To many Death gods? [Archive] - Wizards Community

To many Death gods? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dargoth
07-16-03, 03:39 AM Im creating a cleric PC for a campaign set in Greyhawk (I Dm one party in the FR and another player DMs a Greyhawk game)

Now Greyhawk is not my settting and I know little about it.

Anyway Im thinking of playing CN/TN/LN Cleric (that way I can do some naughty stuff without being overtly evil) So I was thinking of a Death god. However their seems to be 3 death gods in Greyhawk

Wee Jas
Nerull
Vecna (Whose apparantly undead)

So whats the diffrence between these 3 gods? and who do they roughly equal in the FR pantheon?

Yes Im aware of the table in the FRC but I want a more detailed comparision

Thanks in advance
Masakado
07-16-03, 07:12 AM Originally posted by Dargoth
1) Wee Jas
2) Nerull
3) Vecna (Whose apparantly undead)

1) Wee Jas is the Goddess of Death & Magic. Her LN slant & dogma makes her Kelemvor's equivelent, more or less, as well as a bit of Mystra.

2) Nerull is The Reaper. He's the negative aspects of Death, which would make him roughly the equivelent of Cyric at the top of his power, but he would resemble Myrkul in physical form.

Nerull is not only the god of death, but he is also the patron of murder in his aspect as the Hater of Life.

He also has a bit of Bane in him as the Foe of All Good.

3) Vecna, last time I checked, was an undead god, but not a death god.

His portfolio covers secrets & evil magic, so that makes him an undead Shar without his own personal weave.

Lots of Greyhawk gods have overlapping portfolios, which is excellent because it lends flexibility to worship.

No one cries about the magic deity being good aligned because there are several deities that have some aspect of magic in their portfolios.
Faraer
07-16-03, 07:39 AM They're members of different pantheons. Nerull is Flannish but widespread; he's a strongly neutral evil god of Hades, associated with undead. Wee Jas is a more obscure LN Suloise deity, exotic and mystical. Vecna is only recently apotheosized; he's an archetypal lich (and isn's part of Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk at all, only the TSR/WotC version).
Dargoth
07-16-03, 08:10 AM Originally posted by Faraer
They're members of different pantheons. Nerull is Flannish but widespread; he's a strongly neutral evil god of Hades, associated with undead. Wee Jas is a more obscure LN Suloise deity, exotic and mystical. Vecna is only recently apotheosized; he's an archetypal lich (and isn's part of Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk at all, only the TSR/WotC version).

We where playing in Furondy in a previous campaign and I assume well be starting our 3ed party there to...
Masakado
07-16-03, 08:48 AM Originally posted by Faraer
They're members of different pantheons. Nerull is Flannish but widespread; he's a strongly neutral evil god of Hades, associated with undead. Wee Jas is a more obscure LN Suloise deity, exotic and mystical. Vecna is only recently apotheosized; he's an archetypal lich (and isn's part of Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk at all, only the TSR/WotC version).

Yep, I forgot the part about the pantheons.

Having numerous death deities in Greyhawk is similar to the fact that mythology has two thunder deities, one named Thor & the other named Zeus.

Two separate sets of gods entirely.
primemover003
07-16-03, 04:48 PM Vecna is like Velsharoon, only smarter, meaner, and tougher. Velsharoon doesn't have two artifacts named for him (out of pieces of his mortal body at that!!!)
Kuje31
07-16-03, 04:54 PM Don't forget Sehanine, the elven goddess of death also.... You didn't say what race, so I was throwing her out there also as a option.
Astanphaeus
07-16-03, 05:55 PM Nerull
Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, Reaper of Flesh - Nerull's formal titles bear eloquent witness to the horror of this cold, cruel, hateful Power. Nerull is not a god who sees death as ease, release, or quiet passing; he brings bloody slaughter, and is the deity of many who seek evil for their enjoyment and gain.

Nerull's priests are murderous, psychopatic, cold, cruel, and utterly evil. They are highly secretive, for obvious reasons. Priesthoods tend to be individual capsules without an overall hierarchy, except in evil lands.

Sounds like ol' Bhaal to me. In any event, not what you're looking for.

Wee Jas
Wee Jas is the Suloise Power of magic and death. She is primarily lawful, but she inclines toward evil through her preoccupation with power.

