5 metagods for my settings

 

Most of my settings that receive actual play are very polytheistic. Nobody would conceive of following only one or two gods in them, and even things so earthly as distinctive landmarks possess a spirit or god. But that does not lend well to generalization. So here are some metagods. Perhaps they have a cult, but more likely they are regarded as backstory for any given cult. They're things you invoke to make a god, not necessarily gods themselves.

From Blindsprings

Father of the Winds and Rains

A being of air and light, youthful despite everything. A trickster, whose beneficence may be just as bad as his vengeance. However, he is much less powerful than his offspring, who are the many kindreds of weather, meteors, and will-o-wisps, and whose grandchildren are rivers and springs. Venerated, but not called upon. Appearing sometimes with a weapon of lightning to give to some unlikely person, or to have a dalliance with some man or woman (whose child may be anything from a sylph to a lightning bolt!).

Chalchiuhtlicue

Mother of Idols

Invoked but little worshiped is the mother of idols. Like the Father of Winds and Rains, her children are greater than she. It is she who gives to statues their Numen. It is she who gives birth to hearth spirits and tutelars. Her kindly children are to thank for the lives of all humanity, but she has also given birth to gods of calamity and misfortune.

From Astral Aves

Lord of Veils and Darkness

The opener of ways, the king of chaos and dreams and omens, Whose subjects are stars and moons, bogeys and shadows. Emperor of the unknown, the beast ineffable. The infinity of darkness, sleep, and death are him and his. He is the one for whom light is darkness and darkness is light. Appears when one is alone, granting madness and power, emanating mystery.

From Goth Western

Sovereign of Mercy and Mania

A creature of emotion and intellect. Existed long before human hearts, but was created by and created them. Theirs are not petty emotions. They grow great passions, which destroy the hearts that foster them. The fire of symbolism, the sweetness of poetry, bitter wailing songs, fights to the death. The numen of that which utterly refuses to be quenched. Appears invisibly to bestow their blessings, which are guardian angels, leannán sídhe, and genii. 

Dark Souls

Grandfather August

The king of kings, the lord of lords. His children are wars and kingdoms, the spirits which make one an emperor, dragons and great leaping flames, lineages, priesthoods. That which rules, which is illuminated, which is exalted. He respects age, and he respects power, and for these things he will reward glory and remembrances. He is slow as the passing of ages, but he is deliberate and unstoppable as time.

Perhaps two or three of these five exist in any one setting. They are determinants of the entire tone of religion. As well, innumerable gods exist outside of their children and subjects, and other meta-gods exist. And, of course, I made most of these gender specific, but there's no reason for them to be!