[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shiallia_nobanion_savras_red_knight_sharess_8380.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:A complimentary sample FantasyPantheon®, courtesy of TropeCo/TropeCo™.[[note]]From left, [[NatureSpirit Shiallia]], goddess of the woodlands; [[GodOfGood Nobanion]], god of royalty and good beasts; Savras, god of seekers after truth; the [[WarGod Red Knight]], goddess of military strategy; and [[LoveGoddess Sharess]], goddess of hedonism, sexuality, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking cats]].[[/note]]]]
[[OurGodsAreDifferent The gods of this particular work may be different]], but who does what among them?

Gods, in general, tend to be gods of something in particular -- in both fictional and real-life pantheons, each god is assumed to have some aspect of reality they rule over or are responsible for. When inventing a FantasyPantheon, there are a number of god archetypes that seem unavoidable -- gods of the sun, the sea, war, knowledge and so on are almost always present. Maybe because their role is convenient for the story, easily understandable due to familiarity with RealLife mythologies, or simply that there are only so many domains a god can have and still be taken seriously.

These arrangements tend to draw of Myth/ClassicalMythology -- and to a somewhat lesser extent Myth/EgyptianMythology and Myth/NorseMythology as well -- due to the prominent place this has in Western culture; other cultures' pantheons tend to play a lesser role in inspiring fictional assemblages of gods, unless a creator is deliberately basing their worldbuilding on other cultures... or, of course, the work in question originates outside of Western culture to begin with.

Note that when a work directly adapts a mythology, there is a high risk of {{Flanderisation}}. Not only SadlyMythtaken is at work, but non-fictional gods tend to have multiple domains [[OddJobGod whose relations may be hard to grasp]], though there is generally a good amount of FridgeBrilliance behind it.

The more common ones are:

* A '''TopGod''', that allows the combination of a FantasyPantheon with the presence of a [[{{God}} monotheistic god]] {{Expy}}. Generally lives [[HeavenAbove up in the heavens]]. Chances are, he ([[AlwaysMale and it's almost always "he"]]) will come in two flavors:
** A GrandpaGod, that generally serve as the ReasonableAuthorityFigure (although a subversion, generally inspired by [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Zeus]] or [[Myth/NorseMythology Odin]], is to present him as [[JerkassGods a jerkass]] or even [[GodIsEvil outright evil]]). Expect CrystalDragonJesus in full force.
** HeWhoMustNotBeSeen, either because [[HaveYouSeenMyGod he left or he's hiding]] (at least from the mortals, though sometimes the other gods don't even have the privilege to see him), or because YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm. This is more in accord with a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism deism stance]].
** When the Top God is a Top ''[[MotherGoddess Goddess]]'', she is usually a combination of TheHighQueen and CoolOldLady with a touch of MotherNature. Whereas a benevolent male top god is usually depicted as a glorious king in fantasy pantheons, a benevolent female top god is usually depicted as an inexhaustably [[WomenAreWiser nurturing mother or grandmother]] for the planet.
* A '''[[TheMaker Creator God]]''', a god with the PowerOfCreation. Expect them to have the starring role in the CreationMyth. Their purview could range from creating an entire place to creating an entire species. If they are of an antagonistic nature, expect them to be a [[DemiurgeArchetype Demiurge]] or Mother/Father of Monsters. Commonly lumped together with the Top God, but not always.
* A '''[[DestroyerDeity Destroyer God]]''', a god with the power to cause the EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. Often seen as the BigBad, specially if the Creator God is seen as the BigGood. However, If not antagonistic, they could be seen as part of the EternalRecurrence, destroying the old world to make way for the new one. May have a [[BeastoftheApocalypse beast]] that works for them, or possibly some [[HorsemenOfTheApocalypse horsemen]].
* A '''GodOfEvil''', typically the BigBad of a setting. May be an OmnicidalManiac, eager to TakeOverTheWorld, in it ForTheEvulz, or a combination of those elements. This type of character tends to overlap with the SatanicArchetype and/or TheAntiGod. Similarly to the above, he is either physical or abstract as:
** A PhysicalGod, sometimes a BigRedDevil, sometimes some kind of BlackKnight on a greater scale.
** An EldritchAbomination, a personification of TheDarkSide.
* A '''God of BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil''', is repeatedly [[TheHeart a mediator]] of some sort.
* A '''GodOfGood''', that is, more compassionate than the other gods. May be a MessianicArchetype ([[CrystalDragonJesus Perhaps literally]]), or simply the TokenGoodTeammate among JerkassGods. Common forms include:
** A god of justice, usually inclined towards [[OrderVersusChaos order instead of chaos]].
** A god who alleviates suffering.
* A '''GodOfChaos''', which may be a primal force of no particular moral leaning, TricksterGod or, if ChaosIsEvil, a major villain. Depending on the work in question, "chaos" may encompass randomness, potential, entropy, destruction or disordered creation, which will determine the precise nature of the God of Chaos' purview.
* A '''GodOfOrder''', serving as the GodOfChaos' counterpart. They may represent the more beneficial sides of order, such as structure, knowledge and civilization; alternatively, they may be an amoral or villainous figure seeking stasis or the creation of a predictable, clockwork universe.
* '''[[NatureSpirit Nature Gods]]''', often associated with ElementalPowers. Sometimes, they're not true deities, but simply "rulers" of this particular aspect of nature, or of {{Elemental Embodiment}}s. A personification of Earth (the world, [[DishingOutDirt not the element]]), [[MotherNature or of nature in general]], is popular. In this case, beware her ([[MotherNatureFatherScience and it's almost always "her"]]) [[GaiasVengeance vengeance]].
** A '''GodOfLight''': As the sun was worshiped by many notorious real world religions, most fictional pantheons tend to include solar deities. In terms of elemental magic, they are often tied to [[PlayingWithFire fire]] and [[LightEmUp light]]. May overlap with any of the categories above except GodOfEvil ([[LightIsNotGood barring rare occasions]]). May or may not have a [[{{Lunacy}} lunar]] counterpart [[NightAndDayDuo whom they contrast]].
