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Creating a new D&D world, part 13

I recently purchased The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Worldbuilding Guide: Prompts and Activities to Create and Customize Your Own Game World by James D'Amato and it, and going whale watching, inspired me to create a new D&D world. So here we go! I'm going to use prompts from the book to begin crafting this world, but not all posts will be from there.

You can read part 1 of my planning here, read part 2 of my planning here, read part 3 of my planning here, read part 4 of my planning here, read part 5 of my planning here, read part 6 of my planning here, read part 7 of my planning here, read part 8 of my planning here, read part 9 of my planning here, read part 10 of my planning here, read part 11 of my planning here, and read part 12 of my planning here. 

These are the gods of the world, modified from the list on page 57. I will try and describe all that I selected. Note though that I organized them into categories myself. Also note that Speir, Talamh, Uisce, and Tine are quadruplets and this pantheon does not have incest. Finally, the gods live in an Olympus-like realm.

  • The Sky=main deity=Speir, nonbinary (all under nonbinary as well)=parent of all below, all other parents were human
    • Symbol: Cloud
    • Holiday: 2/28 or 2/29, Skygazing Day, Stargazing Night, A day to observe the skies for omens from Speir
    • Island
      • One of the largest
      • Major features
        • Observatory
        • University
        • Lighthouse
      • Common hobbies
        • Kite flying
    • Appearance: Wispy, tall, long and straight white hair, sky blue eyes, gray skin
    • Personality: Relaxed, peaceful, calm, and unemotional
    • Relationship to others:
      • Favors: Scamall, Aisling, Uisce
      • Censures: None
      • Denies: Sioga
    • Winter=secondary deity=Sneachta
      • Symbol: Snowflake
      • Holiday: 12/21, Guard Against the Longest Night, Everyone stays up all night but what people do during that night varies from island to island
      • Island
        • Medium sized
        • Major features
          • Common winter vacation spot
          • Lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • Snow angels
          • Snowball fights
          • Snowman building
          • Ice sculpting
      • Appearance: Stout, short straight silver hair, sparkling gray eyes, white skin
      • Personality: Cold, neutral, and peaceful
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Scamall, Fomhar, Bas, and Eagna 
        • Censures: Glasra, Glasra, Fada, and Tine
        • Denies: Sioga
    • Mathematics/Science=secondary deity=Eolai
      • Symbol: Division symbol
      • Holiday: 1/23, Number Day, Islands host mathematical and/or scientific competitions, though their exact nature varies island to island 
      • Island
        • Medium sized
        • Major features
          • University
          • Lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • Math team
          • Dragonchess
      • Appearance: Average height and build, short and curly gray hair, dark blue eyes, light blue skin
      • Personality: Intelligent, analytical, and explorative
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Aisling, Eagna, Airgead, and Fada
        • Censures: Cath
        • Denies: Sioga
    • Storms=secondary deity=Scamall
      • Symbol: Bolt of lightning
      • Holiday: 12/29, Windswept, Everyone celebrates the wind whether it be by flying kites or sailing
      • Island
        • One of the smaller islands
        • Major features
          • No lighthouse
          • Storm shelter-making industry
        • Common hobbies
          • Flying kites
          • Sailing
          • Storm chasing by boat (considered reckless, but people do it)
      • Appearance: Short but wispy, long and curly gray hair, light blue eyes, light gray skin
      • Personality: Volatile
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Speir, Sneachta, Saoirse, Ur, Aisling, Uisce, and Bothar
        • Censures: Eagna, Fada, and Bia
        • Denies: Sioga
    • Freedom=secondary deity=Saoirse
      • Symbol: Broken chain link
      • Holiday: 1/1, The Freshening, Everyone is free to start the new year again with a clean slate, many make resolutions
      • Island
        • One of the largest
        • Major features
          • Observatory
          • University
        • Common hobbies
          • Kite flying
