Gods of Dunador

Getting religion to have a proper role in my games has long been a want of mine. Fortunately, Goblin Punch made some excellent ways to do exactly that. I've reproduced them here with some modifications, and included the three gods and three saints I thought were mostly likely to be important to adventurers.

AUGURY

This is something anyone can do, and requires only going to a temple, church, or shrine and performing the correct ritual - and making a sacrifice, of course - to ask a divine power (a god, a saint, or a local spirit) if they approve of a given course of action or a person, place, or thing.  The important thing is that you're not asking the divine to predict the future or how likely a plan is to succeed, you're asking whether they will be pleased or displeased by something.

Gods and spirits will answer to anyone who performs the rituals correctly, but saints will only answer to heliopapists. Different entities want different things, and will respond differently depending on what you're asking about.

Performing Augury

1. Go to the entities shrine or temple, offer the sacrifice, undertake the ritual. The entity will tell you whether they approve of what you ask.
2. The referee secretly rolls a d100 on the chart below, with the given modifiers.
3. Receive the answer: auspicious, ill, or terrible.

If the roll is under your target value, the augury is accurate. Otherwise it will be random (odd result = ill, even = auspicious). If the augury fails and the dice show double odd numbers (ie 55) then the result is terrible and and you must do something drastic (a quest, a lot of sacrifices, etc) to avoid a horrible fate. If you were asking about a specific course of action then you should very much not do it. If you persist in doing that thing anyway then you /will/ encounter dire peril.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the Referee does not already know 'true' answer to an augury, then they are required to roll for it and abide by the roll.

The Augury Chart

The sacrifice offered determines your base chance. Also all sacrifices must be given in pairs - one to be sacrificed, one as payment to the priests.

• Bottle of wine, roast meat, etc, worth at least 1gp - Base 40% chance
• Three chickens, a dog, a lamb, etc - Base 50% chance
• A cow, three goats or sheep, a horse, etc - Base 60% chance
• An exotic or monstrous animal such as an albino bull, live manticore, etc - Base 70% chance
• Human sacrifice - Base 80% chance but it automatically counts as a blasphemy (see below) unless you do it in a place where the gods cannot sea.

Bear in mind you can sacrifice just about anything - the above is a base guideline guideline.

Additional modifiers:

• Sacrifice has deep personal meaning to petitioner: +5%
• Favoured sacrifice: +20%
• Rare offering: Automatic success

Donation: +X% where X is the square root of the money donated. X is also the x-in-20 chance the high cleric, archpriest, or otherwise named head of the temple will take a personal interest in you.

You can perform auguries yourself outside of a temple or shrine, but you gain a -10% penalty.

If you don't have a sacrifice to offer you can promise one and use it as the base chance with a -10% penalty, but if you fail to offer the sacrifice there will be dire consequences.

All auguries must be accompanied by proclamations and praise to the entity.

BLASPHEMY

Whenever you blaspheme, mock the gods, doubt their existence, or otherwise invite a lightning bolt from on high, you have an x-in-20 chance of being cursed, where x = your level+Charisma modifier.

If you whisper it (in character and IRL), then this is negated.  This rule is also negated if you are doing something in service of one god against their enemy.

OATHS

An Oath is a binding contract enforced by divine wrath.  An Oath can be entered into by one or more parties.

To make an Oath, the participants must loudly state:

1. Which god they are binding themselves to.
2. What they promise to do.
3. What is the penalty for breach.

Then make a sacrifice using the Augury chart above with the following additions:

No sacrifice: Base 10% chance

Conducted by a priest or other officiant: +10% chance

Touching a sacred relic: +20% chance

The referee makes the roll in secret to see if the penalty will in fact occur should any party break the Oath.  If a group makes an Oath together, they will all suffer the penalty together.

DESPERATE PRAYERS

A party can attempt a desperate prayer once per session.

The praying character must loudly state:

1. What they want from the god/saint/spirit
2. What they promise to do if they get it.

The default chance of success is 0%. The intercession will only happen once and in the smallest way possible. The roll is made in secret and at the last possible moment.

If the request is something small that could possibly be explained away by coincidence they get up to +5%

If the promised is something generous they have the capacity to give, they get up to +5%

THREE GODS EVERY ADVENTURER KNOWS

Dokeia, the Antlered Goddess, the Wild Huntress, the Sounder of Horns

Hunting, Wild Places, Being Lost, Paths, Herbs, Beasts, Hounds

Favourite Offerings: A wild rabbit (still alive), amber, mistletoe berries

Rare Offering: the heart of a fawn, willingly given

Augury: the query is carved into a consecrated antler or horn which is then given to the temple dogs to chew. The augury is interpreted from the words left unchewed. Terrible omen: the hounds refuse to chew.

Approves: when you keep what you kill, but especially when the hunter becomes the hunted

Curse: Lycanthrophy.

Komawenteia, the Lion Goddess, She Who Massacres, the Red-Crowned One

War, Lions, Massacres, Bloodshed, Rage, Passion, Art, Poetry, Lust, Beauty

Favourite Offerings: the teeth of a hated foe, artwork, poetry stained with tears of love

Rare Offering: genitals

Augury: the offering is burnt and the ashes mixed with paint. A priest is worked into ecstatic frenzy and paints. Interpreting the painting reveals the augury. Terrible omen: the paint turns to sludge.

Approves: when you act out of passion, but especially when blood is spilled for it

Curse: whenever you are gripped by passion or strong feeling, you must save or slip into a berserk and ecsatic frenzy. You cannot go unconscious while in this frenzy, and feel neither pain nor hunger until it ends.

Mater Theia, the All-Mother, the Embracing, the Guardian of Gates

Death, Rest, Graveyards, Thresholds, Journey's End, the Hearth

Favourite Offerings: doors, food made from an inherited recipe, bone meal of an undead

Rare Offerings: grave-dirt from inside the rib cage of your mother

Augury: the query is written on paper, which is ground into soil mulch. A flower is planted in this soil. When it blooms, the number of petals reveals the augury. Terrible omen: the flower withers.

Approves: when you undertake a journey, but especially when you are unsure of the destination

Curse: whenever you see a door you have never gone through before you must save or suffer terrible pain until you pass through it. Doors unlock (but do not become untrapped) at your touch.

AND THREE SAINTS

All the Saints have the same augury process: fast and pray for a night and day and then until you pass out from exhaustion. When you awake, the augury will have granted to you. Being driven from the church, or failing to fast and pray for the full night and day are the terrible omen.

Saint Alypius the Gambler

Patron saint of gamblers, singers, treasure-hunters, and runaways

Favourite offerings: gold won in gambling, boots a long way from home, candles that have lit up a dungeon

Rare offerings: large treasure, claimed from a heathen hoard

Approves: when you take gold from nonbelievers by wit and guile, but especially when you give credit loudly to the Divine Daughter

Curse: Once per session the Referee may demand you re-roll a die. If ever you roll a total result of 1, increase it to 2.

Saint Vertranis the Judge

Patron saint of bounty-hunters, judges, executioners, and librarians

Favourite offerings: finger bones of the guilty, silver chains, ink

Rare offering: a book of laws

Approves: when you make a record of events, but especially of punishments

Curse: whenever you meet someone new you must save or confess to the last crime you saw committed. You have advantage on saves against mind-affecting magic.

Saint Placidia the Excoriator

Patron saint of demon hunters, exorcists, and forced conversion

Favourite offerings: garlic, quicksilver, and human effigies

Rare offering: Rock chipped from a menhir or stone circle

Approves: when you defend the faith, but especially against the supernatural

Curse: you recoil from holy images and sacred places. You can smell when demons or their servants are nearby

THE REST OF THE GODS

Iphemedeia, Goddess of the Moon, She Of Soft Wings and Sharp Talons

Mysteries, Revenge, Secrets, Prophecy

Diwia, the Changer of Seasons, the Giver and the Taker

Seasons, Change, Authority, Farming, Marriage

Dipsiol, the Two Who Are One, the Blood-Drinker, the Life-Giver

Alchohol, Birth, Murder, Medicine, Gender and Sexuality

Trisheros, the Triple-King, the Dragon-Slayer

Conquest, Punishment, Competition, Self-Improvement, Knighthood

Marineus, God of Time, Lord of Archers

Entrophy, Time, Archers, Erosion, Destruction, Deserts

Despotas, the Law-Giver

Order, Laws, Hierarchy, Writing, Memory, Money

Enesidaon, God of Fire and Storms, Shaker of the Earth

Deep Places, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Caves, Storms, Keeper of the Dead

Diktaios, God of the Night Sky, the Walker in Dreams

Stars, Architects, Mathematics, Libraries, Maps, Navigation, Dreams

Posidaeia, Queen of Horses, She Who Treads on the Sea

The Sea, Winter, Peace, Tradition, Pain, Sleep, Horses

Drimios, the First Teacher, God of the Wheel

Magic, Teaching, Roads, the Wheel, Song, Lucky and Fortune

Another Twenty Questions: Kingdom of Dunador

Another set of worldbuilding questions, this time courtesy of Dungeon Antology

1. What is something that players can interact with that inspires wonder in your setting?

• The massive, cyclopean, impossible Dam that has created the Great Lake in the heart of Dunador and the seemingly endless dungeons beneath.
• The ornithomimid cavalry of the nobility.
• The millennia-old ruins of the old Elven Empire, buried by sand and time.
• The works of the Eld.
• The Grand Library, built by the Old Empire and maintained by a monastic order of librarians.