** A '''LordOfTheOcean''': Big, strong, prone to [[MoodSwinger mood swings]] like [[MegaMaelstrom a raging storm]] and as mercurial as the tides. Often wield the ProngsOfPoseidon and unleash {{Sea Monster}}s, are worshiped by {{Pirate}}s and SuperstitiousSailors, and are usually ChaoticNeutral at best. In many cases, these deities draw on [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Poseidon]] to varying degrees.
** A '''GodOfThunder''': Big one in the house, likely source of BoltOfDivineRetribution. Likely to be TopGod and overlapping with EverybodyLovesZeus. In many cases, these deities draw on [[Myth/NorseMythology Thor]] and/or [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Zeus]] to varying degrees.
** A '''FertilityGod''': A subtype of "nature god" that can cover a number of different areas, specifically around ''creating'' life. Their spheres of influence range from agriculture to sex to childbirth.
** A '''GodOfFire''': These deities command fire and/or volcanoes. They can either be volatile and destructive or [[FireOfComfort warm and nurturing]].
** A '''GodOfDarkness''': A deity who controls darkness, the night and shadows. They can be good, evil or anything in-between. They tend to overlap with gods of the moon, chaos, evil, and death.
** A '''GodOfTheMoon''': Moon gods are often portrayed as mercurial and everchanging, mirroring the constantly changing face of the moon itself. They may also have ties to madness, illusions, and mystery. Expect them to overlap with gods of the night.
** A '''Harvest God''': A subtype of nature deity themed around agriculture, upon whom mortals depend on for food and livelihood. Appeasing this god is often believed to be integral to a bountiful harvest. ''Usually'' a FoodGod.
** A '''Hunting God''': A subtype of nature god affiliated with animals and the wilderness. Usually has a bow. They usually are TheBeastmaster or is at least friends with them. Killing their sacred animals is good way to get on their bad side. [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Artemis]] is a common example.
* '''A WarGod'''. May be good, evil or neutral, but almost always highly chaotic and, naturally, violent. RankScalesWithAsskicking is probably at full effect here, making him (or her, which in this case is a ''literal'' LadyOfWar) one of the most badass characters in the setting. If there is a ProudWarriorRace somewhere, they generally have this god as their patron, or at least pay him due respect.
* '''A LoveGoddess''' (or Love God, but the former is more common, when it isn't a GenderBender or of AmbiguousGender). If portrayed positively, may be TheHeart among the gods and the embodiment of ThePowerOfLove. If portrayed negatively, may represent {{Lust}} and be TheCorrupter. Often based on [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Aphrodite]].
* '''The UltimateBlacksmith'''. Gods associated with the crafting of weapons and other... uh, crafts. Classic forge gods are usually associated with [[PlayingWithFire fire]], as the invention of fire was what led to the refinement and casting of metals, and are often inspired by [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Hephaestus]]. Examples used for TheModernGods focus on the "technology" angle.
* '''The DreamWeaver'''. Lord of dreams and sleep. They grant rest to the restless and allow them to live out their fantasies for a brief night. The good see their lost loved ones again. Offend them and prepare to experience your worst nightmares.
* '''A Cool God''', that is, [[PalsWithJesus cool to hang around with]]. [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway Generally has less flashy powers]] than the other divinities, or at least a more down to earth attitude. May be the only one of them treating mortals seriously. Likely to be a CoolOldGuy, a SentimentalDrunk, or TheStoner if male, a CoolOldLady or ApronMatron if female. [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Dionysos]] is a common model.
** '''A God of the Arts'''. A rather versatile type of deity, their domains consisting of arts such as painting, sculpture, architecture, music, poetry, theatre, and dance. This could expand to things such as entertainment, festivities, celebrations, and storytelling. They tend to be the LifeOfTheParty. [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Apollo, Dionysus, and the Muses]] are usually a source of inspiration.
* '''A GodOfKnowledge'''. Basically TheSmartGuy with divine powers, and as such, can express a wide variety of flavors: can be a god of magic in general (and in this case, likely TheArchmage), of science, of cunning (in which case it may be a TricksterGod as well), or some combination of the three. If there are two versions of this god in the same setting, one of them tied to magic and the other to science, [[MagicVersusScience expect them to be rivals]]. Probably thanks to divinities such as [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Athena]] or [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Isis]], the role is largely gender equal, in spite of MotherNatureFatherScience.
** '''A HealerGod'''. The ultimate healer who can cure anyone, or else they're incurable. Often a goddess such as Isis when she cured Osiris.
** '''A [[{{TheArchmage}} Magic God]]'''. A God of Magic, Mana, and the Arcane. Could either by the source of magic or the reason magic exists. Hecate is a common source of inspiration.
** '''An [[{{Seers}} Oracular God]]'''. A God of Prophecy, Divination, and Oracles. May be covered by the Magic God since magic and prophecy often overlap. Likely the originator of the Prophecy of TheChosenOne or the deity that warns of a cataclysm that must be prevented, often relayed to their followers, usually in the form of oracles. May overlap with the Dreamweaver God if the visions are sent through dreams. [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Apollo]] is often a source of inspiration for this type of deity.
* '''A GodOfTheDead'''. May be charged with searching for the dead (as TheGrimReaper), leading them to the afterlife (as a {{Psychopomp}}), [[JudgementOfTheDead judging them]], or ruling the setting version of the afterlife if it is distinct from {{Heaven}} and {{Hell}}. If it's only the latter, expect this god to have underlings to do the former. Death being such a fearsome thing, and [[SadlyMythtaken the popular imagery]] of [[{{Satan}} this other ruler of the underwold]], it is no wonder than this god may likely be portrayed as evil (see EverybodyHatesHades), or at least not a very fun guy. But subversions exist, portraying the personification of death as a good or at least neutral figure (see DontFearTheReaper), as an unyieldingly strict arbiter of life and death, or giving it some PerkyGoth tendencies. [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Hades]] is a common inspiration, for good or ill. These figures' relationship with undeath can vary; some will be served by legions of the walking dead, while others will consider undeath an unnatural abomination and command their followers to destroy it.
