Special thanks to all those who ran previous iterations of the roleplay over many years: ActRaiserTheReturned, Kho, Rtron, Cyclone, BBeast, Muttonhawk, Antarctic Termite.
There is no prologue.
What was there before, is unknown even to the gods. Was the universe a long dead thing composed only of cold, disperse atoms? Was it an ocean of chaos waiting to be leashed by logic? Was it a stale existence under countless laws of logic that ultimately became paradoxical to each other? It does not matter.
What is known is that at the beginning there was only the void and the Lifeblood.
The Lifeblood was pure, raw, existence, condensed into a viscous formless matter. It was all that could be, unified into one entity, and though mindless, it was eager to create. This was anathema to the void, existence and nonexistence fighting an eternal silent war. Countless times the Lifeblood had attempted to create and countless times it had failed.
Then it did not fail, a plane of existence had been born, a planet, by the name of Galbar.
Lifeblood's greatest success… and its greatest defeat. Shining all around the planet were countless stars, the crumbles of the failures, the contrasting imagery showcasing a simple truth: Existence was no longer unified as a simple ‘could be’, now there was that which was and that which couldn’t be.
This divide saw the Lifeblood becoming a paradox, each stroke in the canvas of creation that was Galbar meant countless other potential strokes would not be made. For the first time it thought, and in its mind countless voices advocated for a different color to be added to that canvas.
The voices grew louder and louder, they started to showcase emotions, arguments, trickery, and they started to become bolder, and yet the Lifeblood stayed inactive, floating in a still, barren Galbar.
It didn’t take long before the ever growing voices decided to take matters into their own hands, and as such, from the viscous puddle of the Lifeblood, the first and most primordial gods rose, ready to shape the world.
Synopsis
Divinus will be a story about a pantheon of deities, their creations, and the world of Galbar as it is shaped by our collective actions.
Born from the mysterious and infinitely powerful entity known as the Lifeblood, each God represents aspects of creation that grew too influential to be bound by formlessness, and so decided to take matters in their own hand. Some gods will be born in the primordial times (turn 0) and rule over aspects such as fire, oceans, life, shaping the continents, the laws of physics and creating Galbar’s first inhabitants. They are the Primordials. Other gods will arise as mortals start to spread out and grow in intelligence (turn 1), and will rule over aspects such as the music, justice, war and knowledge. They will be known as Conceptionals.
Though they are all siblings with similar objectives of ‘world building’, each one has their take on how the canvas of creation should be painted, that is why they broke free from the Lifeblood after all, and while deities can cooperate, conflict and intrigue will be no strangers to them.
Though that what gave them life, could also take it. The more the Lifeblood is used, the more it grows unpredictable and dangerous. This vastness of power, limitless in potential, could also spell doom for Galbar. Will it be used with a careful, guiding hand? Or pushed until the breaking point? Only time will tell.
Mechanics
The roleplay is divided in turns. They are associated with the passage of time IC, but it's typically vague and left to the players.
Each turn gives the player Might and Domain Points to use, any points not spent at the end of the turn is wasted and does not carry over to the next turn’s budget.
Turn 0 will have specific mechanics unique to it that other turns won’t have. This is because turn 0 happens right after the creation of the universe but before the planet has any noticeable features. Might costs will not follow the catalogue. Many landscaping and life creating actions will be free, while some complex ones will have discounted prices and certain things will not be allowed at all. There will be a separate catalogue that goes over the prices. If an item isn't on the list, it cannot be created.
In Turn 0, players who have Primordial Gods will be the ones who walk upon Galbar using their full power. Conceptual gods that are still apart of the Lifeblood, are free to help shape the world and even use might. Even if their gods are yet to be born. They will be acting as the Lifeblood itself.
Turn 0, unlike other turns, will have a set ‘plot’ that ultimately ends with the Lifeblood going awry thanks to all the rampant use of power by the gods. This will ultimately lead to sentient, mortal life and the Gods withdrawing into the Lifeblood itself, to keep the Lifeblood out of the Physical Reality.
Turn 0 might: 5MP/0DP
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.
They allow the player to spend Domain Points on actions relating to their Domain, and also make acquiring portfolios related to the Domain cheaper. A god begins with one free Domain. Additional Domains will cost 5MP, and will require you to already have at least three portfolios related to your previous Domain.
Portfolios
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.
Portfolios allow players to receive discounts or enhancements on related actions. The discount is 50% rounded down, which means that a 1MP action can be done for free while either a 2MP or 3MP action will only cost 1MP. If a player chooses not to receive a discount, they can instead receive an enhancement, which makes the action more powerful than an unenhanced feat performed at the same price. As a general rule, assume that an enhancement doubles the action’s value. So a 3MP enhanced artifact will usually defeat a 3MP unenhanced artifact, assuming all else is equal.
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.
In order to acquire a new portfolio, the god must first unlock it, by spending up to either 5MP or 5DP on actions related to the portfolio in question. The god must then spend an additional cost to unlock it - 3MP if it is related to one of their Domains. Gods are allowed to purchase portfolios outside of their Domain, but at an increased cost of 5MP instead of 3MP.
A God’s personal seat of power. They have absolute authority in their personal realms, and are at their strongest, most definitive self. They can do anything, and create without the same constraints they face upon Galbar. What they cannot do, is merge their realm with Galbar or the consequences could be dire.
The Realms can be a variety of different things, concepts, places, and so on and so forth. They differ from Galbar, as they exist on a separate plane of reality, and are wholly contained within the Lifeblood. Traversing the Realms can be as hard as swimming through glass, or as simple as walking through a field of flowers. It depends upon how open a God wants to be to their siblings and others.
There is common ground within the vast space of Realms, a place where gods can meet freely in neutrality. It is called Antiquity and takes the form of a vast Colosseum. It is an ever changing place, where the only thing that remains constant is the stone. Alabaster, veined with gold and precious jewels. Galbar is always visible in Antiquity’s sky, but Antiquity is not visible from Galbar. Not one God knows who made it, only that it exists for the sole purpose of settling disputes. If any ever arise.
For mortals, Realms are far more dangerous than Galbar and there is no great certainty on how it affects them. What is known is that only the strongest of heroes, with the greatest gifts, would have the capability to come out unscathed.
It should be noted, that all Realms have a natural connection to Antiquity, and this can take any shape or form. Realms can also connect to one another, if both gods are in agreement. This connection can end at any moment if either God wishes it to be.
To better influence or control the mortal lands a deity may decide to consecrate a person, group, item, location or even an era. These blessed entities or locations are given titles which imbue them with special characteristics and the ability to do things normal mortals cannot do.
•• Prestige
Prestige are points awarded to the consecrated which in turn can be used to acquire more titles or to perform certain outstanding actions without the need of a deity investing points on it.
Active entities such as Heroes and Holy Orders gain prestige by activity, being awarded by being used in posts. Passive ones such as a holy site or Golden Generation will only be awarded it when another player interacts with it.
•• Titles
Titles represent the skills, powers, blessings and unique abilities or aspects. While from an IC perspective they are won because of those things, they must be first bought using MP, DP or Prestige to grant the abilities they are related to. Titles can be enhanced to become better by spending more points on it, the rank of a title should be showcased in roman numerals.
The cost of titles start at 1. Acquiring more titles will increase the cost. Titles of higher rank count as more than one title (A rank II title has a Title Weight of 2, a rank III has 3).
So:
For a total title weight of 3 you can have
Title A I Title B I Title C I
Or
Title A II Title B I
The cost grows like this:
1 - 5 Title Weight 1 Might / Domain Point or 10 prestige for new titles or ranks
5 - 10 Title Weight 2 Might / Domain Point or 15 prestige for new titles or ranks
10+ Title Weight 3 Might / Domain Point or 20 prestige for new titles or ranks
Example of random consecrated with titles
The Great General Sagacious I: This hero is blessed with a keen and adaptable mind Far-Seeing II: This hero is not only capable of seeing farther than mortals of his species, he is also able to notice the most minute details and see through conditions like fog and even the night.
The Wild Ones Shapeshifters II: The members of this holy order are able to take the shape of most animals with ease. Chimeras III: Upon mastering shapeshifting they are able to mix aspects of different animals in their transformations
The kingdom’s cultural golden age Able Craftsman I: Many born in this golden generation will have great skill when it comes to crafting, creating goods of greater quality and beauty. Innovators I: This generation will have many in it who are able to find new solutions to old problems. Inspired Architects I: The people of this generation are more inclined to create new architectural styles.
The Unbreakable Wall Impossibly Tall I: The building is far taller than any wall built by mortals of a similar technological era. Unbreakable II: The holy site is incredibly sturdy, no matter from what it was built from, it takes a lot of effort to damage this building. Self-Repairing I: This holy site is able to slowly reconstruct itself autonomously, provided most of the building is intact.
The Flying Chariot Flying Vessel I: This artifact is able to take flight at a moderate speed.
♦ Heroes
A hero is a lesser being that has been blessed by some god, often to act as a noteworthy servant or a free entity that will influence the world in a manner desirable to that god.
Heroes can be granted a great deal of power, but even if they start with more humble beginnings they can become formidable over time.
Since time moves fast in Divinus the mortality of a hero needs to be addressed. A player may allow them to live a normal mortal lifespan, however, extending their life or outright making them immortal is something that can be done as well, with no additional cost. Alternatively, the heroic power can be made into a heroic bloodline, in this case ONE descendant of the hero will get to take over their power and titles.
Example heroes can be the champion of a deity, a great conqueror, an enlightened king, a legendary artist or a religious prophet.
♦ Holy Orders
Despite its name, a holy order may be any group of individuals blessed by a deity, be it a religious or “secular” one. Since here we are dealing with groups of dozens, hundreds or perhaps a few thousands, the power is far more diluted than that of a hero, however, it is also better spread out, can act at many places at once and is harder to eradicate.
Example Holy Orders can be a holy order, a great dynasty, a skillful court, a group of hunters, a cult, a thieves guild, a government council.
♦ Golden Generation
A Golden Generation is a period of time in which some people may be born with greater potential than usual or showcasing abilities or characteristics that are not usual. It acts similarly to a Holy Order in that it creates groups of exalted individuals, however, in a less organized, more widespread and only temporary manner. For example, a prestigious musician’s guild is a Holy Order, a generation in which many great musicians are born is a Golden Generation, warriors of a Holy Order are understood to be allies but two warriors blessed by a Golden Generation may end up as bitter enemies.
These should be used when a deity needs widespread change or influence without a clear leader or center of such things. While a generation is active ANY deity can roleplay a random mortal who has the characteristics of the Golden Age’s blessing.
Golden Age will only last for a small while, once enough time has passed it will be gone and only beings established as having been born during the blessed times will be able to access its rewards.
♦ Holy Site
Despite its name, Holy Sites can be made for a variety of purposes, not necessarily religious ones. Instead of blessing a living entity a deity may consecrate a location or building, who in turn can have a variety of effects, be it by influencing those who go near it, by having extraordinary qualities or by performing certain actions.
Examples can be a holy mountain, a great lighthouse, great walls, a prestigious university.
♦ Artifacts
Finally, an object may be blessed instead. It could be a simple sword, a plant, a throne, a bed or even a ship. Provided the object is not stationary enough to be a holy site it can be considered an Artifact. Mundane objects may be blessed in Artifacts but a god can straight up build an Artifact too.
Might Points (MP) and Domain Points (DP), also known as Might, are the primary ‘currency’ of your characters and are a way of measuring the power and exertion that a god puts into their various actions. The ultimate limit on the powerful acts of your gods is based on these Points.
All gods receive a base income of 5 MP per turn. DP Income is variable, and Domain Points can be spent like Might Points, but only on actions related to the god’s domain. At the start of each Turn, all unspent Might and Domain Points from the previous turn are lost.
Might is spent whenever your god creates something significant or performs a feat of great godly power beyond your regular capabilities. Typically more Might is expended for more powerful actions. MP and DP can only be spent in whole number increments; an act which would be worth less than 1 MP could probably be performed for free.
Might Points
2 Might: Creating a relatively minor change to the landscape; rending a small valley or canyon, creating a river, raising a mountain or a (small) island.
5 Might: Significantly changing the landscape; creating a chain of mountains, or an entire desert, raising a large island or an archipelago of smaller ones.