2. How does one religion in the world work? What rituals and observances are involved, and how does this religion play with other religions out there? Are gods real?

The two primary religions are the worship of the Thirteen Titans and the Church of the Sacred Daughter. The Thirteen are based heavily on religion in Ancient Greece. Rituals and observances are not standardized and there is no central, canonical dogma. Local variations of rites and practices abound, though things are relatively uniform across Dunador itself.

Larger towns and cities might have temples to some or even all of the Titans individually, while smaller locations might have a small temple dedicated to a single, patron deity or the pantheon as a whole. Rituals are conducted by priests, who are inducted and trained in the local practices, at the altar within a temple. Libations and votive offerings are standard, and burnt offerings are common for larger rites. To speak ill of the gods or refuse to partake in a ritual is considered highly impious and can lead to social and even criminal consequence, depending on the relative power of the local priesthood.

Festivals are also common, and are as much a social event as a religious function. Festivals vary by region and even by city, and many towns have their own distinct festivals. There is a major festival every month of the calendar, one for each of the thirteen titans, and then numerous smaller or localized festivals for demigods or minor deities, or for regional aspects of one of the thirteen. 

The worship of the Thirteen does not prohibit respecting other deities, and indeed the expected custom is that when in the lands of other gods to pay them homage as well. After all, they're just as powerful and to be respected. Relations with the Church of the Sacred Daughter is more strained, as the heliopapists regard the Thirteen as a heathen falsehood and tend to get rude about it.

The Church of the Sacred Daughter draws from Orphism and Christianity in late antiquity. It survived the fall of the Old Empire mostly intact, and set about enthusiastically converting the peoples and realms that replaced the empire. The Church is lead by the five popes, each based in one of the five key cities of the Old Empire, of whom the Pope Solar in Thule is the first among equals. Bishops hold sway over dioceses, and clerics hold parishes beneath them. Some particularly large dioceses, especially those containing major cities, may be referred to as an archbishopric.

Heliopapists are expected to attend services at least once a week, with morning and evening prayers taken either in the home or led by a cleric. There are major festivals roughly coinciding with the turn of seasons (more than one cynical pagan has pointed out how marvelously coincidental it is that so many major events in the canon heliopapcy line up with the festivals and observances they seek to erase). Heliopapists are expected to tithe a tenth of their income to their local church.

The central belief of the Church is that the soul must be purified and cleansed, which can only happen through the rites of the Church, until it can rise to join the Daughter in eternal rapture.

Heliopapists are explicitly enjoined to convert the heretic and the heathen, as the resurrection of the Sacred Daughter and the apotheosis of all mortal souls cannot occur until all souls have been purified, so they tend not to get along with followers of other religions. In rural areas Church practices have often syncretized with local folkways that it can be difficult to tell the difference between heliopapist and pagan, and in large cities the archbishops and high priests regard each other as rivals for power as much as for religion and interact through statecraft rather than belief.

And yeah, gods are real. Probably.

3.  How does one get access to goods and services in the setting? Will items always be available, will trade routes be jammed up by bandits, are their commissions for things, are magic items sold in regular stores, are hirelings available for hire or do we have to find them in the world?

Cities have artisan's quarters and bazaars, towns have permanent markets, villages have seasonal markets. Metal workers and craftspeople ply their trades everywhere. Things that only a wandering adventurer would need are harder to find as their manufacturing is specialized, and truly exceptional artisans are invariably working for some noble or another.

Major disruptions, like war and plague, can affect the availability of goods. Magic items are not available for purchase anywhere except the largest of cities and even then not freely. In towns and cities there are placing for finding hirelings - even if it's just that disreputable tavern outside the walls.

4.  What are some examples of people and creatures a commoner would be wary of in-setting? What are some examples of people and creatures a commoner could trounce without worry? What are some examples of people and creatures a commoner would trust?

Proper monsters (ie, things with wings and fangs and poison stingers) are always a threat to the common folk, as even the local soldiery will struggle to deal with such creatures. Anyone armed is likely to be regarded with wariness - soldiers enforce edicts and feudal rule and collect taxes, adventurers are invariably associated with chaos, and everyone else is probably a bandit or otherwise up to no good. Law is still very primitive and largely practiced at the discretion of the local lord (like a baron or bishop). Crimes against feudal lords are handled by a written code, but generally victims are expected to seek their own justice.

Commoners and peasants are particularly equipped to handle any proper fight, especially on their own. They could probably handle a cat, as in real life, or at least not a truly pissed-off cat.  Commoners who are organized and directed are much more capable. A bunch of peasants with spears and a good attitude can take on a bear, or horsemen, or even some of the smaller, more animalistic monsters.

Traders are generally well-regarded in Dunadon, particularly the great caravans that move east and west along the Spice Road, and a caravan arriving in town often takes on the air of a festival day. Travellers from the Despotates are welcome, if somewhat less exuberantly, both because the Despotates are closer at hand, and because most Dunadonians suspect everyone from "up north" of being a libertine regicide. Adventurers are most welcome in the north-east, where the heroic traditions and sagas are still a major part of common life. Knights are regarded with reverence in the north-west and the heartlands where they're mostly seen to engage in tournaments and the occasional counter attack against raiders from the mountains or wyverns - the south and north-east have keen memories of knightly reprisals against uprisings.

Orcs, hobgoblins, and goblins are not treated any differently than elves, humans, or halflings. Foreign hobgoblins are treated with some suspicion, due to the increasing conquests of the hobgoblin-dominated Writha Dominion.

5. Name a heroically slain dragon, or something comparable in threat. How was the creature slain, according to stories? How was it actually done? Was it a fluke or a well-executed slaying of a monster?

The great dragon Thunder-Haunts-The-Dawn was slain by Baron Leofric the Bald. The dragon wrought a path of destruction across eastern Dunador. The Baron took his household troops and a dozen adventurers and laid a trap for the beast. When Thunder-Haunts-The-Dawn landed to feast on a herd of cows, they attacked. In the first battle, they manage to cripple one of the dragon's wings at the cost of fifteen dead. For three days they followed the dragon, preventing it from resting until they finally cornered it in a deep valley. The story told by the five survivors is that although they mauled the beast it would not die. Eventually the Baron allowed himself to be swallowed whole and killed the dragon from the inside. He was posthumously declared a hero of the kingdom, and has a small cult in the lands touched by the dragon.

6. How do people who adventure (if there are even such people) get jobs and contracts in this setting?

The Adventurer's Guild provides training (apprenticeship, mostly) and contacts for would-be adventurers and patrons can approach the guild directly with contracts. Mostly, though, it's about approaching the locals and listening for rumours. Or just looking for trouble.

7. How do people convey their station/caste if such things exist? In particular, what intersections do station/caste have with the adventuring lifestyle (whatever the players are in the setting…guards, tomb raiders, bounty hunters, etc.)?

Long and unbound hair, sober colours - especially light ones that would show stains easily - and delicate or difficult to maintain fabrics are the usual fashion of the nobility. Semi-functional but always brightly polished armour is favoured by those who want to project a military air. Leathers, feathers, and foreign animal hides are considered acceptably rustic.

Common folk across Dunadon like bright colours, often in patchworks or plaids. Kilts and chitons (of linen in the south and wool in the north) are common to the rural areas, while townsfolk prefer tunics and loose trousers.

The arms, armour, and copious gear carried by adventurers tend to mark them out to casual observance. It is commonly believed, and largely true, that only the desperate and marginalized become adventurers in the first place, and they are usually regarded with a mix of fascination and disdain, even by commoners. Rich and famous adventurers can gain access to noble society, but unless they truly establish themselves within the feudal hierarchy they are unlikely to ever be considered more than a passing curiousity.

8. What privileges and prejudices exist in your world, if any do at all? For example: How does the world view LGBTQ identities, ethnic identities within each fantasy “race”, and race relations?

There is no structural marginalization of gender identities or ethnicity. The nobility are expected to produce children to continue the dynasty, but adoption and surrogacy are acceptable (though it's considered slightly gauche to discuss them in public). Long-standing conflicts between nations tends to bleed into public perception across borders, but those are not racism and the common folk tend to regard war as the business of nobles.