* '''A TricksterGod''', that may overlap with God of Knowledge or God of Messengers. An almost universal figure, this guy is very much the god of MagnificentBastard. Probably too much of a precocious WildCard to be entirely trusted, he's still often indispensable to other gods or mortal heroes.
* '''A Messenger God''': Always on the move, and useful for providing divine messages to from the pantheon to the non-immortal characters. Myth/ClassicalMythology's Hermes/Mercury is a common template.
* '''A Wealth God'''. TheAlmightyDollar has no gender, and can be represented by male, female, or even non-humans like cats or Dragons. Deities with the power of money, wealth, prosperity and abundance, often the patron of merchants or shopkeepers. History has examples where wealth gods overlap with {{Trickster God}}, FoodGod, and LoveGoddess. Money's power is close to TrueNeutral and can swing the balance between good, evil, law, and chaos.
* A '''[[LadyLuck Luck God]]'''. God (or goddess, most are female) of luck, chance, and fate. Can overlap with the Wealth God (both care about good fortune) or Trickster God (both are unpredictable).
* A '''Household God:''' A protector of Homes and the families that reside. Not usually as flashy with their divinity and tend to have a more subtle influence over the mundane affairs of domestic life. Usually aren’t in on much of the action compared to the other gods, but are just as revered. More often than not, they are a divine equivalent of an {{Almighty Janitor}}. Hestia is a prime example.

See also TheModernGods.
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!!Examples:

!!!Subpages:
[[index]]
* StockGods/TabletopGames
** ''StockGods/ForgottenRealms''
[[/index]]

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'': The main character is a member of "The Endless", a family of ageless, god-like beings who are a FantasyPantheon. His name is Dream/Morpheus/Sandman, and he is an example of '''The Dreamweaver'''.
** His sister Death is a death god, {{Psychopomp}}, and Egyptian female version of TheGrimReaper. She is beloved and so subverts EverybodyHatesHades. But officially she is a personification of death itself rather than a death god, and she has some arrangement with death gods.
** Their brother Destruction is a WarGod among other things.
** Their sibling Desire is both male/female, and inspires desire mortal and immortal alike. Desire has the powers of a LoveGoddess, but pranks other like a trickster, particularly their brother Dream.
** The oldest brother, Destiny, and youngest sister, Delirium, might be related to knowledge gods. Destiny knows everyone's path, but his youngest sister knows things he doesn't. Destiny and Delirium also seem like a matched set in terms of OrderVersusChaos. Destiny's realm has many paths, but he lives an orderly life. Delirium seems the most chaotic of the Endless. During the series ''Season of Mists'', Destiny acts as a mediator for the Endless, which is a BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil function.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fanfic]]
* ''Fanfic/ForTheLoveOfTheGods'' involves a group of gods, each based off of extended ''Fanfic/RiseOfTheBraveTangledDragons'' characters.
** [[NatureSpirit Nature Gods]]
*** [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Elsa]], Goddess of Winter and the Northern Winds
*** [[WesternAnimation/{{Brave}} Merida]], Goddess of the Hunt and the Wilds, and matron of Hunters and Explorers.
*** [[WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]], [[ThePowerOfTheSun Goddess of the Sun]] and matron of healers.
*** EarthMother: [[WesternAnimation/{{Brave}} Elinor]], Goddess of Childbirth and Motherhood, matron of wives and mothers and mother to Merida.
** [[WesternAnimation/HotelTransylvania Mavis]], [[TheSacredDarkness Goddess of Night]]
** LoveGoddess: [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Anna]], the Goddess of Love. Sister to Elsa, Goddess of Winter.
** TopGod: [[WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians North]], King of the Gods.
** WarGod: [[WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk Heather]], Goddess of War
** Ethel (nicknamed "[[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Gogo]]"), Messenger Goddess
** DreamWeaver: [[WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians Sanderson]], God of Dreams
** UltimateBlacksmith: [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon Hiccup]] was [[TheBlackSmith a blacksmith]] for his village back when he was human. Having been elevated to godly status, Hiccup became the new God of the Forge, complete with his own VolcanoLair.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium'': The Valar, who generally fall somewhere between gods and archangels, fill a lot of the traditional deific roles. Tolkien being Tolkien, however, he has some variation:
** '''TopGod''': In this case, the absolute Top God is Eru Ilúvatar, a GodOfGods who is probably supposed to be, well, {{God}}. The Christian God, to be exact.
** '''Nature Gods''': Most of the Valar fall under this category.
*** Manwë: Deputy Top God/"King of the Gods", but mostly King of Air and the Sky and lord of the Eagles.
*** Varda: Manwë's wife, Queen of the Stars and the night sky.
*** Ulmo: King of Water.
*** Yavanna: Queen of Earth in the sense of dirt, plants, and animals.
*** Oromë: King of forests and the hunt.
*** Vána: Queen of blossoming flowers, spring, and youth/growth.
*** Nessa: Not quite. A dancer, deer follow her around.
** '''God of Good''': A few of these:
*** Estë the healer.
*** Nienna, the Lady of Mercy. She supported releasing Morgoth after his first imprisonment, incapable of seeing his evil.
** '''God of the Forge''': Aulë, the lord of metalcraft and smith of the Valar who created the dwarves so as to have someone who would share his love of creating beautiful things.
** '''God of Knowledge''': The closest is Lórien, the giver of visions. A few of the ''Maiar'', minor gods/angels may qualify, particularly Olórin, better known as Gandalf.%%-- who is also a bit of a '''Trickster''' and a '''Cool God''', as well.%%How?
** '''God of Death'''
*** Mandos, keeper of fate and lord of the dead.
*** Vairë, his wife, the weaver, who records the history of the world in the halls of the dead.
** '''WarGod''': Tulkas, plain and simple.
** A '''LordOfTheOcean''': Ulmo, the brooding and tempestuous lord of the seas.
** '''God of Evil''': Melkor/Morgoth.
* ''Literature/TheGodsOfPegana'': Creator/LordDunsany was even earlier than Tolkien. You might say that Tolkien is the Trope Codifier here but Lord Dunsany is the Trope Maker (unless William Blake counts).