      • Appearance: Tall and thicc, medium and wavy light blue hair, dark gray eyes, dark blue skin
      • Personality: Wistful and passionate
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Scamall, Aisling, Uisce, Fada, and Bia
        • Censures: Bothar, Bas, and Ri
        • Denies: Sioga
  • The Land=main deity=Talamh, female (all under female as well)=mother or grandmother of all below (fathers were human)
    • Symbol: Stone
      • Holiday: 5/15, Dig Day, Everyone spends the day digging for omens given by Talamh (though there are also digs for kids where parents hide things in the dirt)
    • Island
      • One of the largest
      • Major features
        • Mud baths
        • University
      • Common hobbies
        • Gardening and other plant growing and archaeology
    • Appearance: Average height and build, tightly curled dark brown afro, bright green eyes, light brown skin
    • Personality: Optimistic, cheerful, and social
    • Relationship to others:
      • Favors: Ur, Glasra, Leanbh, Uisce, Eagna, Tine, Achar, and Bia
      • Censures: Fada
      • Denies: Sioga
    • Spring=secondary deity=Ur=mother of Glasra
      • Symbol: Three blades of grass
      • Holiday: 3/20, Welcome of Warmth, Everyone spends the day outside rain or shine, but how that time is spent varies island to island
      • Island
        • Medium
        • Major features
          • Community garden
        • Common hobbies
          • Kite flying
      • Appearance: Tall and wispy, short curly dark green hair, light pink eyes, light green skin
      • Personality: Grounded yet a bit of a hippie
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Scamall, Talamh, Glasra, Leanbh, Fada, and Bia
        • Censures: Sneachta and Bas
        • Denies: Sioga
      • Plants=tertiary deity=Glasra
        • Symbol: Tulip
        • Holiday: 4/19, Gift of Green, A romantic holiday where people give each other plants
        • Island
          • One of the lsmaller islands
          • Major features
            • Community garden
          • Common hobbies
            • Gardening and other plant growing
        • Appearance: Tall and thicc, shaved head, light purple eyes, dark green skin
        • Personality: Hippie and kindly
        • Relationship to others:
          • Favors: Talamh, Ur, Lenabh, Eagna, and Tine
          • Censures: Sneachta and Bas
          • Denies: Sioga
    • Fertility=secondary deity=Leanbh
      • Symbol: Plus
      • Holiday: 6/6, Give the Light, An evening celebration where children and parents share why they're thankful for each other
      • Island
        • Medium
        • Major features
          • Midwifery program
          • People travel to give birth there
          • Matchmaking festival
        • Common hobbies
          • Matchmaking
      • Appearance: Stout, long curly light brown hair, honey eyes, dark brown skin
      • Personality: Motherly, kindly, and compassionate
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Talamh, Ur, Glasra, Aisling, Bothar, Airgead, Bia, and Ri
        • Censures: Bas
        • Denies: Sioga
    • Dreams/Imagination=secondary deity=Aisling
      • Symbol: Two horizontal wavy lines
      • Holiday: 4/1, Artistry Day, A day to create though different islands prefer to celebrate literature or dancing or painting etc.
      • Island
        • One of the smallest
        • Major features
          • Hippie feel
          • People come to find themselves
        • Common hobbies
          • Dream interpretation
      • Appearance: Short and wispy, dark green afro, light green eyes, brown skin
      • Personality: Wistful, dreamy, and imaginative
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Speir, Eolai, Scamall, Saoirse, Leanbh, Eagna, Fada, and Bia
        • Censures: Bothar
        • Denies: Sioga
  • The Sea=main deity=Uisce, female (all under female as well)=mother or grandmother of all below (fathers were human)
    • Symbol: Cresting wave
    • Holiday: 10/13, Flowing Day and Ebbing Night, A day of revelry and feasting on seafood, it is a day to remember that the sea giveth, the evening is usually a more somber affair to remember that the sea taketh
    • Island
      • One of the largest
      • Major features
        • Beaches
        • Lighthouse
        • University
      • Common hobbies
        • Swimming
        • Fishing
        • Boating
        • Playing sports in water
    • Appearance: Tall and thicc, extremely long dark seaweed green wavy hair, seaweed green eyes, dark blue skin