Privilege does exist, but it's largely restricted to class. Religion can factor in, especially in a region that is politically dominated by religious authorities that engage in the suppression of other faiths.

9. What is the distal view of the political system? Is it feudal, is there a suzerainty, do we have a triumvirate, etc.

Feudalism with limited elective monarchy. The ruling monarch nominates a successor, and the major landholders (both secular and religious) who sit on the council must ratify the choice. If the nominated successor is rejected (rare, but happens), another from within the ruling dynasty must be chosen. If there is no suitable option, a candidate is chosen from within another prominent family. In practice, every confirmation is a political nightmare as vote are bought and traded, and any real dispute over candidates or election of a new dynast is inevitable marked by violence. Joint monarchies are not uncommon, particularly when a monarch is attempting to strengthen their position. Although it has fallen somewhat out of practice, there have been several occasions in Dunadon's history where a monarch named their chosen successor as junior co-ruler to bypass the need for the council's confirmation.

10. What is a more proximal view of the political system? Who are local nobles or leaders that should be known about, and what are their reputations?

Hildegarde de Maromme, Duchess of Verdirmont is widely regarded as the most influential noble outside of the royal family. Verdirmont is rich, fertile, and well-supplied with castles. The de Maromme's have been in power since the founding of kingdom, though they've never held the throne. With the Queen ailing and her heir presumptive, a grandson, still young and untested, many are looking to Duchess of Verdirmont as the the power broker to the next succession.

Younette Voisin, Baroness of Redhollow. Redhollow Castle is a powerful bastion for Dunador's south-western borders and the Voisins have a long history of military service to the crown. Younette has thus far carried on that legacy, distinguishing herself in several of the minor wars that spring up among the petty kingdoms west of Dunador, leading troops to defend Dunador's clients and allies. The Voisins have often been named Marshalls of Dunador, and should a larger war ever threaten it is assumed by many that the Chainmail Baroness, as she is nicknamed, will be given that honour.  She has also been highly active along the southern border, putting down bandits and monsters that threaten trade and ensuring order in the border towns.

Rajan Novacek, Count of Bazrivere. South-eastern Dunador has been marked by increasing unrest, and Rajan, the fifth Novacek to be Count of Bazrivere, has been the face of it. The Count's faction claim that the ruling dynasty have lost the ability to govern effectively and change is needed. Most believe he is preparing to make a push to challenge for the succession, or least force concessions in exchange for his support. There have been quiet rumours that the Count and his allies have been building their military strength, including hiring large numbers of mercenaries and adventurers. Rajan, on the rare occasion someone asks him about it to his face, claims he is simply being prudent in case of disruption or attack in case of war among Dunador's eastern neighbours.

11. Do your players even need their rations and torches?

Yes.

12. How do you become a ruler of many?

Feudal privilege is guarded jealously by those already in power, and everywhere is claimed by somebody - there is no "unsettled frontier" here. 

Inside Dunador, proving you worth to an existing lord can lead to grants of land and title (in exchange for oaths of obedience, of course). Those closely affiliated with a church can earn stewardship of church land. Or you can head into the less centrally controlled regions, like the princedoms to the west or the northern mountains, and simply take it for yourself.

13. Are there social consequences for necromancy or other forms of forbidden magic? Do these consequences differ in the view of the common man vs. other people?

Necromancy and demon-summoning are pretty universally considered A Bad Thing. Which means of course that only the rich and powerful get away with it so long as they don't do it too publicly. Heliopapists consider necromancer particularly horrifying, as they believe a soul cannot continue the cycle of purification while it is trapped in flesh.

Mind-controlling magic is not specifically outlawed against beyond the normal laws against injuring persons, but it is a cultural taboo. More than one hedge mage or entertainer has wound up burned on the stake or buried alive by angry villages after a charm spell or hypnotism act gone awry.

14. What is the common man’s capability to distinguish the following things: a werewolf’s tracks vs. wolf tracks, a manticore attack vs. a lion attack, a demon attack vs. a gargoyle attack?

Minimal ability to tell the difference between wolves and werewolves. Generally speaking ANY wolf attack is blamed on werewolves. Lions are hated and feared by the common Dunadorian, and stories of any attacks are usually exaggerated enough that parsing the difference from reports alone can be difficult, but they can tell the difference by sight. The common Dunadorian wouldn't understand the difference between a demon and a gargoyle, even on sight.

15. What is the social position of rogues, within both history and in the current day? Within both thieves’ guilds and within the world at large?

While rogues can be romanticized if they target the privileged (see: Robin Hood, etc) or if they are treasuring-hunting tricksters, and especially if they do their nefarious deeds /somewhere else/, thieves are despised - especially by the common folk. Even accusations of theft can be enough to warrant ostracization from villages. There is no "Thieves' Guild" as an institution, though organized criminal gangs do exist and are considered part of life in urban areas (and in some cases provide more social support than any servant of the crown).

16. What is the role of dungeons within the world – are they a place where MacGuffins have been hidden, ruins of lost civilizations, unexplored caverns extending deep into the earth, Zelda-like puzzle dungeons that are more a player challenge than something that makes sense in-world, or something else entirely?

Most of the above? The buried cities, burial sites, and ruins of previous empires hold secrets and treasures. The Mythic Underworld awaits deep in the veins of the earth. Alien entities and prehistoric civilizations have left behind impossible constructions. Archamges, liches, and other powerful entities have left being strange lairs to entrap, entice, and bewilder. Generally dungeons are something that makes sense in the world, though the rules start to bend the deeper you go into the Mythic Underworld, or the more alien the builder.

17. How common are dungeons, how deep or large are they, and how much treasure might be expected within their depths?

Most dungeons are smallish constructions - buried ruins or sealed tombs that might hold grave goods. The more accessible they are, the more likely it is they've been looted and reoccupied. Larger dungeons hold commensurately greater rewards, and greater dangers.

18. Explain, if you could, the differences between magic-users in the world. For instance, how would wizards, sorcerers, miracle-workers, warlocks, witches, medicine-men, stage magicians, and the like differ from each other? Do all of those categories even exist?

Common folk don't have a clear understanding of the difference between wizards and sorcerors. They wiggle their fingers, say weird words, and fire comes out. They likely also wouldn't recognize a warlock to look at them or see them cast, but warlocks have a sinister reputation, most commonly being associated with The Prince or the much-feared Faery.

Witches, hedge mages, druids, and other rural wise-folk are an accepted part of life outside urban areas, even among heliopapists. Most would be surprised (and probably disbelieving) to be told that the folk-magics of the local wise woman or the druid the next valley over is the same kind of spellcasting as the fancy wizardry they've heard of in the tavern stories.

19. What are two examples of food culture in the world? Even if food isn’t a part of play, what dishes are people consuming in the world around the players, and what messages can be conveyed through food and drink?

Asking for fish is the fastest way to mark yourself as a foreigner. The only ready supply of fish in Dunador is from the Lake, and only the monarch (and those who have paid for a license) are permitted to catch them.

Although the traditional foods are basically the same across the kingdom, there are regional variations that locals recognize, and (mostly friendly) rivalry exist between regions over which is the best. Outsiders frequently can't tell the difference.

Food can only be given as a gift if it is eaten communally. Refusing to eat something you're giving freely to someone is considered extremely rude and possibly suspicious, as is offering payment for something that is being consumed communally.

20. What is the internal logic of the game world you are running, as far as players are concerned? When the players act and the world reacts, what principles do you hold to?

The world has plots and NPCs have agency and agendas they will pursue outside the activities of the players. If the kingdom goes to war, it may have nothing to do with what the PCs have been up to. The local nobility is going to think in terms of privilege and power and ambition. The necromancer two valleys over is going to keep stacking bodies on that tower until he becomes a lich whether the players care or not.

In general, I will err on the side of "what the reality of the world demands". A cruel, greedy baron will not suddenly become altruistic because it would make for better story pacing. I make use of reaction tables and generators to help build the world and guide the actions and agendas of NPCs.

That said, the game is focused on the players. There are quests available to undertake and storylines that can be engaged with, but the players are not railroaded and can pursue their own interests and agendas.

In arbitration, I aim to be a referee, portraying the world honestly but keeping the focus on the PCs and the style of play in keeping with what the players want.

TWENTY QUESTIONS: Kingdom of Dunador

Some guy whose name I don't wanna mention came up with these questions, questions that help guide worldbuilding. Since I'm building a new world, I figured I'd use them.

