Greyhawk cosmology

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The Greyhawk cosmology is the sum of all of the information about the deities and planes in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting of Greyhawk.

Contents

The Great Wheel

The planes are infinite expanses, most of which embody an ideal, world-view, force or material. Travel between planes can be accomplished by magic or through the use of gates.

Material plane

The cosmology of Greyhawk is roughly laid out in physical form in a great wheel. The hub of the wheel is the material plane (the infinite expanse of universes that the known world exists in).

Oerth – the world that is at the focus of the World of Greyhawk campaign setting – calls its particular slice of the material plane the "prime material plane". While "prime material" and "material" are often used interchangably, this notion of Oerth's plane being central to the multiverse is a key element of the Greyhawk cosmology.

Energy and Elemental planes

Outside of this infinity of parallel universes are the energy and elemental planes, also part of the hub. These include the positive and negative energy planes and the fire, air, water and earth elemental planes. There are also a practically infinite number of demi-planes that exist in the flux between these primary planes. There are elemental demi-planes such as mud (earth + water) and steam (water + fire + air), and there are also planes and demi-planes that combine the prime material with other planes. This includes the elemental plane of shadow.

Demi-planes are almost all finite, though some (such as the plane of shadow) are massive worlds unto themselves. The smallest demi-planes are but a pocket-sized whisper of time and space, often created (or at least harnessed) for extra-dimensional storage by magical beings from the primary planes.

Outer planes

The outer planes include at least one major plane which is associated with each of the nine alignments, and some additional planes that represent specific pantheons. These include:

as well as the less aligned:

Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms has its own cosmology, but some of the gods and locations in the FR cosmology come from the Greyhawk history that came before, and some of the Forgotten Realms cosmology (especially with respect to the Drow) has been absorbed into Greyhawk. Where these lines are not clear, an attempt will be made to point out any ambiguity.

Human pantheons

There are several pantheons in the World of Greyhawk. The most common in the Flanaess are the Flannae, Oeridian, Baklunish, and Suel pantheons, each corresponding to a major cultural and ethnic extraction of humans. The various demi-human, goblinoid and monstrous human races often have their own pantheons as well.

Common or unknown origin

These are the gods which are worshipped (sometimes under alternate names) by many pantheons of the Flanaess, or have origins which are uncertain.

Greater

  • Boccob† - God of magic, arcane knowledge, balance and foresight (his standing as a member of any pantheon is questionable, but he has sometimes been cited as a member of the Suel pantheon).
  • Incabulos - God of plagues, sickness, famine, nightmares, drought, and disasters.

Intermediate

  • Ralishaz - God of chance, ill luck, misfortune and insanity. May be of the Flannae pantheon.[1]
  • St Cuthbert† - Intermediate god of common sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, and discipline.
  • Tharizdun†† - Intermediate (?) god of eternal darkness, decay, entropy, malign knowledge, and insanity. Tharizdun is trapped in a demi-planar prison, the location of which is unknown.
  • Trithereon - Intermediate god of individuality, liberty, retribution, and self-defense.

Demi/hero-gods

  • Iuz - Demi-god of deceit, pain, oppression and evil. Child of Graz'zt and Iggwilv.
  • Zagyg - Demi-god of humor, eccentricity, occult lore and unpredictability. A very recent demi-god, and assistant to Boccob.

The Flannae pantheon

Greater

  • Beory - Goddess of Oerth, nature and rain. The "Oerth Mother".
  • Nerull† - God of death, darkness, murder and the underworld.
  • Pelor† - God of sun, light, strength and healing.
  • Rao - God of peace, reason and serenity.

Intermediate

  • Obad-Hai† - God of nature, woodlands, freedom, hunting and beasts.

Lesser

  • Allitur - God of ethics and propriety.
  • Berei - Goddess of home, family and agriculture.
  • Myrhiss - Goddess of love, romance and beauty.
  • Zodal - God of mercy, hope and benevolence.

Hero/demi-gods

  • Heward†† - Hero-god of bards and musicians.
  • Keoghtom - Hero-god of secret pursuits, natural alchemy, and extraplaner exploration.
  • Kyuss†† - Hero-god of creation and mastery of undead.
  • Mayaheine - Demi-goddess of protection, valor and justice. Ascended follower of Pelor.
  • Vathris - Hero-god of anguish, lost causes and revenge.
  • Vecna† - God of destructive and evil secrets (may be a "lesser god" now).

