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[astr0wiz]

So many ideas...

 

Generally, I have no preference. The gods should, however, reflect the culture and beliefs of the denizens in the game, and they should come from the evil blokes as well as the good ones.

 

Yes, the Greek gods had no depth of character, but they were meant to serve as the totems for all things undefinable, including emotions.

 

The gods in the game should never interact with a player character, unless your gods are really not very powerful. If you want interaction, then avatars and minions should be enough. Gods are god-like, which makes them invincible by mortals' standards. TESV had, IMHO, the right take on the gods when they only intervened long enough to have a bit of fun.

 

So, I believe, regardless of what these gods are named and what they are the god of, the personalities, flaws, and idiosyncracies of the immortals should be defined by their methods of interaction and their reasons for doing the things they do.

 

Example:

 

The god Tinctannus presides over combat and sport. He is the god who loves a good, honorable fight. Now, the evil Deadites who are swarming out of their lairs and making a mess of things, display absolutely no honor. Tinctannus hates this. He wants it changed. Now, what can a PC or two do to help this god out? Should they elimitate all Deadites? Could they teach honor to the Deadites? Can they even the odds by beefing up the towns they're running over? Maybe they could capture a few and engage in a series of duels in an arena where the fans can cheer on one side or the other. Whatever. The possibilities are virtually endless, but they are also bound in many ways by the game engine.

 

Sounds like a lot of work. Better get to it.

[Hormalakh]

Time for some imagery! That should get the creative juices flowing and a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

"No-face" - Spirited Away

 

Obvious. Interesting to see something inspired by her.

 

Devourer of Light - Deviant Artist, Negative Feedback

[Hormalakh]

Two from a really amazing comic that I still read. She's quite good and her fantasy world is well made. Check her out at www.casualvillain.com/Unsounded/

 

 

http://www.casualvil...03/ch03_27.html

 

 

http://www.casualvil...03/ch03_28.html

 

Wrights are mages. Khert is the magic energy used. Gefendour is the main religion or something. A whole bunch of lore that I never bothered to keep up with. But interesting none-the-less.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Hormalakh

[Torgo]

I agree with DeathQuaker and other before him, I would rather see a smaller pantheon (a core six, eight gods) than a unwieldy set of 30 gods. With fewer gods, it hopefully becomes easier to write and manage unique stories and conflicts between them.

 

I would suggest that we or Obsidian identify a set of basic concepts/ideas/forces that govern the world. These ideas should be at their most fundamental level. This could include, but not limited to: Souls, Life, Death, Nature, Time, etc. Once these forces are identified then the base gods of the pantheon should be developed from them.

 

As for other ideas/forces that either fall between or are related to the core gods, they should be placed under one (perhaps two) of the basic god's domain as subordinate gods. Perhaps, they are aspects, servents, familial relations or even deified humans.

[Solviulnir the Soulbinder]

Ahm the Forgotten - an ancient deity, evil but fair - once (allegedly) very powerful, now almost completely forgotten. A very mysterious one at that. It is said that as long as he/she/it (gender unknown) has at least one devoted believer, one that remembers the true name of this god - the greatness of Ahm will not be forgotten and the deity may decide to grant its blessing upon its followers, imbuing them with "powers unimaginable". There are rumours - some troubled adventurers swear it's true - that one can stumble upon a strange old female monk mumbling about mirrors, somewhere in the remote areas of Eír Glanfath ruins, south of Midwood. Although her whereabouts are unclear and her precise location is yet to be (re)discovered, two or three that had a chance to meet her describe a peculiar tattoo that covers the old woman's shaved head, just above the eyebrows and ears. It's said to be to very intricate, depicting what seems to be a strange lettering... The tattoo, of a beautiful deep scarlet colour, flows all the way around her skull and is said to be highly resemblant of "n'tuuk" - an aureola. The letters (107 in total) are examples of exquisite calligraphy and they seem to be arranged in a long sentence - or a word maybe - it's hard to tell as there are no apparent punctuation marks. The monk allegedly allows some of the people she considers right to try and decipher the text promising a reward. The task is nearly impossible as some of the characters do not belong to any known alphabet. Deep creases, wrinkles and half a dozen of battle scars on the skin of the old woman's head make the text even more illegible... Most peculiar thing about the encounter with the said monk however, as those who met her report, is the "hug". People who, despite many attempts, failed to decode the tattoo (or those who lost their faith in success to decode it?) are usually told by the monk to leave and not disturb her further. But just prior to letting them go the woman, smiling, gives them some kind of a hug... After leaving the monk's camp, and a long trek back to Midwood, Solace Vale or even Twin Elms, the adventurers reportedly feel as if they're total strangers. Weird, since they're back home, in a city or town in which they grew up and where they know very well every person and every corner. Suddenly - nobody seems to recall their faces or even names. Even their families. Even they themselves, begin to have trouble remembering who they are... Although none of them have ever heard this name before, they "unisono" claim, that they were touched by Ahm.

