Which "core" deity would The Devourer most resemble? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Which "core" deity would The Devourer most resemble?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
P1NBACK
Mar 12, 2010 14:06:18 Title says it all.

I'm thinking maybe Tharizdun? But, that doesn't seem to fit exactly.
#2
Sarlax
Mar 12, 2010 14:22:01 His closest analogue in my mind is actually Poseidon. The 4E gods he most matches are Kord and Melora. Kord is closer as he's explicitly a storm god, while Melora is the god of the sea.
#3
P1NBACK
Mar 12, 2010 14:30:50 Yeah... it's just that both of those gods are Good.

Any Evil gods out there? It's cool if not.
#4
aeryk08
Mar 12, 2010 16:40:59
Title says it all.

I'm thinking maybe Tharizdun? But, that doesn't seem to fit exactly.

There's Procan. He's CN, but seems pretty similar. Looks like he was listed in Complete Divine and Stormwrack. Here's a full list of deities.
#5
Sarlax
Mar 12, 2010 19:11:55
Yeah... it's just that both of those gods are Good.

If you look closely, the Sovereigns and Dark Six don't really cleave to alignments so much as the phenomena of civilization (the Sovereigns) and nature (the Dark Six). The gods aren't obvious and active forces in the world like in other settings, and the Devourer doesn't walk the world spreading evil. He just creates storms and has domain over the waves. There's nothing particularly evil about him, and he's certainly not a "God of Evil."
#6
Hellcow
Mar 13, 2010 12:29:59
He just creates storms and has domain over the waves.

While the Devourer is most often associated with the sea - as for land-dwellers it's a imposing and uncontrollable force - I'd just point out that he's also associated with "other aspects of nature's wrath". Earthquakes, firestorms, avalanches and the like are seen as the hand of the Devourer just as much as hurricanes and tsunamis. In Arawai we have nature's bounty. In Balinor we have the hunt and our interaction with wild beasts. In the Devourer we have the destructive and uncontrollable forces of nature.

With that said, I agree with Sarlax that while he's often depicted as evil because he's a God of Destruction, at the end of the day he's a force of nature. I'm sure that you could have a cult that sees him as a positive force - somewhat like the Children of Winter, with nature shattering the old to make room for the new.
#7
el_shawno
Mar 13, 2010 15:50:30
Well, I know it's not "core" Wizards theology, but the Devourer actually could be seen as an aspect of Shiva.
#8
Madfox11
Mar 15, 2010 5:44:47
There's Procan. He's CN, but seems pretty similar. Looks like he was listed in Complete Divine and Stormwrack. Here's a full list of deities.

Those are Greyhawk deities, which was the core setting for 3E. They have no representatives in 4E. Even a deity like Tharizdun has been changed a lot.

As for the Devourer, in 4E core he would be the destructive side of Melora. Tharizdun is about the destruction of the universe. As a deity he is outside of the world. While the Devourer is all about destruction, he is still part of nature.

Why the question? That might us help give you a more useful question. After all, the answer changes a bit if you are looking for monsters, items, domain feats or something else.
#9
haplo81
Mar 16, 2010 20:49:14 Melora with a side of Tharizdun would be my guess.
#10
angelus_obscura
Mar 17, 2010 10:42:35
Melora with a side of Tharizdun would be my guess.

Melozdun? Tharizlora?
#11
weenog42
Mar 18, 2010 18:05:47 It's important to remember that in Eberron, the Gods are very distant, if they exist at all in any literal sense. They embody nebulous concepts by design. Different cultures are likely to have different names for their deities, or group deities domains together differently. It's hard even to ascribe good or evil to a particular deity, because there are so many ways to worship them. Worshippers of the Dark Six will trend toward evil, and worshippers of the Sovereigns will trend toward good, insomuch as civilization is preferable over barbarism, but that's as far as it goes.

I liken the Sovereign Host and the Dark Six to Greek mythology - the Hellenic greek tribes appropriated myths from one another quite freely as the conquered each other. Multiple variations of the same myths are common. This can lead to all sort of contradicitons if you try to reconcile all the myths together, which is why there is no "official" version.