    • Personality: Analytical, quiet, thoughtful, and creative, but can also be depressed
    • Relationship to others:
      • Favors: Speir, Scamall, Saoirse, Talamh, Bothar, Bas, Eagna, and Fada
      • Censures: Tine
      • Denies: None
    • Fall=secondary deity=Fomhar
      • Symbol: Pumpkin
      • Holiday: 9/22, Preparation of the Cold, Everyone spends the evening canning and preserving food
      • Island
        • Medium
        • Major features
          • Seasonal farming
          • Bonfire pits
          • Lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • Canning and preserving food
      • Appearance: Stout, short wavy navy hair, moss green eyes, and light brown skin
      • Personality: Grounded, a bit melancholy, and creative
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Sneachta and Bas
        • Censures: None
        • Denies: Sioga
    • Destiny=secondary deity=Bothar=mother of all below
      • Symbol: Equals sign
      • Holiday: 11/11, Divination Day, A day of fortune telling
      • Island
        • Smaller island
        • Major features
          • Divination academy
          • No lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • People come to seek their destiny
          • Divination
      • Appearance: Tall and wispy, short curly seaweed green hair, icy blue eyes, and deep azure skin
      • Personality: Creative, dreamy, yet a bit grounded
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Scamall, Leanbh, Uisce, Bas, Eagna, Airgead, Fada
        • Censures: Saoirse, Aisling, 
        • Denies: Sioga
      • Death=tertiary deity=Bas
        • Symbol: Circle
        • Holiday: 11/1, The Grieving, A day to mourn those lost in the past year, especially those who were lost at sea and not returned, some islands celebrate with a day of silence though others have raucous parties
        • Island
          • Medium
          • Major features
            • Hospice homes
            • Hospice and death care academy
          • Common hobbies
            • People come to say goodbye
        • Appearance: Short and wispy, shaved head, dark blue eyes, seaweed green skin
        • Personality: Grounded, firm, and often sad
        • Relationship to others:
          • Favors: Sneachta, Uisce, Fomhar, Bothar, 
          • Censures: Saoirse, Talamh, Ur, Glasra, Leanbh, 
          • Denies: Sioga
      • Memory/Wisdom=tertiary deity=Eagna
        • Symbol: Question mark without the dot
        • Holiday: 9/30, Legends Night, A full night celebrating storytelling
        • Island
          • Smaller
          • Major features
            • Small university
            • Lighthouse
          • Common hobbies
            • Open philosophical debates
        • Appearance: Stout, short straight light blue hair, seaweed green eyes, dark blue skin
        • Personality: Reflective
        • Relationship to others:
          • Favors: Sneachta, Eolai, Talamh, Glasra, Aisling, Uisce, Bothar, and Ri
          • Censures: Scamall
          • Denies: Sioga
      • Fortune=tertiary deity=Airgead
        • Symbol: Chest
        • Holiday: 11/28, Sharing Day, A day of charity and giving
        • Island
          • Medium
          • Major features
            • No lighthouse
            • Small business programs people apply for
          • Common hobbies
            • Things like lemonade stands
        • Appearance: Tall and thicc, medium curly dark blue hair, light blue eyes, seaweed green skin
        • Personality: Eager, greedy, and precocious
        • Relationship to others:
          • Favors: Eolai, Leanbh, Bothar, Fada, Cath, Bia, and Ri
          • Censures: None
          • Denies: Sioga
    • Travel/Distance=secondary deity=Fada
      • Symbol: Curved road
      • Holiday: 12/6, The Skipping, Children play skipping games, teens dance skipping dances, and adults share stories of travel
      • Island
        • Medium
        • Major features
          • Cartography school
          • Lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • Running
          • Boating
          • Cartography
      • Appearance: Tall and wispy, long straight dark blue hair, light gray-blue eyes, dark gray-blue skin
      • Personality: Dreamy yet determined
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Eolai, Saoirse, Ur, Aisling, Uisce, Bothar, Airgead, Cath, and Ri
        • Censures: Sneachta, Scamall, and Talamh
        • Denies: Sioga
    • The fae sea=forgotten secondary deity=Sioga