 

Heh, sorry for my English.

[Aoyagi]

I've had this idea for a while ... god of grammar, Theyourits! Any interaction with this deity would include grammatically incorrect choices. If player chooses one of them, he/she is STRUCK BY THE GODLY WRATH. Commandments would include likes of "Thy words' spelling shall be pureth" or "Thou shalt forget the apostrophe". Rumor has it that a brave hero in the times long gone once challenged this god and won the Semicolon...OF DOOM.

 

Then again, my creativity levels are way below average ^^

[phimseto]

I don't want to make anything too in-depth (since I don't know all the work you've already done) so no names, just concepts.

 

1. A mad god of oblivion. Think of Azathoth (hell, have it *be* Azathoth) - a dark, hungering chaos that disrupts the order of the cycle of souls. In such a world, the idea of a soul being lost/consumed in oblivion is that world's hell. Such a god would be worshiped by the maniacal and sought after those overtaken by profound weariness, hatred, or self-loathing. The worship of this god is the crawling sickness which festers and grows in the shadowy corners of the world.

 

2. A god of valor. A god who walks among men in various guises. He innoculously asks for some favors or engages in conversation which secretly tests the player's worth. Think of Fizban in the Dragonlance books, Zeus in Greek mythology, Bahamut in D&D lore, or Merlin in Arthurian legend. Usually, he's that tale that children are told of so that they are on their best behavior in public, but for the curious wanderer, there are the tales (some of them actually believed) of encountering this god and the revelations (and feats) which follow.

 

3. Two gods with the same name but different (though equally irrelevant) values. There's great strife between the fellowships over which god deserves the name more and constant aggravation over public mix-ups. And of course this has resulted to the religions ultimately becoming based out of (and only existing) in a single city where the rest of the weary populous is caught in the crossfire of their ridiculous struggle. A player choosing to worship this god would actually open up a gameplay mechanic where you could spread word of your god to other locations. Whether you believe or not, one significant side quest would (of course) be resolving the dispute between cults once and for all.

 

Anyways, that's my elevator pitch. If you'd like more, just let me know.

Edited November 28, 2012 by phimseto

[Hattmannen]

My suggestion for a God is:

Henry - God of the gaps

Not only is Henry the God ruling the spaces in between things, he is also looked upon as a jack-of-all-trades among the Gods. Whatever no other God governs is left to Henry.

This, of course, leads to slight confusion on occasion, since not all people agree upon what Gods actually exists, and furthermore exactly what God governs what.

Henry, though not recognised by any of the major religions, have a firm hold among a large part of the common people and is commonly blamed for small mishaps and lesser misfortunes.

The God of the gaps is the God of convenience, when not knowing who to blame, or knowing but not daring to in fear on angering a more powerful God, Henry is used as the scapegoat, since attributing any small thing to him is unlikely to anger any of the greater Gods.

Although you wouldn't let a priest hear you speak about Henry, it is not uncommon to hear something along the lines of: "I wouldn't be surprised if Henry had something to do with it" among neighbours and friends when speaking about some recent, lesser misfortune that have befallen someone.

Stubbing a toe, falling flat on your face in the public house, milk gone sour earlier than expected, accidentally dropping and shattering your favourite mug, losing a sock. You can't be sure, but it might be Henry.

In spite of this Henry is not looked upon as a mischievous God. It is thought that Henry is simply as unlucky as the mishaps attributed to him.

[Hormalakh]

Stadt des Feuers by ourak. DeviantArt http://browse.deviantart.com/digitalart/?offset=792#/d5mg5yw

 

Another one from Giant In the Playground - Order of the Stick

 

And finally a last webcomic. Some things in this story can hearken to god worshipping. Some of the spirits are worshipped as gods.

Phoenix Requiem http://requiem.seraph-inn.com

[Cultist]

There is one true god!

 

ZALGO

Corruption. Madness. yet promise of unspeak͔̮͉able power. Lov̬̰͖̩̣̻ͧ̏̎̅͂̊̚ė̂craftia͓̙͖̟͓͉̽n̫̥̟͇̫̙̮̒̃͒͊̇̇̉ otherwordly and alien entity, that h̬̭̫̳͈a͉̞̖̙͇̪s hidden goals. More malevolent than B̸ane or Cyric-like go̬̝̝͇̹ds͙͍̻̦̫͙. Madness and insanity, chaotic ḩ̸̵i̢̢͜v̷͝e̛m̕͢i̕nd̶͞ ̛̕ that may corre̶̦̳s҉̠̭̟p̨̗̳̗̙o̖̲nd to D&D "Lords of M̕a͏̶́d̸͝ness" rulebook.

A g̈́̓͞͠rͭ͋̈́͟ęͧ̽̉ͪ͗ͦ͌ͮā̾̊ͪtͭ̏̉̌ͮ͡ ̷̅̾͐̃͝ potential for impl̈̽̓ͯ̀̍̊̒̑̀ë̐̇ͭ̑̀̚m̈́ͨͫ̇ͩ̌ͭenting cov̵̷̩̩̙̖͔̭e̢҉̳̜̯͙̕n̵̶̗̘͈̲͠s̷̹̞̯̣̞̗̣̥ of cultists, performing their m̷̟͇͈͖͞a̵̢̪ͅd̡͓̻̟̗̰͚̦̕d̹̹è̶̹̰̮̹̼̮̟́n҉̜̱͍̱͇͍̫i̺̟n̩̜͈͘g̹̬͓͕͙ r̤͙͙͓͉͌̓i̥ͫ̌t̹̯̙̭̰̆̓̒͆u̪̥̳͛a̘̠͔̘͋̉̍ͦͩͦ͆ͯl̘͕͎̝̱ͤͥͥ̋̿̄s̠͎̘̠̝͒̑ͣ͛̓ͪͪͦͫ.

H̡̛͢҉̵E̵̷̶͘͜ ̀͘͏͢C̀̕͝͞Ơ̵͜͡M͏̢E̡͡͡S̷̶̨̡͞

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFmHs6dJPww

 

ฦ้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้้้้็็็็็้ok take all my internets. how did you do tฦ้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้็็็็็้้้้้้้้็็็็็้hat?

T̳̮͌͒̔̊̒ͦ̑͞h͇̾ͫͧ̉͟e̖̱̽ ́̕h̨̫̤͉̥͓͕̩i̡̼̪̩̹̘ͨ̃̏ͭv̝̝̼̭̰͐̋̉̽ͮ̌e̦̠̺̟ͦ̇ͧ͗ͩ̉̕-̠͔͓̻͇̎̀͋́̿͐m̭̮̃͊̃̇ͮ̔̑i̦͈͙̰̽ͣ͆̇̄͞n̵͚͓̬͍̜͊d͕̗̼̝ͮ́ͩ͊͛ͮ̀ ̻̃͛o̵͈̝̟͈͍͍ͭͧ̃̈ͣͅf̴̼̩̔ͭͯ ͒ͥ͐͊̃ͧͧ҉̼̘͙̞̗̘c̹̦͉͚͔͇̈̽̈́͛ͭ͒ͅh̘̯̫̭̫ͥ̅̅̉̋̂̊ͅa̬̐͋o͍̝̘͙̞̓̊s̢̺͎.͉̼́ͬ̑ͯ̔̈̀ ̥ͮ̿́͛̂̓Zͮ͐͐̅̌̀͝a̚l̩̦̘͉̫̝̔͑̇̈ͅg̗͓̰̜̱͕ͥ̉̂́o͉͎̣̜̻̤̗͠.͓̞ͫ͑̏̃ ̯̄̂̀̍͢

