My approach to designing a pantheon is to have one's choice of deity reflect the character's moral perspective. Amoral forces, like nature and elemental gods, are delegated to the status of lesser gods.
The Glorious Seven
These seven gods are known across the world. All of them call for some aspect of self-sacrifice from their followers.
These names are placeholders, until I can think of something better.
Lawgiver
The "Lawful Neutral" god.
The world is a harsh place, and it takes the effort of good people to keep civilization together. Followers of the stern-faced Lawgiver make it a sacred duty to see that justice is done, and the world is kept safe from anarchy.
Domain: Law, civilization, punishment
Temples: courthouses, jails
Tenets: See that justice is done, expand civilization
Enemies: Criminals and barbarians
Divine Servants: Archon
Lord of Roads
Travel and trade bring people together. Without even realizing it, every humble peddler, in his own small way, is working to make a better world. Especially in todays world, those who make a living by traveling need all the assistance they can get.
Domain: Travel and trade
Temples: Inns
Tenets: Travel, be a humble guest, be a generous host
Enemies: Bandits, Pirates, Tyrants
Divine Servants: Bralani, Ghaele
The Sage
Knowledge has the power to transform the world. Engineer's plans, alchemical formulas, and spells have power to change the world for the better. No scrap of information is too trivial.
Temples: Libraries
Tenets: Uncover lost secrets, invent new things, discover things, preserve knowledge, explore
Enemies: Book burners. The Sage doesn't have a lot of enemies.
Divine Servants: Sphinx
The Red Sword
Violence is a fact of life. Those that follow the path of the warrior risk their own lives to protect others. This is an honorable path, and must be approached with respect.
Temples:
schools of swordplay, barracks, warrior lodges
Tenets: Be badass, fight, challenge yourself, be ready for anything
Enemies: No one and everyone
Divine Servants: Immortal Warrior (Einjerhiar), Valkyrie
Compassion
Temples: Hospitals, orphanages
Tenets: Do no harm, help those in need, heal the sick, feed the hungry.
Enemies: The cruel and heartless.
Divine Servants: Angel
Green Mother
This one may get the boot, now that I'm thinking of a different approach to Druids.
Temples: sacred groves, springs, oasis
Tenets: Live in the wild
Enemies: Destroyers of nature
Divine Servants:
Fae? Treants?
Death
Temples: Graveyards
Tenets: Respect the dead.
Enemies: Grave robbers, necromancers
Divine Servants: Reaper
The Code
During the war, the Great Liberator and his companions were worshiped as gods by a few. He wrote a letter telling his would-be worshipers not to follow any god, but to seek their own moral code. The letter concludes with a description of the code that he himself strove to live by. It is a difficult, almost impossible goal to live up to.
The Code is not a deity, but it fulfills all the needs of one. Followers of the code are called Paladins.
Tenets: Seek justice, protect the innocent, serve selflessly, be honest, eschew wealth,
Enemies: Evildoers of all kinds
Devil Kings
The Devil Kings may or may not be actual gods. Their relationship with their mortal followers is totally different from that of the Glorious Seven. Very few people actually worship them. More commonly, mortals make bargains with the Devil Kings and their emissaries, to get warlock powers. (See warlock's pact.)
Followers and cultists of evil gods are ideal bad guys. They do horrible things for personal gain — the very definition of evil.
The Harlequin
At the balancing point between light and darkness dances the Harlequin. Followers of the Harlequin, like those of the Demon Kings, keep their affiliation hidden, because trouble and upheaval follow them.
Temples: Secret clubhouses.
Tenets: Afflict the comfortable, humble the mighty, never take anything too seriously,
Enemies: The pompous and arrogant.
Lesser Gods
Nature Spirits
In the wilder parts of the world, many people worship nature spirits instead of gods. The priests of this religion are called druids or shamans. A druid initiated into nature worship is connected to the spirits of the land wherever he goes.
Temples: Sacred grove, grotto, or oasis
Tenets: Respect nature. Take only what you need.
Enemies: Reckless hunters or woodcutters.
Divine Servants: No divine servants as such, but many fae serve nature, and wild animals will answer a druid's call for help.
Elemental Lords
The various elemental lords fall in between the gods and devils. They are a bit more aloof from human affairs than other gods, and so are less well-known. Elemental lords do have some worshipers, and they occasionally grant warlock powers.
Temples: Sacred grove, grotto, or oasis.
Tenets: Respect nature. Take only what you need.
Enemies: Reckless hunters or woodcutters.
Divine Servants: Elementals, efreets, djinn, salamanders, undines, sylphs, xorn. The exact type depends on the element.
