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 (see Part 4), and finally the anthropomorphics. These next several entries will take a closer look at each of these groups. This week we conclude our exploration with the ahtropomorphics.
THE DREAMER (Chaotic Neutral)
Symbol: a silver key
Allowed Alignments: any
Opposition Alignments: LG, LN, LE
Channel Energy Type: choice between positive or negative
Signature Skills: Acrobatics, Knowledge
Favored Weapon: meteor hammer
Signature Spells: dream message (3rd), nightmare (4th), dream council (8th)
Domains Offered: Darkness, Dreams, Luck, Moon, Nightmares
Anathema: Deliberately neglecting sleep is anathema to The Dreamer.
From the rulebook: "Unlike other deities, The Dreamer is not a singular entity. Rather, The Dreamer is the collective residual psychic energy of lucid dreamers left behind upon waking. The resulting amalgamation has somehow developed a personality of its own, albeit a mercurial one. At times dream companion, at other times cruel tormenter, this deity is constantly evolving as mortals dream, whether intentionally or by accident.
"The Dreamer is incapable of physically leaving the mystical dimension of dreams, but even so it maintains a relationship with most other deities. Whether others seek The Dreamer’s company deliberately, or if even the most powerful beings also dream, none can say with any certainty. The Dreamer also maintains a very personal relationship with its followers, even if the nature of that relationship varies wildly from encounter to encounter. The potential for extended stays with their patron causes many followers of The Dreamer to push their physical bodies to the limits of starvation and dehydration in order to spend as much time dreaming as possible.
"Depictions of The Dreamer are as varied as those that dream, and even the same artist might have wildly different inspiration from one illustration to the next. It is said that all art is influenced by The Dreamer, and that The Dreamer is in turn influenced by all art in a strange, symbiotic cycle."
As an entity that appears and acts differently to different people, The Dreamer is one of the most unusual deities in the major pantheon and one of the easiest to choose as a patron. This deity's nature lends itself especially well to player imagination for determining divine will and agenda. As The Dreamer is shaped by those that interact with it, whatever a divine supplicant chooses is invariably correct, at least from a personal perspective. This also sets up for interesting conflicts with other servants of The Dreamer that have other ideas about what their patron wants or expects. It's difficult to resolve a difference of ideology when both parties are somehow correct despite different and incompatible points of view.
THE GAMBLER (Chaotic Neutral)
Symbol: a die with a six on all faces
Allowed Alignments: CG, CN, CE, N
Opposition Alignments: LG, LN, LE
Channel Energy Type: choice between positive or negative
Signature Skills: Deception, Legerdemain
Favored Weapon: boomerang
Signature Spells: chromatic bolt (Cantrip), mirror image (2nd), prismatic spray (7th)
Domains Offered: Ambition, Confidence, Luck, Trickery, Wealth
Anathema: Avoiding risk through inaction is anathema to The Gambler, but tipping the scales of fortune to suit one’s preferred outcome is not only allowed, but encouraged.
From the rulebook: "An enigmatic figure, The Gambler is the quintessential daredevil, and is often the subject of tall tales of improbable exploits. To make a decision by the drawing of chance is to invoke this deity’s favor, though the results of doing so can vary wildly. Instead, it is often supposed that The Gambler helps those that help themselves, and that to call on The Gambler without a thumb on the scale is to invite disaster.
"The Gambler’s relationship to other deities is as shrouded in mystery as every other aspect of its being. Popular legend suggests that The Gambler began life as a mortal, and ascended to godhood by cheating other deities out of their domains with rigged games of chance. Whether there is any truth to this story may never be known, for if a god was ever bested by a mortal this way, it would surely never admit to it.
"The Gambler’s true form is not known, but this deity is always depicted as an unlikely figure, or one not commonly accepted in a society. Whatever image is used to represent The Gambler, there is always the constant image of dice, whether held in the hand or cleverly hidden throughout the illustration.
With its nature and domains, The Gambler shares a lot in common with many adventurers. Those that choose to follow this deity tend to keep that information private for as long as possible, as finding gambling games with strangers can be much more difficult with preconceived expectations of underhanded tactics and cheating. The Gambler's association with random chance shows especially strongly with its signature spells, each of which has an effect determined by rolling dice when determining its effect. Followers of this deity always make for an interesting play session, whether as player characters or otherwise.
