Small Gods: Where to Start?

I’ve put a lot of time into making pantheons. The process is straightforward but a full pantheon is time-consuming.

Small gods should be easy enough to create at need. Their limited power and expected scope means I want them to be easy to write.

Normally I’d expect to have a specific niche to fill. Since I don’t yet, I’m going to trigger one of my imagination helpers (Tome of Adventure Design). Let’s get a list of names and epithets, and work up.

In no particular order, I see and have picked…

  1. Zyr-Atoli, Dreamer of the Forgotten
  2. Dhameph, Serpent of Mercy
  3. Gilatem, Singer of Souls
  4. Hephtyaak, Echo of the Abyss
  5. Hephta, Watcher of the Full Moon
  6. Kirh’uotara, Weaver of Wrath
  7. Tholzza, Herald of Mercy
  8. Ra-eesh Barza, Child of Thieves [Thief of Children?]
  9. Tsza, Caller of the Midnight Dar
  10. Quareus, Worm of the Seasons
  11. Zia-Pheth Mitratep, Sister of Destiny
  12. Soth, Watcher in the High Tower
  13. Quarashaoteph, Sword of the Ancient Ones
  14. Ishteph, Angel of Bells
  15. Tamol, Rider of Souls
  16. Herakakles Herdaya, Wind of Souls
  17. Aunros, Hawk of the Titans
  18. Shala-Phetha-Pheth, Saint of Nightmares
  19. Samdaya, Arbitrator of the Seasons
  20. Da-Gauillir, Keeper who Weeps
  21. Buh-Tor-Ichola, Servitor of Summer
  22. Phask, Slayer of Sorrow
  23. Iqu’Ator, Wind of Destiny
  24. Gila-at Mda, Fire of the Forgotten
  25. Kabil, Prince of the Full Moon

I picked most of these based on their epithets. They either inspired an image immediately, or intrigue me and I’m interested in finding out what they mean. Either way, I expect to be able to work with them.

One observation, though: given two 50-row tables of epithet components I see a lot of common strings. Much as I dislike really long tables, I’m going to need more epithet components. I feel it would be best to have a several tables of thematically-related epithet components.

Next step will be to pick one and flesh it out. That’s tomorrow’s task.

The next question, though… which one do I start with?

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