New Gods
New gods are fictional gods or pantheons that often act in opposition to the old gods or older pantheons. These may be beings from a relatively newer religion or belief system, or in fictional worlds where gods are real, may have come into existence at a later date or era. Often in fictional settings there is conflict between the old gods and the new gods. This may manifest itself in a war between the gods (if the gods are real within the fictional setting) or a holy war between religious factions of the different faiths.
| Synonyms: new pantheons |
| Example Mythonyms: the new gods of Ir |
Designing Fictional New Gods
Overview
New gods represent an opportunity for worldbuilders to explore how new gods are created – something that may take special importance if the gods are real, tangible forces within the setting. While new religions may naturally arise and even overtake the older more traditional belief systems, thus causing new gods to dominate over the older versions, settings with gods as tangible beings may have much more impactful ways of generating new deities. New gods may be ascended beings (mortals or lesser deities who achieved godhood through extraordinary feats), may be the offspring of the older gods now seeking to overthrow their parents, or may have simply been newly created from whatever source or technology created the older gods.
The impact of new gods can be far-reaching, affecting a world’s social, political, and religious landscape. Their arrival might spark a religious schism, with established religions facing competition from the belief systems brought by the new gods. Power struggles could erupt as established deities resist the newcomers, leading to battles for control over the world or the worship of its inhabitants. Alliances might shift as factions choose to side with either the new gods or the old, altering the existing political landscape.