THE KINGDOM OF DUNADOR

Dunador is a realm built on the bones of a fallen empire, loosely based on some of the "Barbarian" Kingdoms that arose after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Very loosely. The players wanted a game in and around a desert (as that's a biome we've rarely used) so I'm taking some geography and the like from North Africa - a strip of settled land above a Great Sand Sea that is thinly populated but crossed by rich trade routes. Dunador is bordered by high mountains to the north (beyond which are a collection of coastal and island city-states), rocky desert to the south, two major (if troubled) kingdoms to the east, and chaotic minor princedoms and grand duchies to the west. 

Dunador is very much "Feudalism in a Hurry" I'm generally trying to strike a balance between my own need for some level of verisimilitude in politics and how pseudo-medieval nations work, and the core assumptions of D&D. Also, my previous campaigns have tended to go from zero to "Cthulhu wakes" before level 3 so I'm trying to keep this one more grounded and the stakes a little more earthly.

One other thing I'm trying to adjust in the way I set up the world is transitioning from "the Dark Ages are chaos and death and nothing good" to "yeah things are unsettled and violent but at least we're not ruled by those assholes with their slaves and imperialism". So the "Old Empire" goes from "I miss those guys who knew how to build stuff", to "good riddance".

1 - What's the deal with my cleric's religion

The Thirteen Titans

Worship of the Thirteen Titans is the predominant religion, practiced across most of the land. The grand temples of the Thirteen can be found in every city and town, and most villages have at least one shrine to sacrifice at. The Grand Clerics of the Thirteen are wealthy and respected, and some are as powerful as dukes.

The faithful believe the Thirteen affect all aspects of life, and must be propitiated to ensure good fortune and ward off ill in specific, practiced rituals that have been passed down for generations. Oaths (or curses) spoke aloud are regarded as especially binding as the power of speech is a gift from the Titans themselves. Public festivals are common and lavish.

The Thirteen are a pantheon of my own design I have details for elsewhere, but their worship is most directly inspired by ancient Greek and Roman polytheism, though preferably a little less No Fun Allowed than the Roman.

The Most Holy and Orthodox Church of the Sacred Daughter

Nicknamed "heliopapists" by outsiders, the worship of the Daughter has grown from a localized cult to a widespread religion after its adoption by the Old Empire. Heliopapists are strictly monotheistic, believing it their duty to 'enlighten' those still bound by the old ways. The Church itself has spawned numerous sects, schisms, and heresies, but still the Solar Pope in the ancient city of Thule is reckoned as powerful as any king.

Heliopapists believe that the Dawn had a Daughter who was so beloved and admired by all of creation that the old gods (commonly identified as the Thirteen) struck her down in jealousy. In sorrow, the Dawn struck down the old gods in turn and burned them as a pyre for her Daughter, and set the pyre in the sky for all to see. From the ashes of the old gods (body) and the divine breath of the Daughter (soul) was born the mortal folk.

For Heliopapists, life is a quest to purify away the physical taint of the old gods until the soul can be freed from the endless cycle of reincarnation and can dwell forever in light of the Dawn and the Daughter - who will be reborn when all souls have been purified and her divine essence rejoined.

The Church enjoins believers to live simply, without indulging in passions or the weaknesses of the flesh (including vegetarianism in the strictest sects) or enjoyment of world possessions. Prayer, fasting, purification rituals, and above all tithes to the Church. Temporal rulers are encouraged to donate land to the Church (and of course the ensuing tax revenues) to speed the purification of their souls. The fact that the hierarchy of the Church grows rich and powerful from tithes, indulgences, and donations does not go unnoticed, and has been the cause of external derision and internal schisms.

I stole the word "heliopapist" from Rakehell by Brian Richmond because, like, c'mon. It's an amazing word. Full credit to Rakehell for being amazing in general. The Church in general is a mix of Orphism and the early Christian church. I still want to create a quick list of the biggest heresies and schisms in the Church because who doesn't love a good heresy.

The White Prince & His Divine Shadow

Worship of the White Prince is thoroughly proscribed in every land and law - with varying levels of effectiveness. To most of the world, The White Prince is better known as the King of Hell and All Demons. To his faithful, he is Phosphoros, Son of the Dawn, a liberator and teacher whose will is communicated by his earthly incarnation His Divine Shadow. Accusations of worship of The White Prince is a frequent used as a political weapon and more than one war has been fought over it. It's even occassionally true.

Those who follow His Divine Shadow, through the many Lesser Shadows who lead regional cults, are taught that the mortal flesh is the true existance, that "do as thou wilt" is the only law, and that magic is the gift from The White Prince to mortals. Worship of The White Prince is by necessity clandestine, but the gifts and influence it can bring means it is found all levels of society - from the downtrodden seeking ease and liberty, to the mighty and powerful swollen with ambition.

If you recognize the phrase "His Divine Shadow" then you know me for the trash I am. The rest of the worship of The White Prince is a relatively straight take-off of pop Satanism.

The Green Faith

In the old times, before the Old Empire swept away cultures and gods and imposed its own, the peoples of this land worshiped the land itself and the gods born of it. Through their priests, the druids, they spoke with the spirits and gods of each place and sought balance. These old folkways still exist, particularly in the north-east of the kingdom, and have been syncretized with the traditions of the Thirteen and the Church. Many villages have local saints of wells or groves they pray to for health, fertility, and safety, and the Church is only too happy to absorb these customs, with some gentle corrections of course, as it spreads their influence.  There are always rumours of actual, surviving druids who have kept the old ways alive down the centuries hidden in the wildest of places - rumours that invariably come with warnings of human sacrifice and children sold to Faery and men transformed into beasts for a hundred years.

Druids are a core part of D&D so I need support for them, and the way folkways get syncretized into mainstream practices are endlessly fascinating for me. Plus this way I can make Saint Guinefort canon in my setting. In both meanings.

2 - Where can we go to buy standard equipment?

Towns+ will (usually) have (most) everything, villages will have only what's needed by villagers. Sundries stores are only found in towns and along major roads, otherwise you need to go to the maker

3 - Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?

You'll need to go to a specialist in a city

4 - Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?

Ustripeth The Hollow, who defeated the demon lord Grand Excruciator Ernarog and his infinite horse-demons. Ustripeth now dwells his tower in the caldera of Eastern Brother.

True names are A Thing, and wizards are Lawful Extra.

5 - Who is the greatest warrior in the land?

Nanba Tori, who alone humbled the Despot of Dodapolis and his army of 10,000 at the Innemar Gates and returned alive from the Misty Isles of the Eld with the secrets to repair the Great Dam. Now lives in hermitage on the slopes of Mount Innemar.

*whistles innocently*

6 - Who is the richest person in the land?

Hildegarde de Maromme, Duchess of Verdirmont. Her lands are the most fertile in the kingdom, and the streams that run down from the mountains are said to glitter with gold.

I decided that the names in the kingdom would roughly breakdown as pseudo-Norman in the west, and most of the nobility in the north, pseudo-Slavic (cough Slumbering Ursine Dunes cough) in the south-east, and pseudo-Anglo-Saxon among the north-eastern nobility and peasantry everywhere, with a healthy dose of bastardization when it comes to naming places.

7 - Where can we go to get some magical healing?

Temples of the Thirteen will provide it for a donation to the temple. Churches of the Sun Lady will provide it for the baptised only. Village witches and healers prefer to deal in trade and favours.

8 - Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?

Senior (more powerful) clerics of the Thirteen for a price, wise folk and druids if you can prove your worth. Heliopapist will probably tell you that you deserve it, and maybe try to burn you alive.

9 - Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?

The Adventurer's Guild can provide access for worthy (and wealthy) members.

The Adventurer's Guild is more correctly know as The Royal Dunadorian College of Gladiators, Slayers, and Knights-Errant and was founded by a monarch of Dunador who figured it would be better to regulate all these sellswords and wandering mages of negotiable morality and direct their energies towards monsters, each other, and the border marches. And as a bonus, they represent a powerful collection of trained fighters not loyal to any Duke or priest who are all sworn to a charter that includes provisions for being conscripted at royal demand.

10 - Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?

Towns might have one or two. Most true sages and alchemists require a noble patron, so the courts of the monarch and dukes are the most common location. The largest cities, too.

11 - Where can I hire mercenaries?

Hirelings can be found in any town and less-isolated villages. Common in cities.

12 - Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?

Bearing arms (including spellcasting) is prohibited in cities except to lands aristocrats and their households and soldiers. Temporary bans are added to anywhere the ruling monarch or member of the royal family is present.

13 - Which way to the nearest tavern?

All towns have at least one and so do most villages along roads. Smaller or more isolated villages may just have a rotating public house.

14 - What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?

• Wyverns are a persistant threat in the north. Manticores often haunt the southern road. Sea serpents have been known to harass boats on the Lake and terrorize fishing villages. There are frequent sightings of undead in the central highlands above the Lake, including wights and bog-mummies. Any of those will earn you local renown and free drinks for at least a few months. 
• Killing a worm (purple, sand, or river) is considered truly heroic. And there hasn't been a true dragon slain in at least a generation.
• Giants make periodic forays down from the mountains to raid farms and villages, and giantslayers are always instant celebrities.

