This year, Hi-Rez released their latest Pantheon in SMITE: the Japanese Pantheon. This latest addition has been by no means surprising; Japan has had an undeniable influence in gaming, so adding their gods in a game played by millions of players world wide is something we all should have seen coming. That said, there's a bit of an imbalance regarding the continents represented. We have 3 European pantheons (Greek, Roman, Norse), 3 Asian (Hindu, Chinese, Japanese), 1 American (Mayan), and 1 African (Egyptian). As I am very, very big on representation in gaming, I must say that I am unhappy with this situation. I want some more Africa in here, and I want something sub-Saharan! So for that, I offer a solution: adding the Yoruba Pantheon!
I've been studying some Yoruba mythology (just a bit, but am always on the lookout for more info!) I chose five gods from these traditions, took some artistic liberties (I thought it necesarry, but tried to be as respectful to the original myths as possible) and came with one god for each role to be played: Hunter, Mage, Assassin, Guardian, and Warrior. I also came up with five skills for each of them. You will also learn some of their lore. And here they are:
1- Obatala, Patron of Mankind.
Long ago, there was only the sky above and the ocean below. The sky was the realm of the Orisha, the gods. Olorun was king of the sky, while Olokun was queen of the sea. Their brother, Obatala, felt left out, wanting to be equal to his brother and sister.
Obatala went to Olorun, and asked for permission to create dry land, a place where all forms of creatures could live. Olorun agreed, and told him to seek the wisdom of Orunmila, the wisest of the Orisha. Orunmila told Obatala to take some golden sand in a conch, a white hen, a golden rope, and a coconut seed.
With the golden rope, Obatala descended unto the world below. He poured the sand unto the ocean, and the land was born. He let loose the hen. and when it started kicking and pecking the sand, mountains and valleys were created. He planted the seed, and the forests of the world were created. Wishing for company, he created beings in his image, and thus humans were born.
Obatala watches over his creations with kindness and patience. But now a war rages between gods from far away lands, and it has reached the land Obatala spent so much effort in creating. But those foreign gods will now learn that Obatala is just as good at destroying as he is in creating...
Obatala is a Mage who focuses on getting into a fight and unleashing his combo, while letting his minions clean up as he cools down. His minions have a tenth of his health, ability power, and defenses. His passive is The Perfect Creation. Once Obatala has all his skills on cool down, he summons a minion that has 20% of his AP, Health, and Defenses. The minion has a movement speed of 450, an attack speed of 1,45, and if it is killed by an enemy god, heals Obatala for 10% of his Health and Mana. This passive has a one minute cooldown which can not be reduced.
Obatala's first ability is The Golden Rope. Obatala summons a golden rope which allows him to ascend to the sky. While there he is immune to crowd control effects, cannot be targeted by attacks, and can still use his other skills, but he cannot move. After three seconds, Obatala descends back to the battlefield with a 1 second immunity against all damage.
Obatala's second ability is The Grand Conch. After a one second delay, Obatala throws his magic conch at an area, dealing AoE damage to enemy gods and minions and summoning sand that lasts five seconds and slows down enemy gods by 15%. If he uses it while he's using The Golden Rope, the damage is increased by 15%.
Obatala's third ability is The White Hen. Obatala summons a white hen minion that pecks at an enemy god. If the hen is summoned on top of the sand, she will kick it in all directions, dealing AoE damage and extending the sand's duration by two seconds.
Obatala's ultimate ability is The Coconut Seed. Obatala throws a seed at an enemy god, dealing damage, If it lands on the ground, it creates a palm tree that serves as an obstacle and drops small coconuts, which can deal damage. If the seed is dropped on the sand, it creates a palm forest that knocks up enemy gods and deals large amounts of AoE damage, also extending the sand's duration by another five seconds.
2- Shango, Divine King of the Yoruba
The thunder roars! Hear the people claim for their hero, the great king Shango!
When the city of Oyo was still young, there was a young king whom everyone loved. His name: Shango. Some believed him to be the son of Obatala himself; others believed him to be an Orisha disguised as a human. But one thing was certain: Shango was everyone's hero. There was no better dancer, no man manlier, than the great Shango.
