherhood p39. Renton, Washington: Wizards of the Coast, 1999
- ^ Gygax: "Zagyg is based on a sort of joke--me as the mad designer of Greyhawk Castle and its dungeons. After all, how else could such a place exist? "Gary Gygax: Q & A (Part I, Page 18)". EN World. 2002-09-20. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
- ^ Gygax: "Rob, playing Robilar solo, delved into the dungeon, made it. Ernie, noting Rob's absence from adventuring with the party, sent Tenser on a solo quest to discover Robilar's whereabouts. He managed to follow a similar path, and made level 13. Then Terry Kuntz noted both of his usual companions were not available to play, went forth with Terik, and made the lowest level successfully... No other players in the group managed that.""Gary Gygax: Q & A (Part III, Page 11)". EN World. 2003-05-13. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
- ^ Gygax: "When a character got down to this level there was no going back. The one managing that was given an appropriate reward then sent on a giant, one-way slide clear through to the other side of the world." "Gary Gygax: Q & A (Part III, Page 11)". EN World. 2003-05-13. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
- ^ a b Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes (TSR, 1992)
- ^ McComb, Colin. On Hallowed Ground (TSR, 1996)
- ^ a b Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)
List of Greyhawk deities
View on GrokipediaIntroduction
Overview of the Pantheon
The Greyhawk pantheon comprises a polytheistic array of over 100 deities worshipped primarily by human cultures in the Dungeons & Dragons Greyhawk campaign setting, though it extends to non-human races such as elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, orcs, and goblins.[6] Centered on the continent of Oerik and especially the Flanaess region, these deities form the spiritual backbone of the world's lore, guiding mortal affairs through divine intervention, clerical orders, and symbolic portfolios that reflect natural forces, human endeavors, and abstract concepts.[6] The pantheon's structure draws from diverse ethnic traditions, including the ancient Flan earth spirits, Oeridian sky gods, Suloise elemental lords, and Baklunish fate-weavers, fostering a rich tapestry of worship practices across kingdoms like Furyondy, the Great Kingdom, and Zeif.[6] Central to the pantheon are themes of balance among good, evil, and neutral forces, where deities embody opposing ideals to maintain cosmic equilibrium amid mortal strife.[6] This dynamic has directly influenced the Flanaess's historical upheavals, including mass migrations of Oeridian tribes fleeing the Baklunish-Suloise Wars—epic clashes between imperial powers that escalated into divine-fueled cataclysms, such as the Invoked Devastation and Rain of Colorless Fire, which scarred the landscape and scattered survivors into new territories.[6] Later conflicts, like the Greyhawk Wars, further highlighted godly rivalries, with clerics and avatars amplifying regional tensions between powers such as Iuz and the Scarlet Brotherhood.[6] The pantheon's development traces from scattered references in early Dungeons & Dragons modules of the late 1970s, where foundational figures emerged in adventures tied to Gary Gygax's original Greyhawk campaign, to its formal establishment as official canon in the World of Greyhawk folio edition of 1980, which outlined the setting's religious framework amid its geopolitical details.[7] Expansion continued through supplements like Deities & Demigods (1980), which integrated non-human pantheons, and reached a comprehensive form in the Living Greyhawk organized play campaign (1999–2008), supported by detailed gazetteers and deity listings. Key authoritative sources include the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), which provides an expansive regional overview; Deities & Demigods (1980), detailing godly mechanics and non-human integrations; and the Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0 (2005), a 210-page alphabetical compendium standardizing the full roster for campaign use.[6]Divine Ranks Explained
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting, deities are organized into a hierarchy of divine ranks that quantify their power, influence, and scope of authority within the multiverse, as defined by the third edition rules of Dungeons & Dragons. These ranks, ranging from 0 to 20, determine a deity's abilities, such as immunities to mortal harms, the creation of personal realms, and the extent of their portfolio control, while also affecting the nature of their worship and the magic available to followers. Introduced formally in the third edition Player's Handbook in 2000 and expanded in Deities and Demigods in 2002, this system provides a mechanical framework for divine entities, distinguishing between quasi-deities with minimal power and greater deities capable of reshaping reality on a global scale.[8][9][10] Greater deities hold ranks 16–20 and wield immense, world-shaping authority, including the ability to alter physical laws, command legions of lesser beings, and maintain vast outer realms; they typically oversee broad, fundamental aspects of existence and attract millions of worshipers across planes. Intermediate deities, ranked 11–15, exert significant regional or planar influence, granting access to powerful spell-like abilities and sustaining large divine realms with hundreds of thousands of devotees. Lesser deities (ranks 6–10) focus on more specialized domains, possessing enhanced sensory awareness of their portfolios and serving tens of thousands of followers, often as intermediaries or rivals to higher powers. Demigods (ranks 1–5) command limited influence with a few thousand worshipers, controlling minor aspects of their domains and maintaining small godly realms, while hero-deities represent quasi-divine mortals (effectively rank 0) who achieve legendary status without formal ascension, lacking the ability to grant spells but inspiring cults through heroic exploits.[8][11] Mechanically, divine rank scales a deity's capabilities, with higher ranks providing escalating benefits like increased damage reduction (up to 35/epic for greater deities), more frequent spell-like abilities (up to 20/day per ability), and additional salient divine abilities (up to 20 for rank 20). For worshipers, particularly clerics, all deities ranked 1–20 can grant spells from the full cleric list up to 9th level, plus three or more domains, though the breadth of accessible domains and the deity's personal intervention in mortal affairs grow with rank; quasi-deities (rank 0) cannot grant spells at all. Examples of rank variability include Iuz, officially a demigod (rank 1–5) but exerting greater deity-level influence through his conquests and artifacts in the Flanaess. This system was refined in the Living Greyhawk campaign (2000–2008) for official play, with deity lists assigning ranks to over 100 entities. Post-fifth edition (2014 onward), Greyhawk lore retains these detailed ranks without major alterations, even as core rules simplify them to greater, lesser, and quasi-deities.[8][11][12]| Rank Category | Numerical Rank | Key Powers | Follower Scale | Greyhawk Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Deity | 16–20 | Reality alteration, vast realms, command other deities | Millions | Pelor (sun and healing)[11] |
