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== What is Faith? == |
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Faith is devotion to a concept in the most literal sense— concepts, or rather, Divine Titles, are magical ideas that have so much consciousness and sentience that they are capable of bestowing their power to an entity within a realm. Divine Titles apply to specific areas of the general universe and typically do not apply to all scenarios; [[Kinyokar]] is the [[Asla'nir|Asla'nirian]] God of the Sun and holds power over the Asla'nirian Sun, Aeli'tan. Religions are important for a few reasons, beyond the obvious— although it does serve to give people a sense of purpose or faith in a greater power, religion is also capable of granting people new abilities by adhering to the practices of a faith. |
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There were initially twenty-seven primary Gods within the pantheon of Asla'nir who created the world, but with four of them now being believed deceased and one simply choosing to give their full Title to their student, the main pantheon has seen changes over the years. Some, such as Vivek'tir, were outright forgotten and now most believe there to have only been twenty-six major Gods. Many Demigods, Pseudo Gods, and Cults have emerged over the years and it is up to the Demigods and Pseudo Gods to ensure that the world continues to operate in the absence of the Nephi, Abrorik, and Primaeval Gods of the universe. Within Dar'nik, however, there were simply fourteen involved in its creation - with only eight being recognised by the people of Tir'anor in the modern age. |
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Divine Titles, defined simply, are some form of magical essence that surrounds the soul of an individual— although research on those who possess and wield Divine Titles are limited, that on those who worship them is abundant. Divine Titles are distinct for their ties to concepts— someone who possesses a Divine Title embodies a concept and certain Divine Titles are even constricted to certain races, such as those tied to reality. Divine Titles have been proven to be distinct from mortal [[Libellum Magnum Animi|magic]], however, it is believed that all mortal magics are derived from Divine Titles through the dilution of the magics used to make mortals and the universe itself. Divine Titles have been shown to warp those who have them, as the Divine Title will begin to override their sense of individuality from it. Their personality, appearance, or even ideology can be entirely warped as a result of wielding it and those who possess Divine Titles are very distinct in their natures, as their simple presence can be felt, especially older deities. Many encountered by researchers have reported losing memories before their ascension into Godhood. Although the term 'God' can loosely be used for any individual who has a Divine Title, researchers generally apply specific titles depending on the origins of the God in question although many faiths do not care for such labelings. Divine Titles gain boons to those who worship them, granting unique magical abilities, and Divine Titles have distinct properties as well that results in certain magics being entirely constricted to faith, although many magics found to be commonplace amongst the followers of Gods can be more difficultly obtained through many, many years of experience. |
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=== The Effects of Possessing A Divine Title === |
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Whilst most individuals within the world of Asla'nir recognize that the Gods created the world, there are still those who refuse to bow to any of the Gods— which, admittedly, is fair, given that most of the contributions of the primary Gods in the pantheon within past million years to Asla'nir have been incredibly limited since they left a few million years ago. There have been Demigods born to them, certainly, and their descendants have done many notable things, such as [[Enyomirak]] freeing slaves during the Battle of Neora City, negotiating the freedom of slaves with Aleria, and serving as High Queen of [[Aloernarch]]; [[Nethis]] serving as a politician within [[Vasterioth]]; or [[Lennox]] bringing [[Udoxa]] into a golden age, but the Highest themselves have been effectively absentee parents to the world that they created. |
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Divine Titles have been shown to prevent those who have them from aging, although they may still grow larger in the case of certain races— many, however, can control their size and often are handicapped at a certain point depending on their race. In the few studies conducted of those with Divine Titles, even those that could not ordinarily survive places such as [[Udoxa|the Noxus]] can do so, although it is generally not described as a comfortable experience— likewise, although they can still get sick, it rarely lasts as long and their immunity appears to be amplified, as does, to a very limited extent, their natural regeneration, albeit not to such a degree that it is useful in combat. Mortals who were notably far weaker may seem suddenly far stronger. As aforementioned, however, Divine Titles cause irreparable, incontrollable, and sometimes irreversible changes to one's mental state, individuality, and ideology, although changes (especially to appearance) oftentimes diminish slowly upon the relinquishment of one's title. |
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=== Pantheons === |
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This contrasts the Gods of [[Dar'nik]] however— [[Tir'anor]] is actively theocratic and fervent in their worship of the Gods due to the fact that the Dar'nikian pantheon was incredibly active during Dar'nik's existence, creation, and Tir'anor's rescue from the Aberrant threat. Demigods serve as their leaders to this day, in fact, and their entire culture is centred around the recognition and reverence of the Gods. An atheist in Tir'anor is almost unheard of and admittedly, would probably be a social outcast from Tir'anor's very religious peoples. It serves as a strong contrast to Asla'nir, who has a fair number of atheists in comparison. |
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Pantheons are defined as regions that one's Divine Title may apply— it has been proven that individuals may have titles that overlap, whether it be partially or wholly, although the specificity of the region it applies to oftentimes determines where that individual has a domain. For instance, [[Nethis]] has the domain of Death within [[Asla'nir]]— it is their duty to embody Death itself and monitor and maintain Death across Asla'nir. Without Nethis being in charge of Death, individuals would not be able to die correctly and their souls may become trapped within their bodies. Nethis, however, does not govern the Death of other regions and instead, another God would perform such a task. Most Gods seem to have a singular planet that they govern, however, in many cases, they may have multiple planets, especially those that are far older and thus, far more capable of wielding such powers. For instance, many [[Dar'nik|Dar'nikian]] Gods have their Title affecting multiple worlds and because [[Tir'anor]] is Dar'nikian, their Gods generally possess their own domain there, although Nethis has reportedly stated that their presence in Asla'nir has resulted in many Tir'anorians being judged by them as well. This holds questions into the implications of an individual's heritage and planet origin potentially being physically distinct within their soul and thus resulting in such being specifically corresponding to a specific Divine Title. Gods are also generally defined into certain categories that mean different things— quite often, Gods will come in pairs, with certain Titles being met with complementary and/or opposing titles. For example, [[Xanthiah]], the heir of [[Azrael]], is a Demigoddess of Demigoddess of Fate, Destination, and Sacrifice. Her counterpart is [[Lennox]], the Deity of Infinity, Possibilities, and Finality. Together, the two are a pair, known as the Destiny Gods— both are Soul Gods, however, one is a Reality God whereas the other is very clearly a Death God. |
