Specialty Priests for Non-Human Gods, Part III: Draconic Deities

December 4, 2010

Let’s start with the Draconic deities. I’d model any specialty priests after the entry for Null in Cult of the Dragon, who is actually a combined aspect of both Chronepsis and Faluzure. Since Null has Specialty Priests, I’d imagine most of the other draconic gods have them, too. They’d also make sense for a Council of Wyrms setting.

Io – Io doesn’t seem to be very active with his children, but he does have an interest in them. Priests would probably be pretty rare, although I imagine they would exist. Perhaps something similar to priests of Annam with the giants.

Aasterinian – I see no reason Aasterinian would not have specialty priests amongst dragons. She’d be popular amongst brass and mercury dragons.

Bahamut – As with Aasterinian, I think Bahamut would definitely have Draconic Specialty Priests. He would probably also have a separate priesthood amongst humans and demihumans, just as Tiamat does.

Chronepsis & Faluzure – In their Null aspect in the Forgotten Realms, they have Draconic Specialty Priests. I would see what necessary modifications would need to be made to split the priesthoods to fit in campaign settings other than the Forgotten Realms.

Tiamat – Tiamat already has a priesthood amongst humans and demihumans, so it seems appropriate to create one for her Draconic followers. Tiamat and Bahamut should sort of have mirrored priesthoods.


Specialty Priests for Non-Human Gods, Part II

December 4, 2010

For reference, here are the gods that just have shamans:
Kuraulyek (Kobold/Urd)
Gorellik (Gnoll)
Surminare (Selkie)
Laogzed (Troglodyte)
Ramenos (Bullywug)
Semuanya (Lizard Man)
Sess’Innek (Lizard Man)
Squerrik (Lycanthrope/Wererat)

And here are the gods who have no listed priesthoods:
Skiggaret (Bugbear)
Stalker (Goblinoid)
Zinzerina (Drow)
Diirinka (Derro)
Diinkarazan (Derro)
Ilsensine (Illithid)
Gzemnid (Beholder)
Diancastra (Giant)
Baphomet (Minotaur)
Kostchtchie (Frost Giant)
Jazirian (Couatl)
Koriel (Ki-rin)
Remnis (Giant Eagle)
Water Lion (Unknown)
Stillsong (Unknown)
Parrafaire (Naga)
Shekinester (Naga)
Io (Dragon)
Aasterinian (Dragon)
Bahamut (Dragon)
Chronepsis (Dragon)
Faluzure (Dragon)
Tiamat (Dragon)
Cegilune (Hag)
Kanchelsis (Vampire)
Mellifleur (Lich)
Balador (Lycanthrope/Werebear)
Ferrix (Lycanthrope/Weretiger)
Daragor (Lycanthrope/Werewolf)
Eshebala (Lycanthrope/Werefox)
Titania (Faerie)
Oberon (Faerie)
Caoimhin (Killmoulis)
Damh (Satyr/Korred)
Eachthighern (Unicorn/Pegasus)
Emmantiensien (Treant)
Fionnghuala (Swanmay)
Nathair Sgiathach (Faerie Dragon)
Squelaiche (Leprechaun)
Verenestra (Dryad)
Queen of Air and Darkness (Faerie)


Specialty Priests for Non-Human Gods, Part I

December 2, 2010

Recently I’ve thinking about expanding the priesthoods listed in Monster Mythology with full listings in the style of Faiths & Avatars. However, quite a few do not list statistics for priests at all, or only list Shamans. Personally, I think it makes sense to create priesthoods for them, but I want to discuss it and see what everyone else thinks.

For example, almost no sylvan gods have priesthoods besides Skerrit. Some faerie creatures can become specialty priests of some of the Elven gods in Demihuman Deities, so I don’t see why they should be barred from becoming priests of their own gods. In particular, the Queen of Air and Darkness has the potential to generate some great priest-villains, since she’s one of the few prototypical elven/faerie deities who is evil (discounting Drow gods).

In a similar vein, the gods who only have shamans seems somewhat arbitrary in some respects. For example, Gorellik does not have specialty priests, and yet Yeenoghu does. That means Gnolls are clearly capable of being organized enough to have a priesthood, so why would Gorellik not have specialty priests?

Part of the impetus for this project is because I find specialty priests really fascinating. In addition, in the Forgotten Realms for example, Specialty Priests are an important part of the clergies of the human and demihuman gods’ power base. Seems reasonable the non-human gods would want to encourage specialty priests amongst their own people.


Launching the blog!

December 2, 2010

The first posts I’ll be making on this blog will be reposts from threads on The Piazza, so there is a single source of information for these subjects.  Feel free to ask questions and leave your thoughts!