Divine Waltz DnD Setting

My homebrew D&D setting, campaign journal, worldbuilding notes, and other gaming material, shared for general use and entertainment

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Divine Waltz Races: Dragons

Dragons

Great and powerful magical beings, with a lineage stretching back to before recorded history. Their nature and society are mostly unknown to the general populace, but some sages and other well-learned individuals know things closer to the truth.

Biology

Dragons are innately magical, and should not be considered to be reptiles per se, despite clear similarities (scaled epidermis, egg reproduction, a tendency for basking, etc). Arguably, they are closer to felines, being warm-blooded, having felinoid eyes and leg structure, and their posture and movement are closer to that of cats than reptiles.

Most fascinatingly, the appearance and abilities of a dragon is closely tied to its temperament and moral outlook.

Reproduction And Life Cycle

Dragons lay eggs in clutches of one to ten, which hatch after a period of a year. These wyrmlings, originally called ghost dragons, due to sages and scholars not understanding the draconic life cycle, have transparent skin and scales, allowing for direct sight of their internal organs, muscles, and skeletal structure. Reportedly, the motions and contractions of the fire-breath organs are a fascinating sight to behold in the moments before the wyrmling breaths fire. Young dragons start to lose their transparent scales as they age, with them darkening and becoming muddy-brown by the age of twenty-five or so.

The next seventy-five years are a period of great transition and moral uncertainty for the juvenile dragons, as they grow up, explore morality and ethical codes, and mature as individuals. During this time, their scales will frequently change hue and their breath weapon will likewise change in type due to the moral uncertainty and direction of the individual, and patchy scales of different hues are common at this age.

At the end of this period, however, most dragons settle down into their adult form and adult temperaments, their scales shifting totally to the hue and color of their adult type, along with their breath weapon likewise matching to suit. However, it is not unknown for an adult dragon, having a crisis of faith for some reason, to change its outlook and thus type later in life.

Dragons continue to grow and gain in power as they age, eventually reaching the status of great wyrm by twelve hundred years old.

Discussions of draconic reproduction are further complicated by the fact that all dragons are capable of using an innate form of magic to assume humanoid shape, and many are fond of infiltrating humanoid societies in these forms, often making extended lives for themselves in these societies. This inevitably results in half-dragons being born.

While this innate magic resembles the Shapechange spell, it has a number of significant differences, chief among them being that the dragon actually has little control over the exact appearance of their humanoid form; they can choose which humanoid race they become, but their appearance in that humanoid form is determined more by their draconic features than their particular will. Gender, eye color, relative build, scars and skin tone will all either carry over or be heavily influenced by their draconic appearance, such as a bronze dragon having bronze hair and heavily tanned skin, or a red dragon having red hair. Dragons in humanoid form must actually resort to spells such as Disguise Self and the like to change their humanoid appearance.

~~~

Development Notes: The "Color Coded For Your Convenience!" trope does not mesh well with giving dragons any form of free will or agency; either the trope holds and they're just highly intelligent animals running on glorified instinct, or the trope breaks and they're not color coded.

Or you can do what my partner suggested during one of our brainstorming sessions, and make it such that they are color-coded... but the coding isn't something they're born with. I quite like the result.

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Divine Waltz Races: Pónosa

The Pónosa are an ethnic group native to the coastal city of Marsselha. Originating four and a half centuries ago during the conquests of the wizard warlord Vezohr, they are a created race, made through deliberate magical modifications and alterations that bred true. Their ancestors were half-elves, rounded up by Vezohr's legions and brought to Marsselha, which in Vezohr's burgeoning empire was a resort city for the relaxation and recreation of his top generals and functionaries. There they were changed into a common template--that of escorts, servants, and providers of intimate services. To be blunt, they were made into a race of masochistic submissives, sexual playthings for Vezohr's elites. When Vezohr was defeated and his empire fell, the Pónosa managed to rise up, slaughter the troops inside of their city, and achieve a degree of sovereignty, with some accounts indicating that Vezohr's defeat was made possible due to Pónosan spies and saboteurs aiding the efforts of the coalition against him.

Marsselha has been an independent city-state for most of the centuries since, although they have been conquered no less than three times, with each instance resulting in further trauma to the Pónosa and their society. At present, they are extremely xenophobic and isolationist (arguably for good reason), engaging only in limited trade and contact with outsiders.

Physically, the Pónosa are incredibly attractive, lithe humanoids who show the pointed ears and fine features of their half-elven roots, but with a range of shades and colorations indicative of human heritage. Not to put too fine a point on it, they were made to be sex objects and it shows in their features, even centuries and generations later; reportedly, according to those who have been intimate with them and are willing to share knowledge, their sexual abilities were augmented in line with their appearance, but precise details are sparse, which most reasonable-minded people feel is fair. That does not stop rumors and exaggerations, of course, which fuels interest from the less reasonable-minded.

Pónosan culture and law, as mentioned, is extremely xenophobic and isolationist, to the point that, instead of the death penalty, the punishment for criminals of that scale is exile. More than a few Pónosa have also been trafficked over the decades and centuries, either by slavers looking for vulnerable victims working outside of the walls, or in collaboration with the inevitable greedy individuals willing to sell out their own people for personal profit, or taken during the periods of conquest when the city has fallen to outsiders. As such, they are not unknown outside of Marsselha, but their positions outside of their home city are rarely positive for the individual in question.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice each increase by 1.

Age. Pónosa age faster than humans, reaching adulthood by 15 years of age. They also live much longer than humans, often exceeding 200 years.

Alignment. Pónosa are much more disciplined than their elven heritage would suggest, with a strong lawful bent; theories on why range from it being the result of Vezohr's modifications to cultural focus on self-control to the simple fact that Pónosa under occupation who could not control themselves died. Generally speaking, most Pónosa have the same spread of Good and Evil inclinations as their ancestors, with a culture that emphasizes community and mutual support.

Size. Pónosa are more or less the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. Thanks to your elven heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Fit Body. Pónosan bodies run hot; you require twice as much rations in order to avoid the effects of exhaustion.

Arcane Meddling. You have disadvantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Invigorating Pain. When you are below three quarters hit points, you receive advantage on Wisdom and Constitution saves (including concentration checks). When you are below half hit points, you gain advantage on Dexterity-based skills. When you are below one quarter hit points, you automatically heal one hit point per round so long as you are not incapacitated with zero hit points. You have advantage on Death Saving Throws.

Languages. You can read, speak, and write Common, Elven, and one language of your choice.