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=== Obtainment === |
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== An Introduction to Divine Titles == |
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Divine Titles generally possess one avatar at any given moment, however, whilst lesser Titles have been proven to be capable of deeming multiple people worthy, this generally has incredibly poor consequences for both wielders, with the end result being a drastic weakening until, potentially, even death. Divine Titles generally are capable of waiting for the correct individual to arise to be the avatar of its power, however, it depends on the concept as to whether or not they are willing to do so— some have been shown to react rather horrifically to their avatars being assassinated or murdered and will wreck havoc upon Asla'nir until they find a proper heir. Divine Titles are either passed on or find an ideal match themselves— Gods can select other individuals and grant their Divine Title to them, however, Divine Titles generally find individuals that they would prefer to pass their Title on to themselves and Titles often run in families or bloodlines as a result. Additionally, Titles can be adjusted and assimilated into one another; a God may choose to abandon a portion of their Title in theory and can pass it on to another individual— should they accept, the portion of the Title in question may be transferred although such an event is rare, as Titles generally do not appreciate being adjusted and an individual must wield considerable potency within their Title to do so. Titles must always be centred around three concepts that overlap in some regard and thus, the other individual will be forced to abandon a portion of their Title, which is often transferred to the person who gave them a portion of their Title. Portions of Titles cannot be given by abandoning 'the rule of three' and a mortal cannot exchange portions of Titles with Gods. |
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So, what makes a God a God? |
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Simply put, that is a Divine Title— a God is a God if it has a Divine Title. Anyone else who claims to be a God is... well, just claiming it. Demigods, Pseudo Gods, Highest, and Lowest alike all have Divine Titles that make them have these 'Godly abilities,' so to speak. Any other so-called 'Divine' or 'Holy' figure is likely leading a Cult, which will be detailed in greater depth later, although nothing really stops them from being a leader of a 'heretical sect' either. |
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=== Devotion === |
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Divine Titles, in their simplest form, are concepts that have the ability to manifest their will through the form of Gods, which serve as Avatars for them. Divine Titles are complex— they can be obtained through two major ways: Inheritance and Ascendance. In order to Inherit a Divine Title, one must be gifted the Title by the previous holder— one can technically 'expand' their Title this way, which will be discussed later— in some shape or form. In order to Ascend to receive a Divine Title, one must instead embody a Divine Title to such a degree that it chooses to latch onto them and grant them its power. This is not always through a good way, either, mind you. For instance, one could obtain the Title of Power by being powerful, but it's not unheard of to obtain it through quite negative, traumatising experiences as well that scar one for life. Titles can also be obtained in multiple ways— one can become a God of Suffering through suffering to such an extreme that suffering is all they know or through making everyone else around them suffer to such an extreme degree. |
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The level of devotion applied to a deity makes a rather remarkable difference on the boons that one will receive from worshipping them. Although periodically praying to a God will offer some benefit, those who truly wish to gain a considerable amount of magic from their worship must devote considerable periods of time to their God. The likes of those higher up in the echelons of their faiths are considerably more potent than most, although those heretical to a God are generally far, far weaker, if not entirely magicless. Those truly devoted to Gods have been shown to have quite unusual magics, as many High Priests are capable of providing limited Oaths to Gods, Anathemas for those who have wronged their Title, and can even sense whether or not another individual has prayed to another God recently or whether or not someone is obeying the commandments of their faith, although this is quite rare and typically found amongst those who have devoted countless Human lifespans to their Gods. |
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=== Oaths === |
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Most individuals are unaware that Gods are not truly Gods, however, simply Avatars and thus worship them as Gods regardless. When one worships a God, they are worshipping a sentient concept, an aspect of magic, and gain power from that concept— the God that they are worshipping, however, can set limits for what garners their power in exchange for worship. For instance, [[Nethis]], the God of Death and Judgement, prohibits anyone from gaining power within their faith by preventing those who have committed True Sins from doing so. Not every God is capable of doing this without a very strong boundary that is easy to define, nor are they inherently strong enough within their Title to perform such a feat unless they are a particularly older God. Even then, some are not particularly capable of repelling false worshippers of their ideology from obtaining their power, as seen with [[Tyrea]], where heretics still were capable of garnering abilities from worshipping her. |
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Oaths are special boons gifted to an individual who pledges an Oath to a God— they can be performed in the name of the God by a High Priest or rarely a Priest, however, the strongest Oaths are provided by those who are amongst the most devoted of worshippers to a God or said God. Oaths are not always related to the God's Title and when that occurs, they do not provide any benefit generally. What the individual sacrifices in exchange for the Oath determines how strong the boons are and what an individual might receive in response— to go against the Oath risks the God's wrath and results in the individual gaining an Anathema, be it temporary or permanent with varying severity depending on the grievance. |
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=== Anathema === |
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When a God dies, however, their Divine Title remains— followers can gain minor abilities from worshipping a God in their death, but most of this is the result of having practised and earned these abilities through worshipping them before their death. In most cases, new followers, as well as those who were not particularly devout, are forced to find worship in the new wielder of that Divine Title in order to maintain the blessings granted by the Divine Title. |