| Intermediate Deity | 11–15 | Regional dominance, frequent divine interventions | Hundreds of thousands | Kord (strength and battle)[11] |
| Lesser Deity | 6–10 | Specialized portfolio mastery, enhanced senses | Tens of thousands | Fortubo (stone, metals, mountains, and guardianship)[11] |
| Demigod | 1–5 | Minor domain control, small realms | Few thousand | Al'Akbar (guardianship and faith)[11] |
| Hero-Deity | 0 (quasi) | Legendary feats, no spell granting | Limited cults | Heward (adventure and magic)[11] |
Cultural Pantheons
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting, deities are organized into cultural pantheons that mirror the migratory histories and regional worship patterns of Oerth's inhabitants, particularly in the Flanaess continent. These groupings emerged from ancient human migrations, including the Baklunish westward expansion, the Flan indigenous settlements, the Oeridian conquests from the east, and the Suloise incursions from the south, each bringing distinct theological emphases shaped by environmental and societal needs. Non-human races maintain separate yet sometimes overlapping pantheons, adapted to Greyhawk's lore while drawing from broader Dungeons & Dragons traditions. This structure influences everything from daily rituals to large-scale conflicts, as pantheons encode cultural identities and divine rivalries.[11][13] The major human pantheons highlight thematic contrasts: the Baklunish pantheon, rooted in desert nomadism, emphasizes fate, guardianship, and elemental balance, with deities like Istus (fate and destiny) and Al'Akbar (guardianship and faithfulness) guiding trade, travel, and communal piety across arid regions such as Ekbir and the Paynims. Flan deities, from the ancient natives of central Flanaess areas like the Adri Forest and Tenh, focus on nature, ethics, and cycles of life and death, exemplified by Beory (earth and nature), Pelor (sun and healing), and Nerull (death and murder), often integrated with druidic "Old Faith" practices that shun necromancy. Oeridian gods, associated with conquering migrants in lands like Furyondy and Nyrond, stress war, justice, and seasonal renewal, including Heironeous (justice and valor), Hextor (war and discord), and Fharlanghn (travel and horizons), reflecting militaristic and agricultural societies. The Suloise pantheon, tied to arcane mastery and industriousness in southeastern Flanaess locales such as the Lordship of the Isles and the Scarlet Brotherhood, incorporates malice, physical prowess, and magic, with figures like Wee Jas (magic and death), Kord (strength and battle), and Syrul (lies and deceit) promoting transmutation and control-oriented worship. Other human groups include the Touv of Hepmonaland, whose jungle gods like Meyanok (serpents and discord) and Vogan (weather and storms) emphasize natural cycles, emotions, and decay; and the Olman of the Amedio Jungle, inspired by Mesoamerican motifs with deities such as Huhueteotl (fire and time) and Mictlantecuhtli (death and underworld), featuring ritual sacrifice and weather dominion.[11][13] Non-human pantheons provide artistic, communal, or aggressive counterpoints to human ones, often shared with core D&D cosmology but localized to Greyhawk's conflicts. Elven deities, under the Seldarine led by Corellon Larethian (elves and magic), prioritize nature, mysticism, and creativity in forested realms like Celene and Highfolk, with Sehanine Moonbow (dreams and journeys) and Rillifane Rallathil (woodlands and wild elves) fostering isolationist, illusion-based worship. Dwarven gods, centered on Moradin (creation and smithing), underscore crafting, honor, and earth reverence in mountainous holds such as the Principality of Ulek, including Ulaa (hills, mountains, and gemstones) and Fortubo (stone, metals, mountains, and guardianship) to reinforce communal defense against humanoids. Orcish pantheons, dominated by Gruumsh (orcs and conquest), embody brutal strength and territorial expansion in areas like the Pomarj and Bone March, with Yurtrus (disease and death) promoting aggressive raids and chaotic unity that clash with civilized societies. These non-human groups adapt broader D&D elements, such as elven ties to arcane arts or dwarven focus on forges, to Greyhawk's regional tensions.[11][13] These pantheons profoundly shape Greyhawk's alignments, societal norms, and geopolitical conflicts, as divine portfolios dictate moral frameworks and rivalries. For instance, the Oeridian-Suloise wars, culminating in the Twin Cataclysms around -422 CY, birthed enduring oppositions like Heironeous versus Hextor, fueling ongoing hostilities between nations such as Furyondy and the Scarlet Brotherhood. Baklunish fate-weaving contrasts Flan nature cycles, influencing alliances in mixed regions like Sunndi, while non-human pantheons exacerbate border skirmishes, with orcish aggression threatening Oeridian heartlands and elven isolationism limiting broader coalitions. Worship patterns vary regionally—urban temples for commerce gods like Zilchus in Greyhawk city, nomadic rites for travel deities like Fharlanghn among Oeridians—reinforcing cultural divides and magical traditions, such as Suloise transmutation versus Baklunish divination.[11][13]| Pantheon | Example Deities | Core Themes | Primary Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baklunish | Istus (N, Fate), Al'Akbar (LG, Guardianship), Geshtai (N, Rivers) | Nomadism, trade, elemental balance | Ekbir, Ket, Paynims |
| Flan | Pelor (NG, Sun), Nerull (NE, Death), Beory (N, Nature) | Ancient traditions, healing, cycles | Central Flanaess, Adri Forest, Tenh |
| Oeridian | Heironeous (LG, Justice), Hextor (LE, War), Fharlanghn (N, Travel) | Conquest, agriculture, valor | Furyondy, Nyrond, Urnst |