** '''TopGod''': MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI. The God of Gods, who made all small gods. Some say that the worlds and the suns (and perhaps even the gods) are but dreams that rise in the mind of MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI.
** A '''LordOfTheOcean''': Slid (Whose Soul is the Sea).
** '''The Dreamweaver''': Yoharneth-Lahai, the God of Little Dreams and Fancies.
** '''God of Death''': Mung, Lord of All Deaths between Pegāna and the Rim.
** '''God of Knowledge''': Hoodrazai, who alone of the gods knows the wherefore of their making, or else Dorozhand, the God of Destiny.
* ''Literature/TheSundering'' has the seven Shapers.
** '''{{God}}:''' Uru-Alat, who created the Shapers by dying.
** '''TopGod / God of Knowledge:''' Haomane, Lord of Thought; Shaper of the sun and thought, creator of the [[OurElvesAreDifferent Ellylon]]. His gift is intelligence.
** '''LoveGoddess:''' Arahila the Fair; Shaper of the moon and love, creator of humans. Her gift is love.
** '''[[LoveGoddess Love God]]:''' Satoris the Sower, the Sunderer, Banewreaker. His gift is lust / sexual desire / reproduction. Did not create a race directly, but is the indirect creator of all the subsequent generations of the races except those of the Ellylon. Also the antagonist of the other Shapers, and considered a GodOfEvil despite [[SubvertedTrope not being all that evil]].
** '''[[NatureSpirit Nature Gods]]'''
*** Neheris-of-the-Leaping-Waters, Shaper of the mountains and rivers, creator of the [[OurTrollsAreDifferent Fjelltroll]].
*** Meronin, Shaper of the seas and oceans, creator of a marine race.
*** Yrinna of the Fruits, shaper of plants, creator of the [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwarves]].
%%** '''God of Death:''' Oronin, creator of the [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Were]].
* ''Literature/TheSunSword'' and related works have a pantheon whose members fit many of these roles (with some overlap) and are about as active as their separation from the mortal plane allows:
** GodOfGood: Most of the pantheon, particularly Cormalis, Reymalis, and the Mother (who between them are also generally considered Top Gods); Bredan, god of oaths and contracts, also fits here somewhat, though he's more of a God of Law.
** GodOfEvil: Allasakar, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Lord of the Hells]]
** God of Knowledge: Teos is god of knowledge; Reymalis is god of the closely related wisdom
** WarGod: Cormalis is god of justice, including just war; violence for its own sake appears to fall more strongly under Allasakar's dominion.
** Love Goddess: The Mother, albeit more of a goddess of familial rather than romantic or sexual love.
** God of Death: Mandaros, though as this is a setting where reincarnation is in play he merely receives, judges, and sends onward the souls of the dead rather than actually ruling them.
** Nature God: Bredan wasn't one originally, but became one after his covenant with the Breodani people turned him into the Hunter God in addition to his usual role as god of oaths.
** Trickster: The nameless god, possibly; we don't know much about him (her? it?) but he's certainly extremely mysterious and plays a very long game; recurring mentor and chessmaster Evayne the Seeress is his emissary [[spoiler: and daughter]].
* The [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Yuuzhan Vong]] pantheon from the ''Literature/NewJediOrder'' covers most of these bases, including a Top God/Creator (Yun-Yuuzhan), a WarGod (Yun-Yammka), a Trickster (Yun-Harla), paired Love Gods (Yun-Txiin and Yun-Q'aah), plus Yun-Shuno and Yun-Ne'Shel, who have portfolios fairly specific to the Vong's caste system as the guardian of the lower castes and the goddess of the [[MadScientist Shapers]] respectively, but fall roughly under GodOfGood (and by extension TokenGoodTeammate) and God of Knowledge.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** The Disc has thousands of known gods (and research theologians keep discovering new ones), but a sort of default pantheon of the more significant ones has developed. These include:
*** GodOfThunder: Blind Io, who has made a point of muscling in on any belief in a thunder god on the Disc (sometimes wearing a false nose), and has therefore managed to maintain a position as the TopGod.
*** LoveGoddess: Astoria. Little is known about her, except that Om thinks she's "a complete bubble-head".
*** TricksterGod: Hoki the Jokester, who was banished from Dunmanifestin for the exploding misteltoe gag, and generally appears as an oak tree, a satyr, or a bloody nuisance.
*** Nature Gods:
*** The Moon Goddess, worshipped by druids.
*** Topaxci, God of the Red Mushroom, worshipped by shamans.
*** Herne the Hunted, God of Prey Animals, mostly worshipped by them, although it doesn't seem to help much.
*** TheUltimateBlacksmith: Named as Neoldian in ''VideoGame/DiscworldNoir'', but possibly named as Dennis in ''Literature/TheLastHero'', which says every organisation need, to its regret, one member who knows how things ''work''.
*** GodOfOrder: Fate, Lawful Neutral with Evil tendencies and the opposite number to:
*** GodOfChaos: The Lady, Chaotic Neutral with Good tendencies. There's also Pippina, the lady with the Apple of Discord.
*** Cool God: Bibulous, God of Wine and Things on Sticks. The Discworld being what it is, ''knowing'' he's the Cool God means that in his brief appearance he actually comes across as a bit obnoxious and smug.
*** Messenger God: Fedecks, complete with winged helmet.
*** Food Gods: Many, including Epidity, God of Potatoes, Grune, God of Unseasonal Fruit, and - inevitably - an unnamed God of Cabbages.
** The Djelibeybian pantheon in ''Literature/{{Pyramids}}'' has multiple gods for each position, because Djelibeybi never throws away a god that might come in useful later.
** The troll pantheon is mentioned in ''Literature/MovingPictures'':
*** God of Knowledge: Gigalith, who gives trolls wisdom by hitting them on the head with a rock.
*** LoveGoddess: Chrondite, who makes trolls fall in love by hitting them on the head with a rock.
*** God of Luck: Silicarous, who gives trolls good fortune by ... yeah.
** Dwarfs only seem to have one god, Tak, who is a God of Knowledge. He also isn't exactly worshipped. "Tak does not require that we think of Him, only that we think."
