Crucible of Gods is a divine roleplay inspired in part by Divinus as well as some new original ideas. The setting of the story takes place on the Crucible, an isolated world with a mysterious past. Our gods awaken at the central node, a location owned by a dying God. Scattered across the world of Crucible are these nodes, strange black pillars that stretch endlessly downward and are nigh indestructible. Each node seems to have control over a section of the world, though right now every part of the world is in a veil of destructive chaos save for the central node.
Stabilized by the dying god, in this location you learn that you and the other gods were born of his will. He explains to you the prophecy of the Crucible: in some unknown amount of time, the entire realm will be completely and utterly destroyed with everything in it unless all the nodes are under the touch of a divine -- in which case at this unknown time of destruction, the world will transform to fit the absolute will of the god in control of all the nodes.
Further he explains that he himself was the previous god to complete such a task, though he didn’t want to. He was a member of an alliance that supported the will of a better god than he, but such a god was slain by rivals and so reluctantly the dying god collected the nodes. However, at the end times, his will was shaky and his truest desire was for someone else to have collected the nodes and bring forth a true dream and will, and so the nodes reset the world and birthed a new generation of divine: you.
He is unsure if his crucible was the first and if this was the second, but without that knowledge all he can do is wish you the best of luck. His will thankfully also birthed the first mortals in the central node location, humans. They are plain and without technology or a past, the same as yourselves. With little else, the dying god had completed all he needed to complete and passes on, leaving you to the conquest of the crucible and a world to create and control.
Welcome to the Crucible of Gods.
The aim of this story is to promote an open world divine roleplay with a strong sense of a central story based around an inciting incident (the end of the world/capture of the nodes) where there is little need for GM intervention and a lot of space for creativity. Please read below to understand the different parts of the game.
Nodes: The incentive to capture nodes is not linked to an out of character bonus or even in character bonus so as to remove the possibility of more active players zerg-rushing the nodes from less active players. Instead, the main incentive to capture nodes is for story purposes but also for one big mechanical reason: areas around nodes are too chaotic to support life until the node is stabilized by a claim. After stabilization, the capturer can define the stability.
What this means is that when a node is initially stabilized (it’s first ever stabilization) the god who is imparting their will can then choose a biome and mundane ecosystem to occupy the node’s territory for free. Changing the biome later (by the same god or another) will cost might. Do note that you must be in control of a node to make lasting changes to its biome.
Note: While there are no limits to capturing raw nodes, do note that I will be keeping my eye open in the starting weeks and strongly dissuading people from taking too many unstable nodes all at once to allow other players the opportunity to stabilize starting nodes.
God Nerf (as opposed to Divinus iterations): gods will be much more reliant on mortal supporters due to being weaker than traditional ‘gods’ and more vulnerable. Gods will also have a limit on how small their form can be and how large their form can be (determined at will by GM) as well as the set standard that all forms be solid (not ethereal, gaseous or liquid). Generally speaking, the form of a god will be unnaturally tough, but still vulnerable to damage. Godly Acts: Gods can perform amazing feats of divine activity thanks to the OOC mechanism called might. Each god is awarded five points of might at the start of a cycle. At the end of a cycle, unused might does not carry over. Each cycle will happen at the same time every designated interval, so there is no need to wonder when the next refresh will take place. These might points can be used to perform IC godly actions based on the might catalog. If an action has a 0 next to it in the catalog, it means this can be done for free!
Portfolios/Aspects: Portfolios and Aspects aren’t declared at the time of character creation but rather formed over time. Since we all start anew, each God begins rather with a “Will” or in other words, their goals and what they wish the world to be like as well as their passions and priorities. This will can change as the character develops but their actions performed will eventually give them monikers among mortalkind such as God of Death/Agriculture/Light/ and so on. In other words, a Portfolio is earned via action and reflects the Will of the god. This will be better noted on the character sheet.
Technology: Technology is bought and taught via might using a special tiered system present in the might catalog. Note that mortalkind can advance their own technology without might but require a sufficient amount of IC interaction with the advancement before it takes root in the society.
Despondence: A warning to the wholehearted! A phenomena exists on the Crucible called despondence. It is said that if a divine being gives up all hope and ambition and loses faith, their divine will and energy will slowly falter and eventually they themselves will evaporate. This despondence is said to affect any and all who suddenly go inactive.
Note the black ring marking the central node stabilized by the dying god. I’ll mark nodes as they are captured and maybe even fill in colors for biomes. Biomes do NOT need to grade into each other seamlessly, you can have some wildly different areas next to each other.