| Suloise | Wee Jas (LN, Magic), Kord (CG, Strength), Syrul (NE, Deceit) | Arcane industry, malice, sea power | Thillonrian Peninsula, Lordship of the Isles |
| Touv | Meyanok (CE, Discord), Vogan (CG, Weather), Uvot (NG, Prosperity) | Jungle cycles, passion, decay | Hepmonaland, Southern Flanaess |
| Olman | Huhueteotl (N, Fire), Mictlantecuhtli (NE, Underworld) | Ritual sacrifice, time, floods | Amedio Jungle |
| Elven (Seldarine) | Corellon Larethian (CG, Magic), Sehanine Moonbow (CG, Dreams) | Art, nature, mysticism | Celene, Lendore Isles |
| Dwarven | Moradin (LG, Creation), Ulaa (LG, Mountains) | Crafting, honor, defense | Ulek States, Irongate |
| Orcish | Gruumsh (CE, War), Yurtrus (NE, Death) | Conquest, strength, aggression | Pomarj, Bone March |
Greater Deities
Beory
Beory is the Flan greater deity of nature, revered as the Oerth Mother and embodiment of the world's vitality, fertility, and natural cycles.[13] She represents the primal force of the earth itself, promoting harmony among all living things and opposing those who despoil the land, such as followers of Incabulos who bring plague and famine.[13] Often depicted as a rotund, matronly woman cradling the globe or as swirling winds and rivers, Beory remains distant from mortal affairs, intervening only to preserve the balance of Oerth's ecosystems.[13] Her alignment is neutral, reflecting her impartial stance on moral conflicts in favor of natural equilibrium.[13] Beory's portfolio encompasses nature, rain, earth, agriculture, and fertility, underscoring her role as the nurturer of life across the Flanaess.[13] Her holy symbol is a green disk, sometimes marked with a circle or depicted as a rotund woman figurine, symbolizing abundance and the earth's bounty.[13] The favored weapon of her clergy is the quarterstaff, aligning with druidic traditions of non-lethal defense.[13] Beory's worshippers include druids, rangers, farmers, and rural folk throughout the Flanaess, particularly among the Flan and Oeridian peoples who honor her through seasonal rites and stewardship of the land.[13] Her holy day, Earthday on Growfest 1, marks the start of the planting season with ceremonies celebrating renewal and fertility.[14] Clergy often wander contemplatively, healing environmental wounds and advocating for sustainable harmony with nature.[13] She shares thematic ties with Obad-Hai as a fellow deity of primal wilderness, though her focus remains more agrarian and maternal.[13] Beory was first introduced in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), where she appeared as an intermediate deity in the Flan pantheon.[15] Her rank was elevated to greater deity status in the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons, as detailed in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), reflecting her ancient and foundational role in the setting's cosmology.[13]Boccob
Boccob (pronounced BOK-kob) is the neutral greater deity of magic, arcane knowledge, foresight, and balance within the Greyhawk pantheon. As the Uncaring, Lord of All Magic, and Archmage of the Deities, he oversees the maintenance and preservation of magic's existence on Oerth while promoting equilibrium between opposing forces. His portfolio encompasses neutrality, foreknowledge, and the creation of new arcane wonders, making him a patron to wizards and scholars indifferent to cultural or moral boundaries. Boccob's holy symbol is an eye within a pentagram, and his favored weapon is the quarterstaff, often depicted as the original Staff of the Magi.[11][16] Boccob appears as a middle-aged human male with white hair, a full beard, and a hawk-like nose, clad in flowing purple robes embroidered with shimmering golden runes and a silver circlet. He carries a spellbook, tome of ancient lore, or the Staff of the Magi at all times, embodying the archetype of the detached arcane sage. Unconcerned with the affairs of mortals or other gods unless they threaten magical balance, Boccob remains aloof and cryptic, prioritizing the accumulation and protection of arcane secrets over any ethical considerations. His temples are uncommon, typically manifesting as tall, fortified round towers or small keeps in urban centers, equipped with vast libraries, alchemical laboratories, scrying chambers, and colleges for studying both divine and arcane arts; these sites offer services like spell identification and divination but are guarded against interference.[11][16] Worship of Boccob centers on intellectual pursuits and magical experimentation, attracting mages, sages, scholars, seers, astrologers, and clerics who often multiclass as arcane spellcasters. Devotees perform quiet rituals involving the burning of incense, recitation of arcane formulas, dedication of newly created spells or magic items, and florid prayers such as "Hail and I greet you, Boccob, Master of Magic, All-Seeing, All-Potent Revealer of Mysteries Beyond Compare." Clerics don purple robes with gold or silver trim and must adhere strictly to neutrality, opposing any extremism in alignment while questing to recover lost artifacts, invent spells, educate promising youths in magic, and safeguard enchanted locales from destruction—repeated failure in the latter is a grave violation of their code. Holy days are not rigidly defined but often align with celestial events or breakthroughs in arcane research, emphasizing contemplation and prophecy-sharing only when it serves balance.[11][16] Boccob's origins are unknown, but he has been a foundational greater deity in the Greyhawk setting since his first detailed publication in Gary Gygax's "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" in Dragon magazine issue 70 (February 1983), where he was established as an aloof neutral power dwelling on the plane of Concordant Opposition with unparalleled mastery of magic. His rank and core attributes have remained consistent across editions, including in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), reflecting his enduring role as the impartial guardian of arcane forces. Boccob respects Wee Jas for her magical expertise but distinguishes himself through a pure focus on preservation rather than her emphasis on death.[16][11]Incabulos