** No actual death gods appear, presumably because Death himself appears often enough to mortals that they’d seem superfluous. Death is not a god, but something more cosmic; although the gods occasionally negotiate favors from him, they may know that he can and will come for any of them when their time is up, making him rather disturbing to the egotistical and petty Discworld deities. (The ''TabletopGame/DiscworldRoleplayingGame'' suggests that if any do exist, they’re probably a rather sleazy bunch, despised by Death himself.)
* ''Literature/TheFarawayPaladin'' mashes up several of the archetypes.
** According to myth, the creator deity was killed by the evil gods long ago after speaking them into existence with the LanguageOfMagic by accident, so the current TopGod is Volt, god of rulership and lightning. He is married to Mater, the EarthMother and {{Fertility God}}ess, and by her is the father of Gracefeel, [[DontFearTheReaper the kindly goddess]] of [[{{Reincarnation}} the cycle of death and rebirth]]. The other "good" gods[[note]]Gus makes a strong argument that the gods actually run on BlueAndOrangeMorality, but these are the ones whose actions are usually beneficial to mortals.[[/note]] include Blaze, god of fire and craftsmanship (creator of the dwarves); Rhea Silvia, goddess of wildlands (creator of the elves); Whirl, the "Cool God" of winds, travel, and freedom (creator of the halflings); and Enlight, the god of knowledge.
** The evil side of the pantheon largely consists of three deities. Illtreat, the god of war and chaos and creator of the goblinoid races, is the EvilTwin of Volt, whose wife Mater supports him against her brother-in-law. Dyrhygma, god of dimensions, is the ruler of Hell and the patron god of the demons. Lastly, Stagnate is the god[[spoiler:[[SamusIsAGirl dess]]]] of TheUndead, who directly opposes Gracefeel [[spoiler:and, ''a la'' Volt and Illtreat, is in fact her estranged sister]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
* Myth/ClassicalMythology:
** TopGod: Zeus, the king of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus.
** GodOfEvil: Kakia, the goddess of vice and moral badness.
** God of BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil: Adrestia, the goddess of just retribution, revolt, and maintaining the equilibrium between good and evil.
** GodOfGood: Hestia, the goddess of family and the home, was the kindest and most beloved deity among the Greek pantheon. While Hestia was probably the nicest of the gods, Herakles was probably the closest to a GodOfGood of the more prominent gods in Greek Mythology. His cultic titles included custos (The guardian), kallnikos (triumphant), promachos (champion) and alexikakos (The averter of evil). As Herakles Kallnikos, he was invoked as a protector from evil spirits, bandits, tyranny and all sorts of dangers. Also, as a protector from war. When he married Hebe, she produced two sons. Anicetus (unconquerable) and Alexiares (he who wards off war).
** GodOfChaos: Eris, the goddess of discord and strife.
** GodOfOrder: Zeus was the patron god of law, order, and justice. Rather ironic, considering his own hedonistic ways.
** Nature Gods: Almost too many to list, but Pan embodied nature as a whole, along with mountains, shepherds, and male sexuality.
** Sun God: Helios was the personification of the Sun, riding a horse-drawn chariot across the sky each day.
** LordOfTheOcean: Poseidon, the god of the sea, along with storms, earthquakes, and horses.
** GodOfThunder: Zeus, along with his other titles, was also the god of thunder, lightning, and the sky.
** Harvest God: Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, agriculture, and fertility of the lands in general. Also Cronus, the titan of the harvest, to a lesser extent.
** Hunting God: Artemis, goddess of the hunt, the moon, wilderness, and chastity.
** WarGod: There were plenty of war gods, but Ares embodied war in general, specifically the darker aspects like bloodshed and violence.
** LoveGoddess: Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality.
** The Ultimate Blacksmith: Hephaestus, the god of the forge, blacksmiths, and technology.
** The Dreamweaver: Split between Hypnos and Morpheus. Hypnos was the god of sleep, while Morpheus represented dreams.
** Cool God: Dionysus was the god of wine, fertility and drunken debauchery. He embodied the most hedonistic urges of humanity and was content to hold parties and orgies. But he's not above driving people insane if they invoke his wrath.
** God of Knowledge: Athena, the goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and tactical warfare.
** Healer God: Asclepius was the god of medicine, healing, and physicians.
** God of Death: There were plenty of death gods, but Hades was the lord of the underworld and ruling over the dead.
** TricksterGod: Hermes was the god of thieves and wit, and was known for tricking various members of the Greek Pantheon.
** Messenger God: Hermes also delivered messages for the gods and was able to travel freely between Olympus and the world of humanity as their herald.
** Wealth God: Plutus, the god of wealth and earthly goods. Hermes also fills this role as the god of commerce.
* Myth/NorseMythology:
** TopGod: Odin, the head of the Aesir.
** GodOfThunder: Thor, god of storms and thunder.
** LordOfTheOcean: Njord, god of the sea, sailors, and fishing.
** LoveGoddess: Freyr and Freyja, god and goddess of love, beauty, sex, and fertility.
** WarGod: ''Several'', but Odin, Freyja, and Tyr are prominent examples.
** Fertility God: Also several examples, but Frey and Njord stick out.
** God of Knowledge: Odin yet again, the god of wisdom.
** GodOfTheDead: Hel, goddess of death and graves.
** Messenger God: Hermod, messenger of the gods. Gna, goddess of winds, also served this role.
** TricksterGod: Loki, arguably ''[[TropeCodifier the]]'' Trickster God.
* The reconstructed Proto-Indo-European pantheon had a few, given that it was the source for a lot of the above.
** GodOfLight: The Sun God (who may have had a daughter, the Sun Maiden, who might have been the source for Helen of Troy) and the Dawn Goddess. Their sky god Dyeus was also considered a god of daylight, and the sun was occasionally called his lamp or his eye. He might have had a night-sky counterpart, though this is uncertain. Derivatives of the Sun God/ess include Helios (Greek), Sol (Roman), Hvare-Khshaeta (Zoroastrian), and Surya (Vedic). Derivatives of the Dawn Goddess include Eos (Greek), Aurora (Roman), and Ushas (Vedic). Dyeus's derivatives include Zeus (most famously), Jupiter, Dei-Patrous (Illyrian) and Dyeus (Vedic).
