Phyton (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game, Phyton is the Suel
god of Nature, Beauty, and Farming. Phyton's symbol is a scimitar
in front of an oak
tree.
(1983), by Gary Gygax
. Phyton was further detailed by Lenard Lakofka
in Dragon
#90 (1984), in the article Gods of the Suel Pantheon III.
Phyton was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes
set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign. Phyton is described as one of the good deities that celestials
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
Phyton's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
(2000).
, other nature gods, and others who would protect the wild from mankind's depredations. For this reason, he is a foe of Obad-Hai
. Wee Jas
also bears Phyton great enmity, for his dominion over beauty.
.
, the Gran March
, Highfolk
, the Pale
, Ratik, the Duchy and Principality of Ulek
, the Urnst States, and among the humans of Celene
.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
roleplaying game, Phyton is the Suel
Suloise
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Suloise, also known as the "Suel," are one of the major races of humans inhabiting the Flanaess....
god of Nature, Beauty, and Farming. Phyton's symbol is a scimitar
Scimitar
A scimitar is a backsword or sabre with a curved blade, originating in Southwest Asia .The Arabic term saif translates to "sword" in general, but is normally taken to refer to the scimitar type of curved backsword in particular.The curved sword or "scimitar" was widespread throughout the Muslim...
in front of an oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
tree.
Publication history
Phyton was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game SettingWorld of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
The World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting and the World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting are two closely related publications from TSR, Inc. that detail the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(1983), by Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
. Phyton was further detailed by Lenard Lakofka
Lenard Lakofka
Lenard "Len" Lakofka is an American writer of material for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. He was an influential voice in the development of the game, as well as the author of what has been called one the greatest D&D adventures ever written...
in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#90 (1984), in the article Gods of the Suel Pantheon III.
Phyton was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes
From the Ashes (Dungeons & Dragons)
From the Ashes is a supplement for Dungeons & Dragonss World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It was published in 1992 by TSR as a boxed set of materials...
set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign. Phyton is described as one of the good deities that celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
Phyton's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Despite the title, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is not exclusive to the Living Greyhawk Campaign...
(2000).
Description
Phyton is most often depicted as a tall, handsome man, slender and youthful-looking, though he can appear as any creature of the forest.Relationships
Phyton was once like most other nature deities, but now represents man's dominance over nature, which pits him and his followers against druidsDruid (Dungeons & Dragons)
The druid is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Druids wield nature-themed magic. Prior to 4th edition, they gain divine magic from being at one with nature, or from one of several patron gods of the wild, while in 4th edition, they gain primal magic...
, other nature gods, and others who would protect the wild from mankind's depredations. For this reason, he is a foe of Obad-Hai
Obad-Hai
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Obad-Hai is the god of Nature, Woodlands, Hunting, and Beasts, one of the most ancient known. He is often called the Shalm....
. Wee Jas
Wee Jas
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Wee Jas is the Suel goddess of Magic, Death, Vanity, and Law...
also bears Phyton great enmity, for his dominion over beauty.
Realm
Although a human deity, Phyton currently dwells with the Seldarine in Arvandor, though he also has a realm in YsgardYsgard
Ysgard is the Outer Plane of Chaotic Neutral / Chaotic Good alignment in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is also called Asgard, Gladsheim or The Heroic Domains...
.
Dogma
Phyton teaches that the nature in its natural, untouched state can only be made more beautiful by the hand of mankind. Therefore, gardens, crop fields, and swamps drained for fertile soil are no less wondrous than mountains and forests. He also teaches that animals should be domesticated whenever possible, but those which prove harmful to man or his works should be destroyed.Clergy
Phyton's priests believe that man can always improve on the design of nature, be it clearing forests for agriculture, cutting roads through mountains, building dams, draining swamps, redirecting rivers, culling ugly or harmful plants, or domesticating animals. They protect farming communities and look for ways to best use the land to man's advantage. Each often chooses a region to oversee, usually one day's walk in diameter.Temples
Temples of Phyton can be found in GeoffGeoff (Greyhawk)
Geoff is a fictional land that is part of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Geoff was first described in 1983 in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting, where Geoff is properly known as the Grand Duchy of Geoff, and is a ducal political state of the fictional continent called the...
, the Gran March
Gran March
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Gran March is a political state of the Flanaess.-Geography:...
, Highfolk
Highfolk
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Highfolk, properly known as the Free Town of Highfolk, is a political city-state of the Flanaess...
, the Pale
Pale (Greyhawk)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Pale, properly known as the Theocracy of the Pale, is a political state situated in the Old Aerdy West region of the Flanaess, west of the Rakers....
, Ratik, the Duchy and Principality of Ulek
Principality of Ulek
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Principality of Ulek is a political state of the Flanaess, and one of the three Ulek States ....
, the Urnst States, and among the humans of Celene
Celene (Greyhawk)
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Celene, properly known as the Faerie Kingdom of Celene, is a political state, and the most prominent elven nation in eastern Oerik.-History:...
.
Holy days and rituals
Prayers are often made to Phyton to ensure timely harvests and bountiful crops.Additional reading
- Brown, Anne. Player's Guide (TSR, 1998).
- Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0 (Wizards of the Coast, 2005). Available online: http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip
- Gygax, Gary, and Frank MentzerFrank MentzerJacob Franklin "Frank" Mentzer III , is an American fantasy author and game designer best known for his work on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He was a performing folk musician from 1968 to 1975, and played one concert at the White House during the...
. The Temple of Elemental Evil (TSRTSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, 1985).
- Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet BrotherhoodThe Scarlet BrotherhoodThe Scarlet Brotherhood is a regional sourcebook for the Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The sourcebook was written by Sean K. Reynolds, and published by TSR in 1999 for 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons...
(TSR, 1999).
- Sargent, CarlCarl SargentCarl L. Sargent is a British author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels.-Early career:...
. Ivid the Undying (TSR, unpublished). Available online: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads