Foreword +
Preface +
Credits and Acknowledgements +
Editor's Introduction +
Explanatory Notes +
    Explanation (POLYHEDRON letter)
    Standard Divine Abilities +
Dungeon Mastering Divine Beings +
Clerics and Deities +
Omens +
Mortality and Immortality +
    Divine Ascension +

American Indian Mythos + 15
Arthurian Heroes + 117
Babylonian Mythos + 10
Celtic Mythos + 19
Central American Mythos + 13
Chinese Mythos + 24
Cthulhu Mythos + 17
Egyptian Mythos + 24
Finnish Mythos + 23
Greek Mythos + 40
Indian Mythos + 18
Japanese Mythos + 13
Melnibonéan Mythos + 41
Nehwon Mythos + 37
Nonhuman's Deities + 18
Norse Mythos + 39
Sumerian Mythos + 8

Appendix 1: The Known Planes of Existence (DDG) -
Appendix 2: Temple Trappings -
Appendix 3: Clerical Quick Reference Chart -
Appendix 4: Further Reference -
Index to Proper Names -
<calendar>

Q. Although 17 pantheons are
mentioned on the back of the DEITIES
& DEMIGODS Cyclopedia, only
15 are detailed inside. Why is
this? (Advanced)
A. The 1st edition <printing> did indeed give
details of 17 sets of gods and
heroes, but the 2nd and all subsequent
<printings> only gave information
on 15. The 2 pantheons
that were dropped, Michael Moorcock's
Melnibonean mythos (the Elric
stories), and H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu
mythos, disappeared because other
companies produced games on those
subjects, and the copyright holders
withdrew their permission for us to
use them.
<is this true? ask James M. Ward>
 
 

<try to find a better picture of Jim; for some unfathomable reason,  does not like this one>
<actually, on 2nd thought, keep this one, the reason being the archival aspect of this site>

Question: In GODS, DEMI-GODS  HEROES it says
that a forty-plus level character is ridiculous. In our game we
have two characters that are  one thousand-plus level. This
happened in “Armageddon,”a conflict between the gods and
the characters. Of course, the characters won. What do you
think about that?

Answer: Not much. I don’t know whether to  or . I will
repeat: A forty-plus-level character is ridiculous. We feel that you must
advance one level at a time, not a whole bunch at once. I don’t
understand how or what happened or even if all the gods were in this
battle, but if you enjoy playing this way, feel free to do so. I don’t want
to spoil your fun.


 

Question: First, my question is in two parts;
are the stats in the present Gods, Demi-Gods and Heroes correct for AD&D,
and since there are no large-scale battle rules in the DMG, are the rules in Swords and Spells or Chainmail the official army rules?
If not, what rules are recommended?

Answer: Gods, Demi-Gods and Heroes was written for OD&D.
There is a revised edition being written right now by Jim Ward && Rob Kuntz.
This book will be for play with AD&D. There are no official rules for army
battles in AD&D yet. We find that Chainmail works pretty well when we
want to have armies fight each other. We are presently considering
something along these lines, but it is in the beginning stages.
(Update: See DEITIES & DEMIGODS)
(Update: See BATTLESYSTEM).

ADQ: I have done extensive research
into the mythos of India and I don't
think what you have represented in the
DEITIES & DEMIGODS Cyclopedia
fits very well with the actual
literature on the subject. How did you
develop these listings?
ADA: This question, in different forms,
has been asked many times about all of
the pantheons listed in the DEITIES & DEMIGODS
Cyclopedia. The work is
an unusual combination of gaming fiction
and historical and literary study.
All of the historical pantheons given
were researched using primary and
secondary sources. It isn't easy to get
the material you desire from rural universities,
but  effort was made to
present complete and accurate materal.
    One of the discoveries made while
doing reseach was that there are many
conflicting works on man's mythologies;
we must remember that their way
of recording and transmitting information
was less than flawless.
    Time is also an important factor to
consider when detailing a mythos. The
Egyptian mythos listed had an active
faith for over 3,000 years! In that time
the way of the gods were viewed and their
powers were revamped several times. It
is quite possible that your sources
detail different information on the deities
of India in this same manner. We
used accredited sources to determine the
powers and items of the gods represented,
and presented a rough translation
of these things into AD&D game
terms.
    If you have gone through the trouble of
researching a particular favorite myth,
by all means use this information in
your own campaign. The listings in
the Cyclopedia of gods and heroes from
myth and legend was only meant to fill
gaps in the game system.
(Polyhedron #13)
 