The Oeridian pantheon

Intermediate

  • Celestian - God of stars, space and wanderers.
  • Ehlonna† - Goddess of forests, woodlands, flora & fauna and fertility.
  • Erythnul† - God of hate, envy, malice, panic, ugliness and slaughter.
  • Fharlanghn† - God of horizons, distance, travel and roads.
  • Hieroneus† - God of chivalry, justice, honor, war, daring and valor.
  • Hextor† - God of war, discord, massacres, conflict, fitness, tyranny.
  • Olidammara† - God of music, revels, wine, rogues, humor, and tricks.
  • Pholtus - God of light, resolution, law, and order.
  • Procan - God of seas, sea life, salt, sea weather, and navigation. Procan is the father of Atroa, Sotillion, Telchur, Wenta and Velnius.
  • Zilchus - God of power, prestige, money, business, and influence.

Lesser

  • Atroa - Goddess of spring, east wind and renewal. Daughter of Procan.
  • Bleredd - God of metal, mines and smiths.
  • Cyndor - God of time, infinity and continuity.
  • Delleb - God of reason, intellect and study.
  • Kurell - God of jealousy, revenge and theft.
  • Lirr - Goddess of prose, poetry, literature and art.
  • Sotillion - Goddess of summer, south wind, ease and comfort. Daughter of Procan.
  • Telchur - God of winter, cold and the north wind. Son of Procan.
  • Velnius - God of sky and weather. Son of Procan.
  • Wenta - Goddess of autumn, west wind, harvest and brewing. Daughter of Procan.

Hero/demi-gods

  • Daern - Hero-god of defenses and fortifications.
  • Johydee - Hero-goddess of deception, espionage, and protection.
  • Kuroth - Hero-god of theft and treasure finding.
  • Merikka - Demi-goddess of farming, agriculture and home.
  • Murlynd - Hero-god of magical technology.
  • Rudd - Demi-goddess of chance, good luck and skill.
  • Stern Alia - Demi-goddess of Oeridian culture, law and motherhood.

The Suel pantheon

Intermediate

  • Kord† - God of athletics, sports, brawling, strength and courage.
  • Lendor - God of time, tedium, patience and study.
  • Wee Jas† - Goddess of magic, death, vanity, and law.

Lesser

  • Beltar - Goddess of malice, caves and pits.
  • Bralm - Goddess of insects and industriousness.
  • Dalt - God of portals, doors, enclosures, lock and keys.
  • Fortubo - God of stone, metals, mountains and guardianship.
  • Jascar - God of hills and mountains.
  • Llerg - God of beasts and strength.
  • Lydia - Goddess of music, knowledge and daylight.
  • Norebo - God of luck, gambling and risks.
  • Osprem - Goddess of sea voyages, ships and sailors.
  • Phaulkon - God of air, wind, clouds, birds and archery.
  • Phyton - God of nature, beauty, farming.
  • Pyremius - God of fire, poison and murder.
  • Syrul - Goddess of lies, deceit, treachery and false promises.
  • Vatun - God of northern barbarians, cold, winter and artic beasts.
  • Xerbo - God of sea, sailing, money and business.

Hero/demi-gods

  • Kelanen - Hero-god of swords, sword skill and balance. (while some sources place Kelanen in the Suel pantheon, it is not clear that that is correct)
  • Nazarn - Hero-god of formal and public combat.

The Baklunish pantheon

Greater

  • Istus - Goddess of fate, destiny, divination, future and honesty.

Lesser

  • Geshtai - Goddess of lakes, rivers, wells and streams.
  • Mouqol - God of trade, negotiation, ventures, appraisal and reciprocity.
  • Xan Yae - Goddess of twilight, shadows, stealth and mental powers.

Hero/demi-gods

  • Al’Akbar - Demi-god of guardianship, faithfullness, dignity and duty.
  • Azor’alq - Hero-god of light, purity, courage and strength.
  • Daoud - Hero-god of humility, clarity and immediacy.
  • Zuoken - Demi-god of physical and mental mastery.

The Olman pantheon

The Olman worship a pantheon which is closely based on the Aztec pantheon of Earth. How this similarity came to be is unknown.

Greater


Lesser

The Touv pantheon

The natives of Hepmonaland worship this pantheon, which collectively represent a shamanic tradition an spirit-worship religion.

Greater

  • Uvot - God of prosperity

Intermediate

  • Breeka - Goddess of living things
  • Nola - Goddess of the sun
  • Vogan - God of weather and storms

Lesser

  • Katay - God of decay, inevitability, order and time
  • Kundo - God of building, noise, music and defense
  • Meyanok - God of serpents, poison, discord, darkness and famine
  • Zanag - Goddess of metals and beauty

Hero/demi-gods

  • Berna - Demigoddess of passion and forgiveness
  • Damaran - Demigod of vermin and cowardice
  • Vara - Demigoddess of nightmares and fear

Demi-human pantheons

The Elven/Drow pantheon

The elven pantheon is also known as the Seldarine — though this name originates in the lore of Forgotten Realms, it has also been used in association with Greyhawk[2]. The drow gods, known as the Dark Seldarine (again, not typically Greyhawk canon), inhabit the Demonweb Pits in The Abyss.

