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Mythology

A brief look into mythology as a belief, analyzing the common themes and plots of myths and legends from multiple mythologies.

What is a Deity

A deity is a generally powerful individual that is attached to an aspect of a citizens life, and is usually either worshipped or respectfully feared. What keeps monsters and deities separate is deities usually have a sphere of influence and are worshipped by the mainstream believers. Monsters could also be worshipped, but it was seen as taboo, and was a part of fringe worship.

Deities were worshipped in conjunction with the importance of their sphere of influence in the society of beleivers. War deities like Ares, Nergal, and the Morrigan were either worshipped or feared and held the most sway during war or times of great violence. Coastal cities gave more reverence to nautical deities such as Poseidon, Nephthys, and Kukulcan. The farming villages would pray to Ceres, Parvati, and Dagon in order to ensure bountiful harvests. Places that put more emphasis on learning, like Athens would have patrons like Athena, Thoth, or Quetzalcoatl.

Limits on Deities Power

Not all gods are created equal. Where some are monotheistic powerhouses, there are other gods who have died multiple times in myth.

The primary limit to polytheistic deity's powers are the other deities. In myths where one deity goes on a rampage, it is more often than not another deity that goes and stops them. This is done in many ways, such as simply reasoning or to go so far as to offer themselves as a sacrifice to appease the other deities rage.

The secondary limit on a deities power is their sphere of influence. Again, this is mainly in polytheistic mythologies, where the deites "specialize" in certain areas. Since Apollo is an archery god, praying to him so that your arrow flies straight would fall under his sphere of influence, but praying to him for luck would not, since that would fall under the dominion of Tyche, the goddess of luck.

All-Powerful Deities

Jehovah- God of Abraham

Odin-All Father

Brahman- the one who is all

Amaterasu- the divine sun

Ra- also the divine sun

Morrigan-  Triune goddess

Anu- Sky God

Zeus- God of the Heavens

Poseidon- God of the Depths

Hades- God of the Dead

Onyame - Heaven, or Sky

Kali - Goddess of Destruction