~~~

Development Notes: The Pónosa were an idea from "yeah, what fucked up shit will wizards with too much power and not enough wisdom come up with, and that future generations will have to deal with?" sort of worldbuilding. I think I succeeded nicely.

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Divine Waltz Locations: Cyhelean

Cyhelean 

The flying city of the sky-elves, Cyhelean is an unmistakable sight in the sky; a massive floating island with a forested city built on, under, and into it, surrounded by the herds of skywhales to which the sky-elves tend.  The city moves over time under its own power, using a mechanism that is a closely-held secret of the sky-elves, although theories abound, ranging from “directing the leaves of the trees to be like ship sails” to “harnessing the skywhales like draft animals” to more esoteric ideas put forward by crackpot academics, such as the “giant bag of air” theory.  The sole settlement of sky-elves, it is defended by its ability to fly, and the concerted efforts of its residents when attacks do come.  The city itself does allow visitors who can reach it, and will occasionally help evacuate refugees and wounded from warzones, but only sky-elves are allowed permanent residence.  

It is told in stories that the city originally came from the sky-world of Caelum, and that more sky-elves can be found there.

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Divine Waltz Deities: Maasis

The Golden Grain

Greater Deity

Symbol: A sheaf of wheat and a pair of scythes

Alignment: Neutral Good

Portfolio: Agriculture, fertility, hearth, home, family

Worshipers: Farmers, herders, heads of households

Home Plane: Elysium

The daughter of Aohr and Etharda, Maasis appears as a human (or humanoid of that race in the case of worshipers of other races) of indeterminate age, ranging from a young woman to an older mother, with the only consistent element being a hair braid with a stalk of wheat or other grain braided into it.  

Dogma

Without food, there is no life.  Without farms, there is no civilization.  For all of their magical accomplishments, for all of their great wonders, the world’s societies owe their existence to six inches of topsoil and the fact that it rains.  And that is Maasis’ territory.  As the daughter of the earth and sky, she feeds the people.  

Clergy and Temples

As one of the major humanoid deities, Maasis’ clerics come from every race that engages in agriculture; practical and pragmatic, they are typically fixtures of their communities.  Predominantly rural, they’re rarely seen in cities, but even there, they’re often found running gardens.  Many of them tend to the soil themselves, or help others in doing so.  Her temples are typically small, a shrine often found at the center of every farm, with a small offering of the harvest on the altar, but larger temples are common in larger agricultural regions.  

