Back in 1768, Voltaire penned the iconic line, “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him,” and honestly, he might have been onto something, especially in the realm of role-playing fantasy universes. When J.R.R. Tolkien crafted the foundation for modern fantasy literature, he imagined a place where deities were as real as the myths and legends that inspired him. They weren’t just concepts but tangible beings with desires, voices, and occasionally, physical forms. These gods interacted with the world in ways that made belief undeniable, visible to anyone present.
Fast forward to the world of Dungeons & Dragons, where the creators have taken things further by cramming more divine entities into their Dungeon Masters’ guides. It’s like we’ve stepped into a theological Fortnite. As the floodgates of divine creativity swung open, establishing a pantheon and a creation story became a basic step in world-building for fantasy. But folks like Matt Mercer and Brennan Lee Mulligan are operating on a whole other level. Their “Exandria Unlimited Critical Role” campaign delves deep into the chaotic aftermath of a divine war, showcasing the persistent struggle of mortals trying to carve out their destiny amidst overwhelming forces.
These two are undoubtedly up for the challenge, so we decided to put them to the test with a little experiment. I tossed them some brief scenarios of fantasy realms and asked them to dream up the deities these worlds might venerate. Even under the pressure, they rose to the occasion! Don’t miss the video where you’ll be introduced to Mouth World, a unique universe where we’re like bacteria thriving inside a giant mouth, all bowing to the gracious goddess SO’DAA.
