Gods of Theros

A bird shrieked as it took flight from a branch above her. Through the gaps in the rustling canopy, she could see the god-forms shift in and out of focus. The night sky was known as Nyx, the realm of the gods. Every night, the heavens displayed fleeting visions of gods and velestial creatures. Some lingered for just seconds. But sometimes the pantheon enacted entire scenes for mortal eyes to witness. Lidia rarely took time to step outside her home and watch the heavens, but now there was no place else to rest her eyes. Tonight the god-forms were vivid, and her heart beat faster as she watched their battle unfold.

- Jenna Helland, Godsend

A pantheonof fifteen gods guides religious life on Theros. From the sun and agriculture to death and passage into the underworld, the gods oversee the forces of nature and the most important aspects of mortal life. These gods are quite real to the people of Theros, who see them moving across the sky at night and sometimes encounter them face to face. Thus, most people perform rituals and devotions that honor various gods, hoping to win their favor and stave off their wrath. They tell and retell the stories of the god's deeds - even as they watch those stories continue to play out in the vastness of the night sky.

Not every mortal serves or acknowledges the gods, though. Some philosophers in the schools of Meletis teach that the gods of the pantheon are subordinate to a higher reality, perhaps Nyx itself. And other people, particularly leonin, believe that the gods are undeserving of mortal reverence.

Worship

The idea of the existence of gods, as it grew in popularity among the mortals of Theros, didn't bring the gods into being by itself. Mortal reverence and worship turned universal ideas into deities. It wasn't until mortals trusted the gods to acts on their behald, in response to sacrifices and prayers, that the gods took shape from the dream-substance of Nyx. Worship remains crucial to the power of the gods, though mortals are generally not aware of their influence. Were a god to cease being worshiped, their might would dwindle.

The most prevalent form of expressing reverence is the practice of libation, pouring out a splash of wine or water in honor of the gods. Pious people perform a simple rite of prayer and libation every morning and evening at a household altar or hearth, while the less devorted might still pour out a splash of wine before drinking the rest.

The defining feature of a Theran temple is a statue of a god - which the actual god can occupy and animate at any time. Worshipers kneel before it, touch and kiss it, drape it in garlands and fine cloth, and leave offerings before it. These acts are sometimes spontaneous outpourings of love or gratitude, and sometimes petitions, imploring the god to cure an illness, send rain for crops, guarantee a safe journey, or perform any other favor related to the god's sphere of influence.

Most people aren't devoted to a single god, though many prefer some gods above others. Someone might ask Pharika to spare a loved one from disease, then later offer prayers to Karametra for a bountiful harvest or to Thessa for safety on a sea journey.

Clerics and Champions

It's far more common for a hero to be devoted to an individual god than it is for an ordinary mortal. A cleric almost always worships a single god of the pantheon and chooses a domain appropriate to that deity for their Divine Domain feature.

Often, heroes choose to devote themselves to particular gods either out of piety or self-interest. Sometimes, though, the gods choose champions who might not be entirely willing. Heliod, for example, takes pride in selecting only the best mortals to be his champions. He doesn't care how the mortals feel about being chosen, and his demands won't be refused.

Most heroes in a Theros campaign, and all clerics, are assumed to devote themselves to a god's cause, acting as that god's champion. All the characters in a party might serve the same god, but more likely, they represent the interests of different gods as they face the dangers of the world together.

For more information on Piety and Benefits of it: Piety

Gods of Theros

Deuty	Alignment	Suggested Cleric Domains	Common Symbol
Athreos, god of passage	Lawful Evil	Death, Grave	Crescent moon
Ephara, god of the polis	Lawful Neutral	Knowledge, Light	Urn pouring water
Erebos, god of the dead	Neutral Evil	Death, Trickery	Serene face
Heliod, god of the sun	Lawful Good	Light	Laurel crown
Iroas, god of victory	Chaotic Good	War	Four-winged helmet
Karametra, god of harvests	Neutral Good	Life, Nature	Cornucopia
Keranos, god of storms	Chaotic Neutral	Knowledge, Tempest	Blue Eye
Klothys, God of Destiny	Neutral	Knowledge, War	Drop Spindle
Kruphix, god of horizons	Neutral	Knowledge, Trickery	Eight-pointed star
Mogis, god of slaughter	Chaotic Evil	War	Four-horned bull's head
Nylea, god of the hunt	Neutral Good	Nature	Four arrows
Pharika, god of affliction	Neutral Evil	Death, Knowledge, Life	Snakes
Phenax, god of deception	Chaotic Neutral	Trickery	winged golden mask
Purphoros, god of the forge	Chaotic Neutral	Forge, Knowledge	Double crest
Thassa, god of the sea	Neutral	Knowledge, Tempest	Waves