      • Symbol: Upside down cresting wave
      • Holiday: 11/15, The Separation, The fae retell the tales of why they separated from the rest of the world, but some rebellious fae will go to the surface to observe the world left behind
      • Island
        • Medium
        • Major features
          • Sunken lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • Swimming
          • Observing humans
          • Stealing children (cannot have their own which they see as making them closer to the gods as the gods need humans to have children)
      • Appearance: Tall and thicc, extremely long dark seaweed green curly hair, dark blue  eyes, dark blue skin
      • Personality: Firm in beliefs and fiercely protective of the fae
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: None
        • Censures: None
        • Denies: Doesn't wish ill will on any, but does not make contact with any except Uisce
  • The Fire Beneath=main deity=Tine, male (all under male as well)=father of all below (mothers were human)
    • Symbol: Flame
    • Holiday: 8/8, Bonfire Night, Bringing the fire to the night, it is an evening to stare into fires and look for signs from Tine
    • Island
      • One of the largest
      • Major features
        • University
        • Lighthouse
      • Common hobbies
        • Smithing
        • Other art that involves fire (e.g. burning patterns into wood)
        • Camping
    • Appearance: Short and wispy, short spiky yellow hair, dark blue eyes, vibrant red skin
    • Personality: Short-tempered, irritable, ambitious, and energetic
    • Relationship to others:
      • Favors: Talamh, Glasra, Achar, Cath, Bia, and Ri
      • Censures: Sneachta, Uisce, 
      • Denies: Sioga
    • Summer=secondary deity=Achar
      • Symbol: Sun
      • Holiday: 6/20, Basking Day, Everyone spends the day on the beach, but the exact activities vary island to island
      • Island
        • Medium
        • Major features
          • Beaches
          • Lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • Making suncatchers
          • Going to the beach
      • Appearance: Tall and thicc, short curly yellow hair, red eyes, orange skin
      • Personality: Bright and happy
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Talamh, Tine, and Bia
        • Censures: None
        • Denies: Sioga
    • Strategy/War=secondary deity=Cath
      • Symbol: X
      • Holiday: 7/9, Be Prepared Day, Children play battle games and adults plan for the year ahead
      • Island
        • Small island
        • Major features
          • Military academy
        • Common hobbies
          • War games
      • Appearance: Stout, shaved head, yellow eyes, red skin
      • Personality: Strategic, cold, and calculating
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Airgead, Fada, Tine, and Ri
        • Censures: Eolai and Bia
        • Denies: Sioga
    • The feast=secondary deity=Bia
      • Symbol: Fork
      • Holiday: 9/21, Joyous Glutton Day, A day of feasting and eating up fresher supplies before Preparation of the Cold
      • Island
        • Medium
        • Major features
          • Large communal dining halls both that serve food and ones you can bring food to
          • Lighthouse
        • Common hobbies
          • Cooking and baking
      • Appearance: Stout, medium wavy red hair, red eyes, dark orange skin
      • Personality: Jovial, gluttonous, and kind
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Saoirse, Talamh, Ur, Leanbh, Aisling, Airgead, Tine, Achar, and Ri
        • Censures: Scamall
        • Denies: Sioga
    • Rulers=secondary deity=Ri
      • Symbol: Crown
      • Holiday: 7/24, Crowning Day, A day when opinions about rulers are made known either through voting or public forums
      • Island
        • Smaller
        • Major features
          • Lighthouse
          • Finishing school for elites
        • Common hobbies
          • Political involvement
      • Appearance: Tall and thicc, short curly yellow hair, orange eyes, red skin
      • Personality: Measured and just
      • Relationship to others:
        • Favors: Leanbh, Bothar, Airgead, Fada, and Tine
        • Censures: Saoirse
        • Denies: Sioga

(Prompt from The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Worldbuilding Guide: Prompts and Activities to Create and Customize Your Own Game World by James D'Amato)

"Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)" by V.L.


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