The Imperial Pantheon

[Stik]

There is a huge number of gods in the Imperial Pantheon, definitely too many to detail here.
At first glance, it appears that every aspect of life, no matter how minor, is represented by a god in the Imperial Pantheon.
In the words of Comicus, the stand-up philosopher: "You name it, we have a god for it. We have a god for everything...except premature ejaculation. But I hear that's coming very soon."

The following is an incomplete list.
("Greater" gods are in Bold Type. "Lesser" gods are in standard type. Minor gods are in italic.)

Aerdus - God of Kings, King of Gods
Aeolus - God of the Four Winds
Besus - God of family, protecting children, laughter
Cereus - God of Planting and Farming
Cronus - God of Time, History, and Fatherhood
Cygnus - God of Balance
Dianus - Goddess of the Hunt and Archery
Dionysus - God of Wine and Parties
Emdalus - God of Guardians, Fortifications and Bridges
Erus - God of Romantic Love
Faunus - God of Forest Animals
Hermeus - God of Travel and Messengers
Hernus - God of the Hunt
Istarus - Goddess of Sexuality
Hestus - Goddess of Hearth and Home
Hextor - God of War
Janus - God of Beginnings and of Doorways
Junus - Goddess of motherhood and home
Lacertus - God of Strength
Liquitus - God of Brewing, Fermentation and Distilling
Loki - God of Trickery and Fire
Marus - Former God of War, now deposed
Mechanus - God of Technology
Minervus - Goddess of Wisdom and Defense
Neptunus - God of the Sea
Opsidius - God of Siegecraft
Paxus - God of Peace
Plutus - God of Death and Darkness
Pelorus - God of the Sun, Light and Healing
Sylvanus - God of Forests and Trees
Tempestus - God of Storms
Tempus - God of Time
Veneficus - God of Magic and Magicians
Viagrus - God of male Potency
Vulcanus - God of the Forge

[Stik]

Emdalus, God of Guardians, Fortifications and Bridges

Emdalus is the god of guardians, fortifications, and bridges.
He is ever vigilant and always aware of his surroundings, having the power to see a hundred miles by day or night, and to hear grass growing on other planes.
Emdalus lives in a great tower located at the foot of the Godsmount, from which he guards the only pass leading to the gates.

Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Emdalus often serve as guards for kings and other powerful men, but some choose to lend their strength to more common folk. Either way, they are expected to be unswerving in their duty, and must never allow someone to pass a post under their guard without their master’s permission. Emdalus' priests hold bridges sacred and must avenge any act that destroys one.

Requirements for Clerics:
ABILITIES: must meet fighter requirements; Wisdom or Strength over 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Strength over 16 means +10% experience.
ALIGNMENT: any Lawful;
WEAPONS: short sword, spear, knife, club; Ranged weapons are forbidden.
ARMOR: any
Spheres: Major Access to All, Combat, Divination, Guardian, Protection, Sun; Minor Access to Necromantic, Healing.
Granted Powers: Lvl 1) Infravision, Lvl 3) Laying On of Hands (as a Paladin of 2 levels lower); Lvl 5) see up to 100 yards in night or day (any weather); Lvl 10) hear any sound within 500 yards; Turn undead.

Nonweapon and Weapon Proficiencies:
Nonweapon Proficiencies Required: Set Snares.
Nonweapon Proficiencies Recommended: Riding Land-Based, Healing, Reading/Writing, Religion, Blind-fighting. Weapon Proficiencies Required: None.
Nonweapon Proficiency Group Crossovers: Priest, General, Warrior.

Duties of the Priest: Protection, Guidance, Marriage. Missions: A priest of this god is almost always on some sort of mission, a simple one -- to protect a specific person, place, or thing. The priest might have chosen his current mission, or might have been assigned to it by his priesthood. That mission might change between adventures, but he's almost always on one. Note: Priests of this sort do not maintain temples for small communities; they spend most of their time on mission.

Allies and Enemies:

Allies:
Aerdus - God of Kings, King of Gods - for Emdalus guards his fortress.
Besus - God of family, protecting children, laughter. Although there is a bit of a friendly rivalry between them.
Athenus - Goddess of wisdom and defense
Pelorus - God of light and healing
Marus - God of War. The two would sometimes compete for worshippers, resulting in an uneasy friendship. In particular when warriors who thought they were losing pray to Emdalus for self preservation, rather than to Marus for strength and success.