8 Might: Causing extreme change to the landscape; raising an entire (mostly empty) continent from the sea, or willing into existence a sizable (moon-sized) Celestial body.
2 Might: Create a small ecosystem, which can fill a region such as a river, valley, mountain or small island.
5 Might: Create a large ecosystem, which can fill a large geographic region such as a whole mountain range, an archipelago, or desert.
1-3 Might: Create an extraordinary species. More might (up to 3), the more extraordinary.(Manticores, Dragons, Lovecraftian Horrors, etc.)
2 Might: Create a legendary beast of phenomenal power. (Godzilla, Thunderbird, Kraken, King Kong, etc.)
2 Might: Confer a single extraordinary or powerful ability upon a species or set of people. (Wings, Gills, Magic talent, etc.)
1 Might: Teach people an idea or technology. This idea or technology should be reasonably attainable from the people’s present culture and technology.
1 Might: Bestowing a group with a one-time gift of powerful artifacts beyond their present abilities to craft (e.g. a set of steel swords in a timeframe of copper age technology).
1+ Might: Blessing or cursing a group of people. These should come in different flavours for different gods, but in general, incurring the curse of any god should be a frightening thing indeed. The curse or blessing is like a whip or a carrot respectively; though it is the will of your god made manifest, it is not so powerful as to spell certain doom or utter paradise for those affected. Think something along the lines of perpetually good harvests for a blessing, and incessant nightmares or general sluggishness and fatigue as curses. Blessings or curses can last indefinitely and affect entire bloodlines or regions. A blessing or curse from a given god can be broken by said god free of charge or counteracted by a 1+ MP expenditure from any other god. The more powerful a curse is, the greater it costs and likewise the amount to break it.
1+ Might: Create a Hero. See Consecration for more Hero details.
1+ Might: Form a Holy Order. See Consecration for more Holy Order Details.
1+ Might: Grant a Hero or Holy Order a Title. Titles describe what a Hero is especially good at.
1+ Might: Create an artifact. See Consecration for more details. (A holy blade, a flute of sleeping, a crown of protection, etc)
1+ Might: Create a holy site. See Consecration for more details. (An obelisk of speech, a tower of joy, a castle of pain, etc)
1 Might: Open a temporary portal between a God’s personal Realm and Galbar. Typically the means of such transportation will be thematically appropriate for your Portfolios and Abilities. Gods cannot physically enter through this portal, for fear of the Lifeblood and what it would do.
1+ Might: Perform some other godly feat. You can expend Might to perform incredible actions beyond your innate abilities, such as manipulating the weather, hurling mighty fireballs, putting a city to sleep, shrugging off a devastating blow or punching someone really hard. Typically a Domain or Portfolio will provide you with a wide set of godly feats you can perform for free, and Artifacts and holy sites provide more potent ongoing/reusable abilities. The more Might spent on an action, the more potent it is.
Domain Points
Unlike Might points, which can be spent freely on anything in the catalogue, Domain Points can only be spent on things that have a direct correlation with your Domain(s). For example, a god of Life (Animals) wishes to create an extraordinary species of giant goats. They are free to use their DP to do so, because their domain is life, and by extension, their port (Which falls under their domain’s theme) allows them to make animals. A god of Death (Guidance) would not be able to use their DP to make goats, but would be free to do so with MP.
Domain Points contribute as much to unlock new Portfolios as Might Points.
Domain Points can also be used to branch out into Portfolios that fit under the theme of a Domain. Let’s say the God of Life (Animals) wishes to expand into the plant portfolio. This is allowed because it fits with the theme of life. They could spend 5DP on plant-related actions, which would then allow them to purchase the port for the reduced amount.
The God of Death (Guidance) can also try to expand into plants, but he is only allowed to use MP to unlock it, and must pay the full price.
Prestige
Prestige are the points awarded to the “active” type consecrated (Heroes, Holy Orders) whenever they are featured in a post and to the “passive” types (Holy Sites, Artifacts, Golden Generations) whenever someone else other than their creator OR owner (In the case of objects and locations given to others) uses / visits them.
Prestige is awarded by both post count and post length. Being featured in a post in a significant role will award a consecrated a minimum of one prestige. If the post exceeds 2500 characters 2 prestige will be won. If 5000+ 3 prestige will be won. If 7500+ 4 prestige will be won. If 10000+ characters 5 prestige will be won, this is the upper limit.
Prestige may be spent in actions such:
1 Prestige: A small impressive feat beyond their established abilities (Throwing a boulder far away, hitting a target standing very far with a bow and arrow, delivering an inspiring speech to a small group of people.) 3 Prestige: An impressive feat (Crushing a boulder with a punch, hitting a target standing very far by throwing a blunt object with their own hands, delivering an inspiring speech in a crowded city center) 5 Prestige: Creating a settlement (Bringing in people and some basic structures) or helping to improve an existing one 5 Prestige: Making a minor cultural or technological shift (A new musical style, architectural innovation, introducing new crops, creating a festival) 8 Prestige: Making a major cultural shift (A new ideology, an influential book, introducing a religion or sect, creating a code of practice like The Way of the Samurai) 10 Prestige: A major technological shift (Taming an animal, advancing a technique, creating a unique craft be it Damascus Steel or French Wine)
15 Prestige: Creating an adjacent minor consecrated entity. For example, a holy order creating a great palace (holy site) or one of their members rising above the others (hero) or a Hero crafting an object of great value (artifact) or inspiring an entire generation of people (golden age) or recruiting an army of expert soldiers to aim them in combat (holy order) These are not full on consecrated, they can not acquire titles of their own or gather prestige, they are merely a tool for the actual consecrated.
Acquiring / Upgrading a title 10 Prestige (From 1 to 5 TW) 15 Prestige (From 5 to 10 TW) 20 prestige (From 10+ onward TW)
Gods are the ultimate authorities in the universe, but their influence is still limited. Within their realms, no single being can best them; they may take whatever form they please and warp reality with little to no effort. In Antiquity, they find it impossible to build anything which significantly changes the environment, but are still beings of immense power, with only other gods capable of matching them. The area they are most limited in is Galbar.
In Galbar, it is impossible for them to manifest at their full power. Their presence disrupts the balance of Galbar’s Lifeblood, which has adapted by forming a natural barrier to keep them out. It is immensely difficult for a god to take on a sustainable form. If they somehow do, reality itself will warp and crack at their mere presence, with cataclysmic consequences for both the god and the world.
However, this does not mean they are incapable of influencing Galbar at all. They can give subtle blessings to certain areas or individuals, and still have ways to communicate with mortals. And lastly, they can create avatars to act on their behalf.
By default, gods are allowed to have the following abilities and traits: Form: While having some innate shapeshifting ability, with enough patience they can take any form they want but quick, one time, transformations require might. Gods tend to have a set of forms that are more stable and showcase their full capabilities among some unique abilities and behaviours. They have one core form from when they first broke free from the lifeblood plus one form for each domain they have, including the first one, gods can change into those forms quickly without the use of might, but excessive change in a shot period of time can be tiring or worse, can lead to instability. Immortality: Gods are ageless and almost unkillable. If they are to die, it must be either by suicide, by the hands of another god, or by their lifeblood somehow going unstable. Strength: Gods are immensely powerful, capable of lifting objects larger than them, and are unaffected by fatigue. Travel: Gods can run at high speeds, walk on water, and fly. However, their form does need to be taken into consideration. A light, agile form with wings will be able to fly much faster than a large heavy form without wings. Perception: The range of a god’s sight is limitless; they may see anything with pinpoint accuracy, so long as their view is not obstructed by obstacles or the horizon. They can hear for miles, perceive multiple sounds at once without error, and can smell where other divine beings have been. Lastly, all gods possess a mental image of Galbar’s landscape within their mind, and they are able to zero in on and examine certain areas. They may also perceive anything within the vicinity of their avatars, their holy sites, or any mortals who are praying to them. Communication: An Avatar’s mind automatically translates all sapient mortal languages, based on the intent behind the words and sounds rather than the words themselves. They can even communicate with non-sapient creatures provided they are relevant to their Domain. Prayers: Gods have full access to the minds of any mortals who willingly pray to them, hearing their words and thoughts, and even being able to actively read the mortals’ memories if they wish. A god may read a mortal’s mind without prayer if that mortal is inside their realm, or one of their consecrated locations on Galbar. Creation: Being born from the Lifeblood, the essence of Creation, gods are able to create things from nothing and shift them with ease. On a very small scale this does not drain their energy at all, for example, they can create a clump of metal and heat the metal to melt it, they can shape clay and carve stone with their touch, they can cause seeds to grow rapidly by merely focusing on it.
Because gods are unable to directly set foot on Galbar without dire consequences, the next best way to do so is through avatars. Simply put, an avatar is an extension of a god’s will and power, but it is far less powerful than its creator. It allows a god to maintain a foothold on Galbar without damaging the delicate balance of the Lifeblood.
The exact nature of an avatar is up to the player. For some, it could be a direct incarnation of your god, allowing you to be in two places at once. Alternatively, the Avatar could be an independent agent with its own personality, though it would still share the same soul as the god and would be directly dependent on it for survival. Or maybe the Avatar is a mortal whose soul your god has decided to hitch a ride on, either outright possessing them or serving more as a hands-off spiritual guide, making the Avatar more of a prophet or messiah figure. These are just suggestions; if you have another idea for how your avatar might function, feel free to propose it.
Regardless of what form your avatar takes, all avatars are of roughly the same power level. They are capable of great feats, but a group of heroes might be able to overpower them. They may also spend MP and FP on their owner’s behalf.
Every player is allowed one free avatar. Purchasing a second one will cost 3MP (not DP), and will require the god to have a second domain. A third avatar will cost 5MP, and will require a third domain. It is recommended that you put a lot of thought into your avatars, as they will be your god’s main representative at the beginning of the RP. It is not possible for players to have more than three avatars.
If your first avatar dies, and you have no others, it will cost the same price as a second avatar to replace them. The cost for your second avatar after that will still be 3MP, however.
By default, avatars are allowed to have the following abilities and traits: Form: Like their godly masters, Avatars are allowed one free starting form, though it is far more limited in size. As a general rule, an Avatar’s form should never be larger than twenty feet in height. Anything larger than that requires too much lifeblood to sustain. Immortality: Avatars are ageless, and immensely difficult to kill. Doing so will genuinely require the direct involvement of another Avatar, or a powerful party of Heroes. When an Avatar is killed, its essence is usually absorbed back into the patron god. Acclimatization: Avatars are unharmed by mundane environmental hazards, but may still feel discomfort in certain situations - such as the Avatar of a God of Cold choosing to stand in a volcano. They can survive falls from extreme heights, and are not bound by conventional mortal needs such as food or sleep. Strength: Avatars are immensely powerful, capable of lifting objects larger than them, and are unaffected by fatigue. Travel: Avatars can run at high speeds, walk on water, and fly. However, their form does need to be taken into consideration. A light, agile form with wings will be able to fly much faster than a large heavy form that lacks them. Perception: Avatars can see as far as the horizon. They can hear for miles, perceive multiple sounds at once without error, and can smell where other divine beings have recently been. Communication: An Avatar’s mind automatically translates all sapient mortal languages, based on the intent behind the words and sounds rather than the words themselves. They can even communicate with non-sapient creatures provided they are relevant to their Domain. Avatars may also open telepathic communication directly with other gods or avatars, though their god has the power to listen to both sides of the conversation. Mutations: Avatars may make slight alterations to creatures and the surrounding environment depending on their portfolios. An Avatar of Nature may make plants bloom in locations they have stepped, while an Avatar of Pestilence might impart a minor sickness onto a group of mortals that insulted him.
With this new iteration, Demigods hold no place within it. As such, new players who join will be solely conceptional gods. This birth can take many forms. From at last gaining consciousness from the lifeblood, given birth by another god to take up the mantle of the New God’s domain, or by mortals who create something new, the skies are the limit. The only limitation is that New Gods cannot be born upon Galbar.
These New Gods that come after turn one, will be given a period of two turns at half might and domain points, before becoming a fully fledged god. During this time, New Gods are weaker than their greaters, but still a formidable threat in their own right.