 

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES

Aarth +
Achilles +

Quote:
Originally posted by Eternalknight

Did you ever think of doing much on Australian Aboriginie mythology?
It seems to be a greatly untapped resource in RPG's.
 

while i am much impressed with the Australian Aboriginies, and also with the Bushmen of Africs, I never contemplated adding them to the mix simply because their cultures are so far from those used as bases for the milieux of Oerth adventuring.
The amount of work necessary to establish the groundwork for play therein would be rather daunting, bith for the author and the DM utilizing the material.
It would be a simpler matter to manage it for the LA game system, but for D&D I can foresee all manner of lengthy additions to the rules being necessary.
BTW, by D&D, I am speaking broadly, and mean AD&D as well.

Cheers,
Gary

Quote:
Originally posted by Geoffrey
Gary, what is your opinion on using the "real world" of the Middle Ages as a campaign setting for A/D&D or for Lejendary Adventure? Of course, the setting wouldn't be completely real since there would be monsters, spells, and magic items. But there would be Catholicism, England, the Crusades, and all the rest.

Do you think this would be a fun and/or a workable setting for A/D&D or LA?
 

Hi Geoffrey

My considered opinion is that such a setting would require a special set of rules, and neither A/D&D nor the LA game are designed to fit something that is based on actual history.

Using such a setting also treads close to the edge in regards religion as practiced today--mainly Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam.
Most magic would then perforce be Satanic in nature, or at best theurgy in the true sense of the term--forced from the divine.

the setting would certainly make for some interesting campaign play, but in general I doubt the commercial viability.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by mossfoot
Actually,  to think of it, I DO have a question... in your years of gaming have you ever "converted" people to gaming who otherwise wouldn't have, or have you simply been fortunate enough to always be around gamer types?
You see, back in Vancouver, I didn't have a gaming group, so I corrupte... I mean converted my girlfriend, and then her girlfriends so that I ended up GMing a group of 5 university girls (yeah, I know, gamer's fantasy come true  ) But the truth is, they ALL had a standoffish, "I dunno" attitude towards gaming.

It took some time to convert them, but now they're hooked... only problem is they love their characters so much I can't convince them to start a new campaign with new characters!

Sigh... women.

Hi Noah

My work has made untold converts to the gaming hobby, but I assume you mean have I personally made a direct convert by persuasion and the like.
The answer is, but of course!

The most notable is James M. Ward.
I was in a local newspaper, magazine, and paperback book shop when I noticed a chap browsing the SF and fantasy titles.
I brazenly spoke to him, suggesting that if he enjoyed such adventure reading he should visit out gaming club that featured swords & sorcery.
He did, and the rest is history.

I have never personally succeeded in converting a female to the hobby, including all three of my daughters.
They played and enjoyed it for some weeks or months, but lost interest thereafter.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BOZ
no... it's supposed to be "roll initiative and die!"

oh, wait, either way is fine. 

Ha!

Jim Ward's PC usual cry to opponents: "Surrender AND die!"

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by palleomortis
Hey, thanx all. I didn't know this kinda stuff existed. Nice. Where did you say this guy lived?

If by "this guy" you mean Jim Ward, that's easy. Jim lives in the county seat of Walwrth County, Elkhorn.
That's about eight miles from Lake Geneva.
Do a websearch for the "Beast of Bray Road" for some interesting reading about the area.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by taliesin15
Mr. Gygax:
Let me echo all the sentiments prevalent in these threads thanking you for your work in creating D&D!