[Hormalakh]

^Couldn't like that enough. I love webcomics. Here's one taking your idea into account. From the very well drawn and written, Gunnerkrigg Court.

 

 

And a last.

 

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com

Edited November 28, 2012 by Hormalakh

[Frisk]

I would really like to know a bit about the "background", so to speak.

 

Where to deities come from - are they in some sense "ascended" mortal beings, were they created by some outside entity, or do they simply drift in from elsewhere - do they draw their power from worshippers or specific places - can they be destroyed, do they fight directly, or are they limited to interact with the world though mortal "agents". Do all the different races have their own pantheons, or are there deities that cross racial boundaries, Are there regional deities? Do the gods have similar powers or are there vast differences in their "strength" ... etc.

 

There are simply too many things we don't know.

[Hattmannen]

3. Two gods with the same name but different (though equally irrelevant) values. There's great strife between the fellowships over which god deserves the name more and constant aggravation over public mix-ups. And of course this has resulted to the religions ultimately becoming based out of (and only existing) in a single city where the rest of the weary populous is caught in the crossfire of their ridiculous struggle. A player choosing to worship this god would actually open up a gameplay mechanic where you could spread word of your god to other locations. Whether you believe or not, one significant side quest would (of course) be resolving the dispute between cults once and for all.

 

I simply love this idea! Could add a great flavour to one area and makes for great side stories/quests.

[Kronos]

Deithebile - Eldest world tree with acquired sentience, acquired diety status over millenia as fauna waxed and waned over the course of time.

 

Diethebile is a peculiar diety in a sense that it is bound by its gargantuan fixed physical self and has a purpose that is barely know. What is know is that the area surrounding the mighty tree is densely vegetated and contains the treetop citadel of Bile Crannog.

 

Diethebile has on occasion communicated with certain druids and rangers - the first know occurence of this was during 'the awakening'; which is the first recorded instance of sentience. During this time Bile Crannog was founded, and the various principals on which the town still bases itself were established. Some scholars speculate that the young god required a symbiotic relationship with the sentient races in order to ensure its security as it is on one hand one of the most vulnerable of dieties as it can simply be razed to the ground but on the other hand can potentially be one of the most powerful in that it has an incredibile loyalty from the denizens of Bile Crannog due to actually providing for them a bountiful livelihood. Some of the more sceptical scholars believe that it is Diethebile's intention to gradually spread its presence over the entire known world; although most aren't concerned about this prospect as it will surely take many more mellenia until such an outcome could occur.

 

Bile Crannog is a peculiar place where the doctrine is to 'live off & with the land'. People don't interfere with the vegetation; however with the intervention of Deithebile, the surrounding lands tend to 'accomodate' the increase diversity and size of the population of Bile Crannog by revealing new treetop and ground clearings to construct various buildings and by revealing new and larger pathways in the surrounding forests to accomodate increased logistics needs. Contrary to the usual trend of increased deforestation that follows in the path of a growing city, the forested lands tend to expand in size to support the increased needs of the town as in turn the influence of Deithebile slowly increases.

 

The town consists only of those that live in tune with nature and also has a strong economy that exports the famed and scarce sap that comes from Deithebile - the sap is famed for it's healing properties which is a very rare commodity in the world and fetches astronomical prices. It is anticipated that Bile Crannog will eventually swell to this size of a city. One of the stranger customs of the land is to 'bury' the recently deceased of the city by dropping them into a mighty tree hollow that exists in Diethebile, it is veiwed that by doing this the spirit of the deceased has more likelyhood of making there way back to Diethebelle in the next life, some wonder as to what the real implications of this tradition might actually be.