Neutral:
Dionysus - God of wine and parties. Em thinks D foolish and reckless. D thinks Em too serious and boring.
Erus - God of romance. Too flighty (no pun intended)
Vulcanus - God of the forge. Believes that weapons and armor are more important than than walls


Enemies:
Loki - God of trickery and fire (but nobody really likes Loki)
Hextor - The newly installed War God of the imperial pantheon.

[Stik]

This is a work in progress.

Liquitus, God of Brewing, Fermentation and Distilling

Liquitus is the patron of brewers and distillers, and by extension taverners.
Liquitus lives in a vast brewery at the back of the Godsmount, from which he oversees the production of all beverages consumed by the gods.

Symbol: A sheaf of grain wrapped around a drinking cup.

Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Liquitus spread knowledge of the brewing and distilling arts throughout the world, and support farmers, orchard keepers and beekeepers in order to ensure good ingredients for brewing. Priests of Liquitus also bless alcoholic beverages, thereby improving their quality.

Requirements for Clerics:
ABILITIES: Wisdom 13, Charisma 11; Wisdom over 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma over 16 means +10% experience.
ALIGNMENT: any Non-Lawful;
WEAPONS: Club, khopesh sword, flail, scythe, knife, Ranged weapons are forbidden.
ARMOR: any non-metallic
Spheres: Major Access to All, Divination, Plant, Creation, Protection; Minor Access to Animal, Healing.
Granted Powers: Lvl 1) Identify pure water and food, Lvl 3) Detect Lie (In vino, veritas – if a person willingly drinks an alcoholic beverage from a cup provided by the priest, the priest will know if that person is lying; Lvl 5) Divination (as per the spell); Lvl 10)

Nonweapon and Weapon Proficiencies:
Bonus: Brewing, Agriculture, Reading/Writing
Nonweapon Proficiencies Required: Herbalism
Nonweapon Proficiencies Recommended: Animal Handling, Healing, Religion,
Weapon Proficiencies Required: None.
Nonweapon Proficiency Group Crossovers: Priest, General.

Duties of the Priest: Protection, Guidance, Education .
Missions: Priests of Liquitus are often found in large settlements in wine and beer producing regions, educating and assisting brewers, farmers and beekeepers and ensuring that the quality of their products, and aid and support the general populace, providing divine and naturally-based healing and other services.. Others travel the world, educating brewers and teaching distilling techniques.
Priests of Liquitus are often found in taverns, blessing the beverages served there, improving their quality.



Allies and Enemies:

Allies:
Dionysus – Liquitus makes it, Dionysus drinks it.
Cereus – Brewing needs ingredients
Neutral:


Enemies:

[Stik]

Cronus, God of Fatherhood, Aging and History

Cronus is the father of Aerdus and the other major gods of the imperial pantheon.
He stepped down and was replaced as supreme god by his son when the empire was founded.
Cronus lives in a small house on a sandy peninsula extending into the sea at the base of the Godsmount, but frequently can be found sitting in a comfortable chair in the court of Aerdus, or on the steps approaching the palace doorway.

Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Cronus often serve as advisors for powerful men, teachers and mentors for wealthy children, and archivists, but some choose to serve the general populace, acting as counselors and mentors. Despite their actual age, they typically insist on being treated with the respect due an elder, and many bleach their hair white or shave their heads to appear older.

Requirements for Clerics:
ABILITIES: Wisdom 13, Intelligence 12; Wisdom or Intelligence over 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Intelligence over 16 means +10% experience.
ALIGNMENT: any Neutral;
WEAPONS: short sword, khopesh, knife, sickle, club, quarterstaff, sling, staff sling; other weapons are forbidden.
ARMOR: any
Additional: A man can not become a cleric of Cronus until he has fathered a child.

Spheres: Major Access to.
Major Access to All, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic, Protection.
Minor Access to Charm, Healing.

Granted Powers: Lvl 1)Detect Lie; Lvl 3) Turn Undead; Lvl 5) Healing hands (as a paladin 2 levels lower); Lvl 10) Speak With Dead (as per the spell).

Nonweapon and Weapon Proficiencies:
Nonweapon Proficiencies - Bonus: Religion, Reading/Writing, Ancient History (Imperial), Local History
Nonweapon Proficiencies Required: Etiquette, one or more slots of craft proficiencies (such as agriculture, carpentry, etc.)
Nonweapon Proficiencies Recommended: Healing
Weapon Proficiencies Required: None.
Nonweapon Proficiency Group Crossovers: Priest, General.

