Let's try that again, shall we?

[Antarctic Termite]

A solemn wind disturbed a dune of stellar ash, sweeping dead stars, like dust, across the galactic sea. The thing that looked like a man gazed on, wishing it all away.

"Why?" said the thing that looked like a girl. "Why did we let it happen this way?"

"Because we were afraid," said the thing that looked like a man. "Because we wanted them to live, and never gave them room to breathe."

"Then let them have it," said the thing that looked like a girl, clenching her quivering hands into fists. "Let them have it all. Let them make this world their own; let no limits be upon them. Let them laugh and cry and hate. Let them go out there and be happy," said the thing that looked like a girl, laying her hands on the thing that impaled the man. "Set them free."

"You know not what you do."

"I don't care," said she.

The thing that looked like a girl wrenched the javelin from his chest and raised a great cry. Then she hurled it into the darkness, where it tore a wound so bright that quenched stars lit in its gaze, and she braced as the winds of dawn blazed against her, burning her, igniting the dune and the body and all the stars therein, blowing it apart and carrying its dust into a new galaxy.

She stretched her hands against the force of the wind, and felt a mass growing where the gale met her palms; and when the mass grew too great to hold back, she stretched out her other hand, and a smaller mass grew there; and when the gale overcame her they slipped from her palms and she tumbled back, laughing, as the two orbs spun one around the other.

As they fell into the cool distance, she grabbed the greater mass in her hands and twisted it; she felt it warm, and fizz. She clutched its warmth to her chest, and kissed it, and the moisture of her lips enveloped it.

And the thing that looked like a girl fell onto its surface, where the sun warmed her still, and she laughed, and her joy rose on the horizon in a hot, clean blue that covered the sky. She struck her palm at the ocean, and a plume of cyan entered it. Again and again she struck, dancing along the shore, until the sea was filled with life and oxygen.

Then she fell to her knees, exhausted.

"Take it!" said the thing that looked like a girl, laughing as the tears streaked down her face. "Come and take it all."

---

Gᴏᴅꜱᴩᴇᴇᴅ: ᴀ Dɪᴠɪɴᴜꜱ ꜱᴛᴜᴅɪᴏꜱ ᴩʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ

^{Free, Large Group, Nation, Fantasy, Historical, Military, Romance}

Aᴄᴋɴᴏᴡʟᴇᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ

Based on ActRaiser's OldGuild 'Divinus'

&

The collaborative efforts of all the players of Newguild Divinus mark II
(Especially BBeast, you tireless devil you)

• GMs: @Antarctic Termite, [@?]

This RP was inspired by an OldGuild roleplay, named Divinus, GMed by ActRaiser. It found new life in the early summer of 2015 and developed tremendously as Divinus: They Deity Roleplay Mk.I. A new iteration, Mk.II, has since been and continues to be an astounding success. We would now like to launch a new version, reconfigured and refined for the Free Section.

• Overview

  Divinus is a game about Gods. Taking a blank planet as our starting point, we write characters that come into being as the sovereign lords of the universe, and follow them as they compete, collaborate, fight, and fumble their way through Creation.
  
  Though gods may start small, in time they will raise mountains, gouge rivers, sow jungles and freeze oceans, and having done so they can create every manner of flora, fauna, spirit and mortal folk to populate them. Their colliding visions for the world may drive them to invent mighty weapons and field vast armies, conjure horrific monsters and sanction glorious heroes in order to defend their dreams from the passion of the other gods.
  
  Each god embodies a certain Domain of existence, such as Life or Chaos, and wields it in a unique way. Their power is measured in Might, which they must spend wisely on the aspects of creation that are most vital to them. As they grow and expand into new powers and Domains, they may build holy sanctuaries in which their mortal disciples may glorify their name, raising them to even higher levels of terror and splendour.
  
  Though the game of gods has many rules, all of them are here for your benefit, to make sure everyone plays fairly and in a collaborative manner. We've put a lot of effort into the system, so I hope it brings as much pleasure to you as it has to us.
• Domains & Portfolios

  Domains are 'elements' of the universe over which a god rules. These 'elements' are broad and can range from the obvious (Love, War, Death, Crafting, classical elements such as Water and Fire) to the abstract (Journeys, Secrets, Purity, Loss). They often align with aspects of a deity beyond merely what powers they command, especially in their worldview or personality. There can be many gods with the same Domain.
  
  What makes gods more unique is their Portfolio. These are specific elements of a Domain over which the god has greater power. A god whose domain is water will have power over all water, but if their portfolio is 'rivers' then their power over rivers is particularly potent and overrides the power of any other god - regardless of Domain - over rivers. While other factors may be at play, this is the general rule.
  
  One portfolio may fall under multiple domains. For example, the Song portfolio may be claimed as part of Beauty, Language, Art, or others. Different gods may also have similar portfolios, such as The Sun (Deserts) and Suffering (Wastelands). However, no two gods can share a portfolio, regardless of their Domain.
  