 

Please like this idea, it came to me and I think it could be really cool and a concept around this could be interesting in terms of potential future conflicts as well as just a really neat environment.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Kronos

[happyelf]

A God of Supremacy

 

Each race/culture has their own version of them- their faith teaches that their race or culture is superior, and deserves to rule the world and dominate the lesser races.

 

Only. . . by this stage in history, there's substantial evidence (as much as there can be about any god) that each of these Supremacist-Gods are in fact, the same entity.

 

Think of how people would react to learning such information. Many might decide that this deity is actually secretly a deity of conflict and discord, trying to stir up wars between different races and cultures. Others would argue it suggests that gods are simply manifestations of the beliefs of their followers, blind to such a contradiction. Others would of course see it as a reason for a holy war to tear down all the 'false' churches of their god in other lands, or perhaps, decide their god it testing their True People, with these false churches.

Edited November 28, 2012 by happyelf

[Torgo]

I do have a suggestion of what I believe should be avoided in developing a god of Death. Please don't make death or destruction a one dimensional boogie man. It seems many fall into the trap of envisioning death or other unplesant forces as only evil that must be vanquished by good. From the perspective of a mortal death is scary, but in the grand scheme death is merely an end to a great cycle. Death, given the lack of great restoritive medicine or magic, is a common part of life for everyone and thus would be treated with a level of respect. Perhaps, Life and Death are just different aspects of the same deity.

I just really hate when Death gods are boiled down to a clearing house for psychopaths and enemies the player must kill. A small death cult or secret sect of death worshipers within a larger order seems more possible than every follower of a god being killers.

 

I think the watchword for any god creation is nuance. The more nuance to gods and their followers is usually better.

[happyelf]

Honeslty, most depictions of death present them as a kind of balanced keeper of the dead/ect like you're asking. Everything from diskworld to DnD has presented death gods in the way you suggest.

 

If anything a more original option would be if the god of death that was an evil bogeyman all dancing around going "AHAHAHA YOUR ASS IS MINE ONCE YOU'RE DEAD BOOOOO BOOOOO"

 

Or perhaps another option, like the god who presides over your death depends on how you die- at sea, in battle, ect, ect. An evil god seeking sacrifices would work pretty well in that context, as would a more positive deity that oversaw people dying from natural causes.

[foster0311]

How about Gods who are like the people. There are not many truly evil people who love torturing people and bloodshed, but most are evil because of how they perceive the world and are generally negligent of consequences to their actions. A change of pace to a more "realistic" type of character who is evil not because he enjoys it, but because their actions are a means to an end (I have to get the information somehow, so I choose to torture it out because it is quickest...) Or something like the Kender race from Dragonlance - I am sure many would perceive them as evil for always stealing and causing mischief, but they are just curious and like shiny things.

[Miroku of Nite]

Go'ama Phara: God of forgetfulness and revelations. He is typically depicted as a cloaked individual lost in thought as if trying to remember something. In his left hand he holds narcotic plant that when chewed makes one forget.

 

Go'ama Phara is typically followed in desert regions by small groups of semi nomadic people. It is said that these followers have a base of operations located deep within a desert although no one has ever verified these claims. Followers of Go'ama Phara often consume the plant there god holds. By doing so it evokes a state of amnesia. The user doesn't recall who they are, or any memory they might have had, with the exception that they consumed the plant in a ritual setting . Once in this state of forgetfulness the user then seeks to communicate with Go'ama Phara to gain hidden knowledge. The catch being that once the effects of the plant wears off they will forget what they have learned as their old memories come flooding back. To combat this followers often have a scribe or close friend sit with them and record what the user says.

Shrines to Go'ama Phara are very rare given the nature of worship among his followers. But trinkets, and charms dedicated to the god are common place among people on the edges of civilization.

