In ancient times, human pantheons were loosely geographically divided because the humans' population density and area was such that they did not border each other. These pantheons were all geographically divided human pantheons. The Faerûnian pantheon was created out of the merging of at least four pantheons, the Coramshite pantheon, the Jhaamdathan pantheon, the Netherese pantheon, and the Talfiric pantheon. The pact between the two was quite simple, Ubtao would look out for Dendar while the Faerûnian pantheon would leave Ubtao's turf alone for this service. The Faerûnian pantheon as a whole had special relationships with the Chultan pantheon. That said, the Faerûnian pantheon ever becoming an important force on the interplanar landscape was considered unlikely at best. However, the rate at which their importance grew was equal to that of the most vibrant of pantheons. This came at the cost of interplanar unimportance, Toril's deities were, as deities who were worshiped only on a backwater plane like Toril, unimportant deities on the interplanar political landscape. Īs mentioned above, single-sphere pantheons were good at defending themselves from infringement from potential external rivals. Relationships Īs mentioned above, the Faerûnian pantheon was subject to Ao and tried to execute his rule of Balance. The closest to a base of operations was the pavilion of Cynosure, a demiplane where the Circle of the Greater Powers met.

The members held their divine realms where it suited them most. The Faerûnian pantheon had―as it was normal for single-sphere pantheons―no base of operations. The reason why gods deliberately concentrated their work on one single world at the exclusion of others was that this way they could shut out deities from other worlds entering and infringing on their home turf. Tactics Īs mentioned above, the Faerûnian pantheon was a single-sphere pantheon. On the occasions where they did convene they were slow to act, not because of deliberation but because of conflict between each other. However, the leaders rarely (if ever) convened to carry out their duties. The aforementioned Circle of Greater Powers regulated the deities according to the rules as set by Ao, the overgod of Toril to whom all pantheons worshiped on Toril were subject to. When it expanded its physical sphere of influence, it usually did so at the expense of other pantheons. This fractious nature was believed to be the source of the pantheon's adaptability and its ability to expand. The Faerûnian pantheon was a very fractious one that fought among themselves and had no overarching goal. It was assumed that the exact nature of such arrangements varied with the personalities of the involved deities.

The reason they did this, or to be more precise the reason why the highest deity did not just kill the lower-ranking ones and assumed their places, was surmised to be either a bargain where the lower-ranking deity helped the higher-ranking one at increasing its influence in return of protection, or blackmail where the higher-ranking one bullied the lower-ranking ones into giving them their divine energy and servitude. A unique trait of the Faerûnian pantheon was that deities with similar portfolios clustered in a hierarchic relationship. Apart from this, there was little hierarchy in the Faerûnian pantheon except for the one the gods created among themselves. The leadership was a loose matter and was more of administrative nature.

The Circle of Greater Powers were the twelve deities that led the pantheon. In the Faerûnian pantheon's case the believers' shared characteristic was a geographic one, people who lived in those parts of the continent Faerûn where other pantheons did not hold sway were the believers. Pantheons were a group of deities who were worshiped by people who shared one characteristic, for example sharing the same cultural or racial background. The Faerûnian pantheon was a pantheon of deities.

7.2.2 Temporary Members from Other Pantheons.

Silvanus forgotten realms