  As a god's power increases, they can collect other portfolios that fall under their Domain. In order to do so, they must have previously been active in that particular portfolio via their acts and wonders. For example, a god of Life (Healing), who buries the dead and plants forests on old battlefields, may choose to claim the Decay portfolio under Life.
  
  Keep in mind: gods are not limited to their Domains. A deity is a potent creature that can accomplish nearly anything it puts its mind to. Rather, a domain exists to add theme and flavour to the character and determine what kind of portfolios they will assemble.
• Might

  Might is the unit of power through which we track the magnitude of divine actions. While gods can readily perform all sorts of wonders unimpeded, especially those that fall under their portfolios, spending Might is necessary to perform major miracles and acts of creation.
  
  While an adult god can raise a small isle at no cost, spending a Might point allows them to create an entire archipelago, or one island large enough to support a grand civilisation. Spending more allows them to reshape entire continents as they wish.
  
  What kinds of actions require Might? Here is a (far from exhaustive) list:
  
  

  • 1 Might: Bestow powerful abilities on a people (e.g. wings, a school of magic, superhuman swordsmanship)
  • 1 Might: Bless a people with a cultural or technological revolution (e.g. the Renaissance, the agricultural revolution, a major religion)
  • 1 Might: Create a landmass or body of water.
  • 1 Might: Create a Hero. These are unique, blessed individuals whose abilities are well beyond those of normal members of their species. Heroes gain immortality, though a god may set conditions to this. Immortality does not mean they cannot be killed.
  • 1 Might: Bless or Curse. Can be anything, depending on the will of the god in question. Blessings and curses can be countered by other gods.
  • 1 Might: Censure or Praise. Very similar to the above miracle, but is applied to individuals or small groups of people and is far more severe.
  • 1 Might: Form an Order. A highly specialized and well-trained group - if you want to create the Jedi, the Knights Templar or the Valkyries, this is your port of call.
  • 1 Might: Create a portal. A permanent connection between two locations. Alternatively, this action can create a hotspot for mana from a different place. E.g. you could create a permanent strong magical connection between the dungeons of a castle and your world of death, leaving deposits of negative energy there and wreaking unknown mutations on whoever is unfortunate - or fortunate - enough to be there.
  • x Might: Level up a Hero. See 'Heroes' section for details.
  • x Might: Create an Avatar. See 'Avatars' section for details.
  • 3 Might: Integrate a portfolio into their Domain. See 'Level & Power' section for details.
  • 6 Might: Expand into a new Domain. See 'Level & Power' section for details.
  • 1 Might: Create a Blessed item - a powerful weapon or tool, typically used by a hero. No more than 1 Might can be spent on such items. Additional Might may be spent on adding more functions or components to the item, or to make it Divine.
  • 2 Might: Create a Divine item - a dangerously powerful implement used by a god, which can also be gifted to a hero or mortals. No more than 2 Might can be spent on such items. However, like Blessed items, they can be added to.
  • 1 Might: Create sentient or extraordinary species (e.g. humans, lizardmen, angels etc.)
  • 1 Might: Create non-sentient species which are rather powerful or have extraordinary capabilities (e.g. dragon, dryad, lich, mammoth bear)
  • 1 Might: Create a single beast of phenomenal power (e.g. the Kraken, the Thunder Bird, Jormungandr)
  • 1 Might: Resurrect a fallen Hero, beast, or city. Whatever you raise has probably been altered or damaged somehow by its death, rebirth, or both.

  
  
  Each point of Might may be subdivided into four smaller points, called Miracles, which are used for relatively minor actions. One Might may be spent to achieve an effect equal to or somewhat greater than its equivalent Miracles- for example, instead of teaching four technologies related to farming, one Might may be spent to stimulate a general agricultural revolution.
  
  

  • 1 Miracle: Teach people a simple idea or technology (e.g. writing, farming, domesticating a major animal, bronze-working, a code of honour)
  • 1 Miracle: Teach people a minor spell (e.g. telepathy, levitation, blade of fire, commune with nature)
  • 1 Miracle: Create an item imbued with magical properties.
  • 1 Miracle: Perform a particularly impressive act or feat in combat (e.g. deflect a mountain-sized boulder, perform a dance that will be remembered for centuries)
  • 1 Miracle: Create a simple or mundane species (i.e. lacking sentience and having no powerful abilities or properties, things like dogs, horses, imps, one-legged hopping dwarf-camels etc.)

  
  
  Note that none of these actions are in themselves destructive. While Might can be used for destructive means, it is very bad at doing so. While it may cost little more than a Miracle or even a free action to raise a hill, it will cost Might to obliterate it- potentially several points just for that one action, if you want to raze it in a single blow. So while 1 Might or even less can be used to create many great and glorious things, a comparatively large amount of Might would have to be used to undo them.
  