 

The plant used in ritual isn't cultivated, and is found in the wild in arid environments. Typically on the side of craggy cliffs. Trade and recreational use of this plant is looked down upon by the followers of Go'ama Phara since they consider it sacred. Outside of followers of this religion the plant is virtually unknown.

[Hopper]

I would like to see a system with greater and lesser gods...

That way there could be a "primary god" you worship, that grants you certain benefits/perks, and lesser gods, that you can pray to at shrines/by following specific rituals, which will grant you short term favours/blessings or cause minor long term changes to your experience.

 

Some ideas for lesser gods:

 

- a god of gamblers: praying to him/her more often could result in "luck +1" or similar

- a god of things lost and found: when you please her/him by praying at one of his VERY WELL HIDDEN altars, the chance to find better loot or random coins slightly increases (stacking, the more altars you find the higher the bonus)

- a god of travellers: the more you travel, the more you will please him/her and you therefore randomly encounter safe havens for camping in the wild from time to time

[Gyges]

How about a Primordial Wyrm that moves in the furthest reaches beneath the earth, colossal in length and girth.

Say you go particularly deep into a vast labyrinth of caverns and just happen upon a wall, not of stone, but of skin and muscles. A single fraction of its body, particularly close to the surface. That would be pretty interesting lore-vise.

I'm thinking a subterranean version of the midgard-serpent, or rather a blend of it and the wyrm that gnaws at the roots of yggdrasil the world-tree (tree that connects all worlds, so called axis-mundi), Nidhoggr. It can signify the slow change of the landscape. When it moves close to the surface it triggers minor earthquakes but can at times cause great disasters whenever it moves in geologically vulnerable areas or is somehow getting aggressive.

 

Never liked human-sized gods. If it isnt impressive to mere mortal eyes then why call it a god? When i try to create deities for my rp-world, i always scale their looks to their abilities, age and role in the world and try to make it symbolize them as well. Good example for unimpressive gods is the elder scrolls ones. I would whoop their asses. A good one i can remember and is related to IE? Mask of the betrayer, the former god of death, who's corpse you have stand on to talk to.

Speaking of death, the show Supernatural had a good one inspired by Neil Gaiman, he isnt as much a god as a constant of existence personalized. I particularly remember a scene where for the first time i can remember, Dean (the badass, shoot first ask questions etc..) who has faced all kinds of monsters and even the devil, is quite obviously nervous or even afraid when he sits down along with death. I'm a big fan of cosmic horror/awe when making some of the higher brass of the pantheon.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Gyges

[zebrotavr]

Yarr - God of mishapenning

When something does not happen - it's because Yarr wants so. People pray to Yarr not to pay attention to what they do or wait to happen.

Empty shell is the symbol of Yarr as the expression of fruitless hope to find the pearl.

When something good is happening people say "Thanks the Yarr did not look at us". When something bad is happening - "Where was the Yarr in that hour?"

Edited November 28, 2012 by zebrotavr

[Buddhist]

It may be cool to have a mixture of Polytheism and Pantheism. You have a pantheon of Gods, and then you have a God who encompasses all living things and the very earth itself. In the following word barf, I take liberties with the fact that very little is known about the world in Project Eternity and that there are some things that I made up for it purely because it sounds cool. And if you guys don't use this, I totally will XD

 

Asgotha, also known as the Allthing or the Allwomb, Goddes of the Materium. When the many Gods and Goddessesof Heaven were all busy occupied in one form of revelry or another, plotting against one another and being generally self-absorbed, another Goddess sought something better. The legends say that Asgoth, a minor God who would spend her time among the Gods tinkering and building little things, looked below and saw an empty void. She wished to fill the universe with creation, with worlds of life and stars of light. Now gripped by vision, she tore a pound of her own flesh from her own body and crafted the Universe with her hands. Nimbly and skillfully she built many a planet and star with care and tenderness, spending eons with her slowly unfolding creation. Soon, the other Gods took notice of the universe forming beneath their feet and the decadent revelry ceased. They were seized by a profound jealousy of her creation, each one wishing to be the supreme ruler of the Materium Below. One thing they all shared, save Asgotha herself, was a wish to rule the Materium Below, but Asgotha was well-liked and no one was sure of what to do. Katero, the God of Schemes (and soon to be the God of Crime and Outlaws), decided to take matters into his own hands and plotted her death. He knew that when she died, the Many Gods of Heaven would fight each other for control in the ensuing power vacuum. He approached Asgotha while she slept, tired from her work, and he slit shoved a stilleto into her back and cast her down into the Materium Below. She landed upon one of her many worlds by crashing into the ocean, near the shores, and from her mortal wounds the seas were filled with her blood. She shed a single tear while she slowly died, drowning at the edge of the sea, her own creation. In her death, she gave life to the lifeless world, and from her corpse the first creatures were born. The first of the White Blood Cypresses, giant trees that grow in the ocean, grew from her own body.