THE LOVER (Neutral Good)
Symbol: a heart in flames
Allowed Alignments: any
Opposition Alignments: CE, NE, LE
Channel Energy Type: positive
Signature Skills: Acrobatics, Performance
Favored Weapon: unarmed
Signature Spells: grease (1st), telepathic bond (5th), magnificent mansion (7th)
Domains Offered: Dreams, Family, Indulgence, Pain, Passion
Anathema: Non-consensual relations and deliberate infidelity are anathema to The Lover.
From the rulebook: "Many believe The Lover to be the original source of love and family. Others suppose that, like The Dreamer, The Lover was instead created as a living embodiment of the powerful feelings resonating between soul mates. Whichever the case, this deity is always invoked during marriages, even if not followed closely at other times. Following The Lover can be inconvenient, because this deity represents more than just the pleasant aspects of true love, but also the heartbreak that so often accompanies it.
"The Lover remains on good terms with most benevolent deities, but despises those that take advantage of others or seek domination. The Lover never directly interacts with followers, but many enjoy signs of favor when feelings are reciprocated. While many cultures place restrictions and taboos on when and what are allowed between lovers, The Lover has only been known to show displeasure when affections are unwanted or forced.
"Depictions of The Lover are typically attractive, and usually conform to the artist’s personal preferences, unless specifically commissioned by another with instructions. Most brothels will contain a small shrine to The Lover, and donations made to it are kept as a reserve to bolster the employees against unexpected complications."
Followers of The Lover tend to be as varied and interesting as there are forms of love. While it strongly insists on consensual love, it is nevertheless one of the most inclusive and accepting deities. Those from all walks of life can be granted power so long as they respect others' boundaries. Adventuring as a devotee of The Lover is paradoxically both difficult and easy. With excellent domains and free alignment choice (paladins excepted), this deity provides a lot of great tools useful for adventuring. On the other hand, however, The Lover doesn't have much of a personal agenda to carry out and devotees often must look inward to determine the best course of action in complicated situations.
THE WANDERER (Chaotic Good)
Symbol: a threadbare boot
Allowed Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Opposition Alignments: LG, LN, LE
Channel Energy Type: positive
Signature Skills: Nature, Survival
Favored Weapon: staff
Signature Spells: longstrider (1st), fly (4th), shadow walk (5th)
Domains Offered: Freedom, Luck, Nature, Travel, Trickery
Anathema: Following the same path twice in a row is anathema to The Wanderer.
From the rulebook: "The Wanderer is said to be on an endless quest to witness everything in the universe. In replication of this divine journey, many followers of The Wanderer lead nomadic lives, traveling from place to place to see as much as possible. These groups of wandering faithful are not always well received when they visit, as they often find their way into restricted areas, and valuables mysteriously go missing. While this is sometimes legitimately the result of acolyte's theft, more often than not followers of The Wanderer make for easy scapegoats since they are usually new and unfamiliar.
"Whether The Wanderer maintains any long-term relations with deities or mortals is considered to be unlikely. Followers believe that their deity is present for the birth of every child, only to depart and never return. As such, birthdays are marked by mourning among the faithful. Hidden paths and scenic vistas are said to be signs of The Wanderer’s favor, but so is getting entirely lost, since one must be lost to find something that has never been discovered before.
"Depictions of The Wanderer tend to skew toward the female and the elven. However, in honor of the deity’s preference for the new and exciting, creating the same image more than once is considered taboo. Travelers in strange lands will sometimes stumble upon a shrine left by followers of The Wanderer, where the faithful have left curiously unspoiled provisions for those who come behind. Partaking of this food without replenishing it is considered a grave defilement, and shrines discovered without their stock must be destroyed and rebuilt elsewhere."
The Wanderer is an excellent deity choice for players in a campaign that involves lots of travel and exploration. Its domains and signature spells are well suited to the sorts of utility options that make getting around difficult places a breeze for the devotee and compatriots. Perhaps the biggest difficulty with adventuring as one of The Wanderer's faithful is the comparative lack of permanent places of worship. To follow this deity is typically to remain on the fringes of society, with only close companions and The Wanderer itself for company and guidance.
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. Following this entry, these discussion blogs are going to take a short break. Be sure to subscribe in order to receive a notification when the next one becomes available!
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