I suppose it depends on how you view deity, and what your goals are. Ancient pagans did worship many deities through their lives. Be it because they were in need of something particular that deity ruled over, or because of yearly festivals, etc. But, in many cases there were deities they were closer to than others, and paid more attention to.Silas Nightfall wrote: Why choose?
There are a lot of deities, each with their own specialties and domains. Why not get several statuettes and honor whichever ones are most connected with a particular spell or ritual?
The reason to move deeper with one, or a few specific deities, is usually because the individual is called to. It can be hard to ignore that calling. It's also a matter of actually getting to know a deity and their mysteries. Think of it like learning an instrument.If you pick up a guitar one week, then switch to flute the next, then violin, trumpet, trombone, drums, etc, while some of that knowledge may transfer along (such as how to read sheet music), you're never going to really develop skill with any of those instruments. Someone who picks up a guitar once a week every other month is not going to be able to play as well as someone who played that guitar daily for those two months. So, someone who worships a single deity, learns their myths, meditates on them, etc, and really deepens that relationship with them will learn more of them than someone who does not. (Also, for those that believe the deities are actual, individual beings, to some extent, a deity you have a relationship with is more likely to help you out than one you're just calling on without knowing them.)
If you're not particularly worried about such things, then there's no need to 'choose,' but mystery cults were popular for good reason, and can be especially helpful, imo, for witches. (There is a reason why traditional, oathbound Wicca focuses on two specific deities, and why so many witch cults are oathbound in general.) But, it's a choice for the individual to make.
Not sure what you mean by a nekron. Soter means savior, nekron specifying of who (the dead).SL wrote: Hades, a Nekron?
In Greece, anyway, it was not only the realm of the dead. The otherworld was comprised of many different areas, with different spirits, people, deities, etc. Many believe Persephone knew what eating the pomegranate meant. It is a myth that really must be viewed from the Greek lens. Greek myths were generally not taken as literal events (like some Christians may view the bible). Those of Greek culture, deities included, would know what eating food from the underworld meant, they would know that pomegranates were the fruit of weddings (sacred to Hera). It's a myth of seasons, of death and rebirth, but it's also a mundane myth for many women. It would not be uncommon for them to be given in marriage without their consent, but with the consent of their male relatives. (Zeus gave his blessings to Hades, remember.) What Persephone and Demeter went through would have been very relatable for many ancient Greek mothers and daughters. For daughters especially, a struggle to blend their old family with their new family, and having some agency in their new life. Persephone does strongly embrace being Queen of the Dead, and she is a soteria, savior, in her own right.As he took Persephone into his realm he let her eat a piece of fruit she fancied, without telling her it would tie her to the realm forever. With a lot of the Otherworld contact I have trouble identifying the Underworld as the only realm of death.
Spirits of the Underworld tend to be highly deceitful I believe.