With his trusted double-headed axe, Shango marched to battle with a smile on his face. Slash! Off went the heads of his enemies! Shango was truly an invincible king. But alas, discontent began to form between the people of Oyo, who began to whisper that Shango was becoming tyrannous. The law of Oyo stated that only the king's death could end his rule; thus Shango went to the forest and hung himself.
But a warrior as great as Shango cannot be contained, even by death! In no time, Shango rose up to the sky and became the Orisha of the storm and the fire, a fitting role for a man of his power! But from far away other gods come to the land of the Yoruba, all claiming to be storm gods, wishing to challenge Shango's power...
Shango is a Warrior type god who shines in battles where he is outnumbered, making him a perfect initiator. His passive is Heat of Battle, increasing Shango's Attack Power by 5 and Defenses by 6 for every enemy god near him.
Shango's first ability is Fire Axe. Shango's Attack Speed increases by a set percentage while his basic attacks deal additional bonus damage. This ability lasts three second plus a half second for every enemy god in range.
Shango's second ability is Ax Spin. Shango spins his ax around him, dealing AoE damage, If he has Fire Ax activated, Shango also deals the bonus damage. If he hits more than one enemy god, Shango spins twice, dealing damage again.
His third ability is Shock Armor. Shango engulfs himself in an armor made of electric sparks, dealing damage to any enemy that attacks him. This effect lasts for six seconds plus one second for every enemy god near Shango.
His ultimate ability is Storm Blow. Shango smashes his ax to the ground, dealing AoE damage. If he kills more than one god with it, he gains bonus Movement and Attack speed.
3- Yemaja, Goddess of Motherhood
Her full name is Yeye Omo Eja, or "Mother Whose Children are Fish", for the number of children she has brought to the world is as innumerable as the amount of fish in the sea.
She was born from the wrath of Olokun, who drowned the land with her ocean's waves as punishment for Obatala creating the land without her consent. When she was born, Yemaja saw a world in dire need of love and direction, a world in need of a caretaker. A mother.
Yemaja watches over all the children of the world, especially those who go near the sea, where she resides. She cleanses her children of all sorrow, comforts the grieving, and cures infertility in women. Those who pray to Yemaja pray for protection, for tenderness, and for the love a mother gives her child.
She loves the children of the land unconditionally, and this in turn inspires them to love her back. This love has spread across the world, towards distant lands who had otherwise never even heard of the Yoruba. But now the gods of those distant lands have grown jealous of the love the humans feel for the Goddess of Motherhood, and now their war has reached her land...
Yemaja is a Guardian who is completely team oriented. Though she cannot initiate, her skills are extremely helpful to her team. Her passive, A Mother's Love, creates an aura that reduces all damage her allied gods receive by 5%. Yemaja herself, however, does not benefit from this passive.
Her first ability is Mother's Embrace. Yemaya summons a shield on a target allied god, which absorbs damage. If the shield is broken, or if six seconds pass, the shield explodes, dealing AoE damage. She cannot target herself, however.
Yemaya's second ability is A Mother's Kiss. Yemaya heals a target allied god and removes all crowd control effects from them. She cannot use this ability on herself, though.
Her third ability is Angry Mother. Yemaya targets an enemy god and deals magical damage, rooting them for 1,5 seconds. However, if this ability were to deal lethal damage to the enemy god, it would instead drop their health to 1 instead.
Yemaya's final ability is Maternal Sacrifice. Yemaya targets an allied god and engulfs them in a watery shield that redirects all damage they would receive to her. The shield lasts five seconds, but during that duration Yemaya cannot die.
4- Eshu, God of Crossroads
Behind your door, right before you enter your home, there is the little god named Eshu, God of the Crossroads. He rules over your fate, and by his whims you will either be blessed or cursed. Just be sure to have something he likes on hand whenever he drops by.
