Let's build YOUR setting! Idea smorgasbord

[Samwich]

There are two different pantheons of gods, one recognized as 'good' and the other recognized as 'evil'. But the truth that the mortal races don't realize is that both these pantheons are on the same side, fighting against the demons who simply want to see the multiverse dissolve into chaos. The 'good' pantheon believes that the best way to combat the demons is by giving the mortals aid and support, and encouraging them to band together against the darkness. The 'evil' pantheon believes that the best way to combat the demons is to introduce suffering and struggle into the mortals lives, so the mortals will learn to fight for themselves and be strong. So anytime the players come into conflict with the evil gods, it is actually the evil gods trying to make the players stronger so they can protect the multiverse from other threats.

[jqavins]

I imagine one of the "evil" gods looking like Emperor Palpatine saying "Good, good, use your anger!"

[Draconi Redfir]

Alternatively, the mutilated hand could be seen as an admirable sign of dedication, especially a mutilated left hand which is a sign of great religious devotion.

a very good point!

[Bohandas]

Gnomish invemtions make heavy use of synthetic sapphire jewel bearigs. This neatly ties togeher a lot of gnome tropes- tinkering, gemstones, alchemy; everything but illusion magic

[Whiskeyjack8044]

Goblins were created by the Elves.

When they Fey Folk first came to the world, their domination was uncontested. Then the Humans rose. The Fey Folk could not compete with human birth rates. They created a ritual to make Fey mortal, to break the cycle of reincarnation and make new Fey souls. These new mortal Elves, Gnomes, and Firbolgs were corrupted, becoming the first Hobgoblins, Goblins, and Bugbears. These Goblinoids were an abomination, they had no soul. These Goblinoids retained their hatred of humanity and nearly wiped them out before the Elves in their shame, saved humanity. The the origins of the goblinoids are a secret that few even among the Elves remember. Hobgoblin Prophets promise a coming Messiah, one who can give all of the goblin people a soul, the Maglubiyet.

[Whiskeyjack8044]

Elves are religious pilgrims from the Feywild

Elves are trapped in a cycle of reincarnation until they are perfect in the eyes of Corellon Larethian. Corellon plucked the Fey Wilds from his imagination and cast it out into the Multiverse. It draped over the prime material plane like a sheet. This was the first home of the Elves. The Seldarine are worshiped as gods because they have broken the cycle and rejoined Corellon on Arvandor. Many city's were built around temples to specific Seldarine. Eladrin are elves who have forsaken Arvandor in favor of the FeyWilds. The Elves as we know them came to the prime material plane with the help of the Seldarine, teleporting entire cities, to escape the megalomania of the Eladrin. Here they seek to perfect themselves of many life times until Corellon accepts them once more.