  In the same way, destroying something by creating something else (e.g. creating a black hole inside a city to destroy it, or sending a titanic meteor to smite a planet and destroy it) has a disproportionately high Might cost compared to creating a black hole because you need the gravity, or a mountain in space.
  
  But there are still plenty of ways for a god to wreak havoc! While destruction via the act of creation is restricted, your creations themselves can wield considerable destructive power. Divine weapons, Avatars, armies, pets, plagues, storms and terrain can all devastate your opponents and their empires.
  
  And if you want to do something in person, a smite from a god is still just about the most terrifying force in the game, more than capable of annihilating any mortal opponents that dare challenge you- even if you don't spend Might on it.
  
  Have fun!
• Level & Power

  A level 1 god has certain base powers.
  
  

  • Are naturally proficient in magic, or some equivalent thereof, with which they can perform what mortals would see as miracles and displays of tremendous power. This may not be conventional magic- they may have superhuman mechanical expertise, or be able to command vast hordes of smaller spirits, or simply be so able of body that they can work divine wonders by hand.
  • Wield great martial power and resilience, depending on the god. Most deities make terrifying opponents for all but other deities. Normal weapons are generally ineffective against then, as are low-level magics.
  • Can fly, breath underwater, and transport themselves as they wish. Some may teleport, though not much further than the diameter of a small planet.
  • Can venture into space, though exploration is limited by either the speed of light or the maximum distance of their teleporation.
  • May exude a supernatural aura that inspires, frightens, calms or generally affects nearby life.
  • Are aware of all things in their vicinity, including the presence and nature of living beings, strands of thoughts and feelings, currents of magic, holy sites, and other gods.
  • Can create life. This includes all kinds of flora, fauna, and lesser spirits. Intelligent life may not be produced en masse- it must be done one at a time or allowed to multiply on its own.

  
  
  These powers slowly increase in scale until a deity reaches level 4. At this stage, they may mature into a fully fledged god with any or all of the following powers.
  
  

  • Control over weather, landscape, and other physical phenomena in their direct vicinity. (Gods whose portfolios are specifically geared towards a particular field, of course, have increased control over these.)
  • Ability to appear in whatever shape or form they wish.
  • Cannot be harmed by normal weapons or magic. Gods can muster power great enough to hurt another god, and if united, a group of gods can even cause the 'death' of another god.
  • Sense all things within their effective vicinity, including thoughts, feelings, holy sites, and other gods. A god also has a basic idea of what is happening outside their effective vicinity. They know no details, but general things. A god has the ability to cover their presence or block the senses of another god to their presence with Might Points (MP, Might), abilities whose strength depends on level and Domain(Portfolio).
  • Can create their own, private plane of existence. These generally cannot be located by other gods unless the creator god allows them. These planes are small (e.g. not a universe).
  • Can travel wherever they wish in the universe instantly.

  
  
  A god's level also dictates how much Might they receive per turn. Each turn, every god generates Might equal to at least their level plus three. A Level 1 god is born with 4 Might. A Level 5 god with no Holy Sites recuperates 8 Might per turn.
  
  Levelling up occurs through spending Might on acts of creation. The amount of Might one needs to spend to advance to the next level is equal to double a god's current level, and may be spent on anything other than Holy Sites, levelling up Heroes, or integrating portfolios.
  
  If a level 1 god of Magic (the Fey) spent 1 Might on creating [Enchanted Forest] and another 1 Might on creating the [Spring of Eternal Youth] in said forest, they would automatically level up to level 2, as they have spent Might equal to double their current level on acts of creation.
  
  If that level 2 god then spent 2 Might on [Wand of the Faery Queen], strengthened it by spending 1 Might to imbue it with [Dominion over Plants] and then spent another 1 Might to create [Trixie, Hero of Faeries] to wield it, they will have spent 4 Might, which is double their current level and enough to level up again. And so on.
  
  

  Level 1-2: 2 Might spent on anything other than Hero levels, Holy Sites, Domains and Portfolios
  Level 2-3: 4 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 3-4: 6 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 4-5: 8 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 5-6: 10 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 6-7: 12 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 7-8: 14 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 8-9: 16 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 9-10: 18 Might " " " " " " " " "
  Level 10-11: 20 Might " " " " " " " " "

  
  
  There are ways to accumulate power other than level. One of the many uses of Might is to adopt new portfolios, or even entirely new Domains. The requirements for doing so are as follows:
  
  

  • A god must have used 3 Might in actions related to the specific (Portfolio) before they are eligible to adopt it as theirs. For instance, a Water (Oceans) god who wishes to incorporate Rain into their portfolios may create a divine implement that calls storms for 2 Might, and a land soaked by perpetual rains for 1 Might, and upon doing so will be able to claim Rain.
  • A god must spend another 3 Might in order to incorporate the portfolio. The above god spent 3 Might on Rain actions, and upon spending another 3 Might to claim it, the portfolio will be theirs.
  • A god must have a thematic rationale to claim a particular portfolio. A god of Chaos (Anarchy) shouldn't try to claim Chaos (Dance) unless Dance is somehow a part of their character and the way they've developed their powers of Chaos. Maybe they're a punk rock god.
  • Each (Portfolio) requires at least 1 Level to sustain it. For instance, a Level 1 god cannot sustain any more portfolios than the one they are born with. At level 2 they can add a new (Portfolio), at level 3 another, and so on.