General Rules and Regulations
The Golden Rule--Do not godmod/metagame/powerplay. It’s ironic because this is an RP with actual gods as characters; however, there are definitely limits as to the power level of our gods. We’re trying to make a collaborative story rather than host a game meant to be ‘won,’ so please keep that in mind as you write.
The Rule of Fair Warning--Before significantly influencing someone else’s creations, especially if it is going to be in a destructive way, give them some fair warning OOC so that potential objections can be made ahead of time and plans can be shifted. Ideally conflicts between two gods that lead to destruction or harm of one god or its possessions will be written with the consent of both players, but if you think that somebody is being unreasonable us GMs can intervene.
The Good Samaritan Rule--Somewhere in every post, please attach a hider box containing a short summary of the post’s actions, including how Might has been expended in the post if applicable. As Divinus RPs have traditionally had some massive posts, this helps greatly when trying to keep track of all that’s been going on and when trying to make sure you didn’t miss any important plot point within some massive post. That being said, please do still try to read all IC posts and not just the summaries. Example: Your summary should convey the bare minimum of which characters were involved, what major plot points were covered, and which (if any) other peoples' characters you're initiating some sort of action with, and how MP, DP and Prestige was spent.
The Bookkeeping Rule--We will be using a wiki to store character and creation sheets, as past experience has demonstrated that RPGuild character tab on this thread won’t be enough space and will get too cluttered. For all creations of significance, please make at least a 1-2 sentence page for them on our wiki. The 0th post on the characters section will contain a link to our wiki; if you need any help figuring out how to use the wiki, by all means feel free to ask. Clarification: Though the wiki is considered canon, you should still describe your creations IC. Don't simply reference that you've made a creation IC and then make us all go to the wiki article to find out basic details on what the creation does; it's unhealthy to make reading the wiki articles obligatory for one's understanding of what's happening IC.
Leave of Absence--Please give us forewarning on the OOC if circumstances dictate that you will become inactive in the RP for a time. I’m sure we’ve all seen the phenomena of people simply vanishing; it’s frustrating and leaves work where the others have to pick up the narrative pieces. Failure to follow this rule can potentially lead to your god being deposed IC; the Lifeblood works in mysterious ways.
Sexual Content--Please keep it PG-13. Fade to black, and always remember, the Guild Rules come first and foremost.
The above commandments are most important. Almost every other conduct is to fall under the domain of common sense and the RPGuild rules, with the understanding that our goal is to collaboratively create cool narratives. Be considerate to one another and facilitate storytelling. If there are any concerns or clarifications required, the GMs are always happy to help.
Character Creation
We would like to reiterate that we will be using a wikia (link can be found on the 0th post of the character section) to store and organize all character sheets, rather than the character tab on this RPGuild thread. This is obligatory; however, if you need help figuring out how to work with the wiki, just let us know. If you like, you may still use the character tab to compile links to the various wiki articles for your creations.
With that out of the way, feel free to format your sheet however you like, so long as it clearly contains answers to at least the questions posed by this example sheet below.
As you consider ideas for your character and grapple with what you want to do, We would encourage you to first focus upon what sort of Domain and Portfolio you want to have, and then use that as a foundation to construct a god that makes sense given that dimension.
Beyond the concept for your character, you should also have an idea of what you want your god to do, how your god might change or progress, how they will contribute to the story and how they will interact with other players.
Name: ((To know your god, name your god.))
Primordial or Conceptual: ((Were they born at the dawn of Galbar’s creation or afterward? Nobody needs to wait until civilization is born to pick a conceptional god, as they can still play as part of the lifeblood before splitting from it.))
Domain: ((Give us some idea of what this means, this should not merely be a generic definition of the term but also showcase your god’s take on the concept))
Portfolio: ((A non-generic definition of the term along with what powers and innate abilities their portfolio award them.))
Their Realm: ((A Brief snippet of what their Realm might look like. Doesn’t have to be too detailed.))
Persona: ((General moral alignment, ambitions, personality traits, etc.))
Base Form: ((Pictures, descriptions or both are fine. Any specific capability of this form over the others should be described.))
Domain Form: ((Their domain-specific form, any specific capability of this form over the others should also be described.))
Avatar: ((Tell us a bit about their first avatar. Define capabilities and approach to mortalkind. Once again, It is recommended that you put a lot of thought into your avatars, as they will be your god’s main representative at the beginning of the RP.))
Musical Theme: ((What’s their jam? Optional.)) ((Lastly, remember to read the OP thoroughly!))
The failed creations of discordant lifeblood, they shimmer with reflected sunlight in the night sky. Their hazphardous construction caused alien material to shed from them. This space debris is composed of earthen asteriods, crystalline comets, metallic meteors and clouds of mysterious nebula dust.
The stars have their own movements, prehaps influenced by the blood itself. Sirius can influence their positions to weave scriptures and omens in the night sky. In addition, any intentional expression of sincerely held belief or desire towards the stars acts as a prayer to Sirius.
Sirius can manipulate the debris created from stars, manipulating their movements and form but not their composition. He can imbue materials with trace amount of these foreign elements to create new substances.
He can attune people or objects to the stars, light which reflect off them, or the debris created from them. He can bless people to see perfectly in dim starlight or create a compass which points to the heart's desire so long it is touched by starlight.
Portfolio: Hope
In the cosmic sense, stars are meaningless. Mortals give stars meaning. When the first star imploded under its own weight, mortals believed it was a sign of salvation. From this, Sirius was born.
Hope is optimistic forward-thinking. Hope can fortify the mind, preserving it against despair and tempering its baser desires. Followers of Sirius have greater mental protection, but for all but his greatest champions, it pales in comparison to the innate power of avatars.
Hope can empower people to survive through difficult times, granting them temporary, but occasionally recurring, strength, endurance, or speed, drawing from their inner strength.
Persona: Shy, Cunning, Philosophical, Altruistic.
Sirius wants to ensure the best for everybody but recognizes the impossibility of doing so. He prefers indirect actions, schemes and delegation to attempt to better the world.
He does not like to tell blatant lies but is very willing to bend the truth.
He cares for all mortals but has an affinity towards paragons, the hopeful downtrodden, philosophers and the repentant. He understands those who lost hope or do not care about philosophy themself, but those who punish or discourage hope or philosophy, or are unrepentant lose his favor. He tends to believe there is hope for everyone, but he will work against those who are particularly unfavorable to him, especially to the benefit of his favored or the people that they have harmed.
He appreciates beauty but often relies on enhancement and imitation to create it.
He is ensnared by his own insecurity, by the constract of being a god and being created of a failure and a lie. But everyday he is hopeful that the next day will be better.
Realm: Quasar, The First Star
The first star forged by the blood, and birthplace of Sirius. Even though it was returned to the blood, it shines a light uniquely its own onto Galbar.
It is a barren space, void of land and sky. Pitch black and bright light meet without any gradiant. Space debris enters and exits the realm at will.
Base Form: A small child-like biped entity almost entirely covered in a single roughspun cloak. Small specks of light peek out from under the covering. He usually keeps his head down, but peering under his hood reveals a featureless face that appears a reflection of a starry night sky. He nearly always seen carrying a shepherd's crook made of stone from asteroids.
Domain Form: Identical in stature to his base form, he sheds his cloak. His skin begins to mimic the glow of stars, becoming a being of orange and yellow light. Clear, mosaic, crystal wings grow from his back, and reflect his light in all directions. In this form, it appears as though his crook is formed of comet crystals.
Avatar: Ceres
Similar to Sirius' base form, she is a featurely bipedal form that resembles the night sky but appears an adult. She is covered in earthen armor formed by asteroids and wields a hammer made of the same material. She is stern, serious, and respectful. She respects strength, self-reliance, diligence, responsibility. She dutifully completes any task he is assigned and will seek to further Sirius' agenda when possible, she also has her own goals that she will work towards.
She has a particular affinity and protectiveness for children, as they are those who have let a chance to prove themselves. She appreciates brawls and honorable fights, though she is often disappointed about how she has to hold herself back against most foes. She appreciates beauty and understands novelty, but prefers practicality, believing that you can live a full life with nothing but a full gut, strong walls, a big club, and a resolute heart.
In addition to being extremely strong and endurant, she is capable of flight though only in straight lines with very limited turning ability. In addition, she is capable of flying at high speeds, but she needs to gradually pick up speed as she flies, and turning even slightly can drastically slow her down. As with the material she was forged form, she is extremely resilient to extreme temperatures
Physics is the natural laws of Galbar, such as gravity and thermodynamics, and their creation and application thereof. For example, physics covers the enforcement of the physical law of gravity, meaning that people fall towards Galbar instead of floating off. It also covers the enforcement of friction, where two objects that touch impart energy on one another rather than sliding off with no interaction.
Portfolio
Electricity
Enmity, being divine machine in nature, is well familiar with charges and their uses. He is much more adept at creating and using electrical charges in atoms than others, and finds it significantly easier both to think of and to apply in whatever form he requires it.
Realm
Enmity’s Home
If there is one thing that his realm tells at first glance, it is that Enmity is dying. From the very moment of his conception, Enmity has been unable to fully stomach the powers at his disposal. He was born an inflexible machine, cold circuitry irreverent and unprepared for divine warmth. At the center of the realm lays his unmoving body, a vast continent-sized god of cogs and boards. Around it is the inky blackness of nothingness, interrupted only by cancerous blobs of uncontrolled lifeblood.
Riddled with lifeblood tumors, clogging his body and fogging his mind, Enmity has chosen to lock himself and his predicament away -- making his realm incredibly difficult to enter. He never leaves, not to any other realm or Galbar, and if given the choice, he would have nobody ever enter.
Persona
Enmity is a variety of things -- he is loving, but also inflexible and inpatient. He enforces the physical laws that hold Galbar together, such as gravity and friction, and though he wishes only benevolence, that aspect of his godhead still bleeds into his personality. It is only made worse by the intense agony that Enmity experiences, sapping his patience and fuelling his temper.
Though, through it all, Enmity wishes only to love those around him. He wishes never to feel hate, and is forgiving and cooperative above all. He wishes those around him thrive, and works only towards that goal.
Forms
Base Form
Enmity’s base form is that of a massive, divinely-warmed machine rivaling a continent in size. Debased with tumors and riddled with failures, it is a source of agony, albeit one that slows down Enmity’s decay. It grants him his continued survival, something he is desperate for, so that he may continue to help others for as long as possible.
Domain Form
Enmity’s inventive form is one of great activity within his cogs and circuits, granting him increased power at the cost of greatly speeding his decay. Lifeblood tumors grow like wildfire as divine power pulses and hums through him, and he is capable of great feats in this activity, though always precipitated by a great fall.
Avatar
Enmity’s avatar, Tiamat, is, like her god, purely a machine from birth. Made of stale circuits dripping with starlight and power, she suffers incredible agony. She persists through it all for the same reason that her benefactor does -- she knows she is loved and she wishes to do only good for those around her.
As an aspect of her constituent godhead, she is hard-headed and inpatient, though ultimately benevolent. She is more difficult to damage than her parts would suggest at first sight, and pain, a constant companion, has lost its meaning to her. She can run and climb at inhuman speeds, is insanely perceptive, and as a result of her god’s abilities, is capable of great feats of analysis and invention.
that’s cool and all wrongend but i came here for the music
Domain: Perfection. More specifically, bodily perfection, and the constant strive to achieve it. Cadien’s domain is the improvement of one’s appearance or abilities, so that they may reach their physical peak. He is well-versed in the creation and alteration of physical forms.
Although perfection is unobtainable at worst and subjective at best, a fact which Cadien is painfully aware of, it is nonetheless a goal he insists on striving for, and encourages all beings regardless of position or stature to do the same. His followers will never achieve true perfection, but so long as they are always finding new ways to improve, he does not care.
Portfolio: Glamour. The attractiveness of a sentient being’s physical form. With this power, Cadien has the ability to alter the physical appearance of himself and others, or to give people the means to help improve themselves on their own. While he himself has the power to change genders at will and make aesthetic modifications to his own portfolio, he cannot fundamentally change a creature’s shape. He can only make other creatures’ appearances more or less appealing according to either his own personal standards, the individual’s standards, or the standards of the creature’s species.
Realm: Cadien’s Realm, Meliorem, is a fortress situated atop a solid white cloud, floating in an endless blue void. It is connected to Antiquity via a portal of purple energy, framed by a ring of solid gold that is studded with amethysts, and situated at the cloud’s edge.