Incabulos is the neutral evil greater deity in the Greyhawk pantheon, embodying the forces of inevitable decay through widespread suffering and calamity.[13] His portfolio encompasses plagues, famine, nightmares, drought, sickness, and disasters, positioning him as a bringer of woe that affects both good and evil alike.[13] The deity's symbol is typically a reptilian eye within a horizontal diamond, representing the evil eye of possession, though variations include a green eye in a red diamond.[13] His favored weapon is the sickle, a tool evocative of harvesting both crops and lives in times of scarcity.[13] Depicted as a thin, gaunt figure with sallow yellow skin, skeletal hands, and a nightmarish visage cloaked in black, Incabulos often appears riding a nightmare steed accompanied by hags, his presence inducing terror and slumber.[17] Alternatively, he manifests as a swirling locust swarm, symbolizing the devouring plagues he unleashes.[13] He spreads his influence via secretive disease cults that infiltrate communities, promoting blight and despair while opposing the life-giving light of Pelor.[13] These cults thrive on paranoia and isolation, using spells like plague to infect victims with fever, weakness, and contagion that weakens body and mind.[17] Worshippers of Incabulos consist primarily of doomsday cultists, evil spellcasters, outcasts, and undead minions who revel in spreading misery and exploit times of crisis.[13] His clergy, often former healers turned malevolent or paranoid hermits, operate from hidden subterranean temples filled with droning chants and acrid smoke, shunned even by other evil faiths.[17] Regions like the Tiger Nomads and Ull see more open veneration, blending his worship with local ancestor rites.[13] Incabulos traces his origins to the ancient Flan peoples, emerging as a neutral aspect of natural cycles before embodying chaotic decay and pestilence.[18] He appeared in early Greyhawk adventure modules as a looming threat of calamity, with his status as a greater deity formally established in detailed lore published in 1983.[19] In contrast to Nerull's focus on individual murder and the underworld, Incabulos oversees impersonal, sweeping forces of famine and plague that erode societies over time.[13]Istus
Istus is the supreme deity of the Baklunish pantheon in the Greyhawk setting, embodying the forces of fate, destiny, divination, the future, and honesty. Aligned neutral, she represents an impartial arbiter of cosmic order, weaving the threads of existence with detached precision. Her portfolio emphasizes predestination, where all events are interconnected by invisible strands that inexorably shape outcomes for mortals and immortals alike. Unlike deities who intervene directly, such as Nerull who actively reaps souls, Istus oversees inevitable results through subtle, unyielding design.[13] Depicted as a Baklunish woman of any age or stature, Istus always carries a mystical golden spindle, her holy symbol consisting of a golden spindle with three strands representing the multifaceted nature of destiny. She appears veiled or serene, often accompanied by a cloudlike entity from the Plane of Time, underscoring her aloofness from worldly affairs. As a neutral arbiter, she occasionally reveals glimpses of the future to her devoted followers, guiding them through prophetic insights rather than overt miracles. This portrayal highlights her role as the Baklunish supreme power, distant yet omnipresent in the tapestry of events.[13] Worship of Istus centers on oracles, diviners, nomads, and sages among Baklunish communities in regions like the Paynims, Ket, Tiger Nomads, Tusmit, and Ekbir, where she holds state-favored status alongside other deities. Her clergy, predominantly female and stoic or cynical, conduct rites involving incense, woodwind music, chanting, and meditative trances to attune to fate's weave. Followers accept destiny's pull, seeking truth and foresight in a world of predetermined connections, with temples often featuring loom motifs and spindle altars. Holy observances occur monthly on the first day, emphasizing reflection on life's strands, though major temples host annual seer gatherings for communal divination.[13] Istus's favored weapon is the web of Istus, a net symbolizing entrapment in fate's design, with domains including Chaos, Knowledge, Luck, and Oracle for her Baklunish adherents. Introduced in the 1983 World of Greyhawk Fantasy Setting boxed set by TSR, she was elevated to greater deity status in subsequent publications due to her foundational role in Baklunish cultural and mythological dominance, predating major migrations and enduring through cataclysms like the Invoked Devastation. Her philosophy of inescapable fate contrasts briefly with Pholtus's rigid law, lacking the latter's emphasis on enforced order without predestined inevitability.[13]Nerull
Nerull (NEH-rul) is the greater deity of death, darkness, murder, and the underworld in the Greyhawk campaign setting.[11] Aligned with neutral evil, he embodies hatred for all life and serves as the antithesis to Pelor, the god of the sun and vitality, representing cold, inevitable death in opposition to life-giving light.[11] His portfolio focuses on spreading despair through assassination and necromantic practices, and his holy symbol is a skull bearing a sickle or scythe, reflecting his role as the Reaper.[11] Nerull's favored weapon is the scythe, often invoked by his followers in rituals of sacrifice.[11] Depicted as a gaunt, rust-red skeletal figure with thick blackish-green hair, Nerull wears a cowled cloak of rusty black, his eyes, teeth, and nails gleaming like poisonous verdigris.[11] He wields a sablewood staff known as Lifecutter, topped with a scythe blade of crimson force capable of instant slaying, and typically appears in tattered or hooded black robes.[11] Known by titles such as Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, and King of All Gloom, he commands fiends through intimidation and maintains tense neutrality with few deities, tolerating only Incabulos among the greater powers.[11] His promotion of undeath and murder underscores a doctrine that all must perish, fueling acts of assassination and dark magic among devotees.[11] Nerull's primary worshippers are humans of Flan descent, alongside necromancers and assassins who revere him for power over the dead.[11] His clergy, known as reapers, operate in secrecy, donning dark robes with skull motifs or rust-red attire, and undergo initiation by burial alive to prove resilience against death.[11] They perform monthly sacrifices of sentient beings, pray at midnight, and desecrate graves while raising undead servants, often fleeing persecution by good-aligned forces.[11] Temples are concealed underground lairs guarded by undead, where "no questions asked" resurrection services occur, and liturgies employ past tense to emphasize death's finality.[11] As an ancient Flan deity whose worship predates recorded history, Nerull has been a central antagonistic figure in Greyhawk lore since the setting's inception in 1975.[11] In later editions like 5th edition, elements of his domain influence the Raven Queen as a reimagined death goddess.Pelor