  
  
  The rules for Domains are as follows:
  
  

  • A god must have used at least 6 Might in the specific Domain before they are eligible to adopt it.
  • A god must spend another 6 Might in order to incorporate the Domain.
  • A Domain can be incorporated every five levels. Once a god reaches level 5, they can incorporate a new Domain. Once they reach Level 10, they can add another, and so on.
• Turns & Sanctuaries

  Turns are a mechanism that orders the game and limits what any one god can do at a time. Might is used up over the course of each turn and recuperated at the start of the next. A turn, in-game, has no set time-limit. In real-time, we play a turn out until it reaches its natural end and it is necessary to move on to the next turn in order to allow for the story to develop.
  
  If, when a turn comes to an end, you find that you have not used all your Might, then the unused Might will be transferred over to the next turn, subject to a cap. This cap is double your level, plus three. So the cap for a level 1 god is (2 x [1 + 3 = 4] = 8), while the Might cap for a level 2 god is (2 x [2 + 3 = 5] = 10) and so on. If a level 1 god has 7 Might at the end of a Turn, at the beginning of the next Turn they will have 8 Might and not 11, as they are capped at 8 Might.
  
  As mentioned, levelling up is one of the ways in which you can increase the amount of Might your god recuperates per turn. Each level increases your total Might recuperation by 1.
  
  'Holy Sites' are another means of increasing your Might regeneration. These grand structures may take many forms- a sacred palace, a grand arena, a coral reef, a graveyard- and are imbued with the essence of the god that created them.
  
  A Holy Site increases its owner's Might regeneration by half of the Might spent on constructing it. So, for instance, if a god of Night (Nocturnality) spends 4 Might on creating the [Tower of Owls], it will generate 2 Might for them every turn thereafter. Holy Sites are tough, but can be destroyed by gods and mortals alike.
  
  A holy site must be maintained by mortal disciples in order to generate Might. These may be worshippers, scholars, labourers, warrior monks, gluttons, or anything else, depending on the god and site in question. They do not need to be intelligent, but they have to be independent. If a holy site is abandoned, or the disciples present there stop serving the creator god, then the creator god will stop receiving the Might bonus.
  
  A holy site can also be 'captured' by another god, thus producing Might for them rather than the creator god. This is done by converting the disciples at the holy site, or supplanting them with one's own worshippers. This captured holy site still counts as one of the creator god's three holy sites, but doesn't contribute Might to them.
  
  Holy sites function as sanctuaries that may bestow various blessings and wards upon loyal disciples, and make life difficult for outsiders. The reward for capturing a blessed sanctuary is much higher than destroying it, but one must be use utmost caution and prudence to secure it, even if its creator is absent.
  
  A player must wait three turns after creating a Holy Site to create a second, and another three to create a third. One cannot create more than three holy sites. Destroyed or damaged holy sites can be rebuilt from scratch. The Might spent to rebuild the holy site replaces the original value of the holy site. Rebuilding a holy site does not affect and is not affected by the time limits for constructing new holy sites. When rebuilding a holy site, you cannot spend more than two times the original cost of the holy site.
• Mater Lei & the Vault

  There are certain actions, such as time travel, planet creation, killing gods, travelling outside the universe, and altering the fundamental laws of reality, that are simply beyond the capabilities of any deity. However, there are still ways to do things like this in Divinus. In-game, most of them are locked up as secrets and relics in an extradimensional Vault, guarded by a character named Mater Lei.
  
  To access these abilities one must apply for exception, as approved by the GMs and other players, for the sake of developing the story. Other mechanical exceptions need to be justified in-character and treated the same way.
  
  Mater Lei plays the role of Fate's Right Hand, which is allocated to a new character upon each iteration of Divinus. In addition to watching the Vault, it is her responsibility to guide the newborn gods into their godhood, and oversee other divine births and deaths. She is available to answer any questions the new gods may have, though she may choose not to. She may also intervene if statistics or out-of-character shenanigans are getting in the way of the story.
  
  Unlike the viceregents we've seen so far, however, Lei is a cheat and a liar who shirks her duty often. She can be approached with any request imaginable, and is happy to let other gods loan secrets from the Vault or access to the Door, on certain conditions (decided out of character). Of course, operating the oddities may involve costs all their own.
  
  Mechanically, Mater Lei functions pretty much the same as any other deity, albeit a much older one. She starts Turn 0 at a higher level and with 12 Might worth of pre-existing weapons, Avatars and portfolios. While she can be outlevelled and outmatched, her depth of experience makes her a formidable entity, regardless of statistics.
  
  Lei can, potentially, be deposed (or resign) from her position as viceregent. Should this happen, the other gods will take full responsibility for using, assigning and managing the oddities in the Vault, one way or another.
• New Gods & Divine Offspring

  The Door through which the first gods enter the universe comes in many forms. Each god that enters the universe does so in a unique way- Some rise from pools, others hatch from eggs; some dream their way into reality, others simply take shape in the void; some are reincarnated, and yet others are stillborn.
  
  While the Door itself is hidden in the Vault, beyond conventional space, the gods who pass through it always emerge from the same place: a lonely beach on a planet named Galbar, where, it is said, the universe began.
  
  Any god can produce offspring one way or another - whether on their own, with another god, or with a mortal. These offspring are level 1 gods, and this is the primary means by which new players can join the game. GM approval is required to play a newborn god if you already have divine characters on the field.
  
  Mater Lei can also bring new gods into being via the Door if no parents are available or appropriate. New players are encouraged to find existing players to be their divine parents.
• Conflict & Death

  Gods may engage in combat either indirectly through their creations and followers, or by manifesting and smiting in person. Combat takes place like in any other RP: players can either have a good back and fro posting battle until strategy and best writing wins out, or they can discuss it and decide a plot line to follow.
  
  In all cases, it is a requirement that you give fair warning out of character if you are about to change or damage another player's creations in a major way. This is to make sure that all divine meddling makes sense and can be done in good collaborative spirit. You can do it privately if you don't want to spoil what's coming to the rest of the cast.
  
  When resolving a fight, the amount of Might being spent on both sides must be taken into consideration, as does the level of the gods involved, especially when fighting in person.
  
  For instance, if we have a battle between the armies of a Level 5 god and the armies of a Level 10 god, but the L5 army has ten heroes blessed with various magicks and technologies, to the value of 15 Might, while the army of the Level 10 god is made up of hundreds of copies of Ug the Caveman with absolutely no idea which is the sharp end of the stick and which is not- then despite the difference in level, the Level 10 god may be in for a bad time.
  
  Quality roleplaying is important in all events of combat. If the lower level god puts up a heroic fight and uses all the wit and power available to them, but the higher level god wins out simply because they are high level, there may be consequences.
  
  Story trumps statistics any day. Keep that in mind.
  
  Note that it is possible for gods to fight enmassed mortals and lose. While a deity is easily a match for heroes and even armies unaided, there's only so much mass smiting they can do before they start to tire. Again, Might, level and portfolio come into play.
  
  If a god of Order (Archives) picks up her divine weapon, the [Stylus of Writing], and single-handedly tries to fight a legion sent by a god of Death (Murder), who number in the tens of thousands and are operating [Cursed Trebuchets] behind a line of [Skeletal Titans] armed with [Abyssal Steel] and led by [Agatha, Matriarch of Death], she is in serious danger even if her divine opponent never shows up.
  
  Of course, motivating an army to fight a god is quite the task, and losses can be extreme.
  
  A single god may hurt or injure another god. However, unless the fight is extremely uneven, whether in numbers or levels, they will probably not be able to 'kill' the other god.
  
  A god who dies may merely slip from the currently accessible planes of existence. In other words, they exit the universe guarded by Mater Lei. They are formless and without will and power, but they are still technically living. Their current incarnation is gone, but their essence lives on and can return as a new god with a different Domain (Portfolio). This is one way old gods 'die' and new ones are 'born'.
  
  If a god is destroyed, which is impossible for player characters unless the player wills it for their own god, then their very essence is destroyed and all their incarnations will cease to be.
• Avatars

  Avatars are small fragments of a god that operate independently. They are unique and powerful beings that enact the will of their creator, and are devastating in war and glorious boons in peace. They are considered second only to the gods themselves in overall ability, though they may be significantly more specialised.
  
  Depending on what they were made for and by which god, an Avatar's abilities and qualities will differ. These beings exist so long as their creator wills it or a more powerful Avatar or god destroys them. Magic from mortal beings, if powerful, can harm and weaken them, so far as to force them to dissipate until they regain strength, but cannot destroy them.
  
  The cost of a god's first Avatar is 1 Might. If additional Avatars are created, up to a count of four, each will cost double that of the previous Avatar. Every Avatar after the fourth will cost 4 Might more than the previous one. Thus the ongoing cost is 1 - 2 - 4 - 8 - 12 - 16 - 20 etc.
  
  There is no limit on the number of Avatars a god can create, and Avatars are taken to be at the same level as the god in question. While a Hero can potentially defeat an Avatar, the odds must be tipped substantially in the Hero's favour.
• Heroes

  Heroes are mortals who have been chosen by a god to receive great power.
  
  Heroes can be charismatic leaders and legendary warriors. They may also be peaceable creatures, depending on their god, with very little combat knowledge or ability. All Heroes are immortal and quite resistant to being killed. However, this does not mean they are invincible. Critical wounds, potent magic and exotic poisons may still bring about their death.
  
  The skills and resilience of a Hero depends greatly on who created them and for what purpose. In addition to immortality, each Hero has their own set of unique powers or abilities, and may bear many other simple blessings. In addition to any unique powers, a Hero may:
  
  

  • Be partially impervious to attacks, poisons, and magic
  • Have extraordinary strength, speed, and stamina, the extent depending on their god and level
  • Cast magic, the type and their proficiency depending on their god and level
  • Bless or Curse individuals. The power of this grows with level and is not as powerful as a god's ability
  • Subtly mould their surroundings to their will - an inherent magic rather than a divine capability
  • Sense people, objects, creatures, and gods unless any of these are concealed, within their vicinity

  
  
  As Heroes grow in strength, their own abilities will grow, as will the above traits. Heroes level up using Prestige. Beginning at Level 1, Heroes have 0 Prestige, and will earn it as they go about their daily life. Prestige is earned by writing posts featuring the Hero.
  
  

  - Every hero post will earn 2 Prestige.
  - Completing a Divine Quest will earn a variable amount of Prestige (see below for details).

  
  
  The higher a Hero's level, the more Prestige needed to level up. The following are the Prestige requirements for each level up, considering all Heroes begin at Level 1:
  
  

  • Level 1-2: 2 Prestige
  • Level 2-3: 4 Prestige
  • Level 3-4: 6 Prestige
  • Level 4-5: 8 Prestige
  • Level 5-6: 10 Prestige
  • Level 6-7: 12 Prestige
  • Level 7-8: 14 Prestige

  
  
  Every level up thereafter requires 2 more Prestige than the previous level. Additionally, gods can use Might to level heroes up:
  
  

  • Levels 1-8: 1 Level per 0.25 MP
  • Levels 8-16: 3 Levels per 1 MP
  • Levels 16-24: 1 Level per 0.5 MP
  • Levels 24-32: 1 Level per 1 MP
  • Levels 32-40: 1 Level per 2 MP
  • Levels 40-48: 1 Level per 3 MP
  • Levels 48-56: 1 Level per 4 MP
  • Levels 56-64: 1 Level per 5 MP
  • Levels 64-72: 1 Level per 6 MP

  
  
  Beyond this, each group of 8 Levels costs one more Might per Level than the previous group.
  
  Prestige can also be earned by completing Divine Quests. These can be set by GMs, but are also set by gods for free. Each god can only have one active quest at any one time, and only one Quest can be created per turn. Each quest can be completed by more than one hero where that makes sense, although each hero can only claim the prize once. Multiple heroes working together to complete a quest all gain the full prize. All heroes have the opportunity to learn of the existence of a Quest (via rumours, legends, proclamations, visions, etc.); no secret or private Quests are allowed. A hero can only complete one Quest per turn.
  
  A quest starts out granting zero Prestige. The reward increases based on the risks faced by the Hero and consequences suffered. Time taken and roleplaying elements (such as collaboration) also make a difference.
  
  The amount of Prestige earned for completing a quest is increased by the following Risk Factors (these do not stack; take the highest value one only if multiple apply):
  
  

  - The Hero risked mild harm. (1 Prestige)
  - The Hero suffered mild harm. (2 Prestige)
  - The Hero risked moderate harm. (4 Prestige)
  - The Hero suffered moderate harm. (8 Prestige)
  - The Hero risked severe harm. (6 Prestige)
  - The Hero suffered severe harm. (12 Prestige)

  
  
  'Harm' is defined broadly as any physical, mental, or spiritual injury sustained. Severity is to be judged by how much of a setback it is and what the probability of that setback is. Thus mild injury would probably be things the Hero could easily brush off and recover from, such as a sprain, some burns, a cold reception, a frustrating delay.
  
  Moderate harm includes traumatic experiences with no long-term effect, such as broken bones, stab wounds, a betrayal or serious fright; things that would probably require some kind of rest period to recover completely from.
  
  Severe would be permanent (or potentially permanent) and significant losses, such as an unliftable curse, major amputation, severe psychological trauma, loss of magic, and so on.
  
  If no risk factors apply, a Hero can not gain any Prestige from the quest.
  
  Roleplay Factors are as follow:
  

  - The Hero collaborated with characters from other players to complete the quest. (+5 Prestige)
  - The quest took more than one post of continued effort to complete. (+2 Prestige)
  - The quest took more than one Turn of continued effort to complete. (+8 Prestige)

  
  
  Note that this system provides different rewards for different Heroes. If the quest is to 'Protect a village from a horde rampaging orcs', then a powerful combat Hero might receive little or no reward from such a quest, while a comparatively weak Hero could receive significant rewards for the quest.
  