Eshu first came to the world just a bit after Obatala created mankind. When the humans began to worship the Orisha, Eshu introduced himself before any of the other Orisha had the chance to do so. This gave Eshu the power over the doors to the other Orisha, meaning that mankind could not communicate with the gods without Eshu's permission. For this reason, the Yoruba invoke the name of Eshu first and foremost in any ceremony.
He is not beyond pulling tricks on humans, however. Once he caused a war between two villages; one claimed he dressed in red, but the other village claimed he dressed in blue. The truth was that Eshu passed between both villages in a robe of both colors, red on the left, blue on the right. After having his laugh, Eshu lectured the villagers on the importance of perspective.
He once had the sun and the moon switch places in the sky, a trick that angered Olorun, King of the Sky. He has also been known to play tricks on the Orisha themselves. Yet when the gods from distant lands came to the land of the Yoruba, Eshu found himself face to face with gods who could not take a joke.
But Eshu is a sly trickster, and these foreign gods are not very nice. If they won't give him any treats, he will give them quite a few nasty tricks...
Eshu fights on the battlefield of the gods as an Assassin that relies on mobility and mind tricks. He's all about dealing high damage to one single target, and can be a great counter jungler. His passive is Make Way!, which allows him to pass through minions and monsters. Eshu also has a 5% increase in movement speed.
Eshu's first ability is A Nasty Trick. Eshu plants an invisible spike on the ground. If an enemy god passes through and activates the spike, they receive damage and are stunned for a half second. Spikes last two minutes, and Eshu can plant up to five spikes on the map.
His second ability is An Unhappy Surprise. Eshu throws a wad of goo at an enemy god, slowing them and reducing their defenses for three seconds. If Eshu lands the killing blow during that time, this ability's cool down is reset.
His third ability is The Doors of Destiny. This ability is activated twice. The first time, Eshu plants a door on a target location. On the second time, Eshu plants a second door at target location, which allows him to teleport to the first location. The door creates vision and is invisible to the enemy team, but cannot be used for Teleport.
Eshu's final ability is Hello, it's Me. Upon activation, Eshu's team has vision on all enemy gods regardless of their location. Once activated again, Eshu deals damage to a target enemy god and slows them down for three seconds. If the skill lands the killing blow, Eshu teleports himself to that god's location with increased movement speed.
5- Ochosi, the Righteous Hunter
There has never been a better hunter than Ochosi. His arrow is quick to get the kill, and rarely does he have to shoot more than once at his prey. Even the Orisha recognized his abilities, in spite of the fact that he himself was not one of them.
One day, the one named Eshu came to Ochosi and begged him a favor. "Go get a bird for Olofi, the supreme one." But it was not any bird that Eshu asked for, but one so rare that, before he saw it with his own eyes, Ochosi thought was a mere legend! But he had a reputation on the line, and Olofi was not a god to disappoint, so Ochosi set out to find and hunt the bird. In no time, he succeeded, and brought the bird home.
Ochosi's mother, however, came home that day, and thought the bird was like any other prey her son brought to her. And like always, she cooked the bird for dinner. When he returned for the bird with Olofi in tow, he was dismayed to find the bird gone. Humiliated, Ochosi begged for Olofi to give him another chance to find a second bird. He was granted his wish. A few days later, he returned with a second bird on hand.
So impressed was Olofi with Ochosi's prowess that he granted him the position of Orisha of the Hunt. So happy was Olofi with Ochosi's gift that he offered him a favor in return. "Let me punish whoever stole the first bird I hunted for you," asked Ochosi. With a heavy heart, for he knew what truly happened to the first bird, Olofi granted the hunter's request. Ochosi was told to fire an arrow to the air, and that it would pierce the heart of the guilty party. Upon doing so, Ochosi's heart was chattered as he heard his mother's dying scream.
From that day onward, Ochosi was more careful about who he punished for their wrong doing. He is the fairest of all judges; the Righteous Hunter!
Ochosi is a Hunter type god who focuses on high single target damage. Unlike other hunters, he can't use critical hits thanks to his passive, Mark the Guilty, but it DOES allow him to deal extra damage with his basic attacks. Any time he uses an ability on an enemy god, his passive marks that god with a cross hair. Attacking that god allows Ochosi to deal 10% extra true damage once. This passive has a twenty second cool down that cannot be reduced.