15 - Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?

• Dunador has been at peace with the Achaean Despotates to the north ever since the Battle of 10,00 Against 1, but the despots themselves are ever at war with each other and in need of mercenaries. 
• To the east, the Acralan and Zazomid kingdoms have always been in a state of constant tension that flares into war on a regular basis. 
• To the west and south-west along the edge of the Great Sand Sea the minor princedoms are being swallowed up by the expansion of the Writha Dominion. 
• The Mountain Kings, a loose confederation of bandit-lords, exiles, fringe cultists, and would-be princelings, are a permanent threat to Dunador and often make war upon the duchies bordering the northern mountains.
• The Dukes and Counts of Dunador area fractious lot, and the Barons even moreso, and rarely a summer goes by without at least a few of them fighting. The Queen is old and weak, and her power base fragile enough that the northern and western lords in particular do as they will.

In my mind both Acralan and Zazomid are both larger than Dunador, forcing the monarchs of Dunador to balance the desire for stability on their borders against the very real possibility that if either neighbour gets bored they could invade. Or worse, they could starting working together. Maybe they were once a single, larger realm that was divided between two heirs or something.

16 - How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?

Duncaester, the largest city in Dunador, still has the (slightly ruined) arena built by the Old Empire where they forced slaves to fight mock battles for the amusement of the rich and powerful. The monarchs of Dunador have carried on the tradition, though now it's adventurers and convicted criminals who fight, against captive monsters and each other. These adventurer "bands" often go on tours through the kingdom, and neighbouring realms, battling for fame in pits and arenas built by dukes or just carved out of the land.

If you're wondering, yes, there are absolutely battle of the bands events.

17 - Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?

• Worshippers of the White Prince certainly qualify. 
• There are endless whispers of a cult dediced to an old, forgotten god of Chaos that seeks to tear down all nations from the inside. 
• In the days of the Old Empire, many soldiers were inducted into the mystery lodges of Mithras, the bull-god of warriors, and this secretive fraternity has persisted into the current day.
• There are many who believe the democracies of the Despotates or the republic from which the Old Empire sprang are superior forms of statehood than monarchs and tyrants and seek to bring their ideals to life.

Demon worshippers, republican revolutionaries, a mystery cult, and evil libertarians. I just wish I could find a good gender-neutral word to replace "fraternity".

18 - What is there to eat around here?

Northern Dunador, which is watered by snowfall and mountain runoff, and the area around the Lake are the breadbasket of the Kingdom, dominated by barley and sorghum. To the south, the land dries out as it approaches the Great Sand Sea and herding, particularly goats and sheep, is the primary agriculture industry. Vegetables such as cabbage, onion, garlic, and beans are grown by every family, along with keeping chickens. Goat cheese, fried flatbreads, smoked meats, and apples and pears grown on the mountain slopes are the staples of Dunadorian cuisine. Boiled or fried dumplings are also widely eaten, especially in south-eastern Dunador, and they are a key component of festival and religious meals across the kingdom.

Fish are a delicacy, as the Lake is restricted by ancient writ for the use of the monarch only and those few granted license to fish those waters price their catch accordingly. Hunting and large game meat is largely restricted to the nobility, as the forest preserves are held to royal and ducal prerogative. Small game such as wild fowl and rabbits are free for anyone to hunt, and thus seen as peasant food.

Dunador sits on the great Spice Road that leads east across the northern Great Sand Sea and as such salt, black pepper, coffee, and tea are readily available for those that can afford it. Olives, figs, grapes, and almonds are traded with the Despotates to the north.

Now I'm hungry.

19 - Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?

• The aristocrats of the Old Empire had a penchant for being buried with all their worldly goods, and they're only mostly cursed. 
• The elves tell stories of a time when the Great Sand Sea was much smaller, and they built cities that have since been swallowed by the sands. 
• There is a legend that when the legions of the Old Empire conquered this land, the last heathen king Caticorix, gathered up all the treasures of his people and threw them into the earth rather than let the Imperials claim and set his last one hundred loyal warriors to guard them for all time. 
• The northern mountains are replete with underground ruins, left by the goblins of ancient times and then dwarves who subjugated the goblins and built their own nations atop them.
• Early in the history of Dunadon, a great was fought against Faery - the fir bolg king Eochaid invaded and was only defeated with the aid of, it is said, the Thirteen themselves. There are still portals to Faery left behind by this war and the riches of the fey are said to surpass all earthly treasures.
• In the centre of the Lake are a small group of islands eternally blanketed in mist, hence the name "the Misty Isles" or more formally "Misty Isles of the Eld". Only a very few have ever gone there and returned alive, and those that do have spoken of strange, elf-like beings with alien magics and golden barges.

20 - Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?

• The most ancient dragon All-Withers-In-Time sleeps beneath North Mother, atop a hoard of nations. 
• The Old Empire had a treaty with a dragon named See-Excellence-In-Scales, said to rule large reaches of the Great Sand Sea, though it hasn't been seen since the time of grandmothers. 
• The sea-serpents of the Lake claim there is a greater dragon that lives in the deepest part of the lake, though everyone knows sea-serpents are liars and tricksters.
• When the Old Empire was breaking apart, an Imperial general named Syragius claimed the area that is now Dunador and declared a new empire - the Syragian Empire. His empire did not outlive his son, who was defeated by the ancestors of the current monarchs of Dunador. Legend says Syragius never died, but became an undead lord by foul magics and waits for the day he can reclaim his conquests. The legends are also quite specific as to the vast quantities of magic treasure he guards, of course.

Even More Expanded Pantheon Generator

The Manse made a pretty great pantheon generator.

Throne of Salt extended it.

Now I'm fucking it up building onto it further. I'll detail my changes as I go, but the short for is that I tried to (very roughly) mimic the way pantheons evolve and more specialized gods get added on later, as well as adding some extra tables, tweaking ones from the earlier two posts, and generally adding my own weird spin on things. Several of the tables come straight from Throne of Salt with few/no modifications so please do go visit that post and see where it comes from. Also you should know that while previous iterations gave you the option not to have divine, uh, "Hapsburg marriages", I have taken that away because it's not a real pantheon if it's not at least a little creepy.

To summarize what we're doing here, we're making a big messy pantheon that comes in Four Generations, starting with the early, elemental gods and moving down through four generations to gods who take care of things like "stuff that's stuck in drawers". Gods have portfolios (the things they're the gods of), and the idea of Moiety. Hot is active, energetic, passionate. Cold is passive, orderly, introspective. Moiety has no effect on appearance, it's mostly used for determining pairings when it's time to get down to making more gods. Moiety also has a strength. Strong moiety means the god is more likely to be one of significance and worshiped more widely, and Weak the opposite.

GODLY ORIGINS (d6)

This is determining from whence came the First Generation, the elder gods who birthed the rest.

1. Born of a primordial being, killed it and usurped. There is either castration or beheading involved.
2. Chewed their way out of the corpse of a primordial being.
3. Spawned from primordial chaos.
4. Have always existed.
5. Unknown.
6. Travellers from another dimension.

THE FIRST GENERATION (d6)

Roll here to find the gods at the root of this pantheon.

1. Monad. A single divine that parthenogenesis'd itself a bunch of divine kids.
2. Diad. Two diametrically opposing deities. 1 Hot, 1 Cold. 1-3 says they had kids together, 4-6 says they each spawned kids on their own.
3. Triad. Three deities in trinity or a tripartite being. 1 Hot, 1 Cold, 1 Both or 3 Both.
4. Quartet. Two pairs each of 1 Hot + 1 Cold
5. Quintet. Either two pairs each of 1 Hot + 1 Cold, plus an extra 1 Both, or 5 Both..
6. Sextet. Three pairs, each of 1 Hot + 1 Cold.

Okay, now that you've got a list of gods, distribute the First Generation Portfolios among them. Any that are left over you can either stack on existing gods, or save for later (see Leftover Portfolios below). Then roll for their Presentation and Moiety. There are extra tables for Appearance and Name down at the bottom.

FIRST GENERATION PORTFOLIOS

Earth, Sky, The Divine Twins*, Nature, Dawn

*Might be two different gods from the list, or two gods who "count as" a single one. 

PRESENTATION (d10)

1. Male
2. Male
3. Female
4. Female
5. Nonbinary
6. Agender
7. Nonhumanoid
8. Both - this may be split entity who has alternate depictions (possibly being a mini-diad), or a god who has transitioned at some point in their life.
9. Twins. Roll d8 (rerolling 8's) on this table for the pair's presentation, or once for each twin.
10. Triple Entity. Three gods in one. Roll d8 (rerolling 8's) on this table to find Presentation of the Triad.