Pelor is an Oeridian greater deity in the Greyhawk setting, embodying the Neutral Good alignment and holding the portfolio of sun, light, strength, and healing.[13] His symbol is a radiant sun, often depicted with rays emanating outward, and his favored weapon is the mace.[13] As a central figure among the good-aligned deities, Pelor actively promotes vitality and resilience against darkness and corruption, distinguishing his emphasis on proactive strength from allies like Rao, who favor passive peace in shared good causes.[13] Depicted as an elderly human male with a sunburst aura surrounding his form, often shown as an old man in white robes with wild hair and a shining golden beard riding the great kirin Star Thought, Pelor serves as a leader in the pantheon of good deities, opposing evils such as Nerull, Vecna, and Iuz.[13] His temples are typically sunlit structures resembling granaries, designed to evoke abundance and warmth, located in settled areas to facilitate aid to communities.[13] These sites feature motifs of sunlight and often include open-air elements for ceremonies that celebrate life and renewal. Pelor's worshippers primarily consist of farmers, healers, clerics, and common folk who seek his blessings for prosperity and recovery from illness or injury, with strong followings among humans, elves, halflings, and Flan-descended peoples across the Flanaess.[13] His most significant holy day is the summer solstice on Richfest 4, known as Midsummer.[13] Introduced in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting boxed set in 1983, Pelor originated as an ancient Flan deity whose cult expanded with Oeridian migrations, establishing him as the most widely worshiped god in Greyhawk and confirming his greater deity status.[20] His church has grown particularly influential since the Greyhawk Wars, shifting toward a more martial defense of good amid rising threats.[13]Rao
Rao is an Oeridian greater deity in the Greyhawk pantheon, embodying peace, serenity, and truth as a gentle counterpoint to the more martial gods of the setting.[21] His alignment is neutral good, reflecting a commitment to harmony and ethical reasoning without rigid structure.[21] Rao's portfolio encompasses peace, serenity, and truth, making him a patron for those who seek resolution through understanding rather than force.[21] His holy symbol is a white heart, often crafted from wood or metal to symbolize purity and calm, while his favored weapon is unarmed combat, underscoring his pacifist ideals.[21] Depicted as a kindly old man accompanied by a dove on his shoulder, Rao promotes diplomacy and non-violence as the highest virtues, directly opposing the war god Hextor and his cult of conquest.[21] He encourages his followers to resolve disputes through dialogue and introspection, viewing conflict as a failure of reason.[21] Though he rarely intervenes directly in mortal affairs, Rao is credited with creating artifacts like the Crook of Rao to aid in the cause of good without bloodshed.[21] In contrast to Heironeous's chivalric emphasis on honorable combat, Rao offers a serene path to goodness focused on inner peace.[21] Rao's worshippers primarily consist of monks, diplomats, sages, and philosophers who value intellectual pursuits and mediation over physical prowess.[21] His clergy operates in quiet temples and advisory roles within courts, advocating for treaties and ethical governance.[21] The faith's holy day is Reaping 10, known as the Holy Day of Serenity, during which adherents gather for meditations, discussions on truth, and ceremonies honoring non-violent resolutions.[22] Rao's church remains a stabilizing influence in regions prone to war, such as the Flanaess, though it lacks the widespread popularity of more dynamic deities.[21] Rao was introduced to the Greyhawk setting in 1983 within Dragon magazine issue 69, authored by Gary Gygax, and designated as a greater deity to broaden appeal for players interested in pacifist or diplomatic character concepts.[23] This addition filled a niche among the pantheon's powerhouses, providing a domain centered on tranquility amid gods of death, magic, and battle.[21]Intermediate Deities
Celestian
Celestian is an intermediate deity in the Greyhawk pantheon, classified as Neutral Good in alignment. His portfolio encompasses stars, space, and wanderers, making him the patron of those who venture into the unknown realms beyond Oerth. The deity's holy symbol is an arc of seven stars, often depicted within a circle to represent the celestial arc guiding travelers through the void. His favored weapon is the dart, symbolizing swift, precise navigation across vast distances.[11] Celestian appears as an armored figure clad in a starry cloak that shimmers with the patterns of distant constellations, evoking the endless night sky. He is the brother of Fharlanghn, the god of roads and earthly horizons, but while Fharlanghn guides terrestrial journeys, Celestian leads explorers through the cosmic voids and astral expanses. As the Far Wanderer, he embodies tireless curiosity and protection for those adrift in the stars, often manifesting to aid lost planewalkers or stargazers in peril. Worshippers of Celestian include astronauts, astronomers, navigators, and planar explorers who seek his guidance in charting unknown territories. His clergy, often scholars or adventurers, emphasize discovery, knowledge-sharing, and vigilance against forces that confine or obscure the stars. Holy days occur on any date named Starday, when followers gather under clear skies for rituals of stargazing and oaths of exploration. Temples are rare and typically observatories or waystations on remote frontiers, designed to facilitate celestial observation and planar travel. Celestian was introduced to the Greyhawk setting in 1983 as part of the core pantheon in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting, establishing his role as an intermediate deity of Oeridian origin. Over subsequent editions, his lore expanded to highlight alliances with hero-deities like Heironeous and opposition to entities promoting stagnation, reinforcing his thematic focus on boundless wanderlust.Ehlonna
