There are a number of what are considered by many to be god-like beings in Maradul. Most gods, save for the original four (Sevantus, Keiva, Nothum, and Palthian) are generally death-prone, though their resilience against death tends to be what enshrines them as gods. Gods are generally not omnipotent or all-powerful, but have unique abilities and charisma that allow them to rally followers to their causes.
Mist Gods
The Mist Gods are the original four that emerged from the Great Mists and formed Maradul. They are beings that were created by pure happenstance out of absolute chaos, and as such wield immeasurable power. These are gods in the truest sense of the term; their whims decide the very nature of our reality, which means that the fate of Maradul hinges upon the idea that the Mist Gods shall continue to indulge its ultimately insignificant laws and systems.
Sevantus the Shaper is the god of Order and Form. He shaped Maradul from the chaos of the Great Mists, and provided it with rules and comprehension. He currently sleeps below the Deepest Sea, though his laws still have great power in the world, and with training, can be read and understood through the constellations in the night sky.
Keiva the Creator is the goddess of Life, Wonders, and Light. She entered Maradul from the Mists and filled it with her creations, bringing life and color to the world. However, Keiva began to overfill Maradul with her creatures, which Nothum noticed, and began to consume. Grieving the loss of her creations, Keiva withdrew from the world and sequestered herself inside the greater sun Evus, which is why a stream of her tears fall from the sun into Maradul. She crafted nine great tears when Sevantus was sent into his slumber, which eventually became the nine shepherd gods of humanoid races.
Nothum the Devourer, the god of Death, Reclamation, and the Dark, emerged from the Great Mists, enticed by the life Keiva had created, and began to consume it. Keiva begged Sevantus to stop Nothum, but Sevantus refused, as Nothum's presence brought balance to Maradul, something Keiva was threatening. Nothum remains a constant presence in Maradul, and is seen as the cause of all death within its borders. Nothum is considered the most active of the Mist Gods, but is still rather passive.
Palthian the Keeper, goddess of Knowledge and Curiosity, emerged from the Great Mists originally as a curious understudy of Sevantus, though she began to bend his rules, and attempted to make creations from the dark of Nothum instead of Keiva's light. This unbalanced the world, as almost all of Maradul was built upon this light, and eventually the dark became so strong that it would blot out the suns for half of each day. Sevantus attempted to send Palthian back into the Mists for this transgression, but Palthian, having crafted the sleep from darkness, sent Sevantus into a deep slumber. Palthian created a prison for herself in the form of the moon Ponorel, where she now watches the world, chronicling its history with a vow to never interfere again.
The Twisted Gods
In the time before Nothum, (tldr Keiva's creates terrible gods of suffering, sadism and depravity that plunge the world into terror, Nothum's interventions allows these gods to be killed, though their influence is still felt, and their followings continually attempt to bring them back.)Gorgol: God of Pleasure and Excess
Rakh: God of Vermin and Suffering
Imdelen: God of Hunting, formerly God of Obsession and Consumption. Imdelen was the only of the elderspawn to truly embrace the laws of Nothum, finding purpose to her primordial urges by crafting the art of the hunt. Nothum was sated somewhat by Imdelen's zeal, though the two still find themselves at odds as Imdelen shows no desire to maintain balance, only to practice her craft.
Zegde: God of Sadism and Affliction
Umirax: God of Growth and Copulation
Poxum: God of Change and Euphoria
The Nine Tears
The Nine Tears of Keiva were created by the goddess to offer Maradul direction following Sevantus' slumber. She imbued these tears with a great light as they fell, offering them resistance to the dark of Nothum.
The first tear fell into a great sea of magma, and from it emerged Aliphates, goddess of feracity and power. She is a goddess of dragons and resides far west in the Heart of Aliphates. She chose to never lead a people, though she has a number of supplicants that worship her for her unrelenting power. She is often called the Mother of Dragons, as she is rather fond of the creatures.
The second tear fell into a sprawling forest, birthing Mallestrade, god of the wilds. Mallestrade crafted his people from the trees, naming them Malthun (elves). He represents the cycles of the wild, and resents its rejection by many across the world. Mallestrade rarely works with his siblings, and is often rather antagonistic.