Greater

Intermediate

Lesser

  • Fenmarel Mestarine - Deity of wild elves, outcasts, scapegoats and isolation.
  • Vhaeraun - Drow god of thievery and attacking surface dwellers. Son of Lolth.

Hero/demi-gods

  • Gadhelyn - Elven hero-god of independence, outlawry, feasting and hunting.
  • Keptolo - Drow demigod of males, flattery, intoxication, rumor and opportunity.
  • Kiaransali - Drow demigoddess of slavery, vengeance and undeath. Patron of undead drow.
  • Zinzerena - Drow demigoddess of deception, humiliation, ambush and assination. While this deity has been killed in Forgotten Realms, it is not clear what his fate is in the Greyhawk cosmology.

The Dwarven/Duergar/Derro pantheon

Greater

Intermediate

Lesser

Hero/demi-gods

The Halfling pantheon

  • Avoreen - Intermediate god of vigilance, protection, guardians, and nobility.
  • Brandobaris - Lesser god of stealth, thieves and adventuring.
  • Charmalaine - Hero-god of keen senses and narrow escapes.
  • Cyrrollalee - Intermediate goddess of friendship, trust and home.
  • Sheela Peryroyl - Intermediate goddess of nature, agriculture and weather.
  • Urogalan - Demigod of earth, death and protection of the dead.
  • Yondalla† - Greater goddess of halflings.

The Gnomish pantheon

Monstrous pantheons

Misc evil/monsterous gods

  • Bahgtru - Orcish intermediate god of strength and stupidity.
  • Bargrivyek - Goblin intermediate god of cooperation and territory.
  • Gaknulak - Kobold lesser god of protection, stealth, trickery, and traps.
  • Grankul - Bugbear lesser god of hunting, senses, surprise and stealth
  • Graz'zt†† - Demon prince of the Abyss
  • Grolantor - Lesser god of hill giants, ettins, ogres, hunting and combat
  • Gruumsh† - Greater god of orcs.
  • Hruggek - Intermediate god of bugbears.
  • Ilneval - Orcish intermediate god of warfare and leadership.
  • Juiblex†† - Demon prince of oozes and slimes.
  • Khurgorbaeyag - Intermediate goblin god of slavery, oppression and morale.
  • Kurtulmak - Intermediate god of kobolds.
  • Luthic - Orcish intermediate goddess of female orcs, fertility, medicine, healing, servitude, caves and homes.
  • Maglubiyet - Greater goblin god of goblins and hobgoblins. "Lord of Depths and Darkness"
  • Nomog-Geaya - Intermediate god of hobgoblins, war and authority.
  • Sekolah - Intermediate god of sahuagin
  • Semuanya - Intermediate god of lizardfolk
  • Shargaas - Orcish intermediate god of darkness, thieves, stealth, night and undead.
  • Skoraeus Stonebones - god of stone giants
  • Surtr - Intermediate god of fire giants
  • Thrym - Intermediate god of frost giants, cold, ice and magic
  • Tiamat - Intermediate god of evil dragons
  • Vaprak - Demon lord and god of ogres and trolls.
  • Yeenoghu†† - Demon prince and god of gnolls
  • Yurtrus - Orcish intermediate god of death and disease.

Misc good/monsterous gods

Dungeons & Dragons official books

The D&D official books (those books that are not campaign-specific) list many deities, and most of them come from the Greyhawk setting. These deities along with many other details from the offical books make up a pseudo-Greyhawk setting that is often called the "Core Setting".

Core deities

† 
Deities marked with this symbol are from the Player's Handbook, version 3.5 and can be used in any Greyhawk or Core Setting campaign.

Semi-core deities

†† 
Deities marked with this symbol are listed in official Dungeons & Dragons, non-campaign specific books other than the Players Handbook. These can include the various Monster Manuals, racial books, the Complete series, etc. However, they are not considered "core deities" for most purposes.

Acknowledgements

Thanks go out to the many sources and people who helped make this page possible:

  • Members of the #greytalk IRC channel
  • Wikipedia
  • Many message boards, especially the Greyhawk board on the Wizards of the Coast site.

References

  1. ↑ Ralishaz: The Unlooked For by Russ Taylor.
  2. ↑ Ancient History: The Great Embarkation by Erik Mona

See also and external links

Part of this text was duplicated from Wikipedia, and is therefore available under the GFDL, in exception to the policies of this site:


GNU head Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "Text of the GNU Free Documentation License."
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