So some might see Kord as being Dol Dorn due to the emphasis on physical prowess and honor, others might see it as the Devourer for the emphasis on storms and destruction. Decide what deity you character worships, and then figure out how that fits in the world.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 P1NBACK Mar 12, 2010 14:06:18	Title says it all. I'm thinking maybe Tharizdun? But, that doesn't seem to fit exactly.
#2 Sarlax Mar 12, 2010 14:22:01	His closest analogue in my mind is actually Poseidon. The 4E gods he most matches are Kord and Melora. Kord is closer as he's explicitly a storm god, while Melora is the god of the sea.
#3 P1NBACK Mar 12, 2010 14:30:50	Yeah... it's just that both of those gods are Good. Any Evil gods out there? It's cool if not.
#4 aeryk08 Mar 12, 2010 16:40:59	Title says it all. I'm thinking maybe Tharizdun? But, that doesn't seem to fit exactly. There's Procan. He's CN, but seems pretty similar. Looks like he was listed in Complete Divine and Stormwrack. Here's a full list of deities.
#5 Sarlax Mar 12, 2010 19:11:55	Yeah... it's just that both of those gods are Good. If you look closely, the Sovereigns and Dark Six don't really cleave to alignments so much as the phenomena of civilization (the Sovereigns) and nature (the Dark Six). The gods aren't obvious and active forces in the world like in other settings, and the Devourer doesn't walk the world spreading evil. He just creates storms and has domain over the waves. There's nothing particularly evil about him, and he's certainly not a "God of Evil."
#6 Hellcow Mar 13, 2010 12:29:59	He just creates storms and has domain over the waves. While the Devourer is most often associated with the sea - as for land-dwellers it's a imposing and uncontrollable force - I'd just point out that he's also associated with "other aspects of nature's wrath". Earthquakes, firestorms, avalanches and the like are seen as the hand of the Devourer just as much as hurricanes and tsunamis. In Arawai we have nature's bounty. In Balinor we have the hunt and our interaction with wild beasts. In the Devourer we have the destructive and uncontrollable forces of nature. With that said, I agree with Sarlax that while he's often depicted as evil because he's a God of Destruction, at the end of the day he's a force of nature. I'm sure that you could have a cult that sees him as a positive force - somewhat like the Children of Winter, with nature shattering the old to make room for the new.
#7 el_shawno Mar 13, 2010 15:50:30	Well, I know it's not "core" Wizards theology, but the Devourer actually could be seen as an aspect of Shiva.
#8 Madfox11 Mar 15, 2010 5:44:47	There's Procan. He's CN, but seems pretty similar. Looks like he was listed in Complete Divine and Stormwrack. Here's a full list of deities. Those are Greyhawk deities, which was the core setting for 3E. They have no representatives in 4E. Even a deity like Tharizdun has been changed a lot. As for the Devourer, in 4E core he would be the destructive side of Melora. Tharizdun is about the destruction of the universe. As a deity he is outside of the world. While the Devourer is all about destruction, he is still part of nature. Why the question? That might us help give you a more useful question. After all, the answer changes a bit if you are looking for monsters, items, domain feats or something else.
#9 haplo81 Mar 16, 2010 20:49:14	Melora with a side of Tharizdun would be my guess.
#10 angelus_obscura Mar 17, 2010 10:42:35	Melora with a side of Tharizdun would be my guess. Melozdun? Tharizlora?
#11 weenog42 Mar 18, 2010 18:05:47	It's important to remember that in Eberron, the Gods are very distant, if they exist at all in any literal sense. They embody nebulous concepts by design. Different cultures are likely to have different names for their deities, or group deities domains together differently. It's hard even to ascribe good or evil to a particular deity, because there are so many ways to worship them. Worshippers of the Dark Six will trend toward evil, and worshippers of the Sovereigns will trend toward good, insomuch as civilization is preferable over barbarism, but that's as far as it goes. I liken the Sovereign Host and the Dark Six to Greek mythology - the Hellenic greek tribes appropriated myths from one another quite freely as the conquered each other. Multiple variations of the same myths are common. This can lead to all sort of contradicitons if you try to reconcile all the myths together, which is why there is no "official" version. So some might see Kord as being Dol Dorn due to the emphasis on physical prowess and honor, others might see it as the Devourer for the emphasis on storms and destruction. Decide what deity you character worships, and then figure out how that fits in the world.