His first ability is Piercing Arrow. Ochosi fires an arrow that deals damage in a straight line and stops at the first enemy god it hits. The enemy god then bleeds for two seconds, losing a small amount of health every half second. This ability hurts minions, monsters, and can travel through walls.
Ochosi's second ability is Leg Aim. Ochosi fires an arrow, dealing damage and rooting the enemy god for a half second. This arrow can be intercepted by minions, but deals double damage to them.
His third ability is Justice is Served. Ochosi gathers the damage he receives for two seconds, then returns that damage doubled to any one target. This ability hurts jungle monsters and enemy gods, but not minions.
Ochosi's final ability is Headshot. Upon activation, Ochosi's next basic attack will deal 300% damage.
Her full name is Yeye Omo Eja, or "Mother Whose Children are Fish", for the number of children she has brought to the world is as innumerable as the amount of fish in the sea.
She was born from the wrath of Olokun, who drowned the land with her ocean's waves as punishment for Obatala creating the land without her consent. When she was born, Yemaja saw a world in dire need of love and direction, a world in need of a caretaker. A mother.
Yemaja watches over all the children of the world, especially those who go near the sea, where she resides. She cleanses her children of all sorrow, comforts the grieving, and cures infertility in women. Those who pray to Yemaja pray for protection, for tenderness, and for the love a mother gives her child.
She loves the children of the land unconditionally, and this in turn inspires them to love her back. This love has spread across the world, towards distant lands who had otherwise never even heard of the Yoruba. But now the gods of those distant lands have grown jealous of the love the humans feel for the Goddess of Motherhood, and now their war has reached her land...
Yemaja is a Guardian who is completely team oriented. Though she cannot initiate, her skills are extremely helpful to her team. Her passive, A Mother's Love, creates an aura that reduces all damage her allied gods receive by 5%. Yemaja herself, however, does not benefit from this passive.
Her first ability is Mother's Embrace. Yemaya summons a shield on a target allied god, which absorbs damage. If the shield is broken, or if six seconds pass, the shield explodes, dealing AoE damage. She cannot target herself, however.
Yemaya's second ability is A Mother's Kiss. Yemaya heals a target allied god and removes all crowd control effects from them. She cannot use this ability on herself, though.
Her third ability is Angry Mother. Yemaya targets an enemy god and deals magical damage, rooting them for 1,5 seconds. However, if this ability were to deal lethal damage to the enemy god, it would instead drop their health to 1 instead.
Yemaya's final ability is Maternal Sacrifice. Yemaya targets an allied god and engulfs them in a watery shield that redirects all damage they would receive to her. The shield lasts five seconds, but during that duration Yemaya cannot die.
4- Eshu, God of Crossroads
Behind your door, right before you enter your home, there is the little god named Eshu, God of the Crossroads. He rules over your fate, and by his whims you will either be blessed or cursed. Just be sure to have something he likes on hand whenever he drops by.
Eshu first came to the world just a bit after Obatala created mankind. When the humans began to worship the Orisha, Eshu introduced himself before any of the other Orisha had the chance to do so. This gave Eshu the power over the doors to the other Orisha, meaning that mankind could not communicate with the gods without Eshu's permission. For this reason, the Yoruba invoke the name of Eshu first and foremost in any ceremony.
He is not beyond pulling tricks on humans, however. Once he caused a war between two villages; one claimed he dressed in red, but the other village claimed he dressed in blue. The truth was that Eshu passed between both villages in a robe of both colors, red on the left, blue on the right. After having his laugh, Eshu lectured the villagers on the importance of perspective.
He once had the sun and the moon switch places in the sky, a trick that angered Olorun, King of the Sky. He has also been known to play tricks on the Orisha themselves. Yet when the gods from distant lands came to the land of the Yoruba, Eshu found himself face to face with gods who could not take a joke.
But Eshu is a sly trickster, and these foreign gods are not very nice. If they won't give him any treats, he will give them quite a few nasty tricks...