** GodOfTheMoon: One existed, paralleling the Sun Goddess. Derivatives include Mani (Norse) and Selene (Greek).
** A GodOfThunder who wielded a hammer and was associated with oak trees. His most famous derivative is Thor, but the Vedic Parjanya and the Lithuanian Perkunas also probably descend from this god.
** MotherNature: An Earth Goddess who covered both the earth and underworld, being associated with the duality of fertility/life and death/decay, with Gaia and Demeter being possible derivatives. Often portrayed as a counterpart to Dyeus. There was also a pastoral god who protected herds and roads, whose best-known derivatives are Pan (Greek- it's also thought that Hermes was originally an epithet for Pan, making Hermes an indirect derivative of the pastoral god) and Pushan (Vedic).
** Possibly a GodOfFire, with Agni (Vedic) and Enji (Albanian) as derivatives. There was also a goddess who personified hearth fires.
** UltimateBlacksmith: No name can be reconstructed, but they probably had one.
** LoveGoddess: Again, no reconstructable name.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Runescape}}'':%%How do these examples fit their roles?
%%** Top God: Jas, being the creator of the world.
%%** God of Evil: Zamorak, Bandos, Xau-Tak, and possibly the Queen of Ashes (we don't know much about her, but she's a conqueror of multiple planes).
%%** God of Balance Between Good and Evil: Guthix, maybe Zaros
%%** God of Good: Saradomin and Armadyl
%%** Nature Gods: Seren, Guthix, Brassica Prime, and Bik.
%%** War God: Bandos
%%** God of Knowledge: Saradomin
%%** God of Death: Harold Death Esquire (not actually a god, but works with Ictharlin)
%%** Great Gazoo: Brassica_Prime
%%** Cool God: V, Armadyl, and Marimbo
%%** Trickster God: Sliske (false god).
%%** From the Menaphite Pantheon:
%%*** Top God: Tumeken (also a Sun God).
%%*** Nature God: Elidinis
%%*** God of Evil: Amascut
%%*** Cool God: Apmeken and Crondis
%%*** God of Death: Icthlarin helps the dead reach the afterlife.
%%*** God of Knowledge: Het and Scabaras/
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series has [[OurGodsAreDifferent a wide variety of divine beings]], most prominently with the Nine Aedric "Divines" and the 17 Daedric Princes. Both groups were originally et'Ada, "original spirits" who formed from the spilled blood of Anu and Padomay. The Aedra are the et'Ada who helped Lorkhan to create Mundus, the mortal world, sacrificing large portions of their divine power to do so. The Daedric Princes made no sacrifices, leaving them at full power with their CompleteImmortality in tact, but they suffer limitations on their ability to interact with Mundus as a result. Additionally, there are many other deities who don't neatly fit into either group. For more details on them all, see the [[Characters/TheElderScrollsDivineBeings Elder Scrolls: Divine Beings]] character page. To note here (going by their [[IHaveManyNames most common names]] and traits for the sake of brevity):
** Top God:
*** Anu best fits the GodOfGods version. He is the AnthropomorphicPersonification of the primordial force of stasis/order/light. Along with his "[[CainAndAbel twin brother]]", TheAntiGod Padomay, who represents the force of [[OrderVersusChaos change/chaos/darkness]], their interplay led the creation itself. After fighting over creation, Anu pulled Padomay outside of time. From their [[PiecesOfGod spilled blood]] rose the et'Ada. Anu's spirit "lives" on as Anuiel, the "Soul of All Things", very lightly influencing the events of reality.
*** Akatosh fits as the Top God itself, being the chief deity of the Aedric Nine Divines pantheon. He is the [[DragonsAreDivine draconic]] God of Time and is said to have been the first being to emerge out of the raw energy of the early universe.
*** In esoteric lore-speak, the "Godhead theory" posits there's also a greater God of Gods, namely the Sleeping Godhead who hallucinates everything in the Aurbis (which, given the rather bizarre cosmology of ''TES'', could easily fall under LeaningOnTheFourthWall). Breaking through the thick metaphor, the Godhead is implied to be the player and/or the developers of the series.
** God of Evil:
*** Sithis, the remnant of Padomay, currently an EldritchAbomination embodying nonexistence and represented by a [[ThePowerOfTheVoid Great Void]]. However, Sithis doesn't act directly. Sithis is said to have "begat" Lorkhan to disrupt the "stasis" of Anuiel. All that can be known for sure is that Sithis represents chaos and change, in contrast to Anuiel's order and stasis, and whether Sithis is good or evil depends on one's point of view on OrderVersusChaos.
*** Some of the more malevolent Daedric Princes fit. While all are beings AboveGoodAndEvil who operate on their own BlueAndOrangeMorality beyond mortal understanding, how their actions impact mortals typically gets them classified as either good or evil. The two who most commonly get this title are Molag Bal, Daedric Prince of Domination and [[TheCorrupter Corruption]], and Mehrunes Dagon, Daedric Prince of [[OmnicidalManiac Destruction]]. While most Daedric Princes have some redeeming qualities, or at least moral grey areas, Molag Bal seemingly has none while Dagon has very few.
** God of Balance Between Good and Evil: Azura, the Daedric Prince of Dawn and Dusk, is usually considered one of the "good" Daedric Princes and has some traits along these lines. Some lore texts paint her as maintaining a sort of metaphysical "balance", with her being more of a TrueNeutral whose actions just so happen to benefit mortals more often than not.
** God of Good:
*** Throughout much of Tamriel, all of the Aedra are considered this. They are seen as an almost uniformly benevolent group who are worshiped by a SaintlyChurch. Some groups, like the Dunmer, see them instead as "false gods" and prefer their traditional worship of the "good Daedra" and their ancestors.