Ehlonna is an intermediate deity in the Greyhawk pantheon, revered as the neutral good goddess of forests, woodlands, flora, fauna, and fertility.[13][11] She embodies the nurturing and protective aspects of nature, combating those who despoil or exploit woodlands, including threats from expanding civilizations that encroach on natural habitats.[13] Her holy symbol is a unicorn horn or a rearing unicorn, representing purity and the untamed beauty of the wilds.[11] Ehlonna's favored weapon is the longbow, reflecting her role as a vigilant huntress safeguarding her domain.[13] Depicted as a beautiful woman—either a dark-haired human in hunter's garb or a golden-haired elf maid—she often appears accompanied by woodland creatures or riding a unicorn, underscoring her deep bond with sylvan life.[11] Known to elves as Ehlenestra, she promotes harmony between sentient beings and the natural world, teaching that forests are sacred places teeming with life that must be preserved rather than plundered.[13] Her clergy, predominantly female and comprising humans, elves, and fey, includes rangers, druids, hunters, and forest dwellers who educate communities on sustainable living and ruthlessly oppose despoilers like loggers, undead, or demonic forces.[11] Ehlonna's worship is prominent in regions rich with woodlands, such as Celene, the Highfolk, Geoff, and the County of Ulek, where her followers maintain camouflaged temples and lodges deep within the trees.[13] A very ancient goddess of blended Flan and elven origins, she evolved from earlier conceptions centered on Ehlenestra in the 1980 World of Greyhawk Folio, solidifying her status as an intermediate power by the 1992 From the Ashes campaign expansion.[11] Her dogma emphasizes respecting all life in the woods, viewing fertility as a cherished gift, and punishing those who disrupt ecological balance, fostering a legacy of guardianship over Oerth's verdant realms.[13]Erythnul
Erythnul is the chaotic evil intermediate deity of hate, envy, malice, panic, ugliness, and slaughter in the Greyhawk setting.[13] His portfolio emphasizes chaos, destruction, discord, fear, and rage, positioning him as a force of unpredictable violence and suffering.[13] The symbol of Erythnul is a blood-red teardrop, representing spilled blood and the essence of his bloodlust.[13] His favored weapon is the morningstar, often depicted as a stone-headed mace that emits shrieking sounds when swung.[13] Known as the Many due to his shifting forms, Erythnul appears as a brutal, ugly humanoid with ruddy skin, red-rimmed eyes, and sharp teeth, alternating between bestial warrior guises such as human, gnoll, bugbear, ogre, or troll.[13] He revels in battle frenzy, delighting in panic, slaughter, and the discord he sows among mortals.[13] Spilled blood from his wounds is said to spawn allied creatures matching his current form, amplifying his chaotic influence on the battlefield.[13] Erythnul's worshippers include orcs, goblinoids, evil humans, barbarians, berserkers, bandits, mercenaries, fighters, and rogues, who seek his favor through acts of cruelty and destruction.[13] His cult thrives in regions like the Bandit Kingdoms, Stonehold, Tenh, the North Kingdom, Rel Astra, Verbobonc, and Veluna, often among resistance fighters opposing ordered tyranny and nonhuman raiders.[13] Clerics of Erythnul are sadistic leaders who foment rebellion, murder, riots, and deface beauty, adhering to a doctrine of destroying rivals, coveting possessions, and embracing bloodshed for its own sake.[13] While no specific holy day is universally detailed, worship intensifies at sites of great violence and disorder, with sacrifices invoking his chaotic essence.[13] Of Oeridian origin, Erythnul was first detailed as a demigod in the 1983 World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting by Gary Gygax, later elevated to intermediate status in the pantheon.[24] He serves as the undisciplined counterpart to Hextor, the god of organized evil and war, though the two share alliances among orc and goblinoid followers.[13]Fharlanghn
Fharlanghn, the Dweller on the Horizon, is the neutral intermediate deity of the Oeridian pantheon in the Greyhawk setting, overseeing horizons, exploration, trade, and travel.[25] His portfolio emphasizes the pursuit of distant places and the facilitation of commerce and movement across the world of Oerth, making him a patron for those who venture beyond familiar lands.[25] Fharlanghn's symbol is a circular arrow, representing the endless cycle of journeys, and his favored weapon is the quarterstaff, a practical tool for the wandering life.[25] Depicted as a bearded man clad in traveler's gear, Fharlanghn embodies the archetype of the eternal wanderer, often shown with a pack, map, and sturdy boots as he traverses roads and paths.[26] He is the son of Pelor, the god of the sun, and shares a close bond with his brother Celestian, whose stellar paths complement Fharlanghn's earthly routes in guiding explorers to remote destinations.[27] Shrines to Fharlanghn are commonly found in inns and waystations, where weary travelers offer prayers for safe passage and share tales of the road. His worshipers include merchants seeking profitable routes, nomads roaming the plains, and explorers pushing into unknown territories, all of whom honor the deity's emphasis on preparation and resilience during journeys.[28] Fharlanghn was first introduced in 1983 as part of the core Greyhawk pantheon in official Dungeons & Dragons materials, establishing him as an intermediate power whose influence grew with the expansion of trade networks in the setting.[29]Heironeous
Heironeous is the Lawful Good intermediate deity of the Greyhawk pantheon, embodying chivalry, justice, honor, war, and valor.[13] His portfolio focuses on promoting righteous conduct in battle and the protection of the innocent through honorable means.[13] The deity's holy symbol is a silver lightning bolt, often depicted upright or clutched in a fist, while his favored weapon is the longsword.[13] Depicted as a tall, strong human male with coppery skin, auburn hair, and amber eyes, Heironeous appears as an armored knight clad in gleaming silver full plate or fine chain mail, wielding a longsword amid fields of battle.[13] He is associated with thunderbolts through his symbolic lightning, representing swift and just retribution in combat.[13] As the eternal foe of his half-brother Hextor, Heironeous champions honorable warfare and chivalric ideals against tyrannical conquest and senseless destruction.[13] Worshippers of Heironeous primarily consist of paladins, knights, good-aligned fighters, clerics, and soldiers who uphold codes of justice and valor, with strong followings among Oeridian cultures in regions like Furyondy, Nyrond, the Shield Lands, and the Yeomanry.[13] His clergy often train as squires or pages, emphasizing strategic leadership and crusades against evil; a key holy day is Harvester 1, known as Valor's Day, dedicated to honoring acts of bravery and righteous defense.[13] The church's focus on retributive justice aligns briefly with that of St. Cuthbert in combating lawful evil threats.[13] An ancient Oeridian deity originating from the early development of the Greyhawk setting in 1975, Heironeous holds intermediate status among the gods, guiding knightly orders such as the Knights of the Hart in Furyondy and the Knights of Holy Shielding against forces of chaos and tyranny.[13]Hextor