Public Ceremonies

The Spring Harvest

One of the major religious events of the calendar, the Spring Harvest--alternatively known as the Monsoon Harvest, the Wet Harvest, or other names depending on the local seasons--coincides with the end of winter and the harvest of the winter crops (or dry season crops, or fire season, or whatever the local environment offers).

The ceremony involves a week-long feast, with offerings given to the goddess at the local temples, although many regions will have pilgrims descend en masse on their largest local shrine in order to give their offerings. It is a time to socialize, reconnect with family, give thanks, and celebrate life.

The culmination of the ceremony involves the local high priest of Maasis formally beginning the next planting season by sowing crops in the local shrine's gardens.

Taboos and Strictures

The majority of Maasis' taboos and strictures involve practical agricultural directions and practices, such as not sowing two types of crops together in a single field, harnessing two distinct types of animals together for plowing, ripping up or cutting down vines and fruit trees, or using poison on pests, soil, or other people.

Initiation Rites and Ranks

First rank initiate: requires a period of study on agriculture, animal husbandry, farming methods, and other related topics, generally done in an apprenticeship model.

Upon completion, the formal initiation involves a test (typically practical) administered by the upper initiates. Upon passing the test and being ordained as a first rank initiate, the new initiate is taught the passphrases and signs of the cult. Such initiates are frequently done in groups/batches/classes, and are given a feast upon their formal initiation.

Once initiated, a first rank initiate of Maasis can call upon the hospitality of any other initiate of Maasis; while the other initiates are not required to risk their lives or livelihoods for the asking initiate, they are required to give food and shelter to their fellow for a period of up to a week. The guest-initiate is required to help with any chores or other duties during this time, especially as it pertains to farming.

Second rank initiate: the potential initiate must spend a full month in the wilds living entirely off of the land; they cannot partake of any farmed foods for the duration. For obvious reasons, most of the time this initiation rite takes place in summer.

Upon completion, the initiate becomes a formal cleric of Maasis, with full access to divine spellcasting. (And is also feted and feasted by their fellows after leaving the wilds).

Third rank initiate: While achieving the second rank of initiation involves showing their ability to survive without Maasis' gifts, the third rank of initiation requires reaching a degree of inner balance and harmony. The initiate spends a week in meditation and communion with the goddess at a shrine.

Upon completion of the rite, the initiate is anointed with sacred oils and dressed in new vestments, joining the higher ranks of the cult. Generally speaking, in order to be a leader of any of Maasis' larger shrines or holy sites, one must be an initiate of this rank.

~~~~

Development Notes: Daughter of the Sea and Earth? Check. Worshiped by everyone who wants to eat? Yeah, check. I almost forgot her entry because I'd already moved it to a separate page, due to her importance in the setting.

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Divine Waltz Deities: Ydall

Ydall

The Watcher In The Mists, The Unblinking Eye, The Truthspeaker

Intermediate Deity

Symbol: An open eye

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Portfolio: Foresight, Knowledge, Divination, Investigation, Honesty

Worshipers: Spies, Watchmen, Detectives, Truth-seekers, Prophets, Divination wizards

God of divination, prophecy, and truth, Ydall (Y’Dahl) is both respected and feared for his adherence to facts and honesty.  Appearing as a human male in his prime, he is called upon by those who seek the truth, regardless of why and for what.  

Dogma

Truth is the foundation of everything.  Perspective can change how one interprets things, and context can add understanding, but there is still a singular objective truth of what has passed before and what will happen in the future.  Such knowledge has power, and it is only by knowing the truth that we can make good decisions.  

Clergy and Temples

Ydall’s followers seek knowledge for themselves, and also power, but not for themselves. Their interest is to offer good advice and insight to those that hold it.  Knowledge and secrets are of sublime interest to them, and they seek such things just for the power of knowing.  Ydall’s temples are built in places that allow views of the surroundings--mountain peaks, open plains, crossroads, cliffs overlooking the sea... so long as one can see to the horizon, it is a place to commune with the god.  

~~~

Development Notes: Ydall was a hard concept to work through. As the patron of the Divination school, what would his focus be? Spying? Truth? Uncovering secrets? The future? Perception in general? I had quite the time tussling with the idea, but I'm pretty pleased with how he came out.