*** Some of the typically considered "good Daedra" may qualify here, such as Azura and Meridia. GoodIsNotNice is in full effect with both, while Azura can be a ManipulativeBastard and Meridia can be a KnightTemplar about it.
** Nature Gods:
*** Kynareth for the Aedra, being the Goddess of Air with a FriendToAllLivingThings slant.
*** Namira, the Daedric Prince of the Grotesque, covers some of the darker aspects of nature, such as decay.
*** Y'ffre is the forest god of Valenwood. He (sometimes She) was one of the strongest of the et'Ada and was the first to transform into the Ehlnofey, the "Earth Bones", which allowed for the laws of physics, nature, and life on Nirn. Y'ffre is the most important deity to the Bosmer (Wood Elves).
** War God:
*** Talos, the DeityOfHumanOrigin who joined the Aedra as the Ninth Divine, covers this as well as being the god of "good governance". In some circles, especially the [[HornyVikings Nords]], he may have even surpassed Akatosh as the top god and even if he hasn't, Talos may be more popular.
*** Zenithar, the Aedric Divine God of Work and Commerce, is also described as a "warrior god", but "one who is reserved and restrained in times of peace".
*** Boethiah, the Daedric Prince of Plots, Consiparacy, and Betrayal, has aspects of this. Malacath, the Daedric Prince of the Spurned and Ostracized was formerly this as the Aldmeri deity Trinimac. However, Boethiah "ate" Trinimac, tortured Trinimac in his/her belly, and then excreted Trinimac's remains. Those remains became Malacath.
** Love Goddess:
*** There are two among the Aedra - Mara, who represents platonic love, compassion, and family - and Dibella, who represents beauty and erotic love.
*** "Love" is a stretch, but Mephala, a Daedric Price whose true sphere is unknown to mortals, has an association with sex. Primarily, the manipulative aspects of the act, including its use to spin "webs" and spread lies.
** The Dreamweaver: Vaermina, the Daedric Prince of Nightmares and Terror. She does not represent any of the positive aspects of the trope.
** The Cool God: Many could qualify but it largely depends on who you speak to in-universe.
*** A major one, at least for the races of Men, is Lorkhan (aka Shor, Shezarr, etc.) Lorkhan is the et'Ada who convinced those who would become the Aedra to create Mundus, and as a punishment, they [[GodIsDead "killed"]] him, tore out his divine center ("heart"), and cast it down into the world he made them create where his spirit is forced to wander. Historically, his spirit has been known to take [[GodInHumanForm physical manifestations]] (known as "[[EternalHero Shezarrines]]" after his Imperial name) which most often show up during times of great turmoil for the races of Men. He usually helps them out by [[ScrewYouElves killing many, many Elves]]. Be warned if you want to "hang out" with a Shezarrine though, they're often [[TheBerserker berserkers]] with FantasticRacism toward non-humans and a BerserkButton for being associated with the divine that will lead to them killing you for suggesting it. He ''may'' have re-ascended to full godhood as part of a MergerOfSouls and/or BecomingTheMask situation with Talos.
*** Among the Daedra, Sanguine fits the bill, being the Daedric Prince of pleasure, debauchery, and hedonism (and clearly an {{Expy}} of [[Characters/ClassicalMythology Dionysus]]). Though he enjoys humiliating people, is associated with the SevenDeadlySins, and is TheCorrupter, he's also nicer to humans and significantly less evil than some of the other Daedra.
** God of Knowledge:
*** Julianos for the Aedra, being the God of Wisdom and Knowledge with a particualar associate with schools.
*** Hermaeus Mora is the Daedric Prince of Knowledge, specializing in [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow eldritch lore]].
** God of Death:
*** Arkay for the Aedra, but he avoids EveryoneHatesHades for the most part by being the god of death ''and life''. He is known to [[DueToTHeDead protect the souls and bodies of the dead]]. The Nords, however, villify him as "Orkey" or "Old Knocker", and blame him for [[WeAreAsMayflies giving them shorter lifespans]] than their [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld hated rivals in the elves]].
*** Mannimarco, the God of Worms, is another DeityOfHumanOrigin who works to circumvent Arkay's laws. Whenever he eclipses Arkay, it leads to the "[[BadMoonRising Necromancer's Moon]]", during which Grand Soul Gems can be converted to Black Soul Gems, allowing for the trapping of sapeint souls otherwise protected by Arkay.
** Great Gazoo:
*** Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of [[MadGod Madness]] is a major one. He's not just insane, he ''is'' insanity incarnate. He's also a patron of the arts, though this doesn't come up as often. [[spoiler:He's also the same being as Jyggalag, the Daedric Prince of Order, cursed with insanity by the other Daedric Princes to keep him under control. The ''Shivering Isles'' expansion to ''Oblivion'' involves dealing with this situation.]]
*** Sanguine is the Daedric Prince Debauchery and Hedonism. His actions are mostly limited to playing with and/or annoying mortals. He's certainly one of the less serious deities of the series.
** The Trickster: Back to Lorkhan again. Even the religions which paint him in a positive way still maintain his "trickster" elements.
* ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity'' hits most of the high points.
** GodOfEvil: Rymrgand, god of death, famine, plague, or simple bad luck, and Skaen, god of secret hatred, resentment, and violent rebellion.
** GodOfGood: Eothas, god of light and redemption. To hear your Eothasian party member Eder tell it, he also qualifies as a Cool God, being one who seemed to understand mortals better than the others. [[GodIsDead Too bad he got blown up.]] One would think Woedica would fall here too as a goddess of law and rightful rulership, but in practice she hews too much towards the vengeance part of her portfolio.
** Nature Gods: Galawain, god of the hunt, Hylea, goddess of birds and the sky, and Ondra, goddess of water and the moon.
** WarGod: Magran, goddess of fire and war, whose priests frequently employ firearms and created the Godhammer Bomb that killed Waidwen and apparently Eothas in the {{backstory}}.
** God of Knowledge: Abydon is a craftsman god, Wael handles dreams, secrets, mysteries, and revelations, while part of Woedica's portfolio includes memory.