Hextor is a Lawful Evil intermediate deity in the Greyhawk pantheon, revered as the Oeridian god of war, discord, massacres, conflict, fitness, and tyranny.[13] He embodies the ruthless pursuit of conquest through organized violence and oppressive rule, often depicted as a formidable six-armed warrior clad in dark iron scale armor adorned with skulls, wielding an array of weapons including swords, maces, and flails to symbolize unyielding domination.[13] As the half-brother and arch-foe of Heironeous, Hextor represents the antithesis of chivalrous valor, favoring tyranny and mass slaughter over honorable combat, a rivalry that underscores the eternal tension between lawful order and its corrupt extremes.[13] His symbol consists of six crimson arrows arranged in a fan, pointing downward to evoke hate, discord, and inevitable subjugation. The favored weapon of Hextor's clergy is the flail, a tool of brutal control that mirrors his doctrine of breaking foes through relentless force. Unlike deities such as Kord, who exalt athletic prowess and personal glory in battle, Hextor promotes structured domination, where victory is achieved through hierarchical command and the systematic crushing of opposition. Hextor's worshippers primarily include tyrants, soldiers, and warriors who thrive on conflict and seek power through martial hierarchy, with strong followings among Oeridian humans, orcs, and goblinoids in regions like the Great Kingdom and its splinter states. His faith gained prominence during the Turmoil Between Crowns in 437 CY, becoming the dominant religion under the Ivid overkings of House Naelax, who integrated Hextorian clergy into political structures to enforce theocratic control. Clerics of Hextor, often holding high military or governmental positions, train rigorously in warfare, sow discord among enemies, and build temples on sites of major battles to honor his domains of Destruction, Evil, Law, and War. The primary holy day is Needfest 6, known as Tyrant's Victory, commemorating triumphs of oppression and conquest.[22] Hextor was first detailed as a deity in the World of Greyhawk boxed set published in 1983, establishing him as an intermediate power born from the cultural strife between Suloise and Oeridian traditions in the Flanaess.[30] In contrast to chaotic evil war gods like Erythnul, Hextor's lawful approach emphasizes disciplined tyranny over anarchic bloodshed.Kord
Kord is the chaotic good intermediate deity of the Suel pantheon in the Greyhawk setting, embodying the spirit of physical might and natural fury. His portfolio encompasses athletics, sports, brawling, and storms, inspiring followers to pursue excellence through vigorous contests and resilience against chaos. First introduced in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting in 1983, Kord ranks as an intermediate deity, second only to Lendor in power among the Suel gods.[29] Depicted as a hugely muscular man with long red hair and beard, often shown wrestling giants or clad in white dragonhide gauntlets, blue boots, and a red fighting girdle, Kord promotes fair contests that test one's limits without malice. He wields a greatclub as his favored weapon, symbolizing raw, unrefined strength in brawling and athletic pursuits, and his holy symbol is a lightning bolt, evoking the thunderous storms under his domain. Known as "The Brawler" or "Lord of Battle," Kord is the son of Phaulkon and Syrul, entering a controllable blood rage in combat that only Lendor can soothe.[11][13] Kord's worshippers primarily consist of athletes, sailors, and warriors who honor him through feats of endurance and bravery, particularly during perilous voyages or competitive events. His clerics serve as athletic leaders, organizing tournaments and training regimens to build physical and moral fortitude, while using divine magic to bolster allies in honorable struggles. Kord briefly mirrors the giant deity Stronnius in themes of strength and battle.[11][13]Lendor
Lendor is the Suel intermediate deity of time and tedium, governing the endless cycles of existence and the inevitable progression of events. His alignment is Lawful Neutral, reflecting his impartial oversight of temporal order, with a portfolio that encompasses time, tedium, patience, and monotony. The deity's holy symbol is an hourglass, symbolizing the unyielding flow of moments, and his favored weapon is the light mace. Depicted as a patient old man with a long white beard, Lendor is often shown holding an hourglass, emphasizing his role as a contemplative figure who values perseverance through routine and reflection. He promotes the virtues of enduring monotony and logical contemplation, distinguishing his methodical endurance from the wild, primal resilience embodied by Obad-Hai. The exact relationship between Lendor and the Oeridian time god Cyndor is unknown, though Lendor has been referred to as Cyndor's sometime ally and sometimes foe. Lendor's worshippers primarily consist of historians, who chronicle the passage of eras, and laborers, who embody his ideals of patient toil amid repetitive tasks.[31] First detailed in 1983 within the Greyhawk setting, Lendor has been established as an intermediate deity since his introduction.Obad-Hai