MOIETY (d6)

1. Hot/Strong
2. Hot/Weak
3. Cold/Strong
4. Cold/Weak
5. Both/Strong
6. Both/Weak

Okay, so now you've got your first batch of gods. You can use the tables at the bottom to flesh them out now, or save that for later. Right now, it's time to make 'em fuck. Pair up all of your First Generation gods - Hot with Cold, Both with either or Both. Then for each pairing, roll 1d6+2 to find out how many offspring they have. Finally, roll on the Relationship table to determine the nature of each relationship and how it modifies the total number of offspring for that pairing (and if any extra pairings are generated).

Note that presented gender has absolutely no bearing on pairing compatibility. They're gods so gender is a highly fluid concept anyways, and pretty irrelevant when the birth story for a lot of gods is shit like "My dad had a headache and chopped his skull open and there I was in full armour," or, "My mom had a bath in the ocean and the sea foam turned into me."

RELATIONSHIPS (d12)

1. One-Time Fling: -1 offspring
2. Divorced.
3. Passionate Lovers. +1 offspring
4. Bitter Rivals: -1 offspring
5. Unfaithful: -1 offspring. Then pick one of the pair, choose 2d3 more partners for them, and split another 1d6+2 offspring between them.
6. Polycule: +1d3 gods join, +2 offspring. Split offspring between compatible pairs.
7. Married (happily).
8. Married (unhappily). -1 offspring. Each party also has 1d3-1 offspring with another god.
9. Married (political union). No offspring. Both get a new pairing with compatible gods, normal offspring rolls for those.
10. Mentor & Apprentice with a secret romance.
11. All by Design. A single designer offspring.
12. Asexual or Platonic. No offspring.

If you have any gods not in a pairing, roll a d6 for each. 

1-3 they produce 1 offspring by divine mitosis. 

4-6 they pair with a god of the same Moiety and produce a Legendary Monster. 

Legendary Monsters should be set aside for now - these rules don't cover detailing them, but you probably already have a stack of bestiaries with ideas for them. The one thing to keep in mind that older gods produce more powerful monsters - so a Legendary Monster produced by two Fourth Generation gods is likely to be much less legendary than one produced by First Generation gods.

THE SECOND GENERATION

So now you've got a big old list of divine kids. Let's detail them.

First, give them each a Presentation and Moiety. Then distribute the Second Generation Portfolios.

Second Generation Portfolios

Sun, Moon, Weather, Fire, Fresh Waters, the Sea, Wind, The Guardian, Horses, The Trickster, Hunting, Harvest, Fertility, Prophecy, the Underworld, Seasons, the Night Sky, Winter, Spring

If you have any gods without portfolios, you could apply any leftovers from the First Generation (if you have any), steal a few from the Third Generation, or duplicate First and Second Generation portfolios as you see fit.

Now that you've got your list of the Second Generation, let's make them fuck, too. Pair off the gods the same way as the First Generation. Then roll 1d4 offspring for each pairing followed by the Relationships chart. 

For any leftover gods, roll a d6. 

1-3: 50% chance of a single offspring via divine mitosis. 

4-5: Pair with a First Generation god. 

6: Pair with another Second Generation god of the same Moiety to produce a Legendary Monster.

Now you should have another list of newly hatched gods, who are:

THE THIRD GENERATION

At this point the power curve is definitely dropping, and the portfolios are becoming much more specialized and culture-relevant.

As before, give each god a Presentation, a Moiety, and a Third Generation Portfolio.

THIRD GENERATION PORTFOLIOS

Fate, Welfare & Community, Smiths, Roads, Laws, Healing & Disease, War, Weapons, Brewing

Also as before, if you don't have enough portfolios, double some up, use leftovers from previous generations, or steal from the Minor Portfolios.

Okay, so we've got our list of Third Generation gods. Time for them to, well, you know. Pair them up, same process as before, with 1d3-1 offspring per pairing. Use the same roll from the Second Generation for any leftover gods here, then proceed on for our final set of gods.

THE FOURTH GENERATION

Now we're scraping the bottom of the barrel, godly-being-wise. These gods aren't able to reproduce and create a new generation on their own. That would require killing and usurping (and probably eating) a few older gods.

Presentation and Moiety as before, then roll on this list of 100 Minor Portfolios to see what is is this godling says they do here.

MINOR PORTFOLIOS (d100)

1	2	3	4
Travel Messages Youth Discovery Fools Destruction Fish & Whales The Adversary Romance Harvest	Gender Knowledge Sharks Invention Left-Hand Magic Right-Hand Magic Diplomacy Agriculture Rulership Forest Animals	Thresholds Inspiration Science Necromancy Biology Cats Parenthood Reptiles Cities Adoption	Autumn Poetry Memory Childbirth Marriage Beauty Metal Commerce Change Natural Disaster
5	6	7	8
Authority Strategy Transportation Dreams Sailors Protection Soldiers Athletes Commoners Miners	Justice Revenge Glory Victory Silence Reflections Summer Isolation Grief Funerals	Charity Lust Writing Chance & Luck Debt Injustice Poverty Peace Rationality Enslavement	Murder Fear Theft Repentance Craft Architecture Astronomy Time Chaos Pestilence
9	10
Abundance The Hearth Sex Music Art Flowers Balance Sloth Guards Hospitality	Imprisonment Freedom Death  Psychopomp Birds Dogs Domestic Animals Secrets Light Wolves

DEMIGODS

Okay, so there's one last group of gods. Well, demigods.  These are the children of gods and mortals, and their generation is a bit different.

First roll 2d4 to see how many significant demigods there are to start with. You could potentially have dozens of them, but for now let's just make a manageable number.

Choose a parent god randomly (roll d4 for generation). If you want weighting, demigods might be more likely to be born of parents of strong Moiety, or Hot Moiety, or both. I think it's more interesting to leave it open, though.

KNOWN FOR (d6)

1. Slayer of Monsters (could pick a Legendary Monster if you have any)
2. Regional or Culture Hero. This demigod has ties to a specific culture or region.
3. Wise Ruler. This demigod founded a dynasty, nation, city-state, or whatever, and ruled it well.
4. Conqueror. This demigod led armies to crush their enemies and subjugate their lands.
5. Villain. This demigod is widely reviled as evil and a villain.
6. Archmage. This demigod reached the highest levels of magical power, possibly opening new frontiers, naming spells after themself, and/or causing horrible disasters.

FATE (d6)

1. Still Alive. Possibly immortal.
2. Slain. They were killed. Roll d4 for cause. 1 - Battle. 2 - Natural Disaster. 3 - Murdered. 4 - Giant Monster.
3. Ascended. They achieved apotheosis and joined their parent god in the heavens. They likely have a small or regional cult.
4. Unknown. This demigod vanished, and no-one is sure why or where to. Probably lots of legends, though.
5. Prophesied Return. This demigod is asleep/departed but is said to return when their people are in their greatest need.
6. Died of Old Age. This demigod actually lived out their full span (possibly an extra long one).

And that's the pantheon! The following tables are for generating extra details like names, appearance, etc.

LEFTOVER PORTFOLIOS

Okay, so now you've got more gods and godlings than you can shake a stick at. If you have any portfolios left over from the earlier generations, or if they are any from the Minor Portfolios list that you consider to be of universal significance in your setting, now is the time to assign them to existing gods. For extra chaos, for each of these extra portfolios roll a d6: 1-3. Add it to one god. 4-5. Add it to two gods. 6. Add it to three gods.

CULTURAL VARIATIONS

This generator assumes you're creating the "base" version of this pantheon and these gods. Specific cultures in the world will have their own, specific variants of the gods and the structure of the pantheon.

Decide the culture's three most important virtues or "rights" (also known as mores) and list them in order. Find the god with virtue #1 or whatever is closest to it. This is now the new head of the pantheon as far as the culture is concerned. If there's no god with that virtue, pick a god of strong moiety to gain it instead. If there is a god with that virtue but it's a god of weak moiety, there's a 4-in-6 chance the portfolio is reassigned to a god strong moiety instead and the original god is either given a more niche portfolio or subsumed entirely.

Repeat this process for virtues #2 and 3.

Now decide the culture's two most despised vices or "wrongs". Same process for the virtues, but this time you're picking the adversarial gods.

Now you have five culture-specific gods from the pantheon. How does this change the pantheon? Which gods are left out entirely? Older gods, and gods of weak moiety are most susceptible to being let out. Cultures are likely to give new names to their versions of the gods, either by altering the existing name so it sounds like a word in their language, or by giving them an entirely new name. They may also change the representation of that god to match their idealized self-image. Pick a few more gods tied to the central gods, or ones you just want include, and give them each another 2d3 Minor Portfolios.