** God of Death: Both a [[DontFearTheReaper good death god]] -- Berath, god of cycles, doors, and death -- and a [[TheGrimReaper bad death god]] -- Rymrgand, god of death, famine, plague, and bad luck.
* The ''VideoGame/DarkParables'' have a smaller pantheon than some franchises, but as the series continues, more of them start coming out of the woodwork.
** GodOfEvil: The Shadow God embodies this trope.
** GodOfGood: The Sun, Moon, and Maiden Goddesses are depicted this way, with the Moon Goddess being particularly attached to the PlayerCharacter.
** NatureSpirit: Flora is a sort of generalized nature goddess, while Thalassa is explicitly the Sea Goddess. Both are described as being of neutral disposition; Flora is a TrueNeutral figure who can occasionally be persuaded to lean toward NeutralGood, while Thalassa is very LawfulNeutral.
* ''VideoGame/KidIcarus'':
** TopGod: Dyntos is mentioned to be the most powerful of the gods, although he mostly remains neutral between the various factions.
** [[DestroyerDeity Destroyer God]]: The Chaos Kin, while not referred to as a god, is a monster that's just as powerful as them and relishes in causing destruction and disaster. [[spoiler: It was sealed away by the Forces of Nature until Pit accidentally frees it, which leads to it possessing Palutena and waging war against humanity]].
** GodOfEvil: Hades is the leader of the Underworld Army and commands his forces to slaughter humanity so he can harvest their souls to create more soldiers for his army.
** GodOfGood: Palutena is the ruler of Skyworld and the only god who actually tries to defend humanity from the forces of the Underworld. She serves as the BigGood for the series and is Pit's patron goddess.
** GodOfChaos: The Chaos Kin lives up to it's name, spreading chaos and destruction everywhere it can as soon as it's freed.
** [[NatureSpirit Nature God]]: Viridi is the leader of the Forces of Nature and priortizes protecting the planet above all else. Her forces are opposed to both the Underworld Army and humanity, with Viridi firmly believing that HumansAreBastards because of the damage they do to the environment.
** GodOfLight: Palutena is the goddess of light and is opposed to the dark forces led by the Underworld Army. Pyrrhon is also shares the role, being the "self-described" god of the Sun.
** LordOfTheOcean: Poseidon is the god of the sea and is typically a neutral figure in the war, although he assists Pit and Palutena in reaching Thanatos's underwater palace by parting the seas.
** GodOfThunder: Phosphora is one of the generals for the Forces of Nature and can summon lighting in her fights against Thanatos and Pit.
** GodOfFire: Pyrrhon, being the god of the Sun, is entirely bathed in flames and primarily uses fire to attack any foe that comes in his way.
** GodOfDarkness: Medusa is the goddess of darkness and opposed to Palutena, the godess of light. She initially appears to be the leader of the Underworld Army, but is eventually revealed to be a puppet leader created by Hades.
** GodOfTheMoon: Arlon the Serene is one of commanders of the Forces of Nature and is charge of protecting the Lunar Sanctum, a moon-sized fortress [[spoiler: that contains the Chaos Kin]].
** The UltimateBlacksmith: Dyntos is the god of the forge and responsible for creating the Three Sacred Treasures, as well as most of the other weapons Pit uses throughout the game.
** GodOfTheDead: Hades is the ruler of the Underworld, where all souls go when they die. But Thanatos himself is the god of death, even if he still remains subserviant to Hades.
** TricksterGod: Pandora, the goddess of calamity, uses spells and illusions to deceive her opponents.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''Literature/MetamorKeep'': One of the major religions is a Fantasy Pantheon of nine good-leaning gods called Aedra and nine evil-leaning gods called Daedra. Note that some Aedra and Daedra are neutral, and may even hinder or help the heroes if it furthers their own interests.
** '''TopGod''': Kammaloth. Both for being the king of the gods, and only rarely appearing in-person to his followers.
** '''GodOfEvil''': Ba'al. Basically the Evil Counterpart to Kammaloth.
** '''GodOfGood''': Akkala. The maternal, loyal, sympathetic goddess of healing and light, who sometimes [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight breaks contracts to do what's right]].
** '''GodOfChaos''': Klepnos. Well-known as a trickster, a shapeshifter, and a god of insanity. In fact, he sees past and future alike and as one, and his speech and actions reflect that.
** '''NatureSpirit''': Artela and Lilith are the good and evil versions of this, respectively. Artela represents [[InHarmonyWithNature nature as a balanced, self-regulating order]]; Lilith represents [[NatureIsNotNice nature as a competitive, bloodthirsty world of monsters and savagery]].
*** Oblineth also counts, as the Daedra goddess of [[AnIcePerson ice and winter]]. Rarely interacts with the others, though.
** '''Sun God''': Yajiit, complete with fire powers and flight.
** '''LordOfTheOcean''': Wvelkim, who has the typical mood swings and ChaoticNeutral alignment of an ocean god.
** '''Harvest God''': Dvalin, god of good weather for farming, and good wine for drinking.
** '''WarGod''': Dokorath and Revonos, another good/bad pairing. Dokorath represents chivalry and honorable warfare; Revonos represents rage and treachery.
** '''LoveGoddess''': Velena and Suspira, yet another good/bad pairing. Velena is the goddess of truth and [[ThePowerOfLove true love]]; Suspira is the goddess of {{Lust}} and desire.
** '''Dreamweaver''': Nocturna. Her realm of dreams is where the virtuous Lothanasi go to die, before they pass into the unknown. The least evil of the Daedra, but still shares the stigma among mortals.
** '''God of Knowledge''': Samekkh. He is so dedicated to the cause of knowledge, in fact, that he generally avoids sharing his knowledge with mortals, preferring to let them [[FigureItOutYourself reason it out]].
** '''God of Death''': Tallakath, also the god of sickness and rot. It's nothing personal, he's just fascinated by death, [[BlueAndOrangeMorality being someone who can never experience it]].
** '''Wealth Power''': Agemnos, a ManOfWealthAndTaste and Daedric ConMan. He prefers targeting the clever and conniving, as they make for more satisfying [[TheCon marks]].
[[/folder]]
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