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Divine Waltz Deities: Virtus

The Demanding One, The Maestro, The Perfectionist Teacher, The Exacting Conductor, The First Speaker

Intermediate Deity

Symbol: A conductor’s baton crossed with a scroll

Alignment: True Neutral

Portfolio: Music, performance, writing, theater, prowess, discipline

Worshipers: Bards, scholars, musicians, performers, teachers, enchantment wizards

Home Plane: The Outlands

Virtus is the stern and exacting god of performers and teachers.  Appearing as an unassuming man of indeterminate age, he is always impeccably dressed in whatever is considered to be the typical academic or performer clothing for the region.  He has four daughters of divine stature, the goddesses Aiodiosa, Kleia, Temchora, and Grunda, and is the patron of the Enchantment school of arcane magics.  

Dogma

Virtus extolls and promotes excellence in one’s performance.  No excuses, no distractions.  The show must go on, after all, and the performance must be one’s best, Virtus teaches.  So his followers will practice, and drill, and train, until they have achieved excellence in their chosen performance.  

Clergy and Temples

Virtus has few formal temples, but nearly all theaters, orchestra halls, and other places of music and performance will have his emblem etched into the wall or floor.  He has few clerics, with most of them being bard/cleric multiclass, but those who do devote themselves to his worship as clergy typically dress in a manner similar to his--the typical clothing for their chosen profession, but dressed in an exacting manner, with Virtus’ symbol worn over the heart.

~~~

Development Notes: Virtus was one of the first deities conceived of for this setting, if not the first. I decided that I wanted to flip the usual scripts for stereotypes for bards and paladins in this setting, and making Virtus the strict perfectionist was the result. He was originally conceived of having eight daughters in parallel with the eight muses of classical Greece, but I couldn't come up with enough unique concepts to fill each of the outer eight alignments, so they were winnowed down to the four that I've already posted.

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Divine Waltz Deities: Temchora

The Dervish, Speaker of Truths, Spreader Of Knowledge, Lightfooted One

Lesser Deity

Symbol: An unrolled scroll standing atop a pair of shoes

Alignment: Neutral Good

Portfolio: News, Dance, Knowledge, Truth, Communication

Worshipers: Bards, dancers, couriers, gazetteers

Home Plane: Bytopia 

The goddess of dancers and journalists, Temchora (Tem-core-ah) appears as a slight young woman with brown hair, dressed in well-worn shoes that appear equally suited for dancing or walking on the road.  She is always in motion, dancing or at least stretching, even as she listens to what is around her, and repeats what she knows to those who need to learn the truth.  

Dogma

Words on the wind and feet on the floor both dance and twirl, and both must be free to move.  Shackled feet and suppressed truths are the greatest threats to goodness.  People must be free to dance, and to tell what they know.  

Clergy and Temples

Temchora’s clergy typically wear sturdy shoes with a great deal of wear to them, with Temchora’s symbol stamped on the tongues of the shoe.  Like the rest of her family she has few formal temples, but worshipers aplenty.  

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Divine Waltz Deities: Sumes

The Pillager, the Bandit, The Plunderer

Lesser Deity

Symbol: A burning house

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Portfolio: Chaos, Conquest, Envy, Killing, Slaughter, Strength, Greed

Worshipers: Bandits, pirates, soldiers, looters, outlaws

Home Plane: Pandemonium

The deity of looting and pillaging, Sumes is a brute; appearing vaguely human or at least humanoid, he is enormously built and scarred, with a savage, greedy smile on his face, and carries a notched ax in one hand and a whip in the other.  

Dogma

Sumes is a strong and cruel god for those who feel that strength is the sole virtue in life, and that others owe them everything because of their own strength.  The weak exist to feed the strong, one way or another, and if something was not strong enough to withstand their strength, it had no right to exist, whether that something be a farm, a city, or the peace of a realm.  Wanting something is all the justification for taking it, and the costs of their desire are none of their concern.  To the victor goes the spoils, and those who are not strong enough to resist deserve to have it taken from them.   

Clergy and Temples

The clergy of Sumes take after their god, as cruel and greedy people; some of them can be charismatic and well-spoken, but their unifying trait is the same greed as their god--that they want what other people have, and care not for the damage they inflict in taking what others have for their own needs.  More than a few city-lords follow Sumes, promising their populaces loot, and it is not unheard of for small cults of his to be found among the sorts of merchants who view destroying people’s livelihoods as the “cost of doing business”.  Ironically, the internal ranks of his church are strictly hierarchical, based on strength, with the weaker giving way to the stronger.  While Sumes does not care if his own followers kill each other, it needs to be done with either strength or cunning directly, and with no involvement of outsiders; selling out fellow worshipers to outsiders is the sole crime that might merit the direct attention of the god.  

His temples tend to either be large, ostentatious affairs, decorated with the stolen finery of others and built using forced labor, or, in places where his cult is officially frowned upon or outlawed, restricted to small hidden shrines secreted away in backrooms and secret chambers.  

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Divine Waltz Deities: Qurthos

The Mad One, The Impossible Number, That Who Cannot Be Comprehended

Lesser Deity

Symbol: An Infinity symbol  

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Portfolio: Madness, Mathematics, Knowledge

Worshipers: Mathematicians, lunatics

Home Plane: The Nine Hells

Qurthos manifests as a vaguely humanoid fractal hole in space, infinitely branching at its “skin”; darkness that seems to hint at higher dimensions lies within its form, which is the same regardless of the angle of the observer.  It is suspected by many scholars to be an Outsider that managed to gain entry to the Great Wheel and ascend as a deity.  

As the god of madness, one would think that Qurthos would be Chaotic, but it is not.  Indeed, it is rigidly Lawful, but in a way that is hard, if not impossible for most mortals to comprehend; ultimately, it is not cruel or sadistic so much as it is uncaring and solipsistic.  It is the deepest truths of the universe made manifest, the culmination of the mathematical underpinnings of reality.  It is as irrational as the circumference divided by the diameter of a circle, and just as hard to comprehend, but also just as structured in its form.  Likewise, madness also follows odd forms of rationality and structure--forms that are hard to comprehend and classify, but nonetheless are present.  

Dogma

2+2=4, but how do we know that it does?  What is the proof of this?  Can one construct a triangle of three right angles?  One can, but it takes a change of perspective in order to do so.  This is the realm in which Qurthos’ truth exists, and it can challenge or outright damage those minds who are not prepared to adapt or comprehend.  And the act of understanding these truths changes the person who understands.  

Clergy and Temples

Qurthos’ clergy are primarily organized in cells and mystery cults, typically in academic settings.  Interestingly, many healers focused on helping those with mental illnesses are among his worshipers, who turn his insights to the purpose of healing.  Its temples are usually secluded spots deep within libraries, filled with geometrical symbols carved onto walls.  The fact that, when non-members find these places, these temples look like the work of the mentally unstable does not help Qurthos’ reputation, and even its Good-aligned clergy typically remain extremely quiet about their divine patron.  

