2013-01-08

Encyclopedia Of Fantastic Gods And Demons: Glossary

Update: 27 Aug 2013

alien deity: A deity that has physical, spiritual and/or mental outlook completely different from standards of human-like mortals. Alien deities tend to be elder and/or foreign gods.

ancient deity: Also old god. A deity that predates currently or recently active civilizations.

ascendant: (1) An entity that transcended the limitations of mortality and became some sort of supernatural being. (2) A deity that ascended to divinity instead of being deity from the beginning of its existence.


aspect (divine): (1) A generic or specific facet of the universe to which particular deity is connected. A deity can have multiple aspects. Common aspects could be fire, love, courage, animals, bears, craft, tools, specific object, trade, social class, cities, specific city, specific city district, element of water, salt water, sweet water, particular river, rains. (2) A lesser manifestation of a deity, separate from the deity's primary form and awareness.


avatar: A mortal or immortal incarnation of a deity.


deity: A supernatural entity that has at least some of the following traits: varying degree of immortality; being in affinity with certain aspects of the world, elements or ideas — usually (but not always) involving ability to draw power from manifestations of said aspects, elements or ideas and ability to manipulate them; being able to grant supernatural powers to others; being worshiped; being able to gain power through worship.

demesne (divine): A planar or dimensional pocket that holds the deity's personal sanctuary. The heart of the deity's realm.

demon: (1) any supernatural entity; (2) any extradimensional entity; (3) any supernatural entity that can be bound through certain magical procedures; (4) an embodiment of supernatural evil.


divinity: A vaguely defined supernatural quality associated with deities.

elder deity: A deity that predates appearance of human-like sapient beings.


elemental: A supernatural entity with body composed of elemental substances.


foreign deity: A deity native to another culture, geographical region, planet, plane, dimension or multiverse that is not part of the locally dominant pantheon.


god: (1) a deity; (2) deity that is personified;  (3) a masculine or outrightly male deity.

goddess: A feminine or outrightly female deity.

hero-deity: A hero that ascended to godhood by performing epic deed, either directly or through veneration encouraged by the legend.

immortal: A creature that has some degree of resistance to aging and possibly disease, physical harm and other bodily, mental and spiritual afflictions. It can be inherited or acquired through some form of ascension.


independent deity: A deity that is not a part of any pantheon.


interloper deity: (1) a foreign deity that is actively gathering followers in a region dominated by another deity or pantheon; (2) any deity that tries to acquire aspect belonging to another deity.


mortal: A creature that lacks divinity and has little or no supernatural powers. Mortals may or may not have potential to ascend.


pantheon: A group of deities connected by personal ties, family ties, shared origins, shared myths and/or shared worship.

patron: A supernatural entity that entered into long-term pact with weaker entity.


primal deity: Also known as primordial deity. A deity that posses inherent divinity since the beginning of its existence instead of acquiring it through ascension. Also a deity that arose spontaneously.


realm (divine): A plane or dimension that belongs directly to the deity, family of deities or pantheon. Divine realm reflects the deity's aspects and nature.

scion (divine): A mortal or immortal entity that inherited potential spark of divinity at its birth from another deity.

servant (divine): Also divine servitor. A supernatural entity that is bound to serve deity or group of deities.

spirit: An entity that lacks physical body in its default state. Many spirits are capable of manifesting tangible form or inhabiting physical vessel.