Name: (The starting name of your character)
Example: X’ample
Form: (What does your god look like inherently? Remember the rules: the form must be solid and of a reasonable size. If you add some natural resistances, maybe add some natural weaknesses as well!)
Example: A large grey fungus with arms of stone, pocked by fire. X’ample stands at around ten feet and is as wide as three men. Each arm is rippled with stone muscle and a heavy breathy voice echoes from the fungal ribs that cling to their mushroomy head. Though often seen tempering material in flame, their grey fungal body resists the heat and their arms, while scorched, do not feel the pain of the marks.
Due to X’ample’s love of heat and flame, they often steer clear of cold areas or even wide open spaces with too much wind, as frostbite too readily clings to their fungal fringes and sours their body.
Personality: (Who is your character and how do they react to the world around them?)
Example: X’ample is a stoic sort who only explodes with emotion at the mention of craft and work. They despise laziness and creativity, but applaud hard work and benediction through labor. So on and so on…
Will: (This is a bit tricky, but what does your god value and what would a manifestation of their will look like? This can change as the story progresses and your character develops.)
Example: The will of X’ample is one of hardwork. If all the world was ordered simply by gain through work and gain through labor, then all the better. Luck, chance, and charity all weaken the temperance, and only through self-dedication and so on and so on… you get it. Such a will would likely manifest through the collection of the nodes a world of work and a world of labor neverending where rest and enjoyment of fruition were forgotten under the heavy strain.
Favorite Color: (This will be used to mark nodes you own, first come first served.)
Example: Black, and now you can’t have it... You edgelords. But seriously, black is the color for the dying god’s initial node.
Please check the catalog for innate abilities, what you can and cannot do as well as expectations for playing oocly and icly.
A number will follow each item, that number indicates how much might is required to purchase that item. Before you take a look, here is a quick list of universal abilities owned by each god. You MAY forfeit any ability at the time of creation.
Breathe without air Does not starve or dehydrate Super-strength: think punching through metal and breaking boulders rather than razing mountains Super-speed: not going to do laps around the world in seconds or even going from node to node in a matter of minutes or hours, but can move and perceive faster and more acutely than mortalkind. Ageless Fluent in all language Being nice
Notable things NOT included in universal abilities:
Breaking a node Digging to the bottom of a node Creating a new node Creating a new continent Expanding the world Traveling to parallel realms or extra-dimensions Breaking the fourth wall
Expectations
You will interact with the node system You will interact with other players You will not shy away from conflict You will attempt to cooperate with others You will receive consent from other players before altering their work, if consent is not given and you feel like not interacting with the topic at hand would be unrealistic for the narrative, contact the GM You will not gatekeep other players from your plotlines You'll join the discord You are not writing in a vacuum
All that said, feel free to let me know if you see something missing on the catalog that you would like, or if you have ideas on any changes.
This will likely be your most used area of Might, as this covers divine acts done at a whim.
Creating a single plant or animal 0 (increase cost with increase power and area of effect)
Scattering the clouds, causing a normal rainstorm, or regular alterations to the weather pattern 0
Creating a prolonged change to weather such as a drought or rain 1
Creating a weather storm of dangerous levels such as a cyclone or striking lightning storm 2
Creating an isolated divine storm such as a rain of fire 3
Throwing fire, ice, lightning or other simple spells 0 (increase cost with increase power and area of effect)
Making a single or small batch of vegetation grow faster 0 (increase cost with increase power and area of effect)
Healing or curing the ailments of a single or small group of wounded and sick 0 (increase cost with increase power and area of effect)
Raising a single mortal recently deceased and still intact 2
Creating a dangerous beast or creature of power and magic
1 might for minotaur/harpy/fairy equivalent
2 might for Lion of Nemea/chimera equivalent
3 might for St George’s Dragon
4 might for Hydra equivalent
5 might for Godzilla equivalent
Artifacts are physical tools created by gods to do something specific. They do not lose their power but can break. Note that an artifact with a drawback for using it may be able to get away with a slightly better edge than an artifact that is all good.
Examples: 0 might: A single mundane tool or item of no magical property such as clothes or a fancy stick 1 might: A fantastical item of ability such as an ever-sharp sword, a shield that reflects arrows, a fire that reveals your deepest desire, or perhaps a loom that spins straw into gold 2 might: A war-cleaver that gets deadlier the more it kills at the cost of the bearer’s human form, A jacket completely immune to all slashing and piercing damage (though beware a hammer), A totem that lets you speak to a recently fallen comrade, a flute that can quell all beasts’ rage 3 might: A fountain that spouts sparkling water with healing powers, A bow that shoots 100 arrows with every shot, a ring that turns you invisible 4 might: A scepter that commands the wind and can conjure devastating storms, a chariot that can ride the clouds at incredible speeds, 5 might: (SIGNATURE ARTIFACT) Every god can create one signature artifact. Their signature artifact is a tool of immense power and can come in many forms. Check in before you make one!