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Anathema are similar to Oaths, but distinctly separate. Classified as a type of [[Curse]], Anathema have been noted to be capable of warping the body, mind, heart, or magic of an individual at their worst or minorly inconveniencing them at their best. Anathema cannot be produced without a reason— they must fall within the domain of the God and the individual must have somehow done something to scorn said God in such a manner that they would be cursed at all. Examples of Anathemas throughout history include [[N'ghora]] supposedly cursing a man to mutate horrifically in response to him assaulting her and [[Sseth'ak]] cursing [[Goketsu]], the World Tree of [[Karitai]] to provide fertility only when blood was spilt across its soil. |
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=== Prayers === |
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== Wielding a Divine Title == |
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Individuals can make prayers to Gods as a show of devotion. The more intensive and frequent the prayers are, the more they generally have to offer, although leaving offerings for Gods is generally seen as a greater show of devotion. Gods have reported being able to hear prayers if they listen for them, however, generally, it is believed that Divine Titles are more attentive of them than their avatars. Although such statements are not inherently factual nor proven, many have reported a God or a force of some kind providing them with a momentary blessing or gift in exchange for making prayers at the most crucial of times— some claim [[Selira]] or [[Fyjra]] to have healed them after grievously wounded, whereas others claim that [[Nethis]] and [[Vastar]] prevented them or someone they know from dying long enough to save another. |
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Not all individuals with Divine Titles are aware they have them— Salvia of the Amuery Clan possesses one, but since she obtained it so recently, she is entirely unaware of it and no one worships her anyway— and some individuals with them refuse to be called Gods nor acknowledge that they are one to begin with, such as [[Lennox]]. Divine Titles have the intriguing quality of warping individuals who receive them over time - if they didn't embody the concept beforehand well enough, they certainly will after several thousand years and most individuals who have Divine Titles describe them as being remarkably insufferable. As mentioned earlier, Divine Titles are not always a good thing to obtain, nor do they come through good means— becoming the God of Suffering is actually quite terrible for a few reasons, in fact, as hinted at earlier. |
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=== Blessings === |
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Being warped into becoming the Avatar of a Divine Title is actually not a blessing at all, nor a particularly fun fate. Divine Titles are known for inducing general suffering in those who possess them. A God of Suffering begins to feel the suffering of all around them, a God of the Earth begins to feel the weight of Asla'nir come crashing down on their spine, and a God of Possibilities begins to witness all that there is, has been, and ever will be until it drives them mad. Whilst it might come with power, that power has a cost, as described in the Ancient Tome— there is no such thing as a free power-up and this particular power-up is quite miserable. Beyond this, of course, there are the duties attributed with being a God, such as defending the planet, maintaining the tasks provided with your Title, so on and so forth. For instance, [[Enyomirak]] is required to carefully restrain most natural disasters and only allow those that will benefit the nature within that region to unfold. |
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High Priests and Gods are capable of blessing items or, rarely, entities. These blessings can entail many things but almost always come at a cost— for example, a blessing by the High Priestess of the Goddess [[Za'hika]] can result in an entire field of crops overproducing large, delicious food, however, they will die as a result inevitably. Many Gods are said to have blessed various objects and even the likes of [[World Tree|World Trees]], with [[Isold'ekir]] reportedly having blessed [[D'akkhfal]] and [[Alyriana]] having blessed [[Balora]]. Most, however, are not capable of blessing sapient entities or even fully sentient ones— only Gods have ever been reported to do so to any particular success, although, typically, usually this is documented in the likes of folk tales and mythology, not true history. |
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=== Commandments === |
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Gods are capable of setting certain commandments into place— these are capable of limiting one's access to the magics provided by their Divine Title through worship, however, it has been noted that Gods who are far from their domains have weakened power over this. This generally entails that there can be heretical sects of Gods, however, the members of these sects are far more weakened in their boons from those approved of by the God. Commandments are generally applicable based on the title of the God in question and some commandments are flexible, albeit not always— [[Nethis]] commands that those who follow them not commit a [[True Sin]] lest they lose access to their boons, but [[Selira]] commands that her followers only kill when necessary. |
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Divine Titles fall into categories, more often than not. For instance, there are a wide variety of Death Gods, but whether or not they are a [[Nethis|God of Judgement]] or a [[Xanthiah|God of Destination]] makes a complete difference in what they stand for. A Divine Title can also fall into more than one category as well— take, for instance, the two opposing forces of [[Lennox]] and [[Xanthiah]], the 'Finale' Gods - both are Soul Gods, without a doubt, but Xanthiah falls underneath the Death God category much like her family, given her role as a Goddess of Destination and Lennox falls underneath the Reality God category alongside the likes of their parents, given their role as the Deity of Infinite Possibilities. These are both instances of Gods inheriting their abilities from other Gods and whilst they are opposing forces, they still have different categories all the same. |
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Most Gods have a multi-faceted Title - essentially meaning that most Gods rule over roughly three things or more, but the more things they rule over, the less power they have within one aspect of their Title. One of those aspects of that Title is also their primary aspect. For instance, [[Enyomirak]] is the Goddess of Power, Destruction, and Natural Disasters. Whilst Enyomirak is a Power Goddess, her speciality is Destruction. Whilst Gods generally do not overlap in their specialities within a pantheon, Gods may overlap in their 'associations' or the other aspects of their title. [[Arikar]] has a minor association with sexuality and [[Ki]] has a strong association with sexuality, but despite that, their Titles are very different - Arikar is a War Goddess and Ki is an Emotion God. |
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Divine Titles have always been defined in [[Asla'nir]] as being singular until the introduction of the [[Dar'nik|Dar'nikian]] pantheon: There is one God of the Underworld, there is one God of the Sun, but what happens when there isn't? Simply put, multiple individuals can embody a singular concept, but they do it in different ways. [[Kinyokar]] and [[Ma'atdara]] might both be Sun Gods, but they still rule over different Suns. [[Cer'berik]] and [[Nethis]] are both Gods of the Underworld according to those who worship them, but they served entirely different groups of individuals until recently— now, they both see [[The Empire of Tir'anor|Tir'anorians]]. Admittedly, Divine Titles are actually usually quite singular within a single world— Enyomirak is the Goddess of Power and Destruction. No one else can be because Enyomirak is still serving this role for Asla'nir. Divine Titles are granted in order to fulfil a role for some section of the universe, for one pantheon. Speaking of which... what is a pantheon? |