Wee Jas is not widely revered even among Suel folk. However, funeral rites among the Suel, even the barbarians, usually involve a small offering to her to protect the soul of the departed. She is a protector of the dead, and her priests are only rarely allowed to command undead creatures, having to commune with Wee Jas to see if this is acceptable to her.

Services to Wee Jas include the reverent flattery of fine icons of her (she is a vain Power), offerings of finery and gems, and magical fires.

Wee Jas's priests are officiators at funerals, maintainers of graveyards, and ardent students of magic and arcane lore. The priesthood has rigid ordering and demands absolute obedience from its juniors.

She doesn't translate cleanly, I don't think. She's kind of a mix of different FR gods. She's seems to be the closest to fitting your vision, but there'd have to be a good reason why a cleric of Wee Jas was creeping around in Furyondy.

Vecna... not really a god of death, as has already been pointed out. And decidedly evil.

You have Sehanine, but she's elven... and last I checked, she's goodly.

Urogalan... LN... earth, death, protection of the dead... but he's a halfling god. Do you like halflings? ;)

Counter suggestions:

Cyndor is a lesser deity of time, infinity, and continuity. Istus is a goddess of fate, destiny, divination, and honesty. The former is LN, the latter is TN. Istus' following is obscure, but can pop up just about anywhere, because even though she isn't commonly worshipped, she's commonly placated. Perhaps from one of these you could get the flavour you're looking for, even though their portfolios don't specifically mention death?

Another possibility, perhaps, is to take up one of the other deities, and just be a "specialist" concerned with the death/burial rites of the faith? A death priest of Heironeous (Tyr), for example, might be kind of cool -- seeing that valorous warriors are properly sent to the great beyond -- and it would make sense to me if he were more LN, as opposed to the typical LG.

-- A.
Dargoth
07-29-03, 02:15 AM By the way what happaned to Iuz?

He was the main bad guy in the greyhawk camapign however hes not mentioned as one of the gods in the player hand book..

Did someone bump him off?
TheShadowOfMyFormerSelf
07-29-03, 03:15 PM Originally posted by Dargoth
By the way what happaned to Iuz?

He was the main bad guy in the greyhawk camapign however hes not mentioned as one of the gods in the player hand book..

Did someone bump him off? He's mentioned in the Greyhawk Gazetteer (I think that's the title...) and statted in the Dragon magazine issue that came out at the time of DDG.
Mirtek
07-29-03, 03:48 PM Actually Vecnas is neither a god of death nor a god of undeath.

He just happens to have been a lich before becomming a deity and thus is an undead god.

But his portfolios are secrets and intrigue. He has no portfolios related to death, undead, necromancers, [...]
Dargoth
07-31-03, 05:37 AM Originally posted by TheShadowOfMyFormerSelf
He's mentioned in the Greyhawk Gazetteer (I think that's the title...) and statted in the Dragon magazine issue that came out at the time of DDG.

Are there more gods in Greyhawk setting than those listed in the PHB?

If there are who are they and what are their Domains?
Astanphaeus
07-31-03, 06:21 AM Originally posted by Dargoth
Are there more gods in Greyhawk setting than those listed in the PHB?

Buttloads.

If there are who are they and what are their Domains?

Make with the clicky:

http://www.cmc.net/~rtaylor/greyhawk/gods/lists/

-- A.
Mirtek
07-31-03, 06:37 AM Originally posted by Dargoth
Are there more gods in Greyhawk setting than those listed in the PHB?
If there are who are they and what are their Domains?

Yes, there are more, many, many, more.

Greyhawk has about the same number of deities as the Forgotten Realms.

And both settings have 120+ deities
Dargoth
07-31-03, 07:43 AM looks like most of them are monster deities
Astanphaeus
07-31-03, 08:25 AM Originally posted by Dargoth
looks like most of them are monster deities

There are over 60 deities on that list that are from the various human subgroups.

-- A.
Dargoth
07-31-03, 08:39 AM hmm

I might play a Paladin of Heironeous or a LN cleric of either Wee Jas or Hextor

How common are those 3 gods in Furondy?
Astanphaeus
07-31-03, 10:53 AM Originally posted by Dargoth
hmm

I might play a Paladin of Heironeous or a LN cleric of either Wee Jas or Hextor

How common are those 3 gods in Furondy?

Heironeous is extremely common in Furyondy.

Hextor is essentially opposite Heironeous, so not so prevelant.