~~~

Development Notes: One of my absolute favorites, just for how it plays to and against expectations. The image of the deity of madness and mathematics being irrational, but lawful in the same way that the digits of pi are that way, the sort of mind-bending motifs one gets in mathematics... once I had the idea, I had to run with it, and this is the result. My favorite reactions from people who have seen this concept are "Wait, wait... Oh. Oh. This makes sense, and I hate that it makes sense, and I like it and arrrrghhh!"

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Divine Waltz Deities: Niedulla

The Quiet Dark, The Soft Peace, The End of All Things

Greater Deity

Symbol: An hourglass

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Portfolio: Death, disease, famine, mortality, necromancy, time

Worshipers: Undertakers, necromancers, gravediggers, the bereaved

Home Plane: Astral Plane

Neidulla (Knee-duel-lah) is the goddess of natural death, of things passing on in their time and making room for the next generation.  She is not malicious, and takes the charge of shepherding and guiding souls to the afterlife to be of great importance.  In the end, everyone is equal in death, and she is that end.  Appearing as a kindly woman of indeterminate age, she has a long and bitter mutual rivalry with Axias, the god of undeath.  The two of them both stand as patrons of the arcane school of necromancy, with her teaching necromancy spells related to death and passing, and him teaching spells related to undeath.  

Dogma

All things end.  It is only at the ending that one can judge the weight and impact of one’s life, of one’s course through existence.  And that ending will be given care and solace, in the hands of one who exults in the great souls, a joy in the accomplishments of those who are defined by their mortality, or a grief in those taken too soon.  What more can the harvest hope for, if not for the love and care of the reaper?