This customizes your node and the area under the control of your node. Note that to do these, you have to own the area via node capture and be physically touching the node!
0 might:
Create the initial biome and ecosystem of a newly stabilized node (can’t be done on a recaptured node)
Capture a node (requires physical contact with the node for only a brief moment if stabilizing for the first time, and at least several uninterrupted hours if recapturing from a resisting god.)
Remove another God’s permissions to use the node (only the true owner can do this)
1 might:
Node warning (when another divine gets close to your node, you are alerted by the node)
Permanently change weather
Conjure single construction (Bastion, manor, wall)
Grant another god permission to use the power of the node (they can use it to count towards technology tiers, access the nexus’, and utilize this list)
2 might:
Node Nexus (creates a vortex by the node that allows the owner of the node to enter. It must be connected to another nexus under the control of the owner to work)
3 might:
Conjure many constructions (town, city, multifaceted academy or fortress)
Reform biome (not ecology)
4 might:
Quick Nexus (one-time) forces a nexus to send you to either a node under your control without a nexus, or the border of any node territory.
5 might:
Capital Nexus (must have 5 or more nodes under immediate control): You can use the Capital Nexus to travel to any owned node, even if they don’t have a nexus; however, you cannot teleport back without a nexus.
This covers blessings and curses bestowed upon a target.
0 might:
Remove a curse or blessing inflicted by yourself
Inconsequential curse or blessing (ex. change how someone smells)
Swap between forms
1 might:
Basic curse or blessing (ex. Super strong, infertile, blind)
Remove a basic curse or blessing by someone else
Create a new form for yourself (within form parameters)
2 might:
Advanced curse or blessing (ex. Lineage cursed with bad luck, tremendously hard to kill, incredibly skilled)
Remove and advanced curse or blessing by someone else
3 might:
Basic curse or bless a group
Remove a group curse or blessing by someone else
4 might:
Advanced curse or bless a group
Remove an advanced group curse or blessing by someone else
5 might:
Divine punishment (ex. Mutate target into a rodent to be tortured endlessly by the digestive system of an ageless bird) remove a Divine punishment
This covers the cost for advancing technology. Note that you can only make a technology purchase once per might cycle, with the only exception being that tier one does not count as a purchase and can be purchased at will. Realistically, this means tier one and tier two can be purchased in the same cycle.
Three final notes: firstly, I put quotations on either side of familiar phrases such as ‘iron’ or ‘bronze’ age simply because they are being used to conjure an idea of what the technology looks like rather than exist as an exact replica of our own historical bronze age. Secondly, technology level is a background setting and doesn’t affect things like what a god can make or what materials they can use or even magic complexity. It simply serves as the setting. Lastly, technology can spill onto societies nearby that didn’t pay for or develop the new technology themselves.
0 might+1 node: (Tier one)Raise a civilization to the stone age (fire, simple homes, stone knapping) 1 might+1 node: (Tier two)Raise a civilization to the ‘chalcolithic’ age or early metal age (agriculture, domestication, soft metal work (gold, silver, copper, tin)) 2 might+2 nodes: (Tier three)Raise a civilization to the ‘bronze’ age or middle metal age(complex alloys, water power, engineering) 3 might+4 nodes: (Tier four)Raise a civilization to the ‘iron’ age or high metal age(stronger alloys, advanced metal design, chemistry, the romance of a classic age of fantasy) 4 might+6 nodes: (Tier five)Raise a civilization to the transitory age or early fantasy industrial age (cannons and swords, longbows and gears) 5 might+8 nodes: (Tier six)Raise a civilization to the steam age or middle fantasy industrial age (clockwork and steam engines, guns and fixed bayonets)
Form: He is in the form of a five foot nine and a half old man.
Personality: Brey is a god that strives to learn, grow in maturity and power. He isn't the ordinary power monger. The reason he wants power is to provide and protect mortal beings, and to teach them how to do the same for other mortals. He would also keep power out of the wrong hands, so that they would not bring unreasonable harm to others or themselves. He is likely to take power away from those who abuse it.
Will: Will, knowledge and wisdom. He's not the god of will, knowledge and wisdom yet, but has a strong desire to learn, teach and become powerful, not just through learning, but through sheer will. This manifests it'self in the powers of science and magic most of all, but he would also attempt to teach others wisdom and how to live their lives as well. If he had ALL the nodes, he would be a god among gods, have the ability to strip all the magic from the universe and take it for himself, but that's not his will. His intentions, should he have all that power would be to keep all creation in a cycle of eternal spiritual and mental growth, so they would grow in not just power but learn how to live and become not just smart but sagely.