Wee Jas isn't common anywhere. See my post up thread.

-- A.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dargoth 07-16-03, 03:39 AM	Im creating a cleric PC for a campaign set in Greyhawk (I Dm one party in the FR and another player DMs a Greyhawk game) Now Greyhawk is not my settting and I know little about it. Anyway Im thinking of playing CN/TN/LN Cleric (that way I can do some naughty stuff without being overtly evil) So I was thinking of a Death god. However their seems to be 3 death gods in Greyhawk Wee Jas Nerull Vecna (Whose apparantly undead) So whats the diffrence between these 3 gods? and who do they roughly equal in the FR pantheon? Yes Im aware of the table in the FRC but I want a more detailed comparision Thanks in advance
Masakado 07-16-03, 07:12 AM	Originally posted by Dargoth 1) Wee Jas 2) Nerull 3) Vecna (Whose apparantly undead) 1) Wee Jas is the Goddess of Death & Magic. Her LN slant & dogma makes her Kelemvor's equivelent, more or less, as well as a bit of Mystra. 2) Nerull is The Reaper. He's the negative aspects of Death, which would make him roughly the equivelent of Cyric at the top of his power, but he would resemble Myrkul in physical form. Nerull is not only the god of death, but he is also the patron of murder in his aspect as the Hater of Life. He also has a bit of Bane in him as the Foe of All Good. 3) Vecna, last time I checked, was an undead god, but not a death god. His portfolio covers secrets & evil magic, so that makes him an undead Shar without his own personal weave. Lots of Greyhawk gods have overlapping portfolios, which is excellent because it lends flexibility to worship. No one cries about the magic deity being good aligned because there are several deities that have some aspect of magic in their portfolios.
Faraer 07-16-03, 07:39 AM	They're members of different pantheons. Nerull is Flannish but widespread; he's a strongly neutral evil god of Hades, associated with undead. Wee Jas is a more obscure LN Suloise deity, exotic and mystical. Vecna is only recently apotheosized; he's an archetypal lich (and isn's part of Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk at all, only the TSR/WotC version).
Dargoth 07-16-03, 08:10 AM	Originally posted by Faraer They're members of different pantheons. Nerull is Flannish but widespread; he's a strongly neutral evil god of Hades, associated with undead. Wee Jas is a more obscure LN Suloise deity, exotic and mystical. Vecna is only recently apotheosized; he's an archetypal lich (and isn's part of Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk at all, only the TSR/WotC version). We where playing in Furondy in a previous campaign and I assume well be starting our 3ed party there to...
Masakado 07-16-03, 08:48 AM	Originally posted by Faraer They're members of different pantheons. Nerull is Flannish but widespread; he's a strongly neutral evil god of Hades, associated with undead. Wee Jas is a more obscure LN Suloise deity, exotic and mystical. Vecna is only recently apotheosized; he's an archetypal lich (and isn's part of Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk at all, only the TSR/WotC version). Yep, I forgot the part about the pantheons. Having numerous death deities in Greyhawk is similar to the fact that mythology has two thunder deities, one named Thor & the other named Zeus. Two separate sets of gods entirely.
primemover003 07-16-03, 04:48 PM	Vecna is like Velsharoon, only smarter, meaner, and tougher. Velsharoon doesn't have two artifacts named for him (out of pieces of his mortal body at that!!!)
Kuje31 07-16-03, 04:54 PM	Don't forget Sehanine, the elven goddess of death also.... You didn't say what race, so I was throwing her out there also as a option.
Astanphaeus 07-16-03, 05:55 PM	Nerull Foe of All Good, Hater of Life, Bringer of Darkness, Reaper of Flesh - Nerull's formal titles bear eloquent witness to the horror of this cold, cruel, hateful Power. Nerull is not a god who sees death as ease, release, or quiet passing; he brings bloody slaughter, and is the deity of many who seek evil for their enjoyment and gain. Nerull's priests are murderous, psychopatic, cold, cruel, and utterly evil. They are highly secretive, for obvious reasons. Priesthoods tend to be individual capsules without an overall hierarchy, except in evil lands. Sounds like ol' Bhaal to me. In any event, not what you're looking for. Wee Jas Wee Jas is the Suloise Power of magic and death. She is primarily lawful, but she inclines toward evil through her preoccupation with power. Wee Jas is not widely revered even among Suel