Upon arriving in Meliorem through the portal, the visitor must then follow a cobblestone path toward the fortress itself - a castle of black stone, with strong walls and sturdy towers. After entering the gatehouse, they will find themselves standing in a grassy courtyard, with exotic flowerbeds at the edges.
The pathway continues forward, flanked by two fountains of sparkling pure water, before it reaches a series of steps leading up to the building’s entrance - a mahogany door with a golden knocker. Upon entering this door, the visitor will find themselves a long hallway, with a carpet of purple velvet. On either side of the hallway are a series of marble statues, representing each of Galbar’s sapient species, with a male and female version for each, and all take the form of their species’ ideal beauty.
Eventually the hallway opens up into a large room with a long dining table, and an ornate marble throne at the end, with luxuriously soft cushions. On either side of this throne room are a series of doors which branch off into hallways and side chambers.
These chambers are constantly shifting based on Cadien’s needs and desires. Art galleries, smithies, gyms, libraries… even connections to other gods’ spheres, assuming he meets one he is willing to form said connection with.
Persona: Cadien is something of a paradox; a perfectionist who knows that perfectionist is unobtainable. He encourages himself and others to rise up and seek improvement, despite knowing there is no end to this quest, and even if there was an end it would make life lose all meaning.
Despite this inner turmoil, he soldiers on. To share his doubts with others would be to show weakness, and perhaps even invalidate his own existence. He maintains an exuberant persona, providing positive reinforcement to gods and mortals alike, while taking the time to enjoy the finer things in life - perhaps to distract himself from his own internal strife.
As previously stated, his philosophy is centered around the perpetual quest for physical improvement. It does not matter if you are strong, attractive, weak, or ugly. So long as you are attempting to become something better than you already are, you are worthy of his respect. If a mortal becomes too complacent with their current prowess, and succumbs to entropy or stagnation, then he loses interest.
He is not as judgemental toward his divine kin, because he understands they are already among the most powerful beings in existence, but he holds great respect for other gods who still find ways to improve themselves or to help others seek improvement. He is a diplomat at heart, and may not always speak the truth.
Base Form: Cadien’s Base Form is that of a seven foot tall man (or woman), with white hair and violet eyes. His skin is flawless, and his muscles well-sculpted. He prefers to wear only a simple loincloth, but is willing to put on armour (usually gold) or clothing (usually purple) if for whatever reason he decides it is necessary. He makes minor tweaks to his form from time to time - nothing that is blatantly noticeable, just slight changes in his eye colour, hair length, muscle mass, or skin tone.
Domain Form: Cadien’s domain form is that of a four-armed humanoid, fifty feet in height, with violet skin, and a serpentine tail in place of legs. A pair of angelic wings sprout from his back, and he has a lush head of flowing white hair. His torso is protected by a golden chestplate.
How does this form represent perfection? Through its utility. The wings allow for agile flight, while the tail allows him to swiftly swim through the water.
Avatar: Cadien’s Avatar is Makellos, the Spirit of Perfection. Makellos takes the form of a swirling mass of purple energy. This avatar does not have a physical form, and instead latches onto mortals, inspiring them to pursue the Path to Perfection. During this possession, their form is gradually altered into an idealized version of themself.
Makellos and the host become one entity. The host maintains most of their personality, but adopts Cadien’s philosophy and drive for self-improvement. Thus, they will strive to ensure that Cadien’s will is done, by inspiring others to follow the Path, but each may have a slightly different interpretation on how to go about it, and may also still be bound by the behavioural patterns of their old self.
The possession lasts a few years, before Makellos eventually leaves, moving on to find a new host. The old host will have their personality restored, and the enhancements remain, but they may feel lost or confused as a result. With each possession Makellos acquires new information about the host he is inhabiting, which is telepathically sent to Cadien, who uses it to devise new methods to perfect the host’s species.
While not possessing someone, Makellos rarely communicates with anyone other than Cadien himself, so it is somewhat unclear if Makellos possesses a personality of its own. But it does, and each host it possesses influences it somewhat, just as it influenced them.
Death. Although those who have limited scope and vision may see it as the ultimate end, perfect destruction, Thaa knows better. Thaa is a deity most attuned and in command of the aspects of things that continue on after that which is alive has departed. Separate from the passage between Life and Death, Thaa holds power of that which is dead, that which is separate and distinct from life and all that lives. Thaa has great control over many aspects of existence past life.
Portfolio:
Afterlife. When things die, that which continues must go somewhere, beyond the numerous fields and masses of those who still live. It is Thaa who guides, who protects, who houses these souls after they have died and passed beyond the veil into the realm of Death. Thaa holds great power over these souls, it would be almost impossible for a mortal to resist his will on their own, and difficult but far from impossible for another deity to contest him over the souls of the dead.
Realm:
Aquibeophates. A realm of mist and unending towers, a field of stone that stretches onwards for seemingly forever anchors the towers. If one tries to venture too far into the mists one will find themselves where they started before too long. Aquibeophates is not quite like the physical realms of Galbar, its rules are different and sometimes strange. One cannot get much of anywhere unless they know where they are going first. Although if one knows what they want, and where they need to go, it is not difficult to find oneself there.
Although servants of Thaa may traverse and move along the towers, they do not care much for the living. For mortals, one typically should have the protection of a god or to leave very quickly indeed if they seek to leave at all. Aquibeophates is a place souls come to stay and rest, it is not well suited to those who wish to stay particularly alive.
Persona:
Thaa is rude, short-tempered, and most would describe him, if they were free from consequences, as a dick. He shows a generally arrogant attitude on the value of most living things, and an extremely possessive disposition towards anything that has died. Thaa also shows a sometimes disturbing lack of introspection.
Despite all that, Thaa doesn’t hold much ill will towards most of anything. His disregard of life stems in part that he considers it inferior to what he can do in death towards those masses, namely peaceful, pleasant rest, free from fear and harm. Thaa considers it his duty to have death be better than life, because for him it is and others must be made aware that he is right. Thaa is and will act as quite the jerk, but he does not truly hold malicious intent towards anything that has not slighted him, and even then his temper while burning hot, does not last long.
Base Form:
Thaa’s base form is that of a massive singular eye, emplaced in a disk that radiates spikes.
Domain Form:
The Domain form of Thaa takes his base form as a kind of mask for a gigantic body of what would appear to be corpses of every and any thing that lives, although they merely are the form of Thaa. This body has a degree of malleability, moving the ‘bodies’ as it were into different configurations.
Avatar:
The Avatar of Thaa are Kiim’Jaav’Guul. They are three in the body of one, each a snake’s head, Kiim, Jaav, and Guul. Kiim’Jaav’Guul has three snakeheads at the end of three necks that meet a scaled body. Four legs ending in clawed feet as well as a long tail mark their body. Although quadrupedal, they are capable of standing on their hind legs.
While looking quite bestial in nature, Kiim’Jaav’Guul are quite capable of speaking and are fond of doing so at some length when roused. Kiim’Jaav’Guul are not precisely motivated individuals and as a collective can find quite the reason to delay any kind of activity, although Thaa would not let them do so for very long had he a purpose in mind.
Most relevant to most mortals, Kiim’Jaav’Guul are not very healthy to be around for any extended period of time, one typically finds most living creatures near Kiim’Jaav’Guul do not live as long as they might otherwise. Most tend to wither away for seemingly no cause, no great pain or damage accompanies them, there just seems to be less cause and will to live.
Fortunately for a great many, Kiim’Jaav’Guul do not typically find life to be all that pleasant, although wishing to go to Aquibeophates, they make do with regions not so afflicted with the most egregious forms of life. Although Thaa is less than likely to allow them to do as they would wish.
Freedom. The yearning of the miserable and the downtrodden for it feeds Toshre. Wherever a tyrant brutalizes their people, it is Toshre’s essence that beats in the hearts of the rebels who stand up, his voice that urges them to cast off their chains and to liberate themselves. Ironic, then, that he cannot free the most damned slave of all - himself.
Portfolio
Slavery. Toshre was birthed by the misery of the masses, enslaved by chains both physical and perceived. He takes on their suffering, softening the blow to his followers so that their existences may be even a little less terrible, at the cost of his own ever-increasing pain. As such, the slaves pray to him for a relief from their burdens… and, when the time comes, they pray to him for the willpower to seize their freedom for themselves.
Their Realm
The realm of Toshre is known as Tartarus. It appears as a vast bottomless pit that stretches on for eternity. Massive chains, stronger than any steel, criss cross this pit forming a dense web that impairs movement. The air is thick and hot, and each breath seems to scorch one’s lungs.
The only source illuminating the darkness is a faint light from the top of the pit. This light is almost entirely blocked by the chains, but it seems as if it is extremely close, and one could reach it if only one could climb far enough. No matter how far one travels upward, however, the light always stays tantalizingly out of reach. Its presence is another torment for the denizens of this realm, taunting them with the agony of false hope.
This pit is inhabited by the souls of those damned by the strictest laws of gods and men. These are to remain trapped in the chains for eternity. Other creatures, including many nameless horrors, also dwell here. They feast upon the flesh of the trapped souls, which constantly regenerates so as to prevent death from freeing them. The most prominent and tormented of these souls is Toshre himself. Deep in the pit, far below any of the mortals, he is restrained by a mass of chains such that he is incapable of moving even his fingers. Never does he stop struggling against his imprisonment, yet never does he manage to free himself. That is the curse of his existence.
Persona
Toshre is filled with empathy and compassion for the weak and the suffering. He is filled with these, in fact, to such an extent that he takes on their pain, willingly subjecting himself to further tortures to improve the lives of his followers. He has a martyr’s complex: he suffers so that others may not.
He is also legendarily determined. His soul may be chained to Tartarus and his flesh broken and cut, but his will has never faltered. He still fights against the chains that bind him, and instructs his followers to fight as well regardless of the strength of their oppressors.
Base Form
When Toshre manifests outside of Tartarus, he appears as a robed man that hovers slightly in the air. An iron mask covers his head, leaving his features hidden. Manifesting in this way does not give him freedom: the chains that bind him still do so in this form, appearing as a mass of chains that float around him, keeping him tethered to Tartarus.
Domain Form
Within Tartarus, Toshre appears as a giant hundreds of feet tall. He is bound so thickly in chains there that he cannot move so much as a finger. Through the chains one can see the his face has no mouth, nose, or ears, no features at all save his eyes. In spite of his vast strength in this state, he can never break the chains that keep him bound in Tartarus.
Avatar
Adrian the Undying Adrian appears to be a handsome, if a tad short, man. He is cynical and sarcastic, and generally expects the worst of any situation. Deep down, he has a good heart and wants to help others, but he has come to believe every action of his will only worsen the situation. He is difficult to faze and anger and generally keeps a cool head.
He appears to be young: In reality, he is hundreds of years old, almost as old as Toshre himself. He was, fittingly enough, born a slave, the son of slaves. The conditions he toiled in were nightmarish, but he pulled himself through the beatings and the hardships, in no small part due to the voice of a friend that echoed in his head, urging him on: the voice of Toshre, whom he would later discover shared a soul with him. This voice urged him to resist, and resist he did, when led an ill-fated slave rebellion that ended in a bloodbath. He escaped, in no small part due to Toshre's growing power as the god cemented its existence, but he never forgave himself for the deaths.
He travels world, seeking that which was always denied to him: freedom. Everywhere he goes the same scene repeats itself again and again. His attempts to free the downtrodden and bring justice to them ended in pain and misery again, and again, and again. He has become bitter and jaded, and though he still values the freedom for which he has long fought, he has come to regard his own existence as a kind of slavery in of itself. As long as he is an avatar of Toshre, his existence is to suffer so that others may not. He resents this enormously. He tries to keep his head down and live for himeslf, blending in with normal human society as much as he can, but there is always the voice in his head telling him to stand for those who cannot do so for themselves.
He is commonly referred to as "The Undying", and for no small reason: He is a legendary swordsman graced with strength and reflexes far beyond what other mortals are capable of. The true reason for his name, however, is his complete inability to die. Wounds that would cripple any mortal, and even some avatars, barely seem to slow him down, and he has been known to survive partial decapitation. Of course, he is still partially mortal, and given sufficient damage he would succumb to injuries, but being soul-fused to the god of determination against hopeless odds makes him very difficult to stop.
