The Gods' myths sometimes include horrific or immoral aspects. That doesn't mean we should behave as if those myths dont exist!
(A Pagan perspective)
(tw: sa, misogyny)
When we are faced with myths that no longer fit in modern moral views (such as so much SA in Greek mythology alone there's a whole Wikipedia page on it) we should not shy away! Even if we don't like or approve of it, it's a part of the Gods' history and mythos.
All mythology is written by humans, and as such is unavoidably a product of its time. The way that anyone (including modern pagans) interprets the Gods as entities, or any interaction with them, is limited within our own culture, time period, and personal beliefs. By examining both the beliefs of the present and the past, we can decide for ourselves how we see the Gods while considering the context their myths were written in.
Even within one time period or similar group of people, such as modern pagans today, interpretations of the Gods can vary widely.
Zues is a cheating rapist. He is also a powerful god of the skies, lightning, and order.
Lucifer is literally the devil. An evil liar full of sins. And yet he is enlightening, independent, and honest.
Freyja is constantly associated (some say reduced) to sex. She uses her body for her gain, and is quite canonically called a slut. At the same time, she's the goddess of women! Of female power, both in mental skill and physical strength. She leads the Valkyries.
Loki is dark and deceptive, bringer of Ragnarok-- and he's a deity of change and freedom.
And neither is wrong. In mythology, both are true.
The Gods, all their aspects, and all the texts we have of them are complicated, complex, multifaceted, and interpretive- of course, there will be various understandings within pagan practices. No one view is superior to the other. Our understandings all exist on a scale, or rather some sort of mashup, of how important and what importance we attribute to various myths and aspects of deities.
When I worshipped Hera, I did so in two 'versions'. 1. Hera as resistance against men and abuse. I found solace and connection with her in powerful womanhood and female rage. I prayed to her before attending a pro-choice rally. And 2. Hera as a symbol of deep love, power, and marriage, and commitment. I lit her candle when my partner was over or when I needed a confidence boost.
These aspects never felt conflicting to me. Separate, maybe (I certainly wasn't thinking of any cheating or abuse in mythology as overlapping with the love and commitment)- but just part of one THING. Of Hera and everything surrounding her.
To many other deities of various 'immoral' aspects, these conflicting elements aren't just both present but often integral to their presence and worship.
Lucifer is often worshipped in rebellion. In healing from oppressive Christianity and finding light and understanding in that darkness.
Freyja is sexual! One of her many aspects. (which by the way, should not be seen as immoral. looking at yall, bs tumblr feminists) There is pleasure, joy, and power to be found in reclaiming that part of women we are told is shameful.
Loki is so much at once. He is outcast and destructive, and within that he spurs necessary change and chaos. So many pagans look to her as a symbol of queerness in the broadest sense and in facing the necessary chaos of growth.
TLDR: Don't just ignore aspects of mythology that feel uncomfortable (obviously unless something like trauma is involved). There is a lot to learn both from understanding the time and context their myths were written in as well as self-reflection on how certain myths or aspects of deities fit (or don't fit) within your practice.
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Note: the most important offering isn't large and rooted in reason and connection. It's one that makes you happy and you're personally connected to. So go dance. Go write poetry. Go volunteer. Actions speak over material objects.
So you've chosen a Warlock subclass. Just who is your patron, though? There are so many entities to chose from in the D&D universe, but I have gathered some of my favorites here. Not sure exactly how many of them are canon to which setting but I tried to stick to the Forgotten Realms.
image credit: Walter Brocca
Great Old Ones
Aberrant Deities: As found in the Lords of Madness 3.5e supplement.
Ghaunadaur: That Which Lurks; the Elder Eye. Chaotic-evil god of oozes and nameless things in the dark.
The Great Mother: Deity of the beholders that seeks to remake the world in her image by filling the universe with her progeny. She is either insane or possesses limitless intelligence. It is difficult for mortals to decide which.
Ilsensine: Illithid deity with the form of a giant green brain with ganglia spanning the planes and gathering infinite knowledge. It’s divine mission is the enslavement of all creatures.
Mak Thuum Ngatha: The Nine-Tongued Worm. Deity of wormlike aberrations. Obsessed with the Material Plane for unknown reasons. Mak Thuum Ngatha embodies the opening of infinite knowledge, the destruction of barriers, and the spanning of space, time, and the planes.
The Patient One: Deity of aboleths, chuuls, cloakers, and avolakias. It whispers secrets in the darkness and devours the flesh its worshipers offer it.
Tharizdun: A deity of entropy, darkness, decay, and evil that seeks the unraveling of the universe. He was imprisoned long ago by the collective power of all the human deities. He is worshiped by creatures that believe there will be a place for them when he remakes the universe (IF he remakes it after destroying it).
Stars: Cosmic entities corrupted by the Far Realm as revealed in the Revelations of Melech (and Dragon Magazine). Some invocations in the Warlock Unearthed Arcana are named after these.
Acamar: A corpse star whose motions and size send objects spiraling toward their doom.
Calphon: A Purple star that is often a guiding star on the horizon that sometimes betrays those who rely upon it
Delban: An ice-white star visible during winter.
Gibbeth: A green star that causes madness.
Hadar: the extinguished cinder of a star lurking in a nebula of Ihbar.
Ihbar: A dark nebula expanding and eating the light of neighboring stars.
Khirad: A blue star whose radiance reveals secrets and gruesome insights.
Nihal: A red star that writhes around its portion in the heavens at great speeds.
Ulban: A blue-white light disrupts cognition and numbs your perception to danger.
Zhudun: A corpse star that once shined its baleful light over Cendriane in the Feywild.
Slaadi Lords: The Lords of the Slaad and purveyors of Limbo.
Chourst: Lord of Randomness. A white slaad that cares for nothing other than indulging whatever random whims come into his head.
Rennbuu: Lord of Colors. His skin constantly changes color and he has a grizzled mane of white hair. He is flamboyant and wears colorful costumes. He is at times a passionate artist and at other times a capricious prankster. He has the ability to change colors of anything.
Ssendam: Lord of Madness. The most powerful slaad. A giant golden amoeba with a humanoid brain nucleus. She constantly contacts mortals to drive them insane.
Ygorl: Lord of Entropy. Lord of Limbo. A charred slaad skeleton riding a chaotic-neutral brass dragon and wielding a scythe. He demands for slaads to invade other realms and incubate as many slaad spawn in creatures as possible to spread chaos.
image source: Out of the Abyss D&D 5e module
Fiends
Demons: There are many more demons in the Abyss, it being infinite and all. Here are the ones from the Fiendish Folio I, listing all the known demon rulers and their demesne.
Devils: There are more than just the nine lord of the hells to choose for your warlock patron. Besides these, here is a link listing all the named devils in D&D
Bel: The pit fiend usurper of Zariel, who has since been demoted to Zariel's adviser. While Zariel was subjugated, he ate pieces of Zariel’s flesh to increase his power beyond a regular pit fiend.
Tiamat: Surprisingly a fiend and not a dragon despite having five dragon heads.
Martinet: The pit fiend constable of Asmodeus and diplomat that quells wars between the archdevils.
Lilis: Consort of Dispater and head of a vast spy network in the nine hells and the material plane.
Bensozia: Consort of Asmodeus slain by Levistus.
The Hag Countess: The now-dead hag from Hades that tried to ascend to godhood but instead cause her body to expand infinitely and explode.
Moloch: Baalzebul’s viceroy that once helped rule the sixth layer; a monstrous form that hides a genius intellect.
Baftis: One of Baalzebul’s two consorts, a spineless and secretive being.
Lilith: The other of Baalzebul’s two consorts, an ambitious and scheming devil whose power the lord of flies must often reign in before it overwhelms him.
Baalphegor: Consort of Mephistopheles and decorated diplomat, tactician, sorceress, and inventor of artifacts.
Gorgoth/Gorgauth: The tenth archdevil cast out from Baator for Asmodeus for being too duplicitous for devilkind. His power lies in betrayal and twisting of contracts.
Zariel: Winged serpent fallen angel that has reclaimed rulership of the first layer of Baator.
Dispater: Paranoid and reclusive Lord of the Second and a ruler the iron city of Dis.
Mammon: Serpentine archdevil of greed mutated by Asmodeus. Lord of the Third.
Belial and Fierna: Incestuous father-daughter joint rulers of the fourth layer, although Fierna has recently become involved with Glasya and seeks to completely rule the layer.
Levistus: The Lord of the Fifth, eternally imprisoned in an icy tomb for the murder of Asmodeus' wife.
Glasya: Asmodeus' daughter, queen of the Erinyes, and Lord of the Sixth after the Hag Countess... exploded.
Baalzebul: A fallen archon originally named Triel that rules the seventh layer of Baator. The lord of flies and lies. An obsessive perfectionist.
Mephistopheles: The insane ruler of the frozen eighth layer of Baator and lord of hellfire. He openly seeks to overthrow Asmodeus.
Asmodeus: Mysterious Lord of the Ninth and King of Hell. Lord of sin itself. The only devil to maintain their position of power after the Reckoning of Hell. A cunning tactician whose machinations sometimes take millennia to unfold.
Yugoloth Lords: The mercenaries of the fiendish planes that find their home on Gehenna (in the Tower of Incarnate Pain) and the Gray Wastes (in Khin-Oin, the Wasting Tower)
Anthraxus: The Oinoloth and seat of the Siege Malicious.
Bubonix: Master of the Tower of Incarnate Pain
Charon: Ferryman of the River of Blood
Inthracis: Ultraloth necromancer and master of Corpsehaven
Malkizid: A fallen solar and exiled archdevil
Mydianchlarus: Briefly the Oinoloth who unseated Anthraxus by whispering a single secret.
Taba: The greatest spy of the fiendish planes that can appear like any fiend. She uses her powers primarily to acquire wealth.
Typhus: A hunchbacked mezzoloth that commands an army called the Infernal Front.
Xengahra: An outcast yugoloth and the personification of hopelessness that resembles a dark angel.
image credit: Brom
Archfey
Many of the powerful fey have been confused or changed from edition to edition with even some Dragon Magazine retcons, but I tried to piece together what I could here.
The Archfey: Fey beings that gained great power and established a position of preeminence among fey-kind.
Relkath of the Infinite Branches: An unpredictable treant archfey. Forests sprout wherever he touches the ground.
Lurue the Unicorn Queen: Archfey of intelligent beasts that teaches life is meant to be lived with adventure and laughter.
Verenestra the Oak Princess: Archfey of beauty and vanity. She is loyal to the Seelie Court and their realms despite her fleeting nature, but often kidnaps mortal men as consorts.
Sarula Iliene the Nixie Queen: Archfey of nixies, lakes, streams, and water. She often will ask her worshipers to protect bodies of water.
Auril the Frost Sprite Queen: A fickle, vain, and evil Archfey associated with cold, winter, and frost.
Neifon, Lord of Bats: Archfey with complete command of bats. Could also summon restraining vines.
Courts of the Feywild: Different kingdoms of the Feywild ruled by different archfey as described in 4e D&D and 5e D&D
The Court of Coral: Home of the aquatic and island-dwelling fey. Elias and Siobhan Alastai are the Sea Twins that rule this court. Elias is the lord of rivers while Siobhan is the princess of the seas.
Gloaming Court: Land of dreams and twilight. The Maiden of the Moon rules here, a hunter and bane of lycanthropes. Her realm's light shines in silver on the material plane.
Green Court: A place of primal plantlife. Ruled by Oran, the Green Lord.
Summer Court: Ruled by a being known as Tiandra, the Seelie fey queen. With a smile she can ripen crops, and with a frown summons wildfires
Winter Court: Ruled by the Prince of Frost, who hates the Summer Court after believing that they caused the death of his consort.
Fey Gods: These fey come from the older editions of D&D (3.5e and earlier) but are described as deities rather than archfey.
Caoimhin: faerie deity of food and shy friendship
Damh: fey deity of dance, song, and celebration
Eachthighern: Unicorn deity of healing, loyalty, and protection.
Emmantiensien: God of treants, trees, and deep hidden magic.
Fionnghuala: Deity of swanmays, communication, and sorority.
Nathair Sgiathach: Deity of mischief and pranks and faerie dragons.
Oberon: deity of nature, wild places, and animals.
Queen of Air and Darkness: Unseelie fey queen of illusions, darkness, and murder. She is always invisible but can be seen with magical means. Sister of Titania.
Skerrit: Deity of centaurs.
Squelaiche: Leprechaun deity of trickery and illusions.
Titania: Deity of the Seelie fey and mother of Damh and Verenestra. A beautiful blue-eyed faerie with gossamer wings. She is directly opposed to the Queen of Air and Darkness, her sister.
Verenestra: Deity of charm and beauty, and of nymphs and dryads.
Other Fey:
Baba Yaga: Mother of witches.
Brian Collins: King of the Leprechauns in the Gloaming Court
The Carrion King: King of dark fungi in the Feydark
The Erlking: Master of the hunt in the Green Court and enemy of Malar.
Malar: Master of the savage hunt in the Green Court and enemy of Erlking
Oneiros: Lord of dreams.
Selephra: The bramble queen and mistress of spite
Thrumbolg: Lord of the fomorians in the Feydark.
image credit: Allen Williams
The Celestial
This subclass was the Undying Light in the Unearthed Arcana playtest material, but seems to be replaced by the Celestial in Xanathar's Guide.
The Court of Stars: The noble eladrins that rule the Olympian Glades of Arborea. In some cosmologies the Court of Stars is a part of the Feywild, rather than Arborea, so these could feasibly count as Archfey patrons as well.
Morwel, Queen of Stars: A blindingly beautiful eladrin woman resembling an elf. She discusses important issues with her advisers and her consorts.
Faerinaal, the Queen’s Consort: Protector of the Court of Stars and especially eladrins endangered by fiends. He can cause creatures to enter a dream-filled coma.
Gwynharwyf, the Whirling Fury: Patron of barbarians and other chaotic-good champions who wields twin swords and can become a whirlwind of glittering sand.
The Companions of Elysium: A group of friends comprised of the most powerful of the guardinals to protect and rule Elysium
Prince Talisid, the Celestial Lion: Leader of the Five Companions of Elysium and the most powerful leonal. He is a humble protector of the people.
Sathia, the Sky Duchess: An avoral and the muse of painters and sculptors.
Manath, the Horned Duke: A cervidal and a creature of wit and fun.
Vhara, Duchess of the Fields: An equinal of generosity and emotion that adores flowers.
Kharash, the Stalker: A lupinal that is a master of the hunt.
Bharrai, the Great Bear: An ursinal that reveres nature and teaches magic.
Celestial Hebdomad: The androgynous rulers of Celestia, mortal martyrs that sacrificed themselves for all that is good in the universe and became protectors of the Mounting Heavens of Celestia.
Barachiel, the Messenger: Herald of Celestia and leader of the trumpet archons
Domiel, the Mercy-Bringer: Protector of the tombs of martyrs and saints. leader of the sword archons.
Erathaol, the Seer: The patron of prophets and seers. Foretells planar events before they unfold and watches over children destined for greatness.
Pistis Sophia, the Ascetic: Patron of monks and ascetics. They have cast off material possessions and show no negative emotions.
Raziel, the Crusader: The Firestar. Defender of the defenseless and destroyer of tyranny.
Sealtiel, the Defender: The military leader of heaven and patron of the warden archons.
Zaphkiel, the Watcher: Ruler of Chronias and the perfect good. Only the Hebdomad have seen Zaphkiel as those with even a shred of evil in them would be consumed in their presence.
image credit: Greg Rutkowski
Hexblade
These are the powerful weapons I could find that seem to be canon in the Forgotten Realms setting, according to the Wiki. Many aren't sentient, but that doesn't mean they can't grant power to a warlock.
Blackrazor: A greatsword hidden in White Plume Mountain. (DMG)
Moonblade: An ancient elven longsword. (DMG)
Whelm: A hammer hidden in White Plume Mountain. (DMG)
Wave: A trident hidden in White Plume Mountain. (DMG)
Cudgel of St. Cuthbert: A simple wooden club of the deity which instills bravery and smites undead.
Sword of Kas: Owned by the vampire general that slew Vecna. It thrives on blood and seeks the destruction of Vecna's cult.
Fork of Mephistopheles: A trident that grants powers over fire.
Ruby Rod of Asmodeus: Acts as a greatclub but bestows magical might.
Wand of Orcus: Usable as a mace. Grants powers over undead.
Moloch's Whip: A six-tailed lightning whip owned by the ex-viceroy of Baalzebul.
Staff of Fraz-Urb'luu: The prince of deception's weapon that grants full power over his realm.
Kingscar: A Human Bane greatsword of the ogre mage Sothillis.
Dragonstooth: longsword containing the spirit of a red dragon dracolich Greshrukk, the Red Eye.
Mountain Crusher: A longbow of Tavis Burdun, a legendary firbolg.
Ary'Faern'Kerym Elfblade: The "Artblade" that determines whether its wielder is worthy of leading the Cormanthyr army's arcane branch.
Flail of Ages: Forged by rakshasas, each head deals a different damage type (acid, fire, or cold)
Fatal Touch: A bastard sword wielded by a good god of death.
Drowning Death: A trident wielded by a storm deity that dealt cold and thunder damage.
Dawnspeaker: A heavy mace wielded by the goddess of the dawn.
Dagger of Chaos: A dagger that could transform its wielder into anything at random.
Crackletongue: A saber wielded by Zaranda Star that crackled with blue flame to smite evil.
Cold Heart: An acidic dagger wielded by a drow goddess of undeath.
The Ravager: A halberd wielded by a prince of Elemental Fire.
Carsomyr: A powerful Holy Avenger and bane of chaotic-evil creatures.
