Small Gods and Their Shrines
I’ve been interested (won’t quite say obsessed) with mythology from a very young age, probably 11 or 12 based on my own reckoning. It all started thanks to the “Mythos Arc” of the anime Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier, which to be clear is an anime that I’ve seen a grand total of one episode of. Apollo and Artemis appeared as… cyborgs? I think? And young Mac was super into it (but not into it enough to watch the rest of the show). Shortly thereafter I bought a copy of Goddesses, Heroes, and Shamans from my school’s Scholastic Book Club magazine (are those things still around? The Scholastic books, not schools) and the claws of ancient mythology were firmly dug into my mind.
Fast forward almost 20 years and I started writing Rangers of the Midden Vale. Given that I was very much interested in religion and mythology from a worldbuilder’s sense, I wanted to include something of the like in that game and the vaguely-defined “setting” that is the Midden Vale. After playing a lot of Ghost of Tsushima, listening to the album Chants from Another Place, and coming across a cool looking stone… thing while on a hike in the woods (it might have been a water fountain, only very very old and made of rocks) I thought of “small gods,” inspired by Ghost’s “kami,” but with the name borrowed from Sir Terry Pratchett.
Now I will admit I know very little about Animism beyond the dictionary definition and a quick read through of the Wikipedia page, but the idea of there being gods for each and every little thing in the Vale was appealing to me. They wouldn’t be big, powerful gods that demanded blood sacrifice lest they don’t pull the sun across the sky the next day. No, instead they’d be the spirit that inhabits that old hickory tree just outside of the village, or a god of the crossroad that connects three different towns, or the deity who lurks in the dark hearts of wicked men. They’d be names for concepts and feelings more than powerful figures wielding divine might. And in Rangers of the Midden Vale that was pretty much the beginning and ending of it. I named a few throughout the rulebook, sticking with vaguely Irish and Gaelic names since that was the vibe was went with for the setting of the Vale overall, but for the most part they were simply set dressing. One way that Rangers might learn about a potential mission was to find a note or prayer left at a small god’s shrine, but beyond that they didn’t do anything.
Not too long after I ran the initial playtest for Rangers, my good friend T. Thomas Giant came up with a tool to generate “Forgotten Shrines for Small Gods.” I read over it, fell in love with the idea of leaving little offerings for a (purposefully) vaguely defined benefit. The way Giant wrote the generator also indicated that the PCs stumbling upon these old shrines and fetishes wouldn’t have an immediate idea as to what offering would appease the small god. Instead the description would serve as a riddle of sorts, forcing players to think carefully about what each god wanted and the boon that would come from a proper offering.
So I started
, and started generating my own shrines for various small gods. Out of habit, I stuck with Irish/Gaelic names, often translating words and concepts and messing around with the spellings to make something fantastical. I had a lot of fun doing it and many of the shrines found their way to different projects I was working on. Eventually as I found myself working on the rough draft of The Dunmør Gazetteer I realized I wanted to showcase these shrines, and so I started adding them to the map. A few even made their way into my Cairn Adventure The Elkheart’s Curse!
The Gazetteer is still a ways away, but I wanted to share the various shrines I’ve created for it and other projects. As I work through my backlog of ideas many of these small gods may again see the light of day in a proper adventure.
Shrines to the Small Gods
Long before the foreign faiths arrived in these lands, the local populace worshiped “small gods.” Largely forgotten in recent generations, the shrines to these small gods remain scattered throughout the land. Leaving gifts to these gods can result in minor blessings and boons to adventurers and travelers.
Each shrine is built to a different god that embodies certain aspects. Each small god is willing to provide a boon related to their aspects, or inflict a curse if dissatisfied by the gift left by the character. The shrine itself may have some hint or clue as to what offering is required, but it may not always be clear to the characters making the offering. Making an incorrect offer has no effect, however making an offensive offering results in the character being cursed or afflicted.
Each shrine’s entry indicates the blessing, the duration of said blessing, and the duration. Referees are encouraged to use this information to flesh out the descriptions of the shrine or to generate rumors uncovered by travelers or in nearby villages.
Shrine to Aisudar
Deep within a narrow crevasse in the mountains is a carved wall depicting Aisudar, the small god of dreams and portents. Crystals grow from the stones in this place, and all about them on the walls and floors are carvings - some crude and others quite elegant. At night the moon and starlight fills the space with a blue-white glow and the wind echoes with a low, mournful song.
The small god Cath offers a blessing of wisdom until the full moon in return for the gift of a prediction carved beneath the stars.
Shrine to Athair Gràdh
A humble shrine at the base of the mountain honors Athair Gràdh, the small god of family and tradework. Upon the altar is a simple icon or fetish, clearly crafted by inexpert hands. Scrapes and scratches mark the shrine, and countless half-formed figurines and crude maps are placed about the space.
The small god Athair Gràdh offers a blessing of good fortune until the changing of the season in exchange for a new handcrafted effigy and a new home for the current icon.
Shrine to Cath
An iron effigy smeared with long-dried blood depicts Cath, the small god of song and battle. Forming a ring about the statue are rusted blades, dented armor, shattered shields, and broken spears. The scent of mead and cooked meat lingers within the ring. The ground, rich with iron, sings with each step taken by those who would render unto Cath what is his.