folk. However, funeral rites among the Suel, even the barbarians, usually involve a small offering to her to protect the soul of the departed. She is a protector of the dead, and her priests are only rarely allowed to command undead creatures, having to commune with Wee Jas to see if this is acceptable to her. Services to Wee Jas include the reverent flattery of fine icons of her (she is a vain Power), offerings of finery and gems, and magical fires. Wee Jas's priests are officiators at funerals, maintainers of graveyards, and ardent students of magic and arcane lore. The priesthood has rigid ordering and demands absolute obedience from its juniors. She doesn't translate cleanly, I don't think. She's kind of a mix of different FR gods. She's seems to be the closest to fitting your vision, but there'd have to be a good reason why a cleric of Wee Jas was creeping around in Furyondy. Vecna... not really a god of death, as has already been pointed out. And decidedly evil. You have Sehanine, but she's elven... and last I checked, she's goodly. Urogalan... LN... earth, death, protection of the dead... but he's a halfling god. Do you like halflings? ;) Counter suggestions: Cyndor is a lesser deity of time, infinity, and continuity. Istus is a goddess of fate, destiny, divination, and honesty. The former is LN, the latter is TN. Istus' following is obscure, but can pop up just about anywhere, because even though she isn't commonly worshipped, she's commonly placated. Perhaps from one of these you could get the flavour you're looking for, even though their portfolios don't specifically mention death? Another possibility, perhaps, is to take up one of the other deities, and just be a "specialist" concerned with the death/burial rites of the faith? A death priest of Heironeous (Tyr), for example, might be kind of cool -- seeing that valorous warriors are properly sent to the great beyond -- and it would make sense to me if he were more LN, as opposed to the typical LG. -- A.
Dargoth 07-29-03, 02:15 AM	By the way what happaned to Iuz? He was the main bad guy in the greyhawk camapign however hes not mentioned as one of the gods in the player hand book.. Did someone bump him off?
TheShadowOfMyFormerSelf 07-29-03, 03:15 PM	Originally posted by Dargoth By the way what happaned to Iuz? He was the main bad guy in the greyhawk camapign however hes not mentioned as one of the gods in the player hand book.. Did someone bump him off? He's mentioned in the Greyhawk Gazetteer (I think that's the title...) and statted in the Dragon magazine issue that came out at the time of DDG.
Mirtek 07-29-03, 03:48 PM	Actually Vecnas is neither a god of death nor a god of undeath. He just happens to have been a lich before becomming a deity and thus is an undead god. But his portfolios are secrets and intrigue. He has no portfolios related to death, undead, necromancers, [...]
Dargoth 07-31-03, 05:37 AM	Originally posted by TheShadowOfMyFormerSelf He's mentioned in the Greyhawk Gazetteer (I think that's the title...) and statted in the Dragon magazine issue that came out at the time of DDG. Are there more gods in Greyhawk setting than those listed in the PHB? If there are who are they and what are their Domains?
Astanphaeus 07-31-03, 06:21 AM	Originally posted by Dargoth Are there more gods in Greyhawk setting than those listed in the PHB? Buttloads. If there are who are they and what are their Domains? Make with the clicky: http://www.cmc.net/~rtaylor/greyhawk/gods/lists/ -- A.
Mirtek 07-31-03, 06:37 AM	Originally posted by Dargoth Are there more gods in Greyhawk setting than those listed in the PHB? If there are who are they and what are their Domains? Yes, there are more, many, many, more. Greyhawk has about the same number of deities as the Forgotten Realms. And both settings have 120+ deities
Dargoth 07-31-03, 07:43 AM	looks like most of them are monster deities
Astanphaeus 07-31-03, 08:25 AM	Originally posted by Dargoth looks like most of them are monster deities There are over 60 deities on that list that are from the various human subgroups. -- A.
Dargoth 07-31-03, 08:39 AM	hmm I might play a Paladin of Heironeous or a LN cleric of either Wee Jas or Hextor How common are those 3 gods in Furondy?
Astanphaeus 07-31-03, 10:53 AM	Originally posted by Dargoth hmm I might play a Paladin of Heironeous or a LN cleric of either Wee Jas or Hextor How common are those 3 gods in Furondy? Heironeous is extremely common in Furyondy. Hextor is essentially opposite Heironeous, so not so prevelant. Wee Jas isn't common anywhere. See my post up thread. -- A.