Undead: Liches, Vampires, Mummy Lords, Death Knights
Vestiges: From the Tome of Magic 3.5e supplement but they are just too great NOT to use. They are creatures who were so powerful their very existence and memory persists as a Vestige, a power untouchable by even gods. And they are specifically meant to make pacts with. I just have their names here because there are far too many to go into detail.
Acererak, the Devourer
Agares, Truth Betrayed
Amon, the Void Before the Altar
Andras, the Gray Knight
Andromalius, the Repentant Rogue
Aym, Queen Avarice
Balam, the Bitter Angel
Buer, Grandmother Huntress
Chupoclops, Harbinger of Forever
Dahlver-Nar, the Tortured One
Dantalion, the Star Emperor
Eligor, Dragon’s Slayer
Eurynome, Mother of the Material
Focalor, Prince of Tears
Geryon, the Deposed Lord
Haagenti, Mother of Minotaurs
Halphax, the Angel in the Angle
Haures, the Dreaming Duke
Ipos, Prince of Fools
Karsus, Hubris in the Blood
Leraje, the Green Herald
Malphas, the Turnfeather
Marchosias, King of Killers
Naberius, the Grinning Hound
Orthos, Sovereign of the Howling Dark
Otiax, the Key to the Gate
Paimon, the Dancer
Ronove, the Iron Maiden
Savnok, the Instigator
Shax, Sea Sister
Tenebrous, the Shadow that Was
Zagan, Duke of Disappointment
Elder Evils: From the 3.5e Elder Evils supplement.
Atropus: A cosmic being that looks like a small moon and channels massive amounts of negative energy in order to devour planets.
Father Llymic: A creature imprisoned in ice that melts in the dark. It seeks to extinguish the sun to free itself and turn the world into its new home, a frozen wasteland of death and madness.
Hulks of Zoretha: Five dormant monoliths that were sent to earth to purify and colonize it. They long for someone to learn how to reawaken them.
Leviathan: The pure chaos leftover from the creation of the world given flesh. It slumbers beneath the ocean and is large enough to encircle the earth.
Pandorym: A being summoned from another world to kill the gods. Its body and mind were imprisoned separately.
Ragnorra: The mother of monsters that reappears every millennia to remake the world in her hideous image raining red spores all over the planet to infect all life.
Sertrous: An obyrinth demon lord cast into the void but that still lives on the material plane in a warped serpent form. He taught the world that mortals do not need to worship deities for power.
The Worm that Walks: A mass of maggots and worms that houses the hive mind of the demigod Kyuss, whose return ushers the final age of mortals.
Zargon: An ancient, unkillable baatorian of slime cast out of Hell by Asmodeus and imprisoned in stone.
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The Aztecs believed that the souls of women who had died in childbirth were transformed into terrifying demons called Cihuateteo, or Divine Women. They resided in the west known as Cihuatlampa, or region of the women, and accompanied the sun daily from its zenith at midday to dusk on the western horizon. The Cihuateteo were the female counterparts of warriors who had perished on the battlefield and who were thought to escort the sun through the underworld to its rise each morning. On five specific days of the Aztec ritual calendar these malevolent female spirits were believed to descend to the earth and haunt crossroads hoping to snatch the young children they were never privileged to have.
APHRODITE. ; a mix based on shipping-the-god’s lovely playlist for Aphrodite. I hope you enjoy! [listen]
i. alone together - fall out boy // ii. arabella - arctic monkeys // iii. clarity - zedd ft. foxes // iv. conquest of spaces -woodkid // v. beautiful - christina aguilera // vi. cemetery drive - my chemical romance // vii. cooler than me - mike posner // viii. e.t - katy perry ft. kayne west // ix. early sunsets over monroeville - my chemical romance // x. elephants- warpaint // xi. fluorescent adolescent - arctic monkeys // xii. glad you came - the wanted // xiii. i love you - woodkid // xiv. i will - the beatles // xv. lemme get that - rihanna // xvi. love me like you do - ellie goulding // xvii. nothing on you - b.o.b ft. bruno mars // xviii. once upon a dream - lana del ray // xix. r u mine - arctic monkeys // xx. ‘riptide’ - vance joy // xxi. stars - warpaint // xxii. sugar we’re going down - fall out boy // xxiii. take me to church - hozier // xxiv. tale as old as time - beauty and the beast // xxv. te amo - rihanna // xxvi. the only exception - paramore // xxvii. til the world ends - britney spears // xxviii. toxic - britney spears // xxix. you make me feel - cobra starship ft sabi // xxx. young and beautiful - lana del ray