EXTRA TABLES

RANDOMLY CHOOSE A GOD (d6)

There's a few places in this generator that call for randomly selecting a god. You can roll a d4 for generation, or use this d6 table:

1 - First Generation. 2-3 - Second Generation. 4-5 - Third Generation. 6 - Fourth Generation.

NAMES

So I like the idea that older gods have simpler names and later have more complicated names - to reflect the increasingly complexity of the societies worshipping these gods. I don'think this has any basis in history, I just think it's neat.

So for the First Generation, roll on columns 1 and 2 and combine.

For the Second Generation, roll on columns 3 and 4 and combine.

For the Third Generation, roll on columns 3, 4, 5 and combine.

For the Fourth Generation, roll a first name on columns 4 and 5, and a last name on Columns 1 and 2.

Demigods don't have names from this table, they should be named based on their mortal heritage.

d20	1	2	3	4	5
1	Ka	-at	Bal	-fel	-gion
2	Ra	-el	Fel	-gol	-aion
3	Ba	-az	Mul	-mul	-mion
4	Ta	-ut	Tul	-qul	-rion
5	La	-og	Mal	-zel	-wion
6	Be	-im	Yat	-ror	-feth
7	Re	-ov	Pet	-par	-quth
8	Ne	-uy	Gut	-tar	-moth
9	Me	-aq	Mot	-nur	-nyth
10	Le	-oz	Mut	-mer	-zoth
11	Gu	-lt	Mog	-gez	-zide
12	Nu	-ft	Teg	-moz	-made
13	Lu	-ng	Lyg	-yuz	-bode
14	Wu	-mn	Zog	-quz	-qude
15	Pu	-pt	Gog	-wez	-yide
16	Lo	-sh	Moz	-kak	-baak
17	Mo	-ch	Toz	-mek	-tlak
18	Do	-th	Lez	-yek	-amak
19	Fo	-zh	Quz	-nek	-poak
20	So	-gh	Aez	-zuk	-erak

APPEARANCE

This is the god's base appearance, or at least how they're usually represented. Note that the species here are based on my Knave game, and should be adjusted to fit your game.

For proper gods, roll d20+generation. For demigods, roll d10+10

1-3. Abstract.

4-5. Elemental.

6-8. Divine.

9-10. Animal. Or anthropomorphic. Or hybrid.

11-12. Human.

13-14. Dwarf.

15-16. Gnome.

17-18. Goblin.

19-20. Orc.

21-22. Roll again but monstrous.

23+. Roll again but extra beautiful.

EXTRA DETAIL (d20)

These are extra details or adjectives the god is typically depicted with. Each god has d2+1 of them.

1. Large
2. Small
3. Strong
4. Weak
5. Hairy
6. Rough
7. Clean
8. Pale
9. Dark
10. Fierce
11. Kind
12. Animal companion
13. Obscured/hooded
14. Wearing <colour>
15. Wearing <article of clothing>
16. Armoured
17. Naked
18. Giving
19. Wielding <weapon>
20. Enthroned

DREAMS of a Crown, Part 3: Princes (part 1)

Part 3 of my continuing hackage of Renegade Crowns. This time: The Princes (part 1). This part will cover the basic stuff of the prince and their realm. The Princes (part 2) will have a bunch of tables for generating more details about the prince. The Princes (part 3) will cover relationships between princes.

Okay, now we start actually generating princes, who are the actually interesting part of this. This is also where I've started to diverge more overtly from the base rules in Renegade Crowns. One of my personal pet peeves in a lot of generation sets is that the results aren't often very applicable at the table or communicable to the player. Stuff should be gameable, should be levers that the players can pull to make things happen.

Also I added some extra tables for standards and aesthetic that were fun to write just for their own sake.

Oh, also also. Some of the tables have two different rolls you can make on them. One option has a curve or asymmetrical spread. The other option is a flat spread. The first one is based on my gut feeling for how frequent or prevalent some results should be. Use the other if you dgaf about that. You'll probably end up with more interesting results, honestly.

If you need to know the pronouns and age of a character, use these:

Pronouns
d8      d6
1-3    1-2    She/her
4-6    3-4    He/him
7-8    5-6    They/them

Age
2d6    d6
  2       1    Late teens (16+d4)
3-4      2    Twenties (20+d8)
5-6      3    Thirties (30+d8)
7-8      4    Forties (40+d8)
9-10    5    Fifties (50+d8)
11-12  6    Old (60+d20)

The Princes

First step: how many princes? Pick one of these options based on plans or gut feel. Or choose one randomly?

• d10 princes
• 2d4 princes
• 6 princes

At the end of the process you can always add more in if you feel there's gaps that should be filled or you've got a cool idea or w/e.

Type of Prince

Figure out the Prince's archetype. Roll a d20+d4.

1-2 Outlaw (1 Bandit, 2 Noble Robber, 3 Revolutionary, 4 Exile)

3-4 Chieftain (1 Elder, 2 Oracle, 3 Warleader, 4 Chosen One) 

5-6 Lord (1 Heir, 2 Usurper, 3 Acclaimed, 4 Regent)

7-8 Knight (1 Warlord, 2 Sworn Knight, 3 Peasant General, 4 Crusader)

9-10 Priest (1 Bishop, 2 Abbot, 3 Cult Leader, 4 Saint)

11-12 Wizard (1 Ivory Tower, 2 God-King, 3 Archdruid, 4 Mad Scientist)

13-14 Merchant (1 Oligarch, 2 Landlord, 3 Gangster, 4 Caravaneer)

15-16 Mercenary (1 General, 2 Peasant, 3 Renegade, 4 Sergeant)

17-18 Adventurer (1 Fighter, 2 Rogue, 3 Cleric, 4 Magic-User)

19 Monster (1 Rakshasa, 2 Construct, 3 Medusa, 4 Sphinx)

20 Free State (1 Democratic, 2 League, 3 Post-Revolution, 4 Communist)

Outlaws are princes who built their power base outside the law or society. Their hold on power is likely to be based on personal charisma and direct force, and they do not present as a legitimate authority. Given time, and assuming they survive, they will likely become one of the other archetypes. Outlaw courts are rougher and more openly antagonistic than others, as the courtiers jockey for position and influence, and still behave in ways more appropriate to their former ways.

• Bandits were outright criminals, violent and lawless. They likely still behave like a gang boss.
• Noble Robbers were criminals with a cause, or the very least a code. Robin Hood, Kuni Garu, etc. Likely to be popular with the people, but may not be any better at administration than a Bandit.
• Revolutionary. This is an individual who let a revolution or uprising against the previous prince. Like the other Outlaws, this Prince's hold on power is still tenuous and directly applied.
• Exile. This prince was once exiled from their home realm (whether this one or another) with a band of followers and has since taken over or created this princedom.

Chieftains are the leaders of a group related by family or culture. Might be a large clan, part of an entire culture in migration, a people driven from their original home, or the like. Personal charisma and fitness are important to maintaining position for a Chieftain, but they are also supported by tradition and familiar bonds. Consensus and broad agreement are likely important to these leaders.

• Elder. A respected, uh, elder. Someone with age and experience. May not be literally the oldest, but definitely old and respected. May come from a significant family, or may be elected/nominated.
• Oracle. A person whose oracle powers of insight and foresight have been upheld as good leadership. This might be a generational manifestation, a specific occupation, or an individual granted power by acclaim.
• Warleader. This person has been placed in charge specifically for their ability to triumph in armed conflict. This may be a permanent appointment, or until the resolution of a specific crisis.
• Chosen One. Leadership was conferred on this prince because of destiny or prophecy or divine intervention. Such things rarely confer any actual skill at ruling, but they can make one popular... for a while.

A Lord is a prince whose power is autocratic and not dependent on the consent of the ruled and are focused on rulership. This includes traditional feudalistic princes. These princes tend to assume the trappings of a 'real' court, and act as though they are a prince (or king, or emperor) of more than just a handful of towns and poor farms.

• Heir. This prince inherited their position from the previous prince, by birth, adoption, or marriage. This is highly unusual (a prince's holdings rarely last past their death), and the prince is either exceptional enough to have kept power through the transition or in very precarious position.
• Usurper. This prince took the throne from the previous prince by force or guile, but kept the power structure around them mostly the same. They almost certainly have enemies loyal to the previous prince, and courtiers who believe the usurper's survival is tied to their own.
• Acclaimed. This prince was actually chosen by the people of the area, likely for doing something heroic like killing a dragon or the previous prince. Power has almost certainly gone to their head.
• Regent. This prince isn't actually a prince. Instead they are holding power in the stead of another - an absent prince, an underaged heir, etc. Just about everyone will assume they are using the regency as a way to take power, and they probably are.

A Knight is a prince who wields power as a military leader and to military ends. Their courts and a government tend to be organized along military lines. They may have come to power by conquest, coup, or even by request of the ruled - in a land of chaos, an iron fist may bring peace of mind. At least for a while.

