Deities are an important part of the fabric of Realm of Runes. Two classes, Clerics and Paladins, are required to follow a deity in order to function. Monks that choose to awaken their qi through divine power also must follow a deity. Following a deity in this way is more than just reverence. Each one offers immense power to those that serve its agenda faithfully.
Realm of Runes gives you the tools and formatting you need in order to create your own deities from scratch or convert your favorites from another system, but also provides a full pantheon of twenty original options of its own. These deities are always available, and make up the assumed pantheon for first-party adventures in the world of Rimukyr. Check out the Cosmology of Realm of Runes blog entry for an overview of how deities work in the system, and also the Cleric and Paladin entries for more details about how those classes interact with their patrons.
These twenty deities have varying relationships with their mortal followers and with each other, but also fall into five distinct categories. In descending order of age (as supposed by religious scholars) there are the creators and destroyers (see Part 1), the elemental lords (see part 2), the intellectuals (see part 3), the guardians and conquerors, and finally the anthropomorphics. These next several entries will take a closer look at each of these groups. This week we continue with the conquerors & guardians.
THE EMPEROR (Lawful Evil)
Symbol: a spiked scepter
Allowed Alignments: LE, LN, LG
Opposition Alignments: CG, CN, CE, LG, NG
Channel Energy Type: positive
Signature Skills: Intimidation, Society
Favored Weapon: whip
Signature Spells: suggestion (4th), dominate (6th), overwhelming presence (9th)
Domains Offered: Ambition, Cities, Indulgence, Tyranny, Wealth
Anathema: Ceding power except through delegation, failing to reward faithful service, and not punishing disloyalty are anathema to The Emperor
From the rulebook: "The major deity with the fewest true devotees, The Emperor nevertheless has one of the largest official faiths. Those that do more than pay state-mandated devotion to this deity are typically rulers on some scale, or wish to be, and turn to The Emperor for help with becoming upwardly mobile. While despots frequently take the faith’s teachings too far, it cannot be denied that the influence of The Emperor has played a large part in the advancement and progress of society as a whole, and that justification alone allows the faith to spread even to those who might otherwise mean well.
"Those who follow the Emperor believe that it is the ultimate destiny for their deity to conquer the multiverse, ushering in a golden age of peace and prosperity for those that have served faithfully. Those who do not follow the Emperor, or live in a society harshly ruled by those that do, see the possibility as a horror to be avoided at all costs. When a cult of The Emperor takes root in a culture, it will inevitably grow and consolidate power, never yielding unless overthrown by violent revolution.
"Depictions of The Emperor are found in one of two, diametrically opposed styles. In places where worship of The Emperor is law, illustrations are invariably heroic propaganda. In other areas, or in secret, The Emperor is usually pictured as a conniving figure, resembling more devil than person. In either case, images of The Emperor always seem to closely match the traits and gender of the current ruler, and older depictions mysteriously vanish or are 'updated.'"
The Emperor presents an unusual and interesting case study. As an evil deity that only grants its followers the ability to channel positive energy, the type most commonly associated with good, devotees of The Emperor can all-too-easily present themselves as benevolent and genuinely helpful. This becomes extremely insidious when combined with the power deliberately granted to those with the Lawful Good alignment. Perhaps more than any other deity, The Emperor excels at sliding those with good intentions down slippery slopes and moral conundrums into abandoning good in favor of pragmatism. Despite ostensibly being a conqueror deity, the tools offered by The Emperor allow followers to fill the role of guardians, or at least appear as such to critical observers.
THE HERO (Neutral Good)
Symbol: crossed swords
Allowed Alignments: CG, NG, LG
Opposition Alignments: CE, NE, LE
Channel Energy Type: negative
Signature Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics
Favored Weapon: longsword
Signature Spells: true strike (1st), heroism (3rd), stoneskin (4th)
Domains Offered: Might, Protection, Travel, Truth, Zeal
Anathema: Declining a challenge made in good faith, or failing to render assistance to those in need, are anathema to The Hero.
From the rulebook: "Legends tell of an accidental deity, shunned by others of its kind, on a continual journey to prove itself worthy through heroic deeds. Others tell stories of the once-evil god, seeking redemption and striving to overcome its evil beginning through acts of humility and service. Most cultures and settlements have a local tale of the time The Hero came, vanquishing some terrible monster or wicked oppressor before leaving, never to be seen again. The ubiquity of these stories, if true, implies an epic journey indeed.
"The Hero is believed to still be considered unworthy by other deities. Followers of this deity typically believe that, like their patron, a hero’s journey can never be complete until acknowledged by The Arbiter during final judgement. Therefore, to live and die in the service of righteousness is the only way to be sure to earn a place in The Hero’s eternal retinue. The Hero’s faith is a hard life, however, and cultures are littered with the broken-spirited ex-followers who could not maintain the lifestyle for one reason or another.
"The Hero is perhaps one of the most commonly depicted deities in the major pantheon, as nearly every city and hamlet has at least one statue or mural dedicated to retelling the deed performed there. Curiously, these local depictions rarely agree in form or features, causing many to wonder how many of the tales are true, and how many simply exist as an inspiration for others to follow in the deity’s footsteps. Those who believe every tale to be legitimate often call their patron “the hero with a thousand faces.”