Clergy and Temples

Formal temples to Niedulla are rare, but there are often altars and votive spots in any graveyard, frequently tended by her flock.  It is said that a body laid to rest in sight of her altar is protected from being raised as an undead.  

~~~

Development Notes: One of the things I was doing when I first started designing the deities of this setting was that I didn't want a Singular God of Magic like is typical in most other DnD settings (Mystra in Forgotten Realms, for example); instead, I was going to split it up so that each school of magic had at least one patron. The idea of dueling patrons for the school of necromancy--one who is the lord of undead and evil necromancy, and one that is the patron of peaceful passings and good necromancy--came pretty much instantly once I had decided I wanted to do that, to the point that I think that they were the first ones conceived of in that framework. And if I'm going to make a relatively nice deity of death, I then had to include that Discworld quote, of course.

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Divine Waltz Deities: Niknas

The Changeling, the Metamorph, The Mutable One, The Maker

Intermediate Deity

Symbol: The letter Delta Δ

Alignment: Neutral

Portfolio: Transmutation, Transformation, Crafts, Creation, Trickery

Worshipers: Transmutation wizards, lycanthropes, craftsmen

Home Plane: Limbo

Niknas is the patron deity of the school of Transmutation, and is every bit as mercurial and transformative.  They regularly change form, appearance, personality, and other such traits, even as their identity remains consistent in the midst of change.  That alone is what keeps them from fully embracing Chaos and maintaining neutrality, as they control and direct their changes according to their will, rather than succumbing to discord and insanity.  Their home domain on the Plane of Limbo is one of the few (relative) islands of stability in that entire plane.  

Dogma

Existence is change.  Life is change.  A child is different from an infant, and they will be different than the adult they become.  Sand becomes glass.  Iron becomes a tool--and then can be melted down and reforged into a weapon, a sculpture, a nail... All of existence is a constant state of change from one state to the next, making and remaking one’s self into new forms.  

Clergy and Temples

Niknas’ clergy tend to be crafters of one type or another, people who take something and transmute it into something new.  Their temples and shrines are often found in or near smithies, glassworks, and other places of craftsmanship.  

~~~

Development Notes: I really liked this one, as the whole "The school of Transmutation tied to making things out of other things" motif works really well, and the whole thing also being tied to a mercurial being not being tied down in any aspect other than knowing who they are just feels like a great thematic structure.

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Divine Waltz Deities: Morena

The Kind Shadow

Lesser Deity

Symbol: A cat in an open window

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Portfolio: Agility, Luck, Gamblers, Rogues, Thieves, Wealth

Worshipers: Rogues, thieves, gamblers, tricksters

Home Plane: Arborea

Morena is a shapechanger, with the only consistent feature between her forms being a scar on her left flank.  Generally, she prefers either the appearance of a cat with a streak of white fur on the side, or a human woman.  She is the sworn enemy of Sumes, and the two regularly conflict, although not directly; Morena is the goddess of noble thieves, those who keep the wealthy humble, and who get their way with a wink and a honeyed word rather than brute strength.  

Dogma

The rich and powerful need to be humbled, need to be brought down to earth, to be reminded that, for all of their advantages, they are still mortal and their things are just that: things.  Which means that they can be stolen.  The rich need to remember that they are still people at the end of the day, no different than any other mortal, and that the wealth they hoard is best suited to be shared among the deserving.

Clergy and Temples

Morena’s clergy are few, and all are professional thieves who target the rich and powerful, but many commoners will lift a glass in her honor, especially when they’ve been given some of the largesse from their thefts.  Temples to her are few, and typically amount to little more than hidden shrines, filled with loot and cats.  

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Divine Waltz Deities: Luxheros

The Light of Love, The Delightful

Greater Deity

Symbol: A candle and flame 

Alignment: Neutral Good

Portfolio: Love, Sex, Light, Beauty, Birth, Fertility, Parenthood, Revelry, Passion, Fire, Life

Worshipers: Parents, Lovers, Sex Workers, most people engaged in romance or expecting a child

Home Plane: The Feywild

Luxheros is the vivacious and sybaritic deity of love, sex, flame, and reproduction.  Androgynous in appearance, they typically appear as a humanoid of incomparable beauty, with the main identifying feature being bright red hair rising up in a fashion reminiscent of a candle flame.  

Dogma

Life begets life.  Flame begets flame.  Sex is more than just two pieces of flesh coming together to exchange fluids.  No, it is the vehicle by which new souls are made.  A deed of a few minutes can and will have consequences that can echo down to the end of time.  

A new life comes into being, nurtured like how the chandler casts the wax and wick, and then lit, dancing precariously in the wind, the length of their life finite but a thing of beauty.  The candle can illuminate, push back the darkness, start a conflagration, melt into beautiful or unsettling patterns, light other candles...

And it can, and eventually will go out.  

But in the time it burns, it is a thing of beauty, a sensual glow of warmth and light.  