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== Pantheon == |
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Pantheons are generally defined by a group of Gods serving over a specific region or being within a certain group of fellow Gods— the Asla'nirian Pantheon held domain over [[Asla'nir]] and the Dar'nikian Pantheon held domain over [[Dar'nik]]. Despite that, these titles are entirely given to these pantheons in question by the individuals worshipping them. In reality, they were both groups of friends who decided to strike out from the Eternal Conflict and create worlds to get away from it all— only to then be drawn back into this ceaseless battle all the same. Gods within a pantheon cannot have overlapping Titles but Gods from other pantheons technically can. |
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Pantheons, whilst not always, are usually headed by one or two Gods— if not within the main group, then most certainly within the categories of the Gods. [[Nethis]] leads the various Death Gods, for instance— this is due to their Title being greater over Death than the others and perhaps due to the fact that they are the oldest God currently on Asla'nir. It is not unheard of for a God to hold a stronger grasp over a category than other Gods within a pantheon and this grasp can be expanded by being granted a Title, most certainly. For instance, Vastar was the major God of Death within Asla'nir until he decided he wanted to retire and spend more time with his wife after the fate of his children— he passed it along to his student, Nethis, who now serves in his stead. It is very common for lesser Gods to serve more major Gods and seek out their tutelage— this is what younger Nephi do with older Nephi and it is reflected very much in the same way with the Abrorik. When the God with the most power over a category decides to step down, they pass along their task to another— it is simply a natural part of an Inheritance seen within any other job, somewhere along the lines of kids inheriting the family business. |
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== Types of Gods == |
== Types of Gods == |
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== Cults == |
== Cults == |
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⚫ | Those who claim to be Gods or follow a God that does not feature a Divine Title are generally classified under the term Cult— not all Cults are bad, nor are they inherently good. A Cult is merely a religion that either lacks a figurehead with a Divine Title or does not follow anyone who possesses a Divine Title. As such, they are run entirely by mortals who have no inherent power. Followings of dead Gods tend to get labelled here as well, as do religions that focus on spirits or spiritualism without inherent Deity worship. Cults are distinguished from other Faiths in that they provide no actual magic whatsoever— heretical sects that completely defy that which the God has instated may also fall under here, but some of those still are capable of granting magical power and thus are not Cults, as the basis of their commandments is not inherently defiant, but what it permits is essentially spitting in the God's face, as seen with the Order of Light, which technically falls under what would be permissible by [[Tyrea]]'s control over her Divine Title, except for the crucial detail where the laws that it forces its followers to obey allows for slavery. |
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So what about those that claim to be Gods that are not Gods? |
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⚫ | Those are generally classified under the term Cult— not all Cults are bad, nor are they inherently good. A Cult is merely a religion that either lacks a figurehead with a Divine Title or does not follow anyone who possesses a Divine Title. As such, they are run entirely by mortals who have no inherent power. Followings of dead Gods tend to get labelled here as well, as do religions that focus on spirits or spiritualism without inherent Deity worship. Cults are distinguished from other Faiths in that they provide no actual magic whatsoever— heretical sects that completely defy that which the God has instated may also fall under here, but some of those still are capable of granting magical power and thus are not Cults, as the basis of their commandments is not inherently defiant, but what it permits is essentially spitting in the God's face, as seen with the Order of Light, which technically falls under what would be permissible by [[Tyrea]]'s control over her Divine Title, except for the crucial detail where the laws that it forces its followers to obey allows for slavery. |
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Gods can only do so much, sometimes, in those cases. |
Gods can only do so much, sometimes, in those cases. |
Revision as of 02:35, 24 August 2023
Divine Titles
Divine Titles, defined simply, are some form of magical essence that surrounds the soul of an individual— although research on those who possess and wield Divine Titles are limited, that on those who worship them is abundant. Divine Titles are distinct for their ties to concepts— someone who possesses a Divine Title embodies a concept and certain Divine Titles are even constricted to certain races, such as those tied to reality. Divine Titles have been proven to be distinct from mortal magic, however, it is believed that all mortal magics are derived from Divine Titles through the dilution of the magics used to make mortals and the universe itself. Divine Titles have been shown to warp those who have them, as the Divine Title will begin to override their sense of individuality from it. Their personality, appearance, or even ideology can be entirely warped as a result of wielding it and those who possess Divine Titles are very distinct in their natures, as their simple presence can be felt, especially older deities. Many encountered by researchers have reported losing memories before their ascension into Godhood. Although the term 'God' can loosely be used for any individual who has a Divine Title, researchers generally apply specific titles depending on the origins of the God in question although many faiths do not care for such labelings. Divine Titles gain boons to those who worship them, granting unique magical abilities, and Divine Titles have distinct properties as well that results in certain magics being entirely constricted to faith, although many magics found to be commonplace amongst the followers of Gods can be more difficultly obtained through many, many years of experience.
The Effects of Possessing A Divine Title
Divine Titles have been shown to prevent those who have them from aging, although they may still grow larger in the case of certain races— many, however, can control their size and often are handicapped at a certain point depending on their race. In the few studies conducted of those with Divine Titles, even those that could not ordinarily survive places such as the Noxus can do so, although it is generally not described as a comfortable experience— likewise, although they can still get sick, it rarely lasts as long and their immunity appears to be amplified, as does, to a very limited extent, their natural regeneration, albeit not to such a degree that it is useful in combat. Mortals who were notably far weaker may seem suddenly far stronger. As aforementioned, however, Divine Titles cause irreparable, incontrollable, and sometimes irreversible changes to one's mental state, individuality, and ideology, although changes (especially to appearance) oftentimes diminish slowly upon the relinquishment of one's title.
Pantheons
Pantheons are defined as regions that one's Divine Title may apply— it has been proven that individuals may have titles that overlap, whether it be partially or wholly, although the specificity of the region it applies to oftentimes determines where that individual has a domain. For instance, Nethis has the domain of Death within Asla'nir— it is their duty to embody Death itself and monitor and maintain Death across Asla'nir. Without Nethis being in charge of Death, individuals would not be able to die correctly and their souls may become trapped within their bodies. Nethis, however, does not govern the Death of other regions and instead, another God would perform such a task. Most Gods seem to have a singular planet that they govern, however, in many cases, they may have multiple planets, especially those that are far older and thus, far more capable of wielding such powers. For instance, many Dar'nikian Gods have their Title affecting multiple worlds and because Tir'anor is Dar'nikian, their Gods generally possess their own domain there, although Nethis has reportedly stated that their presence in Asla'nir has resulted in many Tir'anorians being judged by them as well. This holds questions into the implications of an individual's heritage and planet origin potentially being physically distinct within their soul and thus resulting in such being specifically corresponding to a specific Divine Title. Gods are also generally defined into certain categories that mean different things— quite often, Gods will come in pairs, with certain Titles being met with complementary and/or opposing titles. For example, Xanthiah, the heir of Azrael, is a Demigoddess of Demigoddess of Fate, Destination, and Sacrifice. Her counterpart is Lennox, the Deity of Infinity, Possibilities, and Finality. Together, the two are a pair, known as the Destiny Gods— both are Soul Gods, however, one is a Reality God whereas the other is very clearly a Death God.
Obtainment
Divine Titles generally possess one avatar at any given moment, however, whilst lesser Titles have been proven to be capable of deeming multiple people worthy, this generally has incredibly poor consequences for both wielders, with the end result being a drastic weakening until, potentially, even death. Divine Titles generally are capable of waiting for the correct individual to arise to be the avatar of its power, however, it depends on the concept as to whether or not they are willing to do so— some have been shown to react rather horrifically to their avatars being assassinated or murdered and will wreck havoc upon Asla'nir until they find a proper heir. Divine Titles are either passed on or find an ideal match themselves— Gods can select other individuals and grant their Divine Title to them, however, Divine Titles generally find individuals that they would prefer to pass their Title on to themselves and Titles often run in families or bloodlines as a result. Additionally, Titles can be adjusted and assimilated into one another; a God may choose to abandon a portion of their Title in theory and can pass it on to another individual— should they accept, the portion of the Title in question may be transferred although such an event is rare, as Titles generally do not appreciate being adjusted and an individual must wield considerable potency within their Title to do so. Titles must always be centred around three concepts that overlap in some regard and thus, the other individual will be forced to abandon a portion of their Title, which is often transferred to the person who gave them a portion of their Title. Portions of Titles cannot be given by abandoning 'the rule of three' and a mortal cannot exchange portions of Titles with Gods.
Devotion
The level of devotion applied to a deity makes a rather remarkable difference on the boons that one will receive from worshipping them. Although periodically praying to a God will offer some benefit, those who truly wish to gain a considerable amount of magic from their worship must devote considerable periods of time to their God. The likes of those higher up in the echelons of their faiths are considerably more potent than most, although those heretical to a God are generally far, far weaker, if not entirely magicless. Those truly devoted to Gods have been shown to have quite unusual magics, as many High Priests are capable of providing limited Oaths to Gods, Anathemas for those who have wronged their Title, and can even sense whether or not another individual has prayed to another God recently or whether or not someone is obeying the commandments of their faith, although this is quite rare and typically found amongst those who have devoted countless Human lifespans to their Gods.
Oaths
Oaths are special boons gifted to an individual who pledges an Oath to a God— they can be performed in the name of the God by a High Priest or rarely a Priest, however, the strongest Oaths are provided by those who are amongst the most devoted of worshippers to a God or said God. Oaths are not always related to the God's Title and when that occurs, they do not provide any benefit generally. What the individual sacrifices in exchange for the Oath determines how strong the boons are and what an individual might receive in response— to go against the Oath risks the God's wrath and results in the individual gaining an Anathema, be it temporary or permanent with varying severity depending on the grievance.
Anathema
Anathema are similar to Oaths, but distinctly separate. Classified as a type of Curse, Anathema have been noted to be capable of warping the body, mind, heart, or magic of an individual at their worst or minorly inconveniencing them at their best. Anathema cannot be produced without a reason— they must fall within the domain of the God and the individual must have somehow done something to scorn said God in such a manner that they would be cursed at all. Examples of Anathemas throughout history include N'ghora supposedly cursing a man to mutate horrifically in response to him assaulting her and Sseth'ak cursing Goketsu, the World Tree of Karitai to provide fertility only when blood was spilt across its soil.
Prayers
Individuals can make prayers to Gods as a show of devotion. The more intensive and frequent the prayers are, the more they generally have to offer, although leaving offerings for Gods is generally seen as a greater show of devotion. Gods have reported being able to hear prayers if they listen for them, however, generally, it is believed that Divine Titles are more attentive of them than their avatars. Although such statements are not inherently factual nor proven, many have reported a God or a force of some kind providing them with a momentary blessing or gift in exchange for making prayers at the most crucial of times— some claim Selira or Fyjra to have healed them after grievously wounded, whereas others claim that Nethis and Vastar prevented them or someone they know from dying long enough to save another.
Blessings
High Priests and Gods are capable of blessing items or, rarely, entities. These blessings can entail many things but almost always come at a cost— for example, a blessing by the High Priestess of the Goddess Za'hika can result in an entire field of crops overproducing large, delicious food, however, they will die as a result inevitably. Many Gods are said to have blessed various objects and even the likes of World Trees, with Isold'ekir reportedly having blessed D'akkhfal and Alyriana having blessed Balora. Most, however, are not capable of blessing sapient entities or even fully sentient ones— only Gods have ever been reported to do so to any particular success, although, typically, usually this is documented in the likes of folk tales and mythology, not true history.
Commandments
Gods are capable of setting certain commandments into place— these are capable of limiting one's access to the magics provided by their Divine Title through worship, however, it has been noted that Gods who are far from their domains have weakened power over this. This generally entails that there can be heretical sects of Gods, however, the members of these sects are far more weakened in their boons from those approved of by the God. Commandments are generally applicable based on the title of the God in question and some commandments are flexible, albeit not always— Nethis commands that those who follow them not commit a True Sin lest they lose access to their boons, but Selira commands that her followers only kill when necessary.
Types of Gods
Highest and Lowest
Highest and Lowest are generally defined as far older Gods than the ones seen in Asla'nir that serve as the parents to many of the ones actively seen within the world— Highest are typically Nephi, such as Adonius, Ireakh, Akharic'tl, Zinaka, etcetera and Lowest are typically Abrorik, such as G'hira, Ekid'rak, Qira'tok, Khon'metzu, etcetera. Highest are defined as Gods that originate from the Higher Planes and Lowest are defined as Gods that originate from the Lower Depths. Despite that, there are some Nephi that still serve as Lower Depths Gods despite Nephi being innately attributed to the Higher Planes, such as many Death Gods like Cer'berik and Nethis. In fact, Death Gods are typically not Abrorik at all— most seen within and discussed about within Asla'nir are from the Syrekkus bloodline, such as Vastar, Azrael, Xanthiah, and Ouroborus. These are the so-called 'absentee parents' of Asla'nir as referenced earlier— most Highest and Lowest do not actively interfere in day-to-day matters within Asla'nir, although the Abrorik still tend to their Eldritch Tribes.
Demigods
Demigods are individuals who have Divine origins— either they were created by a Highest or Lowest or are directly descended from one, generally up until the God in question is a grandparent. It turns out, being 1/16th God doesn't normally qualify for this category. Demigods do not always have Divine Titles— there have been multiple throughout history who have not, such as Anais, the Crimson Vanguard, daughter of G'hira. Most Demigods, Divine Title or not, have the innate quality of being ageless and highly resistant to disease, as well as generally stronger than their typical kin, but notably feature the race of their non-Divine parent. Demigods are quite prone to developing Divine Titles, even if it takes them millions of years, perhaps because they are generally innately skilled within an aspect similar to their parents, but generally because when their parent dies, they end up Inheriting their Title. There are a few individuals who have received Divine Titles who have minimal following within Asla'nir and thus are not within the wiki.
Psuedo Gods
Called Pseudo Gods due to the fact that they have absolutely or rather minimal Divine parentage, these individuals were originally non-Divine and ended up with a Divine Title somehow. They're generally not recognised as Gods for a bit longer than most other Gods, but most individuals, in general, take thousands of years to be recognised as Gods anyway, even with a notable Divine Title. Some individuals will not recognise them as a proper God, even if these individuals could probably punt them into a wall regardless. Pseudo Gods develop qualities of Demigods - they are ageless and highly resistant to disease, as well as generally stronger than their typical kin.
Forsaken Gods
A generalised category that applies to a wide multitude of Gods, there are three primary categories found within this section: Deceased Gods, which applies to any entity with a Divine Title who has perished and thus by proxy lost their Title; Deserted Gods, those who have completely abandoned their Title and passed it off to someone else; and the Forgotten or the Inactive, Gods so ancient that they have been almost entirely lost to time and have no real religious influence on the world in the modern day by any stretch of the means. Worshipping almost any of these Gods provides such a minimal amount of power that one would find themselves practically on par with worshipping a cult— the longer a God has been Forsaken, the more that a worshipper’s gifts will wither away. After a certain point, there is hardly any point to worshipping them as they are long gone. The only exception to this rule are Forgotten Gods or Inactive Gods, whose power lingers, albeit generally weaker than a God who has active presence within the mortal plane☺ their worshippers are so slim in number, however, that this hardly matters.
Cults
Those who claim to be Gods or follow a God that does not feature a Divine Title are generally classified under the term Cult— not all Cults are bad, nor are they inherently good. A Cult is merely a religion that either lacks a figurehead with a Divine Title or does not follow anyone who possesses a Divine Title. As such, they are run entirely by mortals who have no inherent power. Followings of dead Gods tend to get labelled here as well, as do religions that focus on spirits or spiritualism without inherent Deity worship. Cults are distinguished from other Faiths in that they provide no actual magic whatsoever— heretical sects that completely defy that which the God has instated may also fall under here, but some of those still are capable of granting magical power and thus are not Cults, as the basis of their commandments is not inherently defiant, but what it permits is essentially spitting in the God's face, as seen with the Order of Light, which technically falls under what would be permissible by Tyrea's control over her Divine Title, except for the crucial detail where the laws that it forces its followers to obey allows for slavery.
Gods can only do so much, sometimes, in those cases.
Divine Species
Nephi
The Gods most recognised within the world of Asla'nir that compose half the major pantheon and almost the entirety of the Dar'nikian pantheon, Nephi are described as entities composed entirely of light so bright that it can eternally blind someone. Nephi are said to have been incredibly large naturally, given the buildings they constructed, but compacted themselves to interact with others, much like how they took the shape of other races instead, to not blind anyone they communicate with that is not Divine. Cambions and Celestials can trace their origins back to them and most Celestials claim that they are nigh Nephi themselves (although they are incredibly inaccurate). Admittedly, most individuals who see what an Asla'nirian Nephi would typically take the form of would recognise them to be more similar to a Cambion in appearance, but Nephi can take any shape— be it an animal or some other sapient race. Nephi are described as typically taking the form of humanoids with multiple sets of primarily feathered wings that are in various hues of colours, generally with at least one set of horns and some form of a ring referred to as a halo centring around their head. No Cambion nor Celestial can resemble this in any shape— neither have coloured feathered wings nor do they feature halos as Nephi do. Ancient Cambions and Celestials, however, look far more similar to them in appearance and wield magic and possess physicality more on par with the Nephi. Dar'nikian Nephi were known for taking more bestial shapes, but the similarities in form remain. Nephi originate from the Higher Planes, although some reside in the Lower Depths. All Nephi are associated with Sacrum Deum.
Abrorik
Composing roughly half of the Asla'nirian pantheon, the Abrorik, sometimes referred to as the 'Eldritch Gods' are said to have created the first Eldritch— most claim that this was a group of Nephi who made the mistake of intruding too far into Ekid'rak's territory, but whatever the case, most Eldritch revere them, as well as serve underneath them within Gnaiih. Abrorik are said to take convoluted shapes that would drive anyone mad by simply gazing upon them, with their true forms being large enough to rival Nephi, if not larger. Despite that, Abrorik were also known for taking on mortal shapes to avoid harming those on Asla'nir— typically in the form of their Eldritch kin, but sometimes in the shape of other races as well. Due to the wide variety in what shape Abrorik take, there is no definitive blanket statement, however, most were noted for their aura and presence— as if there was something off or eerie about them, on a far grander scale than just a typical Abomination taking a shape. Abrorik almost entirely originate from the Lower Depths and are associated with Vis Stellae.
Primaeval
Although merely spoken of in hushed whispers and barely understood, Primaevals are not common on Asla'nir, nor within the known universe— their terrible might has only been witnessed by a select few and their power is incomprehensible. Primaevals are the only Gods to wield reality as though it were nothing more than clay and they bear the power of Spatium Tempus. Primaevals are not common on Asla'nir and there is believed to be a singular one remaining. Primaevals are generally described by the few Gods that the writers of the Encyclopedia Ultimatus have managed to interview as universal and those who wield the magics of reality itself. Still, given their almost non-existent presence on Asla'nir and their primary containment to Udoxa, most are unfamiliar with Primaevals and those who worship them are slim in number. They are described as taking on the form of 'great beasts' and some of the most ancient Abrorik and Nephi claim that the Primaevals themselves produced the planets and Divine races within the known universe. Still, it is believed that their rarity is explained by their inability to linger for too long on the mortal plane without some sort of special assistance.
Asla'nirian Nephi
Regarded as many as 'absentee parents,' there were originally twelve major Asla'nirian Nephi, but in the modern era, only ten still hold their Divine Title due to the death of Adonius and the retiring of Vastar. Asla'nirian Nephi are entirely absent from the everyday lives of Asla'nirians and spend the bulk of their effort and time on the Eternal Conflict, rather than actually paying much mind to their creations. Despite that, they are by far the most popular Gods within Asla'nir and are worshipped by almost the entire population with the exception of those found in Tir'anor. Splintered apart by civil war, most Asla'nirian Nephi do not communicate with one another during the modern era. Certain Nephi, however, are very active within the world of Asla'nir, such as Nethis and Nasrin, and some partake on a more distant scale— Fyjra reincarnates the dead so that new life can be born whereas Vastar manages the Underworld.
Active Gods
Alyriana, Goddess of Knowledge, Wisdom, and Will.
Arikar, Goddess of Strategy, Victory, and Courage.
Fyjra, Goddess of the Nature, Reincarnation, and Adaptation.
Ireakh, Goddess of Creativity, Craftsmanship, and Ingenuity.
Iro, Deity of Chaos, Ambition, and Trickery.
Ki, God of Emotions, Sexuality, and Love.
Kinyokar, God of the Sun, Fertility, and Day.
Nasrin, Deity of Rejuvenation, Resurrection, and Repentance.
Nethis, Deity of Judgement, Vengeance, and Death.
Selira, Goddess of the Moon, Witchcraft, and Night.
Sseth'ak, God of the Hunt, Betrayal, and Blood.
Tyrea, Goddess of Order, Law, and Justice.
Vastar, God of the Underworld, Funerals, and the Dead.
Deceased Gods
Adonius, God of Strength, Bravery, and Rage.
Azrael, Goddess of Fate, Destination, and Sacrifice.
Asla'nirian Abrorik
Unlike Asla'nirian Nephi, Asla'nirian Abrorik pay quite a bit of mind to Asla'nir, but generally do not directly reside within Asla'nir itself. Instead, most Asla'nirian Abrorik tend to their Eldritch Hives within isolated pocket dimensions within the Void. Asla'nirian Abrorik, although they have made a large impact upon Asla'nir in the same way that Asla'nirian Nephi have, they are generally not worshipped by most Asla'nirians and are generally localised to Udoxa and the Eldritch peoples with few exceptions, such as G'hira. Some are remarkably involved with Asla'nir, such as Lho'ghrim, who maintains the entire Mindseer Race, but some are not nearly as involved.
Active Gods
Chthk'tik, God of Pestilence, Rot, and Resilience.
Ehyei'ahloi, Goddess of Perception, Boundaries, and Trauma.
Ekid'rak, Goddess of the Preternatural, the Abyss, and the Void.
G'hira, Goddess of the Depths, Beauty, and Wrath.
Ja'kor, God of War, Honour, and Valiance.
Kor'akan, God of Deprivation, Famine, and Persistence.
Lho'grim, God of Authority, Control, and Unity.
N'ghora, Goddess of Corruption, Overgrowth, and Manipulation.