The Hero is an especially difficult deity to choose as a patron. As a good deity that only grants its followers the ability to channel negative energy, the type most commonly associated with evil, devotees of The Hero must work extra hard to gain acceptance in communities or fill the stereotypical role of healer. Settlements often take a "what have you done for me lately" approach to those that display the emblem of The Hero, and many take advantage of a genuine desire to provide assistance. Despite ostensibly being a guardian deity, the tools offered by The Hero are extremely useful for conquest and those that follow in this deity's footsteps must always stay mindful of their intentions and the unintended consequences of their actions.
THE SHEPHERD (Lawful Good)
Symbol: a crook emblazoned on a shield
Allowed Alignments: LG, LN, NG
Opposition Alignments: CE, NE, LE
Channel Energy Type: positive
Signature Skills: Medicine, Society
Favored Weapon: tower shield
Signature Spells: mage armor (1st), circle of protection (3rd), telepathic bond (5th)
Domains Offered: Family, Healing, Light, Nature, Protection
Anathema: Abandoning those under your protection is anathema to The Shepherd.
From the rulebook: "Known as a staunch protector of the helpless and downtrodden, The Shepherd is one of the most commonly venerated deities. At the same time, it is also one the most frequently outlawed in totalitarian states. Despite being a patron of peace, protection and stability, more revolutions have been launched in the name of The Shepherd than any other deity.
"The Shepherd is also one of the few deities that has somewhat regular interactions with mortals. Stories of survivors from famous last stands often describe an inexplicable swelling of the numbers of the besieged, or fortifications that continually defy the stiffest barrages from siege engines. It is commonly believed that wherever the just and righteous defend themselves, The Shepherd is there standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the infantry. Whether truth or superstition, The Shepherd is nonetheless a prolific sponsor of paladins that arrive at the site of a coming defense with uncanny timing.
"Worship of The Shepherd has spread far and wide among many cultures, but depictions of The Shepherd typically have distinctly dwarven features and stature. The Shepherd’s iconography is often found carved or embedded into the walls of fortifications, to invoke this deity’s protection in times of crisis."
The Shepherd is most definitely the quintessential guardian deity, and is the only one that chooses a tool of defense as its favored weapon. Indeed, the tools offered by this deity are exceptionally well suited to filling the role of healer in both a proactive and reactive sense, preventing as much damage as possible and restoring those wounds and conditions that manage to overwhelm protections. Despite being a defensively oriented guardian, The Shepherd and its followers are exceptionally capable in combat and devotees must take care to not transition into aggressors in the pursuit of a more proactive defense strategy.
THE UNIVERSAL SOLDIER (Lawful Neutral)
Symbol: two nested chevrons
Allowed Alignments: LG, LN, LE, N
Opposition Alignments: CG, CN, CE
Channel Energy Type: negative
Signature Skills: Athletics, Medicine
Favored Weapon: spear
Signature Spells: fleet step (1st), enlarge (2nd), enemy hammer (5th)
Domains Offered: Confidence, Might, Protection, Tyranny, Zeal
Anathema: Displaying cowardice and disregarding the direct order of a superior are anathema to The Universal Soldier.
From the rulebook: "The cult of The Universal Soldier is both a faith and an enormous private military. Most adherents are indoctrinated from a young age and drilled in the art of making war, and as such the military aspect of the cult is one of the most organized and effective fighting forces that can be hired. It is rare that non-soldiers adopt The Universal Soldier as a patron, but those that do are typically civilian strategists or advisors that wish to gain credentials, or adventurers that value working together as a cohesive unit.
"The Universal Soldier maintains a working relationship with every other deity, except The Diplomat whose purposes are always incompatible, but its closest tie is to The Emperor, whose goal of total conquest always needs soldiers. The Universal Soldier maintains no relationship with its followers, keeping the same distance that a general might keep from recruits, though the war cabinet that runs the military arm of the faith always sets aside a place in councils for their patron.
"The Universal Soldier is always depicted engaged in combat, dressed in armor or a military uniform. When depicted, the face is always left blank to represent each and any soldier that has fought and died in the service of war. But while The Universal Soldier and the faith frequently engage in war, the goal is to win decisively, not simply fight for the sake of fighting. Military leaders that show incompetence are expected to be removed, and the decision as to whether they survive being stripped of command is left to those in their charge."
The most militant deity, The Universal Soldier is the quintessential conqueror despite lacking a definitive purpose to its conquest. It isn't uncommon to find factions of this deity's followers on opposite sides of the same conflict. Despite the prevalence of new and perhaps more effective weapons, The Universal Soldier staunchly maintains the spear as its favored weapon due to its availability and versatility. More than any other deity, however, followers of The Universal Soldier with means and experience will choose more potent or exotic weapons with which to show off their combat prowess. Adventurers in service of this deity can find strife with party members that aren't as regimented in their personalities as devotees of The Universal Soldier tend to be, but even clerics tend to be able to stand toe-to-toe with the toughest barbarian or vanguard teammates.
A setting's deities have a great deal of influence over how a setting feels, and exert an even greater impact on those characters that choose to follow them, whether for power or otherwise. The primary pantheon of Rimukyr likewise provides a cast of diverse and interesting options to make different divinely empowered characters feel very different in play. Next week we'll continue our exploration of deities with part 5: the ahthropomorphics.
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