Clergy and Temples

Luxheros is a deity that the vast majority of people pray to at one time in their lives or another.  Help in romance, safety in childbirth, gratitude for a night of passion, and more are their purview, and these are the things that many give thanks to them for.  Their temples feature sacred flames and votive offerings, with ranks of candles marking the altars, and their clergy are distinguished by robes in the color of flame.  Many members of their clergy engage in sex work, and just as many sex workers have a small altar to the deity in their place of work.

Structurally, their cult is a public one, with multiple sub-classifications and directions of initiates, who can serve as sacred prostitutes, midwives, chandlers, advisors, healers, and more.

~~~

Development Notes: This deity is one that I'm particularly proud of, as a way to really set the tone that this setting is not just "Medieval Europe but weirdly polytheist"; a non-binary sex, love, and fire deity whose worship is not seen as shameful, something to stay closeted, or otherwise the subject of prudishness. As noted in the "Clergy and Temples" section, everyone who wants to get married, be a parent, or just have a fulfilling sex life will offer a prayer and votives to the deity. They're a "major life events" deity, not a "I devote myself to this deity for all of my life to the exclusion of all others" deity as is the normal assumption in most DnD-type settings, and by tying them specifically to those major life events, it helps get that across. Add in the combined yonic and phallic imagery of the burning candle as their emblem, and it's something that I feel I did a good job on.

[dnd-divine-waltz]

Divine Waltz Deities: Kleia

The Silver Wordsmith, The Teller of Stories

Lesser Deity

Symbol: An open book with a quill on the pages

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Portfolio: Literature, poetry, drama, inspiration

Worshipers: Librarians, writers, historians, playwrights, bards, academics

Home Plane: Arborea

The patron goddess of literature and poetry, Kleia shares her father Virtus’ drive and passion for excellence, but her focus is that of the written word rather than public performance.  Whether it be a history of the kingdom or a bawdy collection of pilgrims’ tales, the importance is that the poem or prose be all that it can be.  Alone of her family, Kleia is known for taking mortal lovers on a regular basis, during which time she gives them inspiration and drive in completing their works.  

Dogma

Performances fade, plays require players, and songs echo into oblivion.  But the written word is eternal.  The written word allows the writer to communicate across continents and centuries, whispering directly into the mind of someone they have never met, and sharing ideas.  Books are souls made refined and manifest.

Clergy and Temples

Kleia’s clerics are often librarians and academics, but there are a fair share of adventurers among her worshipers, looking to gain inspiration for their works.  Many libraries have a small shrine to her in some corner at a minimum.

[dnd-divine-waltz]

Divine Waltz Deities: Hyzotl

The Stern One, The Judge of the Field

Lesser Deity

Symbol: A mace and pair of scales emblazoned on a tower

Alignment: Lawful Good

Portfolio: Chivalry, Honor, Justice, Nobility, Valor

Worshipers: Knights, nobility, paladins, soldiers, judges

Home Plane: Mount Celestia

Hyzotl (High-zoo-tall) is the stern and strict god of nobility, justice, and the laws of war.  Appearing as a tall and regal human with a patrician profile dressed in fine armor and a rich tabard, he demands a strict code of conduct from his followers, one of chivalry and noblesse oblige.  Seen as a battlefield god by many, he technically isn’t, in the sense that battle is not part of his portfolio per se, but the actions of those upon the field and how honorable and just those actions are is within his purview.  

Dogma

Those who are called to lead are those of whom the most is expected, in word, deed, and thought.  The only way to show that one is worthy of the trust invested in a high position is to live up to the demands of it, and all of those who depend on that person for leadership.  It is law, and goodness, and showing that one has ideals and integrity that make someone a leader.  

Clergy and Temples

Hyzotl’s clergy dress in purple and blue robes or capes, with his symbol worn visibly on the chest, often as a clasp.  Just as stern and strict as their god, they frequently act as advisors to nobility, royalty, and other leaders, and just as frequently act to minister to the needs of the poor, sick, and less fortunate.  Not that they expect great acts of leadership from the nobility--although they’re occasionally surprised--but because it is the Right Thing To Do, and they adhere to such things.  Temples to Hyzotl are often much more humble than many expect, with the priests having diverted some of the more ostentatious funding towards charitable projects... at least most of the time.  A significant fraction of temples are outfitted appropriately for interacting with high nobility, knowing that they will be judged just as they do the judging.  

Hyzotl's cult has six levels of initiation, with lower-level initiates serving senior members, and senior members guiding and directing the lower-ranked members. All members of at least the second rank of initiation are spellcasters, either as Paladins or Clerics.