The third tear fell upon the peak of tallest mountain in Maradul, creating Calphost, god of winds and craft. Calphost was the god of the Callites (dwarves) as well as flying beasts. He was killed by the One Betwixt, proving the mortality of the Tears, and sending the Callites and the beasts into a great war that resulted in the dwarves' expulsion from the Otraglith, their ancestral home.
The fourth tear fell into the deepest sea, forming Ranoct, goddess of the waters, empathy, and prophecies. Ranoct oversees the creatures of the oceans, as well as the ocean people, The Sritari (tritons). The legends state that she stole a number of Verae's children, the humans, and pulled them under the oceans to form the Sritari. Ranoct speaks in prophecy, and is rarely straightforward. She is fond of pranks.
The fifth tear fell through a crack in the earth, spawning Xuriath, god of the deep and stone. Xuriath originally had no people, but took in the Callites when they were chased from the Otraglith following Calphost's death. He is a kind but mysterious god.
The sixth tear fell upon a snowy expanse, creating Eis, goddess of cold and resilience. Eis led the giants of the far north, who eventually became the goliaths of Kobeg Alg Thuren. Eis is cold and distant, but ultimately a fair god. She has an intense, sometimes violent, sometimes friendly, rivalry with her brother, Dratar.
The seventh tear, which struck the earth alongside the sixth, fell upon an endless desert, birthing Dratar, god of heat and spirits. Dratar led the orcs of the Thirsting Sands. Dratar's bright fires stave off the effects of death, and as a result his deserts are filled with the spirits of the dead, unable to find their way to Nothum. His followers, the Ramutakrin and Zudrekur orcs, channel his power into powerful magic.
The eighth tear fell into a churning swamplands, birthing Coritem, god of secrets. Coritem is the creator of Aliphates' dragons and the father of all serpents in the world, though he does not actively lead them. He resides in the Sinking Tower within a massive swamp. Coritem's power over secrets extends to others; if people in Maradul swear under Coritem's name to keep a secret, they will be bound to that promise under penalty of a punishment set at the time the promise was made.
The ninth tear fell upon an expansive plain, birthing Verae, goddess of growth and passion. Verae is a goddess beloved by many, and humans have created a great number of religions in her name, many of which are antagonistic towards the others. Verae herself is but one being, and her children expanded too quickly for her to handle.
Other Gods
The Thing from The Folds, the One Betwixt, the Interloper - An entity that arrived in Maradul from the Mists, much like the original four gods. It moves strangely and without recognizable purpose, bringing with it strange perversions of the natural order fueled by the chaos of the Great Mists. The Interloper is responsible for the death of Calphost, and many blame the condition of Mistblight on it.
Tavriel the Nomad is a mysterious presence that arrived along with the ships of the Medurians (halflings) from the far west. He is a spirit that guides those who wish to travel, and is much more ethereal than other god-like beings in Maradul, and is capable of being in multiple places at once. There are many reports of Tavriel orchestrating very significant events in history, though his intentions remain unclear.
The Lords of Ash are a collective of powerful entities that originate from the Burning Ashlands to the far south. Their origins and intentions are kept secrets by their followers, who swear oaths of secrecy when entering into their service. The presence of a Lord of Ash is often given away by the smell or physical presence of still-burning soot, despite the lack of fuel. The Lords appear to be puppet masters of sorts, and many assassinations and destabilization of kingdoms are suspected to be their work.
God-King Olregh, King of Hoards - An almost mythical figure, Agallan Olregh was once human, but long ago cast his humanity aside for power. He resides in the southwest over the Desolation of Tanvath, where he leads his eternal conquest against the Sharagahan, an alliance of shadow colossi that once held the lands he took. Olregh only believes in war, conquest, and victory, and affords his followers inhuman strength. Unfortunately, his intentions spread beyond his lands, and his agents, the Grey Knights of Tanvath, can be found across Maradul working to the ends of their god king. If Olregh were ever to defeat the Sharagahan, he would undoubtedly shift his attention to the rest of the world.
Ynathra, Queen of Curses - A dark figure that leads a people plagued by terrible curses, but uses their suffering to fuel even greater power. Ynathra can bless her followers with unique powers and ability, but takes from them in return. Her goal seems to be to spread her curses far and wide, pulling everyone into her dominion.
Imigi the Crow is a God of Scavengers, Tricksters and Illusions
Htaatha is the Goddess of Rot and Rebirth, as well as an enemy of the followers of Nothum
Strusa of the Eleven Hands is the god of Arts and Duels