 

All of the world is of Asgotha. All living creatuers are of Asgotha, connected. She herself may be dead, but her spirit lives on through the world itself; all things share her breath, her spirit. Those who worship Asgotha tend to be naturists and druids living in isolated communes and villages who wish to invoke and cultivate nature.

[Tsumoro]

Ideas for gods you say? Well I can think of a few of the top of my head. Bare with me, as my mind tends to be a bit strange sometimes.

1. A god of deception and lies, although, his followers revere him as the god of veiled truths. nothing more but a complete swine who enjoys the game of deception, to see how far he can take the rouse before his worshippers are slain. It is said he bestows a single leader with the gift of Charisma, to rally the believers into zealots. Sometimes they do good things, sometimes they do bad things, what they get up to does not concern him, but merely how the events play out and how far he can take his lie 'the truth' before the game is up.
   
2. A god of that rewards sacrifice and punishes murderers. A small village got the message confused as did the church, for when famine hit they thought their god was displeased with them so they offered up a single woman for sacrifice to try and appease him. Of course, the woman did not go willingly but her heart was cut out regardless. Turns out, that the god rewards those who sacrifice themselves in a heroic fashion, and not in the manner of 'virgin sacrifice'. Due to the villagers actions he deemed them as murderes and punished them with killing livestock, sickness and poverty. The villagers in their desperation started sacrificing more women to their god, only to damn them further.
   
3. A god of nature, although not a nurturing one. Seeing humanoids as nothing more than a plague apart from those whom live in accordance to her will. It is said that a beautiful horse can sometimes be seen by a crystal blue lake. When men mount the beast in order to tame it they find themselves not able to get off, even while the horse slowly descends into the lake drowning them, a reminder from the godess of mans foolishness in trying to master her creations.
   
4. A god of spiders, the spider is considered a holy creature among the gods worshippers. There are factions of the gods worshipper where females are the dominant power (think Drow) and as such live like the spider. Grooming young men into their beds with their beautiful pale skin, to which they then murder and eat afterwards.
   
5. The god of Relentless politeness, a god that reveres politeness and hospitality beyond the normal measure. It is said that he sends trials to his worshippers, often in the most cruelist vile manner possible, to ensure that their members maintain their composure. As such, many of the fiath live alone without spouses and are often refered to as cursed men.
   
6. The twin goddess of vanity, it is said that one sister steals the beauty of the other and throws it into the world for the other to find. The beauty is bestowed between man and women and will have a mole above the brow in the shape of a star. Those with the beauty whom has received form the gods must guard it well, for if it is found by the worshippers of opposing sister and stolen then they receive an age of luxery. Of course if the other side keeps the beauty alive until her beauty fades then they receive the age of luxery. Despite the teachings no woman or man of beauty has been found with the mole, perhaps they mis-understand what it means to be beautiful?
   

just some of my spit-balling ideas. I might come and jot some more down, but in 30 mins Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition comes out... so I might be.. a little busy

 

Tsu

[Cultist]

^Couldn't like that enough. I love webcomics. Here's one taking your idea into account. From the very well drawn and written, Gunnerkrigg Court.

 

 

 

 

And a last.

 

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com

 

There's actually a lot of ZALGO comics.

And so on but you get the idea.