  Prestige can be used in much the same way a god would use Might. Using Prestige, a Hero can found an Order without a god having to use Might, form societies, and teach their people new technologies and ideas. A people who could previously not build stone houses may be taught by a Hero how to do so, one who could not use magic in a particular way can be taught, and a Hero could set himself up as a King, thus teaching them monarchy. Further, a Hero can teach ideologies - by building a temple to a certain god, he can teach them a religion and teach them laws and so on.
  
  The only difference is that unlike things a god does, they may not magically affect an entire species or people, merely those whom the Hero interacts with. They must be shown to take a substantial amount of time in character, depending on the thing in question. Teaching people how to make Fire may take a few months, teaching people about Monarchy and getting them to accept a monarch's authority may take decades.
  
  Prestige usage examples:
  
  

  • 2 Prestige - Teach people a basic technology or idea (stone houses, mercantilism, commune with birds)
  • 5 Prestige - Form a village, tribe, ship's crew, warband, or other small group
  • 8 Prestige - Teach people an ideology (such as a religion, way of life, Code of the Samurai)
  • 10 Prestige - Teach people a powerful magic or technology (Magic, The Force, Damascus steel, sword specialization etc. very unique boons to a people)
  • 10 Prestige - Form a full-fledged Order, complete with any unique skill or magical specialization

  
  
  It must be noted, last of all, that there is potential for Heroes, given extraordinary circumstances, to become gods. There is no set route for a Hero to go about becoming a god and it is a matter of developing in character, though one ingredient that is of utmost importance is to gain access to divine essence in some way.
  
  If an extremely powerful Hero were to harm an Avatar, for instance, and drinks its ichor, they would take in some of said god's essence present in the ichor and become somewhat divine themselves (or at least close to it). It must be noted, also, that normal mortals or Heroes who are not powerful enough would be immediately destroyed upon exposure to divine essence. In cases where a god willingly gifts a Hero with their essence, this will cause said Hero to immediately ascend to godhood, if they are powerful enough.

Cʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ sʜᴇᴇᴛ

NAME

ALLIAS ^{(IF ANY)}

GENDER ^{(IF APPLICABLE)}

Dᴏᴍᴀɪɴ & Pᴏʀᴛꜰᴏʟɪᴏ

e.g. Water (Oceans)

Give us some idea of what this means. What powers does their portfolio award them?

Aʟɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ

Just to get a general idea of how your god might interact with others, take a guess at where they might fall on an alignment chart. Think of the good-evil spectrum as how much empathy your character shows to the needs of others, especially mortals- their selflessness. Law and chaos are how much your character cares for how they should act, whether that's according to the expectations of others, or to their own sense of duty or moral code.

Pᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ

The way they see themselves. The way they present themselves to others.

Gᴏᴀʟs

What do they intend to do with their power? What will they fight for, ally for, sacrifice for? There's no need to plan too far ahead, but try to think of at least one example of an action they would take to achieve their goals.

Aᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ

Pictures, descriptions or both are fine. You can specify preferred forms and what forms they adopt in particular circumstances.

Mᴜsɪᴄᴀʟ Tʜᴇᴍᴇ

Lets add some spice.

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[center][h1]NAME[/h1][b]ALLIAS[/b]

[b]GENDER[/b][/center]

[u][b] Dᴏᴍᴀɪɴ & Pᴏʀᴛꜰᴏʟɪᴏ [/b][/u]
[indent]--- (---)[/indent]
[u][b] Aʟɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ [/b][/u]
[indent]---[/indent]
[u][b] Pᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ [/b][/u]
[indent]---[/indent]
[u][b] Gᴏᴀʟs [/b][/u]
[indent]---[/indent]
[b][u] Aᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ [/u][/b]
[indent]---[/indent]
[u][b] Mᴜsɪᴄᴀʟ Tʜᴇᴍᴇ [/b][/u]
[indent]---[/indent]

[Antarctic Termite]

The Door through which the first gods enter the universe comes in many forms. Each god that enters the universe does so in a unique way- Some rise from pools, others hatch from eggs; some dream their way into reality, others simply take shape in the void; some are reincarnated, and yet others are stillborn.

While the Door itself exists outside conventional space, the gods who pass through it always emerge from the same place: a lonely beach on a planet named Galbar, where, it is said, the universe began.

Below (or perhaps containing) the entrance to the universe lies a Vault of many oddities. These delicate relics are mechanisms by which gods may alter things beyond the limits of divine power. There are means to stop time, forge planets, and rewrite the basic laws of reality; there are tools with which gods are made mortal and mortals into gods. All of them are cruelly guarded by a being called Mater Lei.

Mater Lei acts as doormaster and concierge to the universe. Of her two avatars, Alto, a being of pure Light, is said to hold the key, and Malkut, a being of pure Force, is said to hold the lock. Without her consent nothing can enter the universe from beyond, and no-one can leave until their allotted Time. It is said that she acts in the interests of Fate, though what these might be is inscrutable, even to her.