• A Warlord is a conqueror. A former military officer who has claimed land for themselves as a military governor, perhaps after being disgraced or banished. Runs their princedom in military fashion and with military justice. Courtiers are officers, with increasingly grandiose titles.
• A Sworn Knight has a code of chivalry and conduct they adhere to (in name more likely than in practice). Combines the military dictatorship of a Warlord with the superiority complex of a Lord.
• A Peasant General was once a commoner, who formed an army out of other commoners and lead it to conquest. Now they are stuck between the worlds of commoner and ruler. Their courts are likely to be chaotic, and the prince themselves ill-at-ease with being a noble.
• The only thing less cooperative than a Knight is a Knight with religion. That's the Crusader, a military leader backed by fanaticism and usually a complete absence of critical thinking skills.

Priest. This leader is a religious figure, and derives their power from that status. How willing they are to treat with nonbelievers varies, but attaining any sort of status in the court or realm of all but the most tolerant of such leaders is impossible if you're a heathen.

• Bishop. This Prince wields both secular and religious power, being based at a central church or temple (usually a big expensive one) and holding temporal control over their lands. Church and state as one.
• Abbot. An Abbot is the leader of a monastic order. Their princedom may be the lands held by that order, or they may have taken the lay people under their protection.
• Cult Leader. This Prince is regarded as next to divine, and is the centre of a specific cult or sect. Their court and realm is likely disorganized and runs more on personal charisma and intimidation as anything else.
• Saint. This Prince is actually divine, or considered a messenger thereof. Devotion to this Prince is likely to be quite sincere, or at least a recognition of which way the wind is blowing.

Wizard. A powerful spellcaster could be a good Prince as they tend to be studious, experienced, and dangerous enough to scare off most threats. This is somewhat outweighed by the fact that wizards are, as a rule, bent as fuck.

• Ivory Tower. It may be difficult to tell if this wizard is actually aware they are a Prince, as they spend all their time in their wizard lair doing wizardy things. Their "subjects" may be simply pay the wizard for protection and "foreign affairs", or the wizard might have representatives that do the day-to-day governing for them.
• God-King. This wizard is extremely aware that they are a Prince and is planning on making everyone else aware of it, too. Magical megalomania is the word of the day, with probably a dash of personal cult mixed in.
• Archdruid. This wizard is actually a druid. Their domain is likely to be aggressively wilderness'd, and the subjects living in harmony of said nature, or in thrall to it. Strong possibility that courtiers are awakened animals/plants.
• Mad Scientist. A catch-all term for necromancers, golemists, mutators, hybridizers, and various other sorts of "I'm going to bend the laws of nature now, they'll see THEY'LL ALL SEE" mad cackling type wizard. The populace are probably cowed into submission for now, but the weather is always cloud with a chance of pitchforks and torches.

Merchant. Princes whose power derives from gold and treasure. They don't bring knives to a gun fight, they're selling them. Merchant princes tend to be more organized than other sorts, as business demands hierarchy and good record keeping, but they are just as prone to corruption and venality.

• Oligarch. This Prince is in power literally just because they are the richest bastard around. People want, need their money, and that gives them power. Plus they probably hire mercenaries.
• Landlord. This Prince is in power because they own all the land the people live on, and demand rents. There is a zero percent chance they came to own all that land in a benign or legitimate fashion.
• Gangster. This Prince is a straight-up mafioso. They rule through fear, instilled 'family' loyalty, graft, and grants of 'protection'.
• Caravaneer. This Prince built a trading empire, and conveyed that influence and wealth into temporal power. It may not even have been intentional. Caravans need protecting, which requires strong walls and sharp swords, and people look kindly on people who have them.

Mercenary. This Prince was once a soldier for hire. Assuming they don't become brutal tyrants (which is most of the time) a Mercenary prince can have success in these lands as they combine military prowess with organization and business sense.

• General. This Prince was head of their own mercenary army, an army they used to secure their princedom. They may have marched into these lands to take a princedom, turned on an employer, or simply wanted to be their own boss.
• Peasant. When common folk start defending themselves, or get driven from their homes, becoming sellswords might be preferable to becoming bandits. This prince is probably much more rough around the edges than a General.
• Renegade. This Prince was once a notable commander in a nation's army, before striking off on their own. They might have left for ambition, been banished, gotten cut off from the main army.
• Sergeant. This Prince was never a proper officer nor a nob, but a sergeant (or centurion, or whatever is setting appropriate). Their organizational and motivational skills will probably be good, if they haven't turned into a tin-pot tyrant, but their sense of the big picture may be lacking.

Adventurer. A wandering fighter or thief, who gets a crown through personal daring and sheer bloody luck. You know the type. Their court is likely a mix of old adventuring buddies and henchfolk with whatever civilian experts were still around to handle the boring, non-adventure-y stuff. This type of Prince tends to solve problems personally, directly, and in as few steps as possible.

• Fighter. The classic underclad, overmuscled type with a big sword and a short temper.
• Rogue. They definitely killed someone to get that crown. That or backed up a wagonload of gold to buy it.
• Cleric. The difference between this Prince and a Bishop or Abbot is likely to be the personal interaction. Clerics are used to laying on hand themselves.
• Magic-User. As with Clerics, Magic-User princes differ from Wizard Princes in that they still do things themselves, and haven't yet gone full wizard.

Monster. Okay, look, you can totally do sexy vampire or sexy lich or whatever. I just wanted to present a couple other options, too.

• Rakshasa. Look, who doesn't love a revere-handed tiger demon with a penchant for disproportionate revenge? The real question is whether the rakshasa is masquerading as someone else (if so roll another prince to see what their disguise is), or doing so openly.
• Construct.  An advanced construct is the nominal prince of this domain. This might be a hyper-intelligent computer (able to be talked to death at your discretion), a brain-in-a-jar situation, or a proper construction. Roll again to see the fate of the creator: 1-Overthrown. 2-Dead and nobody knows. 3-Still around, retired or hidden. 4-Dead and everybody except the construct knows, the locals just think it's doing a good job.
• Medusa. Sure she's got a lot of exotic statuary, but you can say she doesn't have an eye for the job. Plus she's probably gotten good at this what with the immortality.
• Sphinx. Wise, powerful, long-lived, not to be fucked with. All good traits for a ruler. Dinner conversation can be a bit tricky, though.

Free State. This Princedom has decided to do away with Princes all together. Good for them.

• Democratic. This domain has elected leaders. Franchise might be universal, restricted to social class, bought, or some other arbitrary restriction. Roll again: 1-Single leader, short terms. 2-Single leader, for life. 3-Group, short term. 4-Group, for life.
• League. This domain is actually a union of several smaller domains (typically towns and their outlying villages). One town likely has preeminence, but the leadership is at least on paper a matter of consensus of all the member towns.
• Post-Revolution. This domain has only recently thrown off the shackles of a landed lordship, and things are still a bit chaotic. Leadership is probably a provisional council of the rebellion's leadership until things settle down a bit and they can figure out what the new government should look like.
• Communist. This domain has gone full communist. Good for them.

Princely Ends and Means

Okay so we know the very basics of this Prince. But what do they want, and how do they go about getting it?

Goal (d6)

1. Consolidate Power. This prince wants to tighten their grip on what they already have. Strengthen the borders, ensure loyalty, deepen the treasury. That sort of thing.
2. Be Remembered. This prince wants their name to echo in eternity, and is probably going to do all manner of unsavoury things in the present to make it happen. Expect monuments. This sort love monuments.
3. Luxury and Vice. This prince just wants to indulge the flesh, to experience the now, to soak in all the perks of privilege and power.
4. Conqueror. This prince has dreams of empire, and seeks to expand their holdings by any means (but mostly violent ones).
5. Dynasty. This prince is focused on founding a dynasty - having and/or adopting children (or creating them, in some cases) who will carry on a family legacy. Ensuring that said children are also in a position to inherit power is also a major concern.
6. Prosperity. This prince wants to enrich their domain, not just for themselves but for every (but also definitely for themselves). Trade, industry, tribute, outright theft, these are all good options.

Methods (d6)

1. Might Makes Right. This prince freely wields direct power, both personally and militarily, to get what they want. They are likely to judge threats and allies alike by the power they project.
2. Consent of the People. This prince rules with an eye to pleasing the people and caring for their needs. At least in public. There's a decent chance it's an elaborate cover.
3. Skullduggery. This prince gets what they want with poison and plots, malice and manipulation.
4. Diplomat. This prince believes the pen is mightier than the sword, and will attempt to resolve things with negotiation and treaty before resorting to more base tactics.
5. Money Talks. This prince gets what they want by buying it.
6. Deus Vult. This prince's only concern is the will of the gods, the glorification of their own religion, and probably the destruction of everyone else's.