WotC, faulted or not, have provided a plethora of copyrighted worlds to be enjoyed by Players and DMs alike. Each of these, more often than not, comes along with it's own Pantheon of Deities, ranging from 4th additions simplified list, to expansive multi edition models.
"Each world in the D&D multiverse has its own pantheons of deities. This appendix deals with one pantheon, that of the Forgotten Realms. Dozens of deities are revered, worshiped, and feared
throughout the world of the Forgotten Realms. At least thirty deities are widely known across the Realms, and many more are worshiped locally, by individual tribes, small cults, or certain sects of larger religious temples." -2018 Basic Rules, Appendix B
What do you really need to run your campaign?
Well, to be honest not much. If you have a divine player in the party, they most likely will choose a Deity with which they associate. Even if you don't have a divine player in your group, and perhaps more importantly if you don't, the parties Homebase would not be complete without a friendly NPC capable of offering divine assistance. In either situation, this will most likely be your focal "Good Guy " Diety.
Gaea, the "Earth Mother"
This name appears in both IRL, and in Robert E. Howard's pulp fiction classic, Hyborian Age setting, better known as Conan. Both base sources have aged out of copyright consideration, so as long as you don't borrow heavily from other's work, you should be in the clear to include these in your setting.
Model Alignment: Neutral Good
Spheres of Influence: life, nature, agriculture, peace, halflings, family, beasts, spring
Other Names: Chantea ("Mother Nature", Osiris, Eldath, Yondalla[halflings], Freya, Hathor, Jannath), could also represent Tatania, Queen of the Seelie Court.
The default cleric in the Basic Rules, is the Life domain cleric, and it is the cleric you are likely to see most often from the average player group. It's focus on healing also makes it a fine choice for the "friendly local helper" NPC for a homebase, offering a variety of help, information, and hooks.
Dark Powers (Ravenloft)
Strictly speaking, your campaign does not need to have an "evil" deity, but it is often and early addition to a campaign setting. They (and they're resulting "cult" followers) make for easy "bad" guys, especially at lower tiers of play, but even at the highest planar spanning levels of the game. Free content brings a number of my favorite options.
Tiamat: Dragon Queen
Model Alignment: Lawful Evil
Spheres of Influence: arcane, Trickery, Chromatic Dragons, war
Other Names: Tekhesis [Dragonlance]
Supporting sources:
- Monsters Compendium 2, distributed Free December 5th, 2022 as part of the Holiday Adventure Calendar
Nonhuman Deities Certain gods closely associated with nonhuman races are revered on many different worlds, though not always in the same way. The nonhuman races of the Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk share these deities. Nonhuman races often have whole pantheons of their own. Besides Moradin, for example, the dwarf gods include Moradin’s wife, Berronar Truesilver, and a number of other gods thought to be their children and grandchildren: Abbathor, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Dugmaren Brightmantle, Dumathoin, Gorm Gulthyn, Haela Brightaxe, Marthammor Duin, Sharindlar, Thard, Harr, and Vergadain. Individual clans and kingdoms of dwarves might revere some, all, or none of these deities, and some have other gods unknown (or known by other names) to outsiders. -2018 Basic Rules, Appendix B
Oberon Corellon Larethian [Elves] CG sellie fey, art, arcane, war, knowledge
Angharradh [elves] (Selune (Sehanine[elves]), Sune (Hanali[elves], Aphrodite), Akadi (Aerdrie[elves])) "King of the Elves" CG elves, air, beauty, life, light, love, knowledge, moon
Lliira (Titania[elves]) CG joy, life, fey
Mystra (Hala[Ravenloft]) NG knowledge, arcane
Azuth LN Knowledge, wizards
Savras LN Knowledge, fate
Oghma (Ioun, Waukeen) N knowledge, trade, trickery
Denier NG knowledge, writing
Gond N knowledge, craft
Milil NG light, art
Mordin (Crom[Conan]) N, dwarves, giants, smiths, knowledge, miners, earth
Morninglord[Ravenloft] (Pholtus, Andral, Pelor, Mithra, Mitra(Conan), Lathander, Authanter, Ra) NG, birth, life, light, sun, summer
Dark Powers [Ravenloft] LN in
Asmodeus (Bane) LE War, Strife
Bhaal NE death, murder
Loviatar LE death, pain
Talona (Zehir, Sseth, Typhon) CE death, disease, poison, trickery, snakes
Maglubiyet NE goblinoids, war, trickery
Shar (Queen of Air & Darkness[Unseelie Fey], Ibrandul, Mother of Night [Ravenloft]) NE darkness, arcane(Illusion), murder, death, loss
Mask (Leira) CN, trickery, thieves
Silvanus (Forest Father, Silas) N Nature, wilds
Eldath NG Life, Nature, pools, waterfalls, peace
Gruumsh (Talos, Umberlee, Neptune, Poseidon, Eadro, Melora, Devourer) CN/E tempest, war, orcs, storms, seas, merfolk, sailors
Malar (Beast Lord , “wolf god”, Zhakata [Ravenloft]) CN/E hunt, nature, lycanthropes
Mielikki NG forests, nature
Tempus (Thor) N, war, fighters
Beshaba
Torm (Odin, Aslan) LG courage, justice, law war
Cuthbert (Bahamut, Helm, Paladine [Dragonlance], LG Metallic dragons, War, guardians, light, protection, life
Tyr LG war, justice
Ilmater LG Life endurance
Minor Powers, Patrons
Raven Queen (Auril, Badb(Conan), Morrigan(Conan), Hel, Jadis, Wee Jas, White Witch) LN, death, fate, winter, ravens and crows.
Tymora (Avandra, Tyche, Brandobaris [halflings])) CG, luck, trickery
Archfey, Baba Yaga
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