Pantheon

The Shepherd

Alignment: NG

Associated Traits: Journey, Creation, Life 

The Almighty

Alignment: LN 

Associated Traits: Leadership

Bane

Alignment: LE

Associated Traits: Tyranny, domination, power 

Leira

Alignment: N

Associated Traits: Sea, Luck, Freedom

Phustus

Alignment: CG

Associated Traits: Strength, Smithing, Battle

Sune

Alignment: CN

Associated Traits: Beauty, Art, Magic, Performance 

Velus

Alignment: CN

Associated Traits: Trickery, Deceit, Cunning, Thievery, Alcohol, Chaos. 

Tempus and Zephyr

Alignment: LG

Associated Traits: Storms, Sky, Justice

Silvanus

Alignment: N

Associated Traits: Nature, Reincarnation

Gond

Alignment: NG

Associated Traits: Invention, Civilization, Knowledge

Kelemvor

Alignment: LN

Associated Traits: Death, Time, Fate

Creation Myth

In the beginning, there were only lost souls swirling in the abyss, the blank void almost incomprehensible to mind. One day, a lost soul stumbled upon an artifact that granted immense, almost infinite power. Using his newfound powers, he shepherded some of the lost souls into a new realm he created, called the material plane. In the beginning it wasn’t much, just enough for these lost souls to take form and live in peace.

 Eventually, the Shepherd grew lonely and ascended a lost soul with him. They had a son, who was not nearly as powerful as the Shepherd, but still infinitely more powerful than a lost soul. The Shepherd, after having his son, left with his wife to realms unknown, leaving his son in charge. The son, being known as the Almighty, went on to have many sons and daughters with other lost souls. Since he lacked the ability to ascend lost souls like his father, his sons and daughters, while still powerful, were not nearly as powerful as him.

His son, Bane, brought some of the lost souls to a new domain deep within the earth, creating demons and devils alike. He rejected the upside world, and held disdain for his father, the Almighty. Those who look to him as their master value tyranny, evil, and power.

His daughter, Leira, took some of the lost souls to the open seas, creating all manner of new life out of the souls. Among the creatures are water genasi, triton, merfolk, sea elves, sharks, fish, and much more. Those who worship Leira value the sea, freedom, and luck.

 Leira eventually passed away while giving birth to a daughter. Because she died, the daughter was never named. The daughter, feeling grief and guilt for the death of her mother, roams the sea causing death and destruction wherever she goes. They say if you hear the sobs of a young woman while on the open ocean, it’s already too late. She is referred to as the Daughter of the Sea.

Phustus, another son of the Almighty, took some lost souls to the mountains, and gave them bodies such as dwarves, goliaths, orcs, and giants. It’s said somewhere deep within the mountains lies the forge or Phustus, where he forges weapons of immense power for his brothers and sisters. Those who worship him value strength, smithing, and conflict.

Sune, a daughter, took some lost souls to beautiful landscapes, where she created elves and other fey creatures. Sune also created magic as a way for her and her followers to express their inner beauty. She eventually decided that the world wasn’t beautiful enough for her, and took some of her most beautiful elves to a new realm known as the feywild, where she created many more types of fey. Those who worship her value beauty, performance, art, and magic.

Velus, a son, was intrigued with the nature of these lost souls and how his other siblings could shift them into new forms. He created creatures from these lost souls that could change their own shape at will. He created changelings, shifters, lycanthropes, and others of the same nature. He was also intrigued with changing his own form and duping his siblings, and generally causing chaos. He loved to disguise himself as a mortal and cause trouble. Those that worship him value deceit, trickery, cunning, alcohol and chaos.

Tempus and Zephyr, two twin gods, took to the skies and created creatures such as dragons, aarakocra, harpies, wyverns, and many other skyborn creatures. They are often associated with storms that occur over land. The two often settle disputes between the siblings, in their palace in the sky. Those that worship them value the sky, storms, and justice.

Silvanus, a daughter, took to the forests where she created gnomes, bugbears, halflings and other nature creatures. Silvanus is worshipped by those who value nature and reincarnation.

Gond, a son, was interested in the mortals, much like Velus. He gave them knowledge so they could advance and improve their quality of life. He is worshipped by those who value knowledge, inventions, and civilization.

Kelemvor, the final child of the Almighty, took the responsibility of providing the lost souls rest after their time ran out. He created the shadowfell, a place for souls to go while they awaited to be sent to the proper afterlife. He created many servants to help collect the souls of the dead and bring them to the shadowfell. The most notable of these is the Grim Reaper, who is said to follow closely behind the daughter of the sea, because almost all who come upon her presence are doomed. It is said if you beat the Grim Reaper’s ship in combat, he will grant the captain one wish. Those who worship Kelemvor value death, fate, and time.

The Almighty had many more children with other mortals, but not all of them turned out so well. For example, one of his children is the Kraken. Because the kraken was so ugly, the Almighty tossed him into the ocean, where the Krakens hatred for his father twisted him into a monster. Bane was another example of a child cast out, he was too cruel so the Almighty disowned him. Unfortunately, Bane possessed great power from birth and was able to carve out his own domain and make his own demon and devil lords to rule over.

The souls that were not shepherded out of the abyss did not remain lost souls. Over time, they eventually twisted into unimaginable eldritch creatures and aberrations. Tears in reality in deep recesses of the material plane exist, offering a gateway into the abyss. The abyss is a dangerous place to explore, it is easy to get lost, twisted, or killed by a creature, however it is said more artifacts like the one the Shepherd used to ascend exist, deep within the abyss.