Qir'atok, God of the Heavens, the Hearth, and the Stars.
Shogg'aka, Goddess of Terror, the Unknown, and Overcomance.
Xi'logoth, God of Sin, Guilt, and Grief.
Za'hika, Goddess of Hedonism, Pleasure, and Excess.
Deceased Gods
Ahun'eog, God of Authority, Control, and Unity.
Primaeval Gods
There are very few Primaeval Gods within the history of Asla'nir, with only two serving as major figureheads within the Asla'nirian Pantheon due to Vivek'tir's death resulting in him becoming forgotten by history. Primaevals and their children are the only Gods truly powerful enough to create the likes of immense celestial bodies such as those seen with worlds, or, in the very least, are the main individuals who know how to produce such creations. It is reasonable to attribute both Dar'nik and Asla'nir to their creation, as although Dar'nik was created after Isolde's death, it was through his teachings that one of his children, Akharic'tl was capable of producing Dar'nik. That being said, most Primaeval feature very little intrigue in mortal affairs— most are not even part of the Eternal Conflict, for that matter. It is reasonable to assume that no additional Primaevals will become interested in Asla'nir within the future. Beyond Lennox and Vivek'tir, however, the location of the other Primaeval Gods are uncertain— Vivek'tir has been confirmed to be deceased and whilst Isold'ekir was slain and Ma'akali has been missing, their worshippers are still very capable of wielding their power as if they were alive, as slim as they are.
Active Gods
Lennox, Deity of Infinity, Possibilities, and Finality.
Inactive Gods
Isold'ekir, God of Space, Creation, and Advancement.
Ma'akali, Goddess of Time, Destruction, and Progression.
Deceased Gods
Vivek'tir, God of Infinity, Possibilities, and Finality.
Asla'nirian Demigods
Those who are related to an Abrorik, Primaeval, or Nephi, yet are half-mortal are referred to as Demigods— although Tir’anorians have a specific term for their Demigods, Asla’nir has nothing of the sort. Many Demigods are active in participating within their communities or in servitude of Asla’nir due to their mortal ties. Their origins vary, as does their heritage, but one thing is certain— they are respectable and powerful regardless of their mortal origins. Although most are not on par with actual Nephi, Abrorik, or Primaeval, they remain notable all the same and are powerful reminders of the Gods’ original involvement with Asla’nir.
Active Demigods
Basajarau, Demigod of Strength, Protection, and Beasts.
Daidara, Demigod of Earth, Patience, and Endurance.
Enyomirak, Demigoddess of Power, Natural Disasters, and Destruction.
Long Gui, Demigod of Dawn, Progeny, and Regality.
Nex, Demigoddess of Guidance, Spirits, and Fearlessness.
Phtoh'kraoy, Demigods of Duality, Impulsivity, and Metamorphosis.
Xanthiah, Demigoddess of Fate, Destination, and Sacrifice.
Inactive Demigods
Drakara, Demigoddess of Violence, Outrage, and Rancour.
Deceased Demigods
Nazsara, Demigoddess of Suffering, Anguish, and Falsities.
The Dar'nikian Pantheon
The Dar'nikian Pantheon is exclusive to the previous inhabitants of Dar'nik and the people of Tir'anor— although their titles may seem similar to many Gods of Asla'nir, they primarily affected the Dar'nikian Empire. Now that it is destroyed, many of these Gods have diminished Titles as a result of the loss of their worlds, suns, and moons. Despite that, the Dar'nikian Pantheon has always been incredibly invested in their creations and has actively involved themselves in their everyday lives, even now, post-Dar'nikian destruction. Although they feature eight major Gods, there are a variety of lesser Gods that are still valued just as much, albeit not inherently as involved within their politics.
Active Nephi
Akharic'tl, Goddess of Creativity, Innovation, and Outer Space.
Alyr'kri, Goddess of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Wit.
Cer'berik, Gods of the Underworld, Trinity, and Death.
Ma'atdara, Goddess of the Light, Oaths, and Justice.
Zinaka, Goddess of Nature, Mercy, and Healing.
Active Abrorik
Khon'metzu, God of the Night, Mana, and Satellites.
Tia'mir, God of War, the Hunt, and Beasts.
Teo'lankh, Goddess of Destination, Cunning, and the Arcane.
Ziohän, the God of the Heavens, Air, and Trickery.
Dar'nikian Demigods
The bulk of the Dar'nikian Divine, Dar'nikian Demigods, sometimes called 'Living Gods' are crucial members of Tir'anorian society. For the entirety of the span of the Dar'nikian Empire, Dar'nikian Demigods have been the leaders of Dar'nikian society, both politically and religiously. Referred to as 'Gods on earth,' in reference to their physical presence within the mortal realm, these individuals are Demigods of the Dar'nikian Pantheon who serve their people in every sense of the word— they create laws, serve as government workers, lead religious practices, and protect the people of Tir'anor from all who would seek to harm them.
Active Living Gods
Arsinoe'heka, Living God of Dimensions, Celestial Bodies, and Magitech.
Psuedo Gods
Psuedo Gods bound to Asla'nir or Dar'nik, these individuals were not initially Divine, much like other Psuedo Gods, and are specifically attributed to the Asla'nirian peoples. Although they have varying origins, they came to embody their titles and thus became Divine or were granted their title by a God of some sort. Asla'nirian Psuedo Gods generally do not take up major roles within the pantheon but do have some effect on Asla'nir, even if their followings are typically quite small and minor in nature.
Active Asla'nirian Psuedo Gods
Drn’kadishtu, Mindseer Psuedo Deity of Liberation, Freedom, and Truth.
Vespera, Daiesthai Pseudo God of Desire, Aspiration, and Attraction.
Credit
Primarily contributed by FallenArkhein#9181.
Original concept by FallenArkhein#9181.