The small god Cath offers a blessing of strength of arm and sharpness of mind until next battle’s end in return for a gift of conquered steel or crafted song.
Shrine to Cùlehann
A wooden face depicting Cùlehann, small god of hunters and beasts, carved into the side of a tree with tears of sap running down the trunk. Broken arrows lie buried in the bark. Fetishes of animal hide and bone dangle from the branches of the tree and the faint scent of blood and bile lingers in the air.
The small god Cùlehann offers a blessing of perception until completion of the next hunt in return for a gift of flesh or bone.
Shrine to Dia Danaan
Nestled between two hillocks is a figurine carved from tusk or bone honoring Dia Danaan, the small god of birth and childhood. Folded blankets, faded cloaks, and assorted clothing items far too small for adults have been neatly placed in stone cubbies beneath the shrine. The air is thick with the scent of a nursery room and the wind sounds with a gentle sigh as it blows through the hills.
The small god Dia Danaan offers a blessing of swift recovery until you take your next rest in exchange for a gift of a healthy child’s swaddling clothes.
Shrine to Fog Buarbhar
A figurine of a portly fey creature carved from polished wood depicts Fog Buarbhar, the small god of harvests and feasts. Wine stains the tattered cloaks and coats hanging from the wooden table upon which the figurine sits. Hidden beneath the table are countless empty plates, bowls, and cups. The air is thick with the scent of wine and fresh bread.
The small god Fog Buarbhar offers a blessing of strength and satiation until week’s end in exchange for a gift of good spirits or a fine meal.
Shrine to Ghille
An unembellished cabin along a winding road is the dominion of Ghille, the small god of shelter and the hearth. The modest structure remains untouched by time or the elements. Within the single-roomed home is a stone fireplace and a well-stocked larder. The air is pleasant regardless of season or weather and the gentle murmuring of distant chatter fills the ears as one lays to rest.
The small god Ghille offers a blessing of safe travels until one arrives at their next destination in exchange for a gift of warm company and a night’s rest within her walls.
Shrine to Gliomis
Overlooking the ruins of a settlement is the shrine to Gliomis, small god of valor and wisdom. A palisade of polearms bearing the standards of long-forgotten houses and knights surrounds a serpentine statue made from recast swords and shields. In place of eyes there are empty sconces awaiting oil and flame. A wide yet shallow bowl filled with signet rings sits beneath the serpent’s head. The jewelry jingles when the ground trembles.
The small god Gliomis offers a blessing of an unburdened mind until your next victory in exchange for a gift of a symbol of your renown and fame.
Shrine to Kilneuair
An archway made from seemingly living trees honors Kilneuair, the small god of trees and forests. Patches of freshly dug up dirt can be seen all about the space, some boasting small seedlings and others containing only a simple seed or acorn. A small stone altar beneath the arch is covered in nuts, acorns, and seeds.
The small god Kilneuair offers a blessing of good health until the solstice in return for the planting of a new seed or sapling.
Shrine to Malltadh
A bone fetish to Malltadh, small god of lies and shadow, found within a shallow cavern. Pieces of parchment and paper too faded to read litter the space and archaic runes are carved into the walls. A constant breeze flows through, filling the cave with the sound of whispers.
The small god Malltadh offers a blessing of deception until the new moon in return for a gift of secrets.
Shrine to Piofenag
Dozens of cages made from woven sticks and countless nests adorned with a myriad of shining baubles surround a bone effigy of Piofenag, small god of crows and messengers. Magpies, ravens, and crows alike watch from the branches of nearby trees, filling the air with their croaks and caws. The fetid scent of the surrounding marsh fades within close proximity to this shrine.
The small god Piofenag offers a blessing of hidden passage until you are bathed by sunrise in exchange for a gift of a corvid’s egg and a delivered note.
Shrine to Rionache
On a small island accessible only during low tide or drought rests a shrine made from driftwood and ship wreckage honoring Rionache, the small god of night and travel. Forming the walls of the shrine are bits and pieces from ancient wagons and ships with weathered canvas forming a humble roof. In place of seats and benches are worn saddles, encrusted in the salt of the sea. Horseshoes hang from the rafters, softly ringing as the wind passes through them.
The small god Rionache offers a blessing of clear skies and bright stars until your boots wear thin in exchange for a gift of a well-traveled saddle, wheelspoke, or sailcloth.
Shrine to Sjyuisge
Overlooking a body of water is a stacked cairn of smoothed stones of all colors honoring Sjyuisge, the small god of rain and clouds. Rivulets of water leak from betwixt the unevenly placed stones no matter the heat or weather and the calling of gulls can be heard even when there is no such beast for miles.
The small god Sjyuisge offers the blessing of beneficial weather for one day in exchange for the gift of a water-smoothed stone.
Shrine to Teine Siol
A simple slab of stone covered in soot and ash is home to Teine Siol, the small god of fires and rebirth. Half-burnt bushels of wheat and grain are scattered about the stone altar and rock-hard seeds cracked open by fire have begun to germinate. The smell of a hot fire fills the air even when no open flame is present.
The small god Teine Soil offers a blessing of fortitude until the coming dawn in exchange for a gift of good spirits or fine food.