Eshu fights on the battlefield of the gods as an Assassin that relies on mobility and mind tricks. He's all about dealing high damage to one single target, and can be a great counter jungler. His passive is Make Way!, which allows him to pass through minions and monsters. Eshu also has a 5% increase in movement speed.
Eshu's first ability is A Nasty Trick. Eshu plants an invisible spike on the ground. If an enemy god passes through and activates the spike, they receive damage and are stunned for a half second. Spikes last two minutes, and Eshu can plant up to five spikes on the map.
His second ability is An Unhappy Surprise. Eshu throws a wad of goo at an enemy god, slowing them and reducing their defenses for three seconds. If Eshu lands the killing blow during that time, this ability's cool down is reset.
His third ability is The Doors of Destiny. This ability is activated twice. The first time, Eshu plants a door on a target location. On the second time, Eshu plants a second door at target location, which allows him to teleport to the first location. The door creates vision and is invisible to the enemy team, but cannot be used for Teleport.
Eshu's final ability is Hello, it's Me. Upon activation, Eshu's team has vision on all enemy gods regardless of their location. Once activated again, Eshu deals damage to a target enemy god and slows them down for three seconds. If the skill lands the killing blow, Eshu teleports himself to that god's location with increased movement speed.
5- Ochosi, the Righteous Hunter
There has never been a better hunter than Ochosi. His arrow is quick to get the kill, and rarely does he have to shoot more than once at his prey. Even the Orisha recognized his abilities, in spite of the fact that he himself was not one of them.
One day, the one named Eshu came to Ochosi and begged him a favor. "Go get a bird for Olofi, the supreme one." But it was not any bird that Eshu asked for, but one so rare that, before he saw it with his own eyes, Ochosi thought was a mere legend! But he had a reputation on the line, and Olofi was not a god to disappoint, so Ochosi set out to find and hunt the bird. In no time, he succeeded, and brought the bird home.
Ochosi's mother, however, came home that day, and thought the bird was like any other prey her son brought to her. And like always, she cooked the bird for dinner. When he returned for the bird with Olofi in tow, he was dismayed to find the bird gone. Humiliated, Ochosi begged for Olofi to give him another chance to find a second bird. He was granted his wish. A few days later, he returned with a second bird on hand.
So impressed was Olofi with Ochosi's prowess that he granted him the position of Orisha of the Hunt. So happy was Olofi with Ochosi's gift that he offered him a favor in return. "Let me punish whoever stole the first bird I hunted for you," asked Ochosi. With a heavy heart, for he knew what truly happened to the first bird, Olofi granted the hunter's request. Ochosi was told to fire an arrow to the air, and that it would pierce the heart of the guilty party. Upon doing so, Ochosi's heart was chattered as he heard his mother's dying scream.
From that day onward, Ochosi was more careful about who he punished for their wrong doing. He is the fairest of all judges; the Righteous Hunter!
Ochosi is a Hunter type god who focuses on high single target damage. Unlike other hunters, he can't use critical hits thanks to his passive, Mark the Guilty, but it DOES allow him to deal extra damage with his basic attacks. Any time he uses an ability on an enemy god, his passive marks that god with a cross hair. Attacking that god allows Ochosi to deal 10% extra true damage once. This passive has a twenty second cool down that cannot be reduced.
His first ability is Piercing Arrow. Ochosi fires an arrow that deals damage in a straight line and stops at the first enemy god it hits. The enemy god then bleeds for two seconds, losing a small amount of health every half second. This ability hurts minions, monsters, and can travel through walls.
Ochosi's second ability is Leg Aim. Ochosi fires an arrow, dealing damage and rooting the enemy god for a half second. This arrow can be intercepted by minions, but deals double damage to them.
His third ability is Justice is Served. Ochosi gathers the damage he receives for two seconds, then returns that damage doubled to any one target. This ability hurts jungle monsters and enemy gods, but not minions.
Ochosi's final ability is Headshot. Upon activation, Ochosi's next basic attack will deal 300% damage.
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