Here's a question that might be a bit controversial: what do you think of D&D campaigns using deities worshipped in the contemporary "real" world? In early D&D publications there are references to saints (Cuthbert's mace, I believe?) and especially when Deities and Demigods came out, my friends and I all thought that an Arthurian flavored milieu would have to at least have some Christian (also pagan, naturally) elements to it. One of my D&D playing buddies made a joke about "Jesus Christ, Major Deity, 400 hit points, Lawful Good," etc. And of course there are some Oriental pantheons in DEities and Demigods. And in the DMG you have references to Arab/Muslim civilizations; for that matter, there's the whole thing about Assasins coming from the Arab world. Of course all that's been synthesized greatly in the fantasy literature. And yet, it wouldn't seem that hard to do to create a milieu where people worship Jesus, Mohammed, and so on.

Saint is not a term that is exclusive to the Christian religion, and St. Cuthbert was more of a joke than otherwise.
Consider the advicacy of pounding sense into someone's head by dint of blows from a club.

I do not advocate any use of actual religion in an RPG.
Any references I have made to Arab-like civizilations do not include any hint of Islam in them.
the same holds for Judaism and Christianity.
As a matter of fact, I did not write Deities and Demigods, nor did I use it in my campaign.

Cheers,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by fusangite
Once again, Gary, I see intentionality where it might not have been. I have been assuming that you based a chunk of the cleric class's spell list on the miracles performed by St. Cuthbert in Bede's Life of Saint Cuthbert. The Create Water, Flame Strike spells and various other seemed to indicate you were, at some point, deriving the cleric spell list from actual medieval miracles. This I'm very glad to hear; people focus on the Fiend Folio as the mistaken text in AD&D but I have to say that Deities and Demigods is the book that ultimately caused me to take a long sabbatical from AD&D in the mid-80s.

No, the cleric spells were all made up from my imagination as things fitting for that class.

The Deities and Demigods book had plenty of flaws, but some make believe deities are generally necessary for a FRPG campaign methinks.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolv0rine
And for the first time in my 34 years (and with a hearty belly-laugh) I glimpse how the nutjobs of the 80's could have seen it all as a weird cult. I can just see you sitting on the porch with a handful of dice, waving whoever over. "Come on over and play. All are welcome, all are welcome."

Even if it were a cult, at least we're too cool to pass around kool-aid. 

Well, as a matter of fact I did recruit James M. Ward to RPGing by button-holing him in the local magazine and paperback book shop here when I saw him checking out fantasy and SF titles. He gave me a rather strange look but did indeed come over to see about the game I had extolled to him...OD&D back in 74 'IIRR.

Gary
<added entry>
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fifth Element
What is your favourite real-world mythology?
I mean in the sense of Greek, Norse, etc.

As a follow-up, what mythology lends itself best as inspiration for D&D?

Egyptian mythology for its plethora of deities and its underworld.
Next comes Hindic for its array of strange deities and the many stories.

I designed D&D with little regard for mythology; more for folklore, legend, and authored fiction.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystaros
...

There's another series, the "Penguin Historical Atlas of..." series, which is also quite good.
So far they've done Ancient Civilizations, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Medieval World, Vikings, Russia, British Empire, North America... even the dinosaurs!
Cool stuff, sometimes verging on the "generational" scheme you mention, though the McEvedy books are better for that perspective.

There goes more of my hard-earned coin.

I have the older Penguin historical atlases but the ancient civs ones I have not seen.
I must get several of those you mentioned!

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thulcondar
I find that particularly fascinating (and yet another indicator of just how far you were willing to go to find source material).
Although it also points out how far Mme. Blavatsky was willing to go for source material, inasmuch as the Deva is a Hindu figure.

I have been toying with the idea of putting together some sort of Angelic heirarchy to counter the Diabolic and Demonic heirarchies.
Since we have arch-devils, why not arch-angels? Major Devils and Seraphim.
Demon Princes and Saints...
The details are unimportant, but you get the idea...
And of course the "named" Infernal figures would have their own counterparts.

The only thing that has stumped me thusfar is in individualizing them sufficiently.
Perhaps I am a creature of the mythologies to which I am accustomed, but the angelic hosts always seemed so... homogenous.
Valkyries could work for one of the other alignments (NG, mayhap, although for those who know their true nature according to the Norse lore they are far from beneficient beings!), but I find myself at something of a stumbling block.
And for the non-good/evil minions... I would ache for something more rooted in mythology than Modrons.

Any thoughts as to a possible expansion of the demon/devil/daemon idea into the realms of Good, beyond the (to my mind, rather limited) Deva/Plantar/Solar?

As always, my thanks in advance.

The short answer is that as a Christian I have stayed away from Judeo-Christian theology.
Thus the use of Theophysical in Hindu spirit entities.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesM
Gary,

Did you ever consider using a vague monotheism à la The Lord of the Rings in AD&D rather than polytheism? I'm assuming not, given things you've said in the past about angels vs. devas, etc. I ask primarily because I've always found the medieval trappings of the game somewhat at odds with its pulp polytheism.

Thanks.
By no means!
 

As a Christian, playing with actual religion is quite beyond the pale.

Secondarily, the medieval-Renaissance technology has nothing to do with the supernatural aspects influencing the fantasy milieu.
It is also noteworthy that the medieval world had a plethora of saints && demons as might a mythological pantheon.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesM
To clarify, in case it wasn't clear, I didn't mean to suggest that you might have included Christianity in AD&D.
It was always obvious you intended the game to be a fantasy and not a historical simulation.
However, Professor Tolkien, a devout man himself, took the monotheism route for Middle Earth.
It seems a very unusual one for fantasy, though I've never been sure why.

I suggest that Tolkien rather than monotheism had no religion in Middle Earth.
There were no priests, no religious services, no formal prayers

(Source: Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum)

Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesM
Would you mind expanding on this slightly?
Are you simply saying that D&D's supernatural trappings were a separate creative choice from the decision to include medieval technology rather than one being the outgrowth of the other?

Just so.

The level of technology need not be tied to social organization, culture, political system or degree of working magic.
After all, in a fantasy world the paramaters are set by the game system that it is to control its laws and the one designing it.

(Zoom in)
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesM
True enough, although I've never really viewed saints or demons as being even the functional equivalents of polytheistic deities.
 

There is a parallel of sorts to be drawn there,
however, especially in regards to the netherrealms' heirarchy.

Cheerio,
Gary

<
the links for these pantheons are checked, and point to the correct page:
nehwon
melnibone
>

<The Dark Continent (Fantasy Africa)>
<Use Afrik, from the Aerth setting, instead>
 

<476>
    <359 + 117>
<399 : 10pp at begin, 20 pantheon pages, 10 pp at end>
<117 : 10pp at begin, 20 pantheon pages, 10 pp at end>
<size of spiral ring notebooks, for taking notes (spell, personality, ea.) when reading the myths>
<remember, cite all sources. use a system for your citations (a key), incl. your key at begin or end>
<2 citation cases>
    <1: main source>
    <2: other sources>

<1>
<ex. Dictionary of Mythology is my main source>
    <Dictionary of Mythology, J.A. Coleman, Capella, ISBN 978-1-84193-424-2>
    <since this is my main source, i just incl. the page numbers in the left hand column>
        <eg. 123, not DM.123><on the actual DDG pages, on the spell and personality tables, in the citation columns, it would appear : DM.123>

<2>
<Le Morte d'Arthur, Sir Thomas Mallory, Collector's Library Editions, ISBN 978 1 904633 976>
<eg. LMA.123><on the actual DDG pages, on the spell and personality tables, in the citation columns, it would appear : LM.123>

<3>
<make a 3rd citation case, for primary sources?>
<for example, instead of LMA.123, it would be LMA.cle.123, something like that>

<what is important is a systematic and coordinated approach to research>
<after the dictionary of mythology, pantheon.org>
<then, do the primary sources for each pantheon>
<MAKE LIST OF PRIMARY SOURCES>