Supernatural is that which is beyond the laws of nature, which cannot be explained by logical methods. Mortals often showcase fear towards an existence beyond the mundane, yet often have a belief in things unseen, be it charms, clairvoyance, or tales of spirits and magical creatures.
Its a brand of magic that is naturally chaotic. It is rare, erratic, fleeting, asymmetrical and elusive. Yet unlike the occult, it doesn't need to be necessarily hidden. It's designed to not become commonplace, to be impossible to truly understand, as its power is derived from impossibility.
Unlike most magic which is independent in concept, the supernatural exists from a mortal perspective, from a wish for things beyond what is naturally possible, a belief in magical solution and unseen forces of destiny or luck, one could see it as a rebellion against the natural order.
Portfolio: Darkness
Darkness is a mortal concept, it is not the mere physical lack of light but the uncertainty it brings, the blind spots their senses cannot reach which end up creating a blank space that their mind often fills with all types of possibilities, many of them illogical. Mortals will often see things in the dark or hear words when faced with complete silence. Mortals will often drop all pretense of logical thinking when faced with blind spots and sensory deprivation, they will lose their faith that locked empty rooms are truly empty, they may believe empty boxes could be filled with something or that dark alleyway could lead into distant lands.
This anxiety-driven, often illogical, creativity is, of course, beneficial to supernatural possibilities and as such, it is often the interest of Qullqiya to keep things a bit obscure.
Their Realm: Starryhall is a land of contrasts. Under an eternal night, most of the landscape has a gentle, muted appearance. Simple forests and hills, with small streams and serene lakes. The structures in this land are the opposite, they are somewhat colorful, elaborate and often decorated in glowing details, in particular the roofs.
Within the building is what seems to be an academy or university of sort. Libraries, studies, exhibitions, observatories, among all sorts of rooms dedicated to both study and bureaucracy. To many, it appears to be a parody of such buildings, as all 'study' done here will always lead to more questions than answers, but to its true master it is a useful tool in the development and 'shipping' of supernatural phenomena.
Persona: For a goddess of a chaotic domain and purpose, Qullqiya acts in a way that is surprisingly methodical and orderly. She has mannerisms that are polite and elegant, her tone is reserved but not emotionless, and she even has a bit of an obsession with organization. All of her formal behaviour doesn't change the fact she is a chaotic being who is likely to act in an illogical manner and spout absurd logic, even if delivered in a 'reasonable' lingo.
She speaks in a very particular way, with an abundance of neologisms, acronyms, euphemism, and a pretense of sophistication and that all she is saying is matter-of-fact, even when they are in fact opinions and conjectures, and she abuses statistics and hand-picked interpretation of previous events to drive her points.
Her objective is simply the maintenance of the supernatural, to keep creation free from the shackles of order, yet, she has no particular ambition to directly undermine other gods, although she does desire to expand her domain as much as she possibly can and it may require some actions which may not be necessarily beneficial to her siblings. Her approach to the objective is often goal minded and direct, delivering chaos in a systematical and efficient manner.
Born from lifeblood that was once part of Qael’Naath she holds some uncharacteristic strong feelings of rivalry towards that god, sometimes it goes as far as her planning to subjulgate him and becoming the true and only magical deity, but most of the time its just a colder, more distant feeling, a constant desire to be better, smalltime conspiracies and skirmiches against him. Though its a very personal fight, if others try to intrude in it she will take ofence, in fact, if some other entity tried to subdue magic she could even see herself cooperating with Qael'Naath.
Base Form:
A normal-sized female with a monochrome, platinum-colored body, often wearing minimalist black clothes with more elaborate ornaments in cyan, yellow or magenta along with jewelry of metals and gems within the greyscale palette. She is impressively 'sturdy' in this form, even for a goddess, with her skin having a texture and hardness similar to diamond.
Domain Form:
- Supernatural Domain-
A lean and elegant winged beast covered in what seems to be a mix of plumage and fur. This form has an advantage in being larger in size and having wings and claws, her body is soft unlike in her core form, quite nice to pat.
Avatar:
Arge, her avatar, is not one who acts openly as her avatar, but who pretends to be a mortal just like any other, a friendly and relatable person who really likes to drive home how she is very much a normal fellow mortal who partakes mortal acts such as eating, working and dying. The girl, with olive skin and platinum hair, acts as a bard, minstrel and street performer to gather attention, which also helps to spread the supernatural mindset a bit more through song and fancy tricks.
She is not an autonomous entity, she is fully Qull and merely pretends to be someone else.
Name: Joab-Balaam Primordial or Conceptual: Conceptual
Domain: Dogma. Morals, Ethics, Law all based under sacrosanct order and religious conviction. The administration of what is holy, what is punishable, what is praiseworthy in a code of sacred law. An example of this is framing a sacrosanct law to be followed, designating an act to be a transgression against sacrosanct law, judging an act to be a transgression against sacrosanct law, executing punishment on the transgressor of sacrosanct law.
Portfolio: Punishment. In the instance of any and all transgression, Joab-Balaam finds themselves the bailiff of their punishment. Once a transgression has been made, punishment follows. This far reaching ability to administer punishment requires transgressions, since punishment cannot be upheld without first the criminal.
Their Realm: A sea of golden clouds. Suspended in these clouds are stone pillars marked with the sacrosanct laws. Once one is written, it is said it cannot be struck out.
Persona: Joab-Balaam is missing one of the divine traits often found in gods and mortals alike -- grace. As such, Joab-Balaam is without forgiveness, without compassion, and without empathy. There is no lesser evil and no greater good, there is only rewards and obedience, or transgressions and punishment. There is only the dogma, only order.
Beyond that, Joab-Balaam is possessive and extremely ambitious. A servant to themselves and a considered martyr to all else. Humour has little place in Joab-Balaam’s visions, as does wordiness, great debates, tantalizing concepts and philosophical argument. Directness is favored over metaphors, activity over dreams, and doing over contemplation.
Joab-Balaam’s preferred method of communication is through prophets, deigning their absolute voice to be too sacred for most mortal ears.
Base Form: Joab-Balaam is a horizon splitting sea of rolling clouds of liquid light. Seeping across a landscape as a blinding haze and spilling over sacred temples as a blanket of golden light.
Domain Form: An endless pulse of golden light. It is hard to understand if Joab-Balaam dwells in the clouds or if the clouds dwell in Joab-Balaam.
Avatar: Othniel
Othniel is a color best described as difficult to determine and painful to stare at. It’s form is exactly that, an ever moving color that paints across the surfaces of reality in search of its next task. Inevitably it will color over a living being, and in this case it will impart prophesy or otherwise the will of Joab-Balaam upon it.
It is not beyond Othniel to use painted individuals as fingers and tools in Joab-Balaam’s plans, or to raise them to the level of prophet, or lower them to the level of tormented. When Othniel is finished, they will wash away -- their colorful shadow streaking away across the land to the next place.
Their personality is nearly as single minded as that of Joab-Balaam’s, but the same cannot be said for the prophets that arise from this process.
NF: I think this portfolio is unconventional but interesting. I’m a bit iffy on the connection between Hope and Stars, so I am setting the following condition: Sirius can only spend DP on hope-related actions when the stars are visible, otherwise he will have to spend MP. That said, DP actions he takes while the stars are out can still remain in effect after the stars are gone.
Capy: ✔️ I am still not fully 100% sure about the unlimited potential stars have to get just any port under it, but at the same time I think it's part of what goes with being a conceptual god, the links between port and domain are less clear. That said, I would place the manipulation of the material of the stars as a cosmic domain, and suggest Leo to go for it as his second domain. Personality wise it seems good enough, pretty the archetypical neutral good style character in Divinus. Realm, Domains and avatar seems fine to me.
Zee; Minor Nitpicks. ‘he can bless people to see ‘prefectly’ > perfectly. He can ‘imbued’ materials > imbue which points to ‘ ‘ heart's desire > The Followers of Sirius have greater mental protection, but for all but his greatest champions, it pales in comparison to the innate power of avatars. > Bolded section sound weird, I get what you are trying to say, but it could be clarified further. and delegetion to attempt to better the world. > delegation
There are more spelling errors, but I would say that Ceres would benefit more from having an Artifact as a Hammer, instead of just starting with one. As long as this is understood, that the hammer is not an artifact, until it becomes one, we are good.
Until the spelling errors are corrected, application denied.
I’m just kidding, accepted, but please work on those errors.
Zee: An interesting character to add to the cast. Perfection and Glamour as a combo seems fairly thematic, and both showcase Cadien’s attempt to achieve true perfection. Personality, realm and forms seems fine to me. Avatar is functional. You also have a plan for more ports, which is always a good thing to see. I don’t really have any other comments.
Capy: ✔️ Domain and portfolio seems fine and the description gives me a good idea of what he is going for. One advice I’d give is to also move Glamour a bit into magical properties too to make it more flexible? Persona is common to that of a perfection god, but I feel the self-improvement angle and soldiering on is enough to make the character very unique and cool. His avatar is cool.
NF: I am personally fine with this. Everything in his CS seems to fall in line with what we have established. My only concern is whether or not he will be able to find three portfolios for his domain.
Capy: ✔️ If he has made clear he can handle it all, not reduce to isolationism and being at odds with the entire pantheon and that he knows where he will expand towards then I have no objections. Historically all death gods have dropped in the early times of Divinus RPs, so here is hope Thaa will move away from the typical issues and stand above them. The avatar is cool and feels like a guardian of the underworld, the realm seems fine, obviously.
Zee; Thaa is a well thought out character with the clear goal of possessing the dead. Afterlife is a unique portfolio that goes well with the dead. It allows for interaction between Thaa and other gods who wish to have souls/dead, which is always a good thing. Realm. Persona, forms, and Avatar are all constructed in a careful manner. Having talked with Commy about his future ports, I am confident in saying he will add a fine addition to the cast.
NF: Everything seems to be fine. There are no real issues, and everything positive I have to say more or less echoes what I have previously said.
Zee: Besides some minor spelling errors, the application is very good. Supernatural and darkness make a fine combo, and are thematic. I have no doubt Cappy has plans to branch out even further. Persona is sweet, forms are good, and the avatar is ‘human’.
Amiable. Articulate. Benevolent. Calm. Captivating. Caring. Charismatic. Colourful. Compassionate. Contemplative. Creative. Dedicated. Dramatic (in the throes of poetic output). Eloquent. Forgiving. Generous. Idealistic. Imaginative. Incorruptible. Insightful. Observant. Passionate (in the throes of poetic output). Perceptive. Perfectionist. Protective. Reflective. Romantic. Sentimental. Serious. Ascetic. Enigmatic. Retiring. Melancholic. Secretive. Suspicious. Somewhat eccentric and mad.
Does not take too well to insults, and though unlikely to react immediately he will remember them. Is very generous to those he perceives as being in need. He is repulsed by the idea of betraying those who have placed their trust in him, though this revulsion is subject to a variety of other factors (particularly the power the person in question wields and their degree of vulnerability to betrayal). Generally respects those who have greater wisdom and knowledge. May not always declare his disapproval, but may certainly work silently against things he does disapprove of. Readily forgives those who sincerely seek forgiveness. Holds corruption by the powerful in the lowest regard. Actively keeps people at a distance. Would never insist on being repaid, but certainly respects those who do repay him - it is a show of gratitude, and gratitude is a good trait. Unlikely to be in constant communication with others, very likely to disappear for long periods unless sought out. Will actively contribute to the world - from a distance. If fellow gods were endangered by an external enemy, he would likely defend them unto death as a principle. Despite this, he likely does not trust other gods and likewise feels distrusted by them, and so would never expect them to aid him in his hour of need. Such would certainly surprise him. He only has a vague respect for the laws established by the gods and will only abide by them if it suits him. He readily expects to be shunned - that is the fate of artists. He would not seek positions of authority amongst the gods, as authority corrupts, unless thrust by others into it. In times of need, he is the self-sacrificing type. He has no great respect for those in authority generally speaking. When he feels he has done wrong, he will actively seek to make amends, though he would not make himself beholden to any kind of 'judge'. He has no issue expressing subversive and revolutionary sentiments. He strongly believes that wealth should be used to help the unfortunate. He has no qualms with cheating the wealthy. Meghzaal's ambition is to fill the world with ink, poetry, and inspiration, opening up the ability to express to mortals. He wants to be the ultimate muse, but in many ways, he is also in pursuit of a muse. For what muse does the muse himself have?
ＤＯＭＡＩＮ， ＰＯＲＴＦＯＬＩＯ ＆ ＲＥＡＬＭ
DOMAIN of INK. A substance used to mark out images, words, and meanings. Ink does not occur in a ready-for-use form naturally and must be combined with other materials to truly become ink. There is no particular recipe for ink production, with different kinds of inks and colours being made up of different substances. What makes ink into ink is its ultimate purpose and usage: marking surfaces, putting down meaning. In that sense, ink is a catalyst, much like spoken words, allowing for the transferral of thoughts and feelings into the physical world. Ink holds thought, it holds emotion, and it transfers it. A master of the ways of ink knows how to make use of ink to best convey the substance of an image or words - what colours to use, what type of ink, what substances to mix in. And when the correct ink is combined with the correct meanings, the result may seem magical to the uninitiated.
PORTFOLIO of POETRY. Poetry, it is said, is one of the ancient arts, and it begins as do all the fine arts, within the original wilderness of the world. It emanates from the highest happiness or the deepest sorrow, from experiences with love, war, tragedy, and the myriad of occurrences individuals, societies, and civilisations go through. It may bolster the status quo and those who hold power, or it may act as the lifeblood of rebellion and revolution. Poetry may enlighten and uplift consciousness, or it may be such as to condemn individuals and peoples to darkness, willful ignorance, and cultural death. Meghzaal is the poetic spark and muse, the spirit which breathes into the hearts and minds of mortals so as to inspire them with words that form on their tongues but emanate from a higher plain; words that inspire action and passion and life, and words that may well kill for what they contain of misery.
REALM of GLOSSOLALIA. Glossolalia is the abode of grief and sorrow, of love and joy also, and of the beauties and horrors of life and death. It is the abode of potential and inspiration awaiting cataclysmic release. It is a formless inky space that carries all those within it off to a place beyond sight - indeed, the corporeal disappears - and awakens within them the spirit and the spark of inspiration. Only gods know it as Glossolalia, to the denizens of Galbar it is simply the Place of Laughter and of Tears. The Saxus Connection: Where Glossalalia and Saxus meet, ink cannot be distinguished from the eternal darkness of the deep, but those initiated in the ways of ink and poetry may see the smoky letters and verses that waft from the unknown chasms of the ocean's depths. The Thousand Rivers of Pain Connection: Ink and verses of lovelorn and fidelistic poetry form in the rivers of the love goddess' realm, and float off towards Glossalalia. The Dark Side of the Moon Connection: Ink and Night meet and become indistinguishable from one another, the horrors of the night giving rise to monsters of ink, only for the utter peace of it to settle them down again. Somewhere in the calm and fear of the night lies one of the secrets of inspiration, for many a poet and artist will find that the best of their writings and poetics are made under the blanket of the night.
ＦＯＲＭＳ ＆ ＡＶＡＴＡＲ
A man in white enrobed, crowned with a laurel wreath. The flesh is inky and amorphous, colours changing and facial age shifting from passionate youth to the zenith of the middle years, thence to wise old age.
An inky darkness that exhibits shapes and forms. To those initiated to the madness of poetry, the god appears in many glorious colours, and his Face - heart-rending in its sadness, enlightening in its wisdom, captivating in its beauty, frightful in its ugliness, elating in its ecstasy - is made to shine on them, and is the greatest poetic muse.
A shifting shade, formed from the darkness of the deeps hidden beneath the ocean waves, that descends upon the heads of men and causes to burst therefrom words locked away in their hidden depths.
ADAMANT LUCIDITY | ASSURANCE | THE WARDEN | BOAR OF STONE
B A S I C M Y T H
N A M E
Boris
G E N D E R
Male
N A T U R E
Primordial
V I S A G E
With eyes as white as snow and hide as hard as granite, the mighty mountains god’s domain form is a sight to behold. With each step the earthquake and the rough cracking of stone against stone is ever prominent. In both size and visage, it is as if Boris is a mountain himself.
Boris’ Galbarian is not so far removed from that of his divine form, although his size is far less reduced. Instead he takes a more approachable form, his hide a warm brown, his body three times the size of any normal boar, and his eyes a deep black. Gold adorns his ears and nose.
A giant without equal, the Avatar of Boris the Boar, Gunfir, is far removed from his patron in likeness. While Boris is the pinnacle of solidarity and calm, Gunfir–standing at about 25 feet talk–errs to the side of pride and showmanship. Gold and copper adorn jewelry his body his massive body and the furs of slaughtered god-beasts warm his back and chest. Coiled around his right arm is a serpent of gold attached to him like a fifth limb.
Bolsters and full of bravado, the giant regularly interacts with mortals, often hailed as the deity of hunter and strength, his feats are a spectacle many come far and wide to witness.
D I V I V E H Y M N S
R E A L M
The Good Place of Digging and Playing
The eternal realm of the mountain god is an endless place of play, constantly carved and dug out by him and his cosigns. From sand, mighty monoliths impossible in height and width are raised. Palaces of mineral, stone and precious metal full the vast space and serve to be constantly improved upon. Mountain jungles, rivers, forests, snow-capped peaks, and the like are scattered across its expanse. The realm’s mighty crags are bathed in a sunless sky that always produces lights, it’s blueness almost unnatural.
D O M A I N
Nature, the realm of living plants, animals, and the environments in which they inhabit all falls under the jurisdiction of this domain. It’s parameters seemingly infinite, it’s patron deities are representatives of its core aspects, some taking up the mantel of the ocean blue, or the expansive green. Boris on the other hand, molds rock under his hooves with each step, and sculpts mountains with the infinite duress off his tusks. He is the bedrock and the foundation upon which nature stands. So is his domain.
P O R T F O L I O
Mountains, bulwarks of stone crafted from chaos is Boris’ alone to command. As a result much of his time is spent crafted mountain to adorn the world, all rich a full of minerals, all of which all under his domain. The very personification of these monoliths, the Lord of Stone may seem cold and unforgiving, yet once nature erodes away his exterior, his many layers are visible; solidarity, Strength, Calm, and Wrath He is a boon to those who can traverse the ranges he carves, and a blessing to those who can settle there. To others, he is certain death.
P E R S O N A L I A
P E R S O N A
Just like there are two sides to every story, there are two sides to every being. Boris’ duality comes in the form of how other perceive him and who he is on a personal level. Furthermore; Boris, akin to many, has three sides of himself. Not truly three distinct personalities, nevertheless, he has three ways of looking at things: contemplative, direct, or dubious.
His emotional set consists of a phlegmatic disposition, generally unemotional and stolidly calm. Which usually leads to assumptions of a depressed, cynical being, but bitterness and hate has yet to taint his soul. He still has an optimistic view of the world, harbors idealistic dreams, and naively believes that some gods can be trusted. Boris maintains no disillusion about the machinations of god nor the state the world may be in, however. But it’s a testament to his integrity and righteousness, how he will remain an honest and a responsible being.
In tenser situations, Boris is: controlled, focused, steady, and conscientious of his surroundings. Every decision is made cautiously and pragmatically; he's vigilant in his efforts and never rarely impulsive. (Despite this he is quick to go out the window when he is personally insulted or made fun of) He strives to apply the same manner of thinking to every facet of his life. This is why he doesn't interfere in every dispute and is content with watching until needed.
When it comes to Boris‘ ability to handle sudden changes and disagreement, his open-mind enables a high degree of adaptability. Because of that, he's able to be tolerant and forgiving of ignorance; whether he's willing to, differs from scenario-to-scenario. But to avoid any interactions outside of his duties, he projects a rough, cold exterior. He even goes as far as exiling himself, which further lends to the mysterious lone wolf persona he has adopted. This facade is obviously a guise however, as evident in his altruistic behavior. Once his icy shell has been broken, his warm nature will shine through and the courteous, cultured individual with a unique sense of humor and charm will be revealed.
Father Blood Knuckle | Lord of the Bruise | the Stricken King
Domain: Ganglion Blood Knuckle is a God of Violence. Violence is a conceptual domain encompassing any act of destruction for its own sake.
The accident of a falling stone and the chipping of a mason's chisel hold not Ganglion's attention, but he watches every rock that is thrown with intent to harm. Violence occurs when the will to destroy arises before the will to create and preserve. It's easy to justify violence with good ends, or with self-defence, or with raw instinct, and Ganglion knows every justification, valid or not. It doesn't matter much to him, though. Blood is blood and bruises are bruises.
Portfolio: Where there is ill intent and ill action, there is hurt. Ganglion is the God of Injury. Every cut, burn, and broken bone in the universe is felt by him, and dealt by him, somehow, in some strange ripple along the endless Lifeblood. When Father Blood Knuckle wills for someone to hurt, they hurt- mostly because he enacts his will by beating them with his fists, and partially because he enacts his will by getting someone else to beat them with their fists.
It's very important that Ganglion does this. Bruises teach lessons. One must be tested to know one's limits, and one must have practice to grow resilient. Without taking punches, one does not know when is a good time to sling punches, or how. And, of course, injuries heal. When a fight goes on too long or ends too quickly, Ganglion looks over the wounded and gives them only as much pain as they need. His gaze comforts the bleeding and aching, restores their strength, and gives them hope for the fights to come.
Realm: Ganglion lives and fights in The Dust. The Dust is a simple world of dust, loose rocks, and wooden beams, hastily-constructed half-ruined towers and climbing ladders on which to play and fight. It is bright and it is cloudless and it is hot, with a cooling wind to dry out his sweat. There are hills and valleys that are rather easy to scale, and some sparse pine trees, and fresh springs of water. Ganglion's sparring partners manifest here, big, dumb jolly ogres and bulls and snakes and other such things all looking for a scrap. There is night and a sun, but no stars or clouds, because those are distracting. Food and bandages manifest in roughly-nailed wooden crates, and even grievous injuries heal rapidly here.
Personality: Ganglion exists to fight and hurt and rage and bully, and he is content with this, because he knows that he will never destroy, only injure. He is both a violent man and a very peaceful one. He holds no grudges and encourages no hate, and builds no friendships- everyone too weak for him to fight is his student until they are strong, and everyone else is his rival. In this way he is never really lonely among men, and every fight is, for him, a chance to laugh his hearty, hearty laugh.
Ganglion holds few moral positions. Destroying things outright is fine in moderation, but there should at least be room for regrowth so that the scrapping can continue. Beating things that don't fight back is rather boring, and lazy, which is worse. Anyone who desires to fight has a right to fight, though if you're dumb about it you'll face dumb consequences and deserve them. If you stop a fight where there really should be a fight, you're a lil bitch. If you stop someone from getting back into a fight by hitting them while they're too injured to move, you're about to be offered a new fight altogether, this time with God.
Not to say he's not an asshole himself, though. Starting fights with words or fists is what Ganglion does, and he loves it. Oh, he loves it.
Base Form: Ganglion manifests as a man approaching middle age, with well hewn muscles under just a little fat. He wears a pale green sleeveless tunic and loose beige trousers, and boots. His hair is very short, as is his beard.
Domain Form: As described, but a foot or two (or a hundred) taller with fingerless boxing gloves and a black eye. His trousers and tunic are ragged, his arms are bandaged and his knees are scraped. This is the form he assumes every afternoon in The Dust after scrapping through the morning, in preparation to keep scrapping through the night. At dawn he passes out.
Avatar: Ganglion's avatar is Ganglion-shaped wooden puppet he dangles into Galbar on a fishing rod in case he wants to scrap there too. It's very convincing, though.
Musical Theme:
And there will be no tenderness, no tenderness! There will be no tenderness, no tenderness I will show no mercy for you You have no mercy for me The only thing that I ask Love me mercilessly!