Form At the core of Anak’thas is a brightly lit lantern. It is held by a more humanoid creature. While this figure is still a part of him, wounding it would not kill him. This form - his Aspect of Guiding Light as he calls it – is faceless. Instead of a face, he has a hole with a mote of divine light shining from it. The wispy robes he wears hide the lower section of this form. He leaves no footmarks. Instead, the lowest-hanging robes seemingly float over the ground.
Personality On the surface, one could say that Anak’thas is a power-hungry control freak. There is, however, nuance to his obsession. While he is obsessed with control, he remains open to the idea that – for now – there are forces outside his control. Instead of absolute subjugation of these forces, he will prefer to initially find a way to incorporate them into his Perfect Order. In essence, he will resort first to control through assimilation. Not subjugation (though of course, when assimilation is not an option subjugation will be). Furthermore, he craves power only to further his Perfect Order, which ultimately comes to the betterment of everyone (or so he chooses to believe).
Will Will of Perfect Order. Anak’thas believes that only ultimate order can stave off doom and bring true prosperity. But to achieve this ultimate order every object in existence needs to understand and accept its place in this ultimate order. He thus values obedience and duty above all else. Through this obedience and dutifulness, he strives to deliver every measure of prosperity. He does not abhor creativity but believes it is a force that must be closely monitored. For a wrongful but hopeful idea can sunder the prosperous order he strives to create. His true opposite is anarchy and lawlessness.
As a deity that represents the cycle of life, death and renewal Vatarr's form is in something of a state in-between all three of those states at once. Standing above humans in height, Vatarr's body is a mixture of plant and meat that is in a slow but constant state of flex; There will be parts of his body that are in fully bloom/in prime condition, others that are actively rotting and falling off in chunks like decaying meat on a body being moved... with a third section that is clearly new flesh and plants that are actively growing. As the older parts start to decay and die and the newer growths flourish in the fertile patches left once the rotting process is complete, it is rare for Vatarr to look exactly the same in-between meetings with them.
The one constant is their head, which has a mask/skull like quality to it, covered by growths and bumps that on closer inspection turn out to be a variety of fungi. The horns appear to be optional, appearing in different states of growth at Vatarr's desire.
Personality: Vatarr is a jolly fellow who never seems to be without a smile on their face. No matter the circumstances that arise, Vatarr will always consider and act like he is talking to a friend he has known for eons, be they god or mortal. This doesn't necessarily means he'll intervene in a given situation since strive, suffering and death are all natural parts of life... but he'll happily listen as someone vents about their troubles all the same.
Will: Life, Death and Renewal/Rebirth. Where other deities are hung up on life having to be a certain way, Vatarr is more concerned with creating a world in which life happens at all. To him, the ideal world that could be created is one in which life and death are apart of the same never ending cycle: Living things are born and live out their lives pursuing their desires before one day they will lay down and die, their remains returning to the world and enriching it, allowing for new life to be created and for the cycle to start again.
Eleanna’s form is that of a taller than average humanoid woman. Her skin is bronzed, her wavy hair black and always worn in practical styles such as dreads or ponytails, and her body built solidly with iron-hard muscles covered in a lean layer of fat and skin riddled with scars. She almost always wears layers upon layers of armour, with her favourite styles being mostly leather with random plates of steel thrown on top for good measure, with the single item she always wears being her steel-capped leather boots. Part of her form is her spear, to which she always straps trophies taken from her latest hunts and battles.
Personality: Eleanna’s personality isn’t very easy to pin down. Her closest followers struggle to keep up with her and have often taken to looking at the alignment of the stars to try and predict her mood, in somewhat successful attempts at not being abused for being the bearers of bad news.
Normally she is an excitable and quite open-minded woman who’s quick to resort to violence at the slightest provocation and is more than happy to be the direct cause behind people’s struggles, be that through the issuing of unreasonable commands, the creation of powerful monster species, or the indirect murder of family providers or guardians.
Will: Eleanna’s looking for nothing more than strife itself. Her journey is that of endless struggles and battles, and she will not stop until the entire world is enveloped in an endless state of struggle. It doesn’t matter to her whether that be a struggle to put the next meal on the table, or a struggle to survive against the hordes of the night, or a struggle to find a good dentist… As long as people are stressed and she was one of the factors in causing that stress, she will be satisfied.
A world under the Will of Eleanna would be riddled with wars, wilderness, monsters, and famine yes, but it would also be riddled with great empires on the verge of collapse as well as hordes of savage demi-humans.