Duties of the Priest: Guidance, Marriage, Research, Funeral Rites.

Missions: Priests of Cronus are typically quiet and contemplative. They watch, they ponder and then they quietly advise the person they serve. They are very good listeners and tend to give advice which is sound, but due to their preoccupation with the past, their advice tends to be a bit stale and traditional.
Priests of Cronus have a predilection to collect things, usually books (but art, weapons, or other objects of interest are also possible).
With the recent troubles in the empire, priests of Cronus have become concerned that the population of the empire is shrinking, and have become strong advocates of increasing the size of families. Some have even gone so far as to advise men to father bastards, or to do so themselves – anything to increase the population – although this is generally frowned upon because it neglects the aspect of a father guiding their offspring.

Allies and Enemies:

Allies:
Junus – Goddess of Motherhood and Home – Bride of Cronus
Besus - God of family, protecting children, laughter.
Athenus - Goddess of wisdom and defense (the good daughter)
Pelorus - God of light and healing (the good son)
Plutus – God of Death – Cronus is well aware that in time every life ends in death


Neutral:
Aerdus - God of Kings, King of Gods – Cronus is disappointed with his son’s management of the empire.
Dionysus - God of wine and parties. Cronus thinks D foolish and reckless. D thinks Cronus too serious and boring.


Enemies:
Loki - God of trickery and fire (but nobody really likes Loki)
Hextor - The newly installed War God of the imperial pantheon.

[Stik]

Vulcanus, God of Metalworking

Vulcanus is the patron of blacksmiths, weapon smiths, armorers, and other metal workers.
Vulcanus maintains a large forge in a caldera on the back slope of the Godsmount, where he forges weapons, armor, and jewelry for the other gods
Symbol: A hammer surrounded by fire.

Duties of the Priesthood
Priests of Liquitus work closely with smiths to teach advanced metalworking techniques. They also travel with the legions to oversee weaponsmiths and armorers. Some travel as itinerant tinkers, carrying a small forge and doing metalwork in exchange for food and board, while others work as jewelers (but not gemcutters).

Requirements for Clerics:
ABILITIES: Wisdom 13, Strength 13; Wisdom over 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Strength over 16 means +10% experience.
ALIGNMENT: Any Non-Chaotic;
WEAPONS: Any type of hammer; also permitted: axe, gladius, dagger, knife. Ranged weapons, other than thrown hammers, are forbidden.
ARMOR: Any metallic
Spheres: Major Access to All, Elemental (but only use the spells whose names include the words Fire, Flame, Heat, Pyrotechnics, and the spell Chariot of Sustarre ), Sun. Minor Access to Combat, Healing
Granted Powers: Combat bonus of +1 on to-hit and damage rolls per 3 levels when using a hammer as a weapon. Lvl 1) Analysis of any worked metal object to identify its quality and workmanship; Resistance to fire, in the form of +1 to saves versus normal and magical fire; Lvl 3) Resistance to fire, in the form of +2 to saves versus normal and magical fire, and the ability to handle burning wood without taking damage as if wearing heavy gloves; Lvl 5) Resistance to fire, in the form of +3 to saves versus normal and magical fire; Lvl 10) Immunity to normal fires and a +5 bonus to saving throws versus magical fire.

Nonweapon and Weapon Proficiencies:
Bonus: Blacksmithing or Armorer or Weaponsmithing, Fire Building, Reading/Writing
Nonweapon Proficiencies Required: Any one from the following list -- Artistic Ability (Goldsmith, Silversmith), Blacksmithing, Armorer, Weaponsmithing (must be one not already taken as a bonus NWP).
Nonweapon Proficiencies Recommended: Mining, Engineering
Nonweapon Proficiency Group Crossovers: Priest, General, Warrior.
Weapon Proficiencies Required: Some form of hammer must be taken before any other weapon proficiencies.

Duties of the Priest: Protection, Education, Support.
Missions: Priests of Vulcanus, in addition to their duties at the major temples, work to support the Legions as weaponsmiths and armorers, and support the construction of various siege machines. Some travel about, training metalworkers or doing metalwork for small settlements in need of such services. Others teach or perform the art of making metal jewelry.
Allies and Enemies:
Allies:
Marus – Warriors need weapons and armor
Mechanus – Machinery usually has metal parts
Opsidius – Tools and needed for siegecraft
Enemies:
Loki – A foreign interloper who has infringed on the sphere of fire, once entirely Vulcanus’ domain.