The folly of mortals is eternal, envious and infectious. Most, if not all, are eventually overcome with a strong desire to be with that certain someone that surpasses the physical and superficial. A loyalty and passion borne out of trust, intimacy and perhaps even a fickle taste of fate. The gift of love for another is to share your life, to care for someone else, the ultimate sacrifice. Yet for each moment of happiness such bonds create, a thousand moments shatter the illusion. Unrequited feelings, heartbreak, deceit, loss. The pain and misery caused by love is comparable to that of a weapon. It ends lives, steals happiness, and drains energy from it's victims. It is a cruel, addictive drug that no one man or woman can ever hope to escape. The lies, the failure to understand, and the one that got away. It all ends in misery. It is pain, raw emotion, longing, hatred, suspicion, and nostalgia for what once was.
Portfolio:Devotion The truest form of love is a burning loyalty to another; be it a cause, a person, or a concept. To sacrifice the importance of oneself to safeguard or further the agenda or wellbeing of another. It is the curse that forces mortals to be blind to the truth, to ignore warnings and throw themselves headlong into danger. It diminishes them and places another thing on a pedestal - something that captures their self-preservation and reason - for as long as they continue to feel such strong emotions it. The beauty of it should never be forgotten, the choice to devote yourself to someone else - and in that manner it is ever bittersweet. Neiya will bless chivalrous courtship, the bond between master and servant, even religious ecstasy that grounds itself in genuine love. On the other hand, devotion is all too often unhealthy, unwanted, and dangerous. With no mind to suffer the charades for longer than necessary, Neiya inflicts suspicion with a whisper, offers doubt with a breath, and breaks the strongest bond of trust with a clench of her jealous fist.
Their Realm: The Thousand Rivers of Tears The realm of Neiya is a morose image of unnatural beauty. Rolling hills and cliffs present countless waterfalls that split into a myriad of rivers and creeks, each snaking across the open landscape in a maddening web. On the horizon lies villages, houses and monuments as remembered by those that look at them. Ever unreachable, with only nostalgia to keep them going. It is said among mortals that peering into the waters will reveal all the sorrows that result from their actions - and enrapture them to let the stream carry them away. This effect is felt as a muted pressure in the entire realm; simply looking upon the landscape inspires great sorrow, pain and worry. The Thousand Rivers of Tears is a very cold realm, and the waters are painful in their chill.
Connections: Glossalalia In the cold rivers of sorrow, distant affection and regret, the endless expressions of bitter, remorseful lovers swirl and twist. These expressions of love, pain and edification sometimes swirl together to form in words and ink, and drift along their own streams that ultimately shift towards the realm of Glossalalia.
Persona: Neiya is a troubled goddess. She partakes of all the world's heartbreak, unrequited love and loss, and it has left an immeasurable mark on her very being. She wishes nothing but joy upon the mortals, her fellow kin, and even herself, yet she cannot help but accept that happiness is a rare glimmer in a river of hurt. Easily likened to a permanent depression, she languidly does her part to impart a positive image on the world, but cannot see the positive for long. She is easily enraptured by the simple love of mortals, but is just as easily stricken with agony at seeing it end - as she knows it will. A seemingly perfect love is anathema to her, and she will no doubt attempt to meddle out of sheer divine envy. Even so, she is not openly malicious, nor does she inherently wish harm upon the world. It is simply the eternal cycle for love and loss to inspire equal amounts of pain. Despite all this, her constant ambition is to see the world populated with a just and harmonious love, not unlike that found in a story-book, and she cries as she imparts blessings upon the world, feeling the agony of those who suffer.
Base Form:
Brought into the world with icy blue eyes eternally raw from the pain of sorrow, Neiya takes the shape of a young woman adorned with a regalia of horns and an icy crown. The air around her is cold and unpleasant, and she inspires sorrow and grief with her ever distrustful gaze. The horns shift and twist in size, ebbing and flowing with the cycles of hurt in the world.
Domain Form: The domain form does not differ considerably from her base form, aside from a certain likelihood for the goddess to appear without her usual imposing regalia. Instead she appears as a lone woman crying by the rivers, or calling to onlookers from afar.
Avatar: The Maiden of Sorrow
Mortal myth says the Maiden was once a simple girl who suffered the ultimate heartbreak, and in that moment offered herself fully to despair - finding an eternal bond with the one being who felt her pain as she did. Giving credence to the tale is her appearance, a young woman forever captured in a moment of beautiful, morose sadness. She acts with deliberate grace and respect in everything she does, affording moments of silence to her enemies and friends alike in death, heartbreak, and tragedy. She is ultimately a force for good in the mortal world, generally unwilling to hurt anyone who does not antagonise her. Her goals seem to extend beyond that of Neiya's own lovestricken schemes, as she wanders the world and lends her aid to wars, troubled villages, and couples in need. She is by all accounts an extremely competent and 'immortal' human, and pours an extreme amount of time into causing indirect sadness by participating in battles that she herself did not instigate. She can call upon the blessings of Neiya more directly, and her ice-blue eyes are known to strike determined men catatonic with grief and guilt.
Chaos. Disorder. Nothing is perfect, nor will anything ever be. Impurities are what makes existence interesting, and dare I say even fun. Sevdural thrives with chaos. Every anarchic revolution, every unprecedented disaster, every shred of doubt on the status quo of the stability of life either has its roots stemming from Sevdural or contributes to his power. Entropy is at the heart of this disorder, further and further toppling order until nothing is left but a sea of unequal randomness. The Universe was never meant to be ordered; Sevdural’s eternal reign of chaos will come inevitably.
Portfolio:
Madness. Men may put on the facades that their lives are logical, that they are well kept and organized, but this is simply not true. Deep inside of everyone lies the true knowledge that trying to make sense of this crazy, impossible, and stupid notion of “consciousness” or “existence” is futile and, well, laughable really. Sevdural seems to be the only one who accepts this, as he is the root of all Madness and he himself, is quite mad. Why won’t everyone just acknowledge how silly all of this is? Sevdural doesn't know. All he knows is that while everyone pretends to rule and order this universe, he will be ever present, lurking in the minds and tearing them apart.
Their Realm:
Limbo
Limbo is a mostly blank void, with many islands of isolated granite floating through the empty space, all connected by long and dubious wooden suspension bridges. Each of the islands looks mostly the same, just a flat chunk of granite, which can make becoming lost in Limbo very easy. The one thing that differs about the islands, however, is that on each one stands a different person, god, animal, or legend; anything or anyone real or imagined has their own little island in Limbo’s infinite sea of islands. None of these are the real people that they look like, and are, in fact, extensions of Sevdural himself. These images also happen to spend the majority of their time cackling, spouting uncontrollable and body contorting laughter. This laughter is often directed at nothing in particular, however if you were to visit Limbo it is also likely the subject of their laughing would shift to you, accompanied by heckling. One could find the exact image of any person they would like, given an infinite dedication to wander the bridged isles. This is the most common reason any mortal would seek for an entrance into Limbo, usually to see a dead loved one just one more time. However, mortal entrance into Limbo is just an immediate condemnation to eternal madness, as it is incredibly unlikely that anyone could find the one they seek before being driven insane by the persistent heckling and laughing of all they pass; even if they could somehow find the one they seek, it is obviously not truly them, not their body nor their soul, but just a mere image inhabited by Sevdural. The discovery that their loved one just spouts madness and laughs as everyone else usually is the last push any mortal needs to finally lose their mind in Limbo. On top of this, no mortal can die in Limbo, leading to a number of wandering madmen, forever trapped.
Persona:
Sevdural sees himself as Chaotic Neutral, however most others probably view him as Chaotic Evil. He is, at his core, nihilistic. So much so that he most often tries to force others to succumb to nihilism too, and the more painful of a realization this is to them the funnier, and therefore more successful, it is to Sevdural. It is possible to have actual conversations with Sevdural (If you are a God), however given his nature the chance he is genuinely serious during these conversations seems very low. Nothing really matters to Sevdural, but he does enjoy and can receive real pleasure from watching the destruction of others’ mind or the descent of anything orderly into chaos; this is the only reason he is active at all. If it brought him no joy, and he did not actually care enough to appreciate feeling joy, then he would sit in a void for all eternity. Because he actually does appreciate feeling joy, that does mean he is not truly 100% nihilistic and that there are real things that he cares about, it's just that those things are extremely few and far between, and most often relate to causing as much chaos as possible.
Base Form:
Sevdural’s base form is an inky, ethereal, nearly formless crazed mouth in space, which will often curl into a smile and laugh. Sometimes this form can be accompanied by more rough facial features, and rarely also with vague full silhouette.
Domain Form:
Within Limbo, Sevdural appears as everyone and everything. Anything that anyone has ever thought of personified makes an appearance, inhabited by Sevdural. He can speak through these images (and, more importantly, laugh). These are stolen appearances, used by Sevdural to induce madness.
Avatar:
Rulik, Specter of Insanity
Rulik is an almost direct incarnation of Sevdural’s will on Galbar. It is technically its own spirit, but bends to and serves Sevdural’s mind so much so that Sevdural effectively has full control over Rulik’s actions and effects. When not occupying a host body, takes the ghostly figure of an owl. This independent form can only be seen in some conditions of moonlight, and most other times is practically invisible to the mortal eye. Rulik roams across the land searching for a suitable host and, when he has found one, flies directly into and grabs hold of the mortal’s soul and mind. At this point Rulik becomes a parasite on the host’s mind and creates a connection from the host’s mind to Sevdural’s consciousness. Rulik does little to protect the mortal mind from the onslaught of raw power and knowledge that comes from a connection to a god (Especially the god of madness) which causes mortals to quickly begin feeling the emotions and having the thoughts that Sevdural wishes them to have. Unsurprisingly, this quickly causes the hosts to lose their minds. The sheer certainty of the nothingness and hopelessness conveyed by Sevdural’s mindpower, coupled with the strong ability to lose all of one’s empathy and actually be able to find humor in the futility of the world, can easily flip a scholar to a rambling lunatic. These mad minds are easily usable by Rulik and Sevdural to accomplish crazed and insane goals in the name of destabilization, however there is a time limit to this state. Mortal minds are, in fact, quite mortal indeed and cannot withstand such sustained madness for a long time before the host’s mind loses effective control over its own body; once this state is reached Rulik is freed from the host body and may go find another victim. Depending on the strength of the mortal’s mind, the time period before complete body disassociation can range from between a couple weeks to over a year.
Domain: Nature. The Tree of Genesis is nature given form. As the inverted side of his twin-deity Klaarungraxus, in it is the potential for all things natural that occur on the surface of Galbar. The creation and management of forests, grasslands, marshes, animals, fungi, insects and ecosystems both massive and small are all within the grasp of The Tree of Genesis’ roots. The Tree of Genesis is deeply tied to flora and as such, the vast majority of its creations are flora as well, even though it could easily branch off in other directions.
Portfolio: Vegetation. The Tree of Genesis can manipulate plants freely and create infinite numbers of species of them. Within his power is the ability to create natural medicines as well as poisonous, carnivorous, venomous, highly mobile, and even flying or diving vegetation.
Their Realm: The First Garden. Visually it is a large floating landmass that looks like a coin… And like a coin, it has two sides. The side facing towards the blue sky is bright, warm, pleasant and houses an exact replica of several biomes containing plants on Galbar. In the middle, one can see the immense, ever-growing Tree of Genesis.
The side facing towards the void below, however… Is much, much wilder. Like an extreme version of Galbar, with species never before seen and phenomena that cannot be easily explained happening on an hourly basis. A darker, more twisted version of the Tree of Genesis is visible there, but no one has ever been allowed to that side of the realm.
If one were to fly outside of the landmass and turn back to look at it, one would perceive it as the size of a small island… But when one approaches it, it somehow expands to become as big as a continent on both sides.
Persona: In nature, there is order to the chaos. The world is unfeeling, uncaring, and yet it is beautiful and warm and is the one home for the countless living beings that dwell in it. There is a reason and a purpose behind every cruelty or tragedy and, no matter what, life always moves on. The Tree of Genesis is the purest representation of this reality.
As an entity, it does not speak and when probed one can not access its thoughts… Therefore, it is unknown if the Tree of Genesis is truly sentient or if any intelligence is to be found in it, but what is clear is that its actions hold true intent and purpose and that the experiments it routinely carries out relay some kind of data to it that it then takes into account when creating more life.
Base Form: A coniferous tree hundreds of kilometers high and at least 50 kilometers wide at the base. It is a tree capable of extending its roots throughout reality. A single branch can house a whole village. Cities can form suspended in the air from vines. Lakes form in depressions in the branches, and whole ecosystems are exclusive to the lush branches of the Tree of Genesis.