Punctual yet notoriously unreliable, Lei considers it her duty not only to defend the Door but also to act as a guide to those who step through it. Lei hears every question posed to her, even the frivolous ones, and usually answers (and sometimes lies). Any god may approach her dwelling-place in order to ask favour, such as to retrieve something from beyond the universe, or allow them to leave it, or to grant them power from the Vault, or relieve them of its burden. Naturally, she is obliged to deny them.

But Mater Lei is both a liar and a cheat, and her devotion to duty extends only so far. She is well known to let the pantheon loan or make use of oddities in the Vault in order to perform feats that may otherwise have been beyond them. The cost of operating them may be exorbitant or bizarre or both, but so long as she herself isn't paying it, Lei doesn't have much reason to care.

Either way, it is far safer to rely on one's own power- Lei is neither sadistic nor power-hungry nor tyrannical, but she has never, ever been trustworthy.

While Lei has stood at her post since the birth of the universe and intends to stay there to its end, she is otherwise much like any other god. Her ability to defend the Door and Vault are limited. If the temptation to challenge her wardenship arises, take it seriously, but not lightly- Although far from infinite, Mater Lei commands tremendous power, and responsibility for her things will fall on the shoulders of any pantheon with the hubris to depose her.

[Antarctic Termite]

roleplayerguild.com/topics/91565-mid-…

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Mater Lei

Concierge of the Gods

'What then of your horns, o Mater? What are they?'

'The perfect excuse to blast doors I don't feel like opening.'

Dᴏᴍᴀɪɴ & Pᴏʀᴛꜰᴏʟɪᴏ

██████ (██████ | ██████ | ██████)

While Lei's Domain is a mystery, much is known of her portfolios. The most obvious involves automata, beings of clockwork and coiled springs, which she creates effortlessly and in great number. Another is strongly linked to books of fiction, of which she has a nearly limitless supply, and the contents of which she can realise as simulacra, forming not-quite illusory flora and fauna from words on a page. The third involves powerful transmutative magic, especially of her own body and environment.

Aʟɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ

Chaotic Neutral

Pᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ

Lei likes to be fancy. Not act fancy, just be fancy. Fond of dramatic entrances, an aura of untouchable smugness pervades most of what she does, which is usually exactly what you don't want her to do. Life's a game, when you're the Mater, and it's easy to get the impression that she wears her masks purely to hide the fact that she's teetering on the edge of laughing at you.

With all the petty spite of someone who enjoys tripping up passerby with her cane, Mater Lei placidly denies or subverts every request placed on the position she's been entrusted with, and happily cheats, tricks and lies her way through godly transactions. Fortunately, she's not malicious, and will bow out and call quits before she involves herself with serious trouble. Lei also tends to be polite, even helpful, especially in things of little (or extraordinary) consequence.

For all her easygoing strut, Lei isn't entirely secure in herself. She hides her anger well, but not perfectly, and fears both her task and her pantheon. She tells herself that she is safe, and can usually believe it, but there's only so much she can do. She fears, also, that someone may eventually see her face.

She also attends a lot of balls.

Gᴏᴀʟs

It is Mater Lei's belief, informed or otherwise, that the gods must be both the sole and the sovereign rulers of the universe. There can be no great power outside them, nor may any great power surpass them. For this reason, Lei guards the Vault from which the gods emerged and to which they may return, such that none of her nieces and nephews in the pantheon may wield power other than their own.

Lei isn't particularly stringent about this, though. The Door tends to stay perfectly well closed of its own accord, and she's known to let the pantheon loan or make use of other oddities in the Vault in order to perform feats that may otherwise have been beyond them, such as creating planets, travelling time, or altering the fundamental properties of the universe. The costs of operating such oddities are high, but so long as Lei doesn't have to pay it herself, she doesn't particularly care either. Her primary goal, after all, is simply to have a grand old time.

Aᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ

Lei seldom changes form, but regularly her costume. From formal to semi-formal to casual*, Lei always has some outfit up her sleeve for the occasion, usually in the gold-grey-red colour scheme she's addicted to. She wears human flesh often, usually stealing the body of whichever pretty mortal girl she last ran into who happened to be wearing her colours*, sometimes returning it later and often keeping it (and the girl) for herself as an attendant. When the need arises to be small, she takes the form of a serpent.

All of Lei's faces are masks, made or stolen one way or another. In this way, though she may be highly expressive when she wants to be, her insecurities remain securely bound up inside her.

Lei's avatars are two, and rather different: Malkut, the radiant automaton, is a powerful being born of her more diligent side, not so prone to travel; and Alto, the harpy, is a lazy wanderer. These twin sons almost never appear in the same place, and generally keep to themselves.

Lei's dresses are innumerable, and rumour has it her wardrobe is a major demiplane.

Mᴜsɪᴄᴀʟ Tʜᴇᴍᴇ

*Models photographed are Choi Sora and Ikebana Katsu, respectively.

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