Obad-Hai is an intermediate deity in the Greyhawk pantheon, revered as the primal guardian of nature's untamed forces, embodying the raw wilderness and its cycles.[32] His alignment is neutral, reflecting a balanced indifference to good and evil, and his portfolio encompasses nature, woodlands, hunting, and the wilds, positioning him as a protector of the natural world's freedom and beasts.[32] The deity's holy symbol is an oak leaf and acorn, symbolizing the enduring strength and renewal of the forest.[32] Obad-Hai's favored weapon is the spear, a tool suited to the hunter's life in the wilds. Introduced in 1983 as part of the original World of Greyhawk setting, he originates from Flan worship, predating many other deities in the Flanaess and emphasizing the preservation of nature's balance against encroaching civilization.[32] Depicted most commonly as a lean, weathered human druid of indeterminately old age, with wild hair and beard, dressed in russet or animal skins, Obad-Hai shuns all forms of civilization, wandering as a solitary hermit attuned to the wilderness.[32] In nonhuman communities, he may appear as a satyr or other fey being, underscoring his deep connection to the primal aspects of nature.[32] This portrayal aligns him closely with figures like Silvanus from other settings, as a fierce defender of the wild against urban expansion, though he contrasts with more nurturing earth deities such as Beory, the greater mother of the soil.[32] His philosophy promotes living in harmony with the land's harsh realities, viewing nature as neither benevolent nor malevolent but inherently wild and free. Obad-Hai's worshippers primarily consist of druids and hunters who dwell in remote woodlands, revering him through rituals that honor the untamed wilds rather than structured temples.[32] These followers, often solitary or in small groves, conduct holy observances on natural milestones, such as the holy day of Wild's Call on Planting 1, marking the awakening of the forests in the Greyhawk calendar. Clergy and adherents emphasize self-reliance and the hunt, using simple weapons and light armor to embody the deity's rejection of societal constraints, and they actively oppose threats to the wilderness like deforestation or invasive settlements.[32]Olidammara
Olidammara is the chaotic neutral intermediate deity associated with music, revels, wine, roguery, humor, and tricks in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting.[13][16] His portfolio emphasizes freedom, creativity, and mischief, and he is symbolized by a laughing mask.[13][16] Olidammara's favored weapon is the rapier, reflecting his roguish nature.[13] First detailed in 1983, he has been classified as an intermediate deity since his introduction in the Greyhawk pantheon.[16] Depicted as a slender, youthful man of mid-height with chestnut hair, olive skin, and merry emerald eyes, Olidammara often appears as a wandering minstrel or jester clad in green and gold, carrying a flask of wine and playing a lute or flute.[16] Known as the Laughing Rogue, he delights in pranks, upsetting tyrannical order, and sharing the pleasures of life, viewing trickery as an art and humor as a divine gift.[13] His dogma promotes living fully, enjoying wine and revelry, and opposing oppression, as freedom is the ultimate treasure.[13] Once imprisoned by the archmage Zagyg in the form of a carapaced creature, he escaped and retains the ability to form a protective shell, a testament to his resilience.[13][16] As a patron of thieves' guilds, he inspires stealthy acts that benefit the oppressed, often redistributing wealth through merry thefts.[13][16] Olidammara's worshippers primarily consist of bards, rogues, entertainers, vagabonds, and common folk who embrace life's joys and resist tyranny.[13][16] His followers include urban vintners and rural minstrels, as well as groups like the Greenkeepers in the Fellreev Forest, who aid in guerrilla efforts against invaders.[13] Clerics travel to spread mirth, craft wine, compose songs, and perpetrate harmless mayhem, often fleeing the consequences of their jests.[13] The holy day of Starday is observed as Fool's Merriment, featuring feasts, performances, and libations of fermented berries.[13] In contrast to Pholtus's rigid lawful order, Olidammara champions chaotic fun and disruption of stifling authority, fostering a divine rivalry between the two.[13] His influence extends to aspects of luck in gambling, akin to the Suel deity Norebo.[13]Pholtus
Pholtus, known as the Blinding Light, is an Oeridian intermediate deity in the Greyhawk pantheon, revered as the embodiment of unyielding law, order, and resolution. He demands absolute adherence to a rigid code of conduct, viewing himself as the ultimate authority on natural order and showing intolerance for chaos, compromise, or deviation from the "One True Way." Pholtus opposes chaotic forces and evil deities such as Iuz and Nerull, promoting a blameless life illuminated by strict legal and moral conformity. His faith emphasizes fanaticism in service to law, with followers believing that vanquishing chaos brings divine rewards.[13] Depicted as a tall, slender man with pale skin, flowing white hair, and eyes glowing with radiant white light, Pholtus appears as a stern figure in a voluminous white robe trimmed in silver and embroidered with suns. He carries the Staff of the Silvery Sun, an ivory quarterstaff shod in silver and topped with an electrum sun-disk, symbolizing his dominion over light and inflexibility. As an uncompromising guardian against disorder, Pholtus is allied with like-minded deities such as Heironeous but maintains tense relations with others, including St. Cuthbert, whose lawful good alignment leads to theological conflicts over interpretations of justice. His dogma insists that all must follow his laws without exception, fostering a church structure divided into orders like the Glimmering (white-robed initiates), Gleaming (white and silver), and Shining (white, silver, and gold for high clergy).[13] Pholtus's worshippers consist primarily of clerics, paladins, judges, lawyers, and other lawful individuals committed to enforcing order, often serving as arbiters in lawful societies across the Flanaess, including the Pale, Gran March, and Shield Lands. Monks and conservative paladins are drawn to his rigid discipline, traveling in groups to proselytize, judge disputes, and combat heresy. Temples feature daily services at sunrise and sunset, with special rites during full moons to honor his lunar aspects; the church's anthem, "O Blinding Light," underscores themes of devotion and illumination. His domains include Good, Knowledge, Law, and Sun, granting clerics access to spells that reinforce structure and enlightenment.[13]| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Alignment | Lawful Neutral (with Lawful Good tendencies in some traditions) |
| Portfolio | Light, resolution, law, order, inflexibility, sun, moons |
| Symbol | Silver sun with a face on a dark blue field, or a full moon (Luna) partially eclipsed by a smaller crescent moon (Celene) |
| Favored Weapon | Quarterstaff (Staff of the Silvery Sun) |