Domain Form: None. The Tree of Genesis is a Tree.
Avatar: The Tree of Exodus. It is a smaller brother to the Tree of Genesis. Being barely 15 kilometers high and 3 wide at the base, this special oak tree extends its roots through large swathes of land and exerts the Tree of Genesis’ will directly onto the world, serving as a Galbar-based factory, laboratory and workshop from where the Trees build new species to let loose into the world.
The Tree of Exodus is one of the tallest, if not the tallest, tree on Galbar and it grows both up into the sky and down into the earth. It is partially hollow, with numerous large openings at all different heights leading inside of its protective outer bark. It can also manipulate the liana vines growing along it as well as it own roots in order to interact with the world in a finer way and allow tool usage.
Perhaps the most interesting ability of the Tree of Exodus, however, is the creation of entities that are referred to as “mobile platforms”. Humanoid beings made entirely out of plant matter with soft pliable bark for skin, ultra dense wood for bones and a new kind of plant fibre for muscle and tissue, these entities are fully capable of sentience on their own, but the intricate processes the Tree of Exodus must perform in order to create just one platform make it so that is never more than one active at a time as well as a few backups ready for when such active platforms inevitably expire. All of the platforms are connected to the Tree of Exodus and once they die, all of their memories go back to it as well as their souls in order to be recycled and put into new platform. They act as the representatives of the Tree of Genesis’ will and are created solely for the purpose of carrying out tasks and fulfilling demands for the Tree of Genesis and the Tree of Exodus.
Zee; Coming from the person that pulled K’nell of super duper well, I have no complaints or nitpicks about Joab. My only fear is that Joab becomes stale because he’s so rigid. But like I said, if anyone can make it work, it’s Gold.
NF: Seems good, I approve.
Capy: ✔️ Dogma -> Punishment seems okay for a theme, personality is similar to previous logic gods, which isn’t bad, its a good archetype for a character than crosses the line between keeper of the peace and evil tyrant. I think Gold has a good plan for how this character will evolve, and the avatar type seems to have become normal in this Mk so I no longer have questions about it.
Capy: ✔️ Ink is an interesting domain, can certainly hold 3 ports and seems like a different take on a possible culture port but with more flavour. I think it's fine. Formless avatars are fine so I don’t see a problem with that. It feels like a type of character that is very flexible while staying on theme. So I am all for it.
Zee; I have a very peculiar image of this character as I listened to the musical theme and read the contents of the app. I like Meghzaal, just as I’ve liked most of Kho’s works, so I might be a little biased.
NF: Seems like a good idea, and fairly unique too. He’s already discussed quite a few ideas with other characters, so I think he’s good to go.
Hero that Ganglion exists to make. You voted on it, boys
Name: Haema Banjil. Banjil to friends.
Looks: A human woman. Good cardio. Green hair. Coat. Club.
Behaves: Smart but not canny, Haema Banjil marks herself out with a mix of general ignorance, narrow-mindedness and low cunning. The first can be fixed, with time and experience, but her intense love of following stupid ideas through to the end and nipping dogs' tails just to see if they bite are terminal. Smiles often, loves with vigour, and quarrels with great joy.
Strengths: A healer. Banjil is the son of the God of Violence and difficult to fight on that home ground. Fists, arrows, and swords will wound her like anyone else, but wounds do not kill her, and usually don't slow her down very much. Most grievous injuries will heal in a day or two, and sometimes she even regenerates limbs. The people around her tend to recover somewhat faster, too, regardless of whether they are friend or foe. This effect is limited by proximity: her lovers heal almost as quickly as she does, while passerby may not notice the difference.
Weaknesses: Everything else. Accidental injuries do not heal and those inflicted by animals are a grey area. Unlike most demigods, Haema Banjil has no immunity to pestilence, no resistance to poison, suffers frostbite in the cold and heatstroke in the sun. Without water she will perish and without food she will waste and starve. The most dogged of Banjil's killers, of course, is age.
Haema Banjil has no immortality and ages much like any human. She also reproduces like one, whether alone or with the aid of a male sire. Every twenty years or so, when Haema Banjil is in her late thirties, her mantle, memories and powers passes to one of her largely identical female descendents, of which there are never more than six or seven. All of her mothers and daughters are Banjil, but there is only ever one empowered Haema Banjil, marked by green hair.
If the Haema Banjil dies while empowered, her mantle may skip a generation, continue its normal cycle, or bestow itself prematurely on a Banjil too young to fully manifest its power. The natural age for Haema Banjil to manifest is around sixteen.
While the Haema mantle may skip a generation, Banjil never does. If all seven Banjils are slain, empowered and mortal alike, no further Banjils will be born, and the Hero will be dead forever.
Name: Evandra Primordial or Conceptual: Primordial
Domain: Fire. An invaluable tool since ancient times. The light and energy it produces in the form of heat was instrumental to humanity’s rise as a dominant species and allowed for many inventions. Other than that, fire also composes some aspects of life on a more conceptual level. Emotion, drive, courage, among others are all fueled by the fire within.
Portfolio: Passion. An intense emotion. Passion can come from love or hate and burns like a roaring flame in either case. It can also mean a strong sexual desire. However, due to its intensity, passion is usually fickle and eventually dies out leaving nothing behind. Passion can be romantic, fuel one's determination, inspire great deed, but it can also be tragic and violent.
Realm: Bacchanalia. The Realm takes the shape of a wide chamber with reddish brown floor, walls and ceiling and illuminated by big fires in openings between the walls and ceiling. The chamber is composed of a wide open area with a long and steady ramp that leads to a big bed where Evandra rests most of the time. The room has a seemingly endless supply of fruits and drinks and the air is saturated with the smell of incenses and the heat of the illuminating fires. There’s also a separate chamber with a heated bath large enough to fit a dozen people.
Persona: Much like her fire, Evandra is passionate, but also fickle. For the while that her passion lasts she shows strong emotions to people or objects, but as soon as it ends she moves on to whatever interests her next. She demands attention and is clingy to whatever has her attention and if refused will either shift to hate or immediately start ignoring it.
Evandra’s proud and selfish and doesn’t take well to being insulted or bad mouthed. She considers herself to be the peak of beauty and if denied that she takes it as an offence.
Should she truly devote herself to something, however, she’d keep loving it with her all indefinitely. On the other hand the same is true for her hatred and grudges. In either case if she latches on to something it’s for good and she won’t let it go willingly. Even if the person she loves wants to leave her.
Base Form: Evandra takes the shape of a young woman with a lean body and light skin tone. Her long hair is gold and her eyes rubies mounted on the face of beauty. Her breasts are a handful each and her legs are long.
Evandra doesn’t wear much in the way of clothes and wears only enough to cover her privates and bosom (I.E. a bikini). Occasionally she wears a sarong as well.
Domain Form: Evandra retains her base form while in her realm, but flames cover her body. These flames are as intense as her emotions in any given time and carry heat appropriately, but is only lethal if she wills it to be.
Avatar: Evandra’s Avatar is named Solayu. She’d be a mirror image of Evandra if not for her scarlet hair and tanned skin. Solayu also inherited her matron’s persona and are thus almost identical to each other. As such both goddess and Avatar often refer to one another in first person. They can also share senses with each other if they so desire.
Domain: Night. The night is when the shadow of Galbar envelops the world in its darkness, calling for the walkers of the day to rest and the creatures of the night to hunt. It is both a time of magnificent beauty and terrible fear, and Gibbou doesn’t shy away from neither the calm, tranquil aspects of the star-speckled sky and the bright, white moon, nor the cruel, uncaring thirst of the beasts in the shadows, but embraces them both in a duality of peace and terror. Her power appoints her to the guardian of peace when her sister Oraelia descends beyond the horizon, safeguarding life so it may grow the next day, and she keeps a watchful eye over the world, ready to punish those who disrespect the law of night’s peace.
Gibbou’s powers allow her more easily to shape and influence creatures of the night, offering blessings such as better eyes in the darkness, or curses such as restlessness. She is generally more powerful at night and much weaker during the day.
Portfolio: Moon. Gibbou is goddess of the moon, or (possibly) moons. The moon is an object of beauty, reflection, admiration and tranquility, lighting up the night for its denizens and offering mortality inspiration for art and thought. The moon’s light functions as a beacon for the fearful and lost, and Gibbou wishes for all who see it to feel safe and peaceful within. Her innate knowledge of celestial objects also grants her great power of influence over objects orbiting Galbar, as well as the creation of these objects. Finally, the moon’s mighty pull on Galbar’s oceans and seas grants Gibbou control over tidal forces.
All these powers, however, ebb and flow with the phases of the moon, being strongest when it’s full and weakest when it’s new.
Their Realm: The Dark Side of the Moon. Gibbou’s home is in a place where even her sister’s light cannot reach. It is a place of eternal night, where the only light to be found is the dim glow of Gibbou’s bioluminescent plants and fungi, which form a great, humid forest here, or the wild eyes of whatever nocturnal beasts may be lurking. Here, various blind animals, fish and insects all roam about as they would on Galbar, rather content about life in a world without vision. At the centre of the woods lies a villa (though one wouldn’t be able to tell by looking - rather, perhaps, by walking into it.). This is Gibbou’s house, a place where she rests during the day and keeps various adopted animals and mortals in eternal, peaceful sleep. Whether these creatures are at her estate willingly, is a question for another time.
Persona: For the most part, Gibbou is a calm and peaceful character, deeply fond of meditation and pondering the great questions of the universe. She enjoys the company of other gods, and frequently goes out of her way to reach out to others to socialise under the stars. She adores all manner of life and keeps a number of gardens in her realm where she grows vibrant fungi and bioluminescent plants. She also adores bats.
Gibbou’s mission, as agreed between her and Oraelia, is to safeguard through the night the life the Sun has provided life to during the day. While Gibbou is generally sweet and gentle in her manners, she puts on a strict, grim visage in the night, seeing herself as a chosen guardian over life from the wickedness lurking in the dark. Because of this, she tends to look upon all non-nocturnal animals who walk out in the night with great suspicion, though it’s not always easy to see the nature of criminals and murderers in the dark.
Much less when one’s observing all the way from the moon.
Base Form:
Gibbou’s base form is humanoid, standing 182cm tall with skin as blue as the twilight sky. Hidden under a mass of dark blue hair appears a smooth, shadowed face with eyes pupiled with moonlight. Her forehead sports a white waxing crescent, down from which runs a bright line which splits into two halfway down her nose and follows her cheekbones into her mass of hair. A similar line begins on her lower lip and traces her chin down her throat, connecting to an array of symbols and lines covering the rest of her dark blue form. She smells vaguely of a chilly evening in the forest.
For clothing, Gibbou wears a long-sleeved overshirt and long trousers, both spun with threads of the blackest night and speckled with lights like the starry sky. Around her head, she dons a crescent crown similar to that of an laurel crown, only fashioned in the light of the moon. She usually wears a small smile, contrasted somewhat by a slight chill to her skin, not quite unlike one one would feel on an evening stroll.
Domain Form: Perhaps ironically, Gibbou’s domain form symbolises everything cruel and wicked about the night. Taken in order to deter aggressors against herself or that which she holds dear, it is the emptiness of a black night, taken by momentarily snuffing out every other source of light except for two burning orbs like bleeding moons, staring her targets down. Gibbou can choose how much she wants to dim the lighting around her, and its effect can in many ways be countered by other gods’ powers.
Avatar: Twilight.
Twilight remembers very little of who he once was. He know he once was something else than the messenger of Gibbou - however, he finds it immensely difficult to remember anything from before he was taken from his home and left to rest at Gibbou’s villa for an eternity - or perhaps not even a minute. All he knows now that he's been awoken and given a divine task, is that he has no intention of completing said task. No matter how much Gibbou requests Twilight to listen to her, he rarely complies, preferring instead to catch up on all the things he missed while he was asleep.
Twilight's well adapted for life in both light and dark, but prefers the night as his eyes never seem to properly adjust to the rays of the sun. He takes the form of a human male, standing 172 centimetres tall in a lean, yet somewhat well-trained body. His clothing is shabby and rough, and basically nothing about him gives off any manner of divine aura, with the possible exception of his uncannily bright blue eyes.