Compared to Eidolion's followers, Hyzotl's are publicly stereotyped as out-of-touch courtiers of supreme skill; while Eidolion's paladins are stereotyped as Good men and women who are inveterate heroes to a fault, unsubtle, not the brightest, and suckers for a pretty face, Eidolion's sworn followers are seen as the Lawful, stern, and unsmiling advisor at the side of the throne room, adept in intrigue, politics, and martial skill. (Possibly as a spillover from Eidolion's people, however, Hyzotl's paladins also have a reputation for being able to sweet-talk nobles out of their secrets... and clothes).

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Development Notes: This is the other Paladin god in my setting, who takes up some of the slack of the usual paladin stereotypes, but with my own spin on them. This deity's followers are basically the self-appointed "Keeps the people on top honest" cops, which, when you consider the sorts of palace intrigue that would go on in a DnD setting, is basically walking into the figurative lion's den because it's the Right Thing To Do. You can just imagine how your stereotypical corrupt noble would feel about seeing one of these paladins show up in court.

[dnd-divine-waltz]

Divine Waltz Deities: Grunda

Protector of Decency, Guardian of Morality, Voice Of Authority

Lesser Deity

Symbol: A book bound closed

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Portfolio: Secrets, censorship, tyranny, demagoguery 

Worshipers: Censors, moralists, propagandists, tyrants

Home Plane: Carceri

The black sheep of Virtus’ family, Grunda is no less passionate about her calling and portfolio than the rest of her sisters and father.  The issue that causes the rift between them is that she is the goddess of censorship and propaganda--the muzzling of honest voices of creativity and truth, and replacing those voices with placating lies or silence.  Appearing as a stern young woman dressed in a uniform that always appears to be appropriate for a government official of the region, Grunda always has an air of authority around her, and a dislike for anything that goes against conventional wisdom and common knowledge.  

Dogma

Grunda coddles and quiets; they are not mature enough, they are not wise enough, they are not knowledgeable enough, they should not face such things before they are ready, they should not know such things, for their own good.  As for who they are... there is always a they.

Clergy and Temples

Grunda’s clergy have a moderately strict hierarchy, and will often collaborate, although they are rarely public as such.  Operating from behind the scenes, typically in some mid-level government position, they function as a secret society with a cell structure.  Their temples are likewise often hidden, with the sole common factors between them being a brazier into which forbidden knowledge and books are offered, and shelves of pristine tomes which have not been censored line the walls like trophies.  

[dnd-divine-waltz]

Divine Waltz Deities: Fygaduli

The Elemental One, The One of Balance

Greater Deity

Symbol: A circle showing the four elements in balance 

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Portfolio: Balance, Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Endurance

Worshipers: Monks, Evocation Wizards, many commoners

Home Plane: Arcadia

As the embodiment of primal elements, Fygaduli (phi-gai-duel-lee) stands alongside Aohr and Etharda in terms of power and responsibility, as well as having a degree of overlap in terms of portfolio.  The distinction between him and them is that they stand over the natural forces in their raw, untempered forms--the sky and storms, the earth untrammeled--while he is that of the elements in balance, expressed for one purpose or another, and then brought into control by the will of a being.  Commonly appearing as a human of indeterminate race and gender, Fygaduli’s most distinctive element of his appearance is his clothing, which typically flow like water, ripple like air, sway like fire, and yet are as unwrinkled as stone.  As the patron of the Evocation school of magic, many think of him as a war god, but he is not, and his followers will be quick to correct that misconception.  

Dogma

Life, sentience and self-awareness exist in the organized balance of the elements, able to adapt and change.  Fire in the hearthstones, the wind outside the walls, the river in the canal, the flame in the forge... it is the epitome of mind to be able to take the elements and harness them for their own purposes, doing so with control and intent.  And it is that control over the elements that Fygaduli emphasizes.  

Clergy and Temples

Fygaduli’s clergy are often monks and other disciplined people, focused on using the natural elements with control and discipline; they are typically dressed in their four-toned vestments, evoking their god’s own elemental raiment.  His cult has semi-public ceremonies, with public fests for the populace at large, and private ceremonies solely for initiates. There are ten levels of initiation within his cult, with initiation ceremonies reportedly focused around each element.

His temples are found in many cities and monasteries, a four-quartered building divided into the realms of each element, with the center being in balance for the purposes of meditation and centering.