Gods and Powers
Gods and Great Powers
(commonly known as Gods, but also known as Celestials, Eternals, or Divinities)
Gods are the greatest of the immortal beings and most have existed from the very beginning of the present universe, and predate all mortals by an immeasurable time. The DQ universe, and most of the things in it, was created through the actions of various Gods.
Following a devastating war amongst the Gods when the universe was newly formed - a war that saw the destruction of many material planes, and Gods alike - the remaining Great Powers made a solemn covenant that they would never again make war on one another directly. Respect for the Covenant is an issue on which the Gods’ attitudes do differ, some will never willingly disobey it, while others will do everything except defy it openly.
Most Gods have a specific sphere of interest and influence, which defines their powers and often indicates their personalities. Some Gods are concerned with particular animals, objects or concepts, and have few interests outside of these, whilst others have more wide-ranging goals and ambitions. The Gods vary widely in their natures, ranging from concepts and stances that mortals would call ethical and good, through to the blackest evil. There are various hierarchies and groupings (often referred to as pantheons), amongst the Gods, and they use many different minions.
The Great Powers are in many ways similar to the Lesser Powers but with two important differences:
- Gods very seldom send Avatars into the material worlds, preferring instead to work through more subtle means such as visions and prophecies. Some do use mortal Agents, but although appeals to the Gods can be made via Invocations they very seldom offer much in the way of direct aid. Some even have Lesser Powers as favoured servants to do their more direct bidding.
- The power of Gods is in some way influenced by the quantity and faith of their mortal worshipers, although little is known about this process even by the most learned sages, and unsurprisingly little information is forthcoming from the Gods themselves.
Several pseudo-historical pantheons are already known to exist on Alusia; Norse, Celtic, and Greek. The Norse have been used as the Gods of both the people of the Norden lands of Western Alusia. Some GMs have used the Celtic gods for the Elven peoples, and the Greek pantheon has been encountered on Thunor (the Mars analogue world) as well as other places.
Old Gods
Lesser Powers
(also known as Daimons, Daemons, Immortals, or Deva)
Since the creation of the material universe, various Lesser Powers have come into being. The Lesser Powers exist on spirit-planes adjacent to the material world (or a group of such worlds), and can under suitable conditions, extend their presence into the mortal worlds through Avatars (corporeal representations), and various incorporeal methods, such as dreams and visions.
Their interests intersect with the Alusian plane in unpredictable and often surprising ways. Primarily they seem to focus on the hearts, minds, souls and life forces of sentient beings.
Some of these beings are known to have once been mortal creatures, who have undergone an apotheosis to “transcendâ€, continuing their personal existence beyond death to become an immortal being of considerable power. Some of them were originally individual mortals, possessed of both great magical resources and enormous willpower. Others are the result of cults or groups of mages who merged to become single powers.
Speculation and hypothesis surrounds the origins of others of these beings. It is possible that they may be creatures from distant planes, or even fallen Gods whose powers and mantles have been stripped away, leaving them as lesser beings. It is believed that some Lesser Powers have gone on to become "true" Gods, although almost nothing is known about how this might be accomplished.
Some sages claim that it is still possible today for a strong enough mortal (or a group of like-minded ones) to carry their personal existence beyond death, to become a new power. Others doubt that the magical energy available in modern Alusia is sufficient for this to occur, and point to the lack of any reported transcendence in recent years.
Unlike Gods, the Lesser Powers do not appear to be nourished directly by faith or worshippers, but all seem interested in having mortals bind their souls to them, seeming to gain something from this. It has been suggested by sages that perhaps over time the essence of a power fades, or leaks away, and that new souls are needed to maintain them. It is known is that sentient beings from Alusia can contact them (by the use of Invocations and if their motives coincide can form magical bonds with these Powers becoming their Agents in the mortal realms.
Historians have traced the first appearance of these Lesser Powers to the first ages of the mortal world, the time of legendary battles amongst the ancient dragons. Additional beings are known to have appeared after the War of Tears and the destruction of the ancient Elven empire; many new Demons and the Powers of Light first appeared around this time, and continue to fight their ancient battle in new and abstract ways.
The Lesser Powers known on Alusia are divided into two main factions; the Powers of Light and the Powers of Darkness, but there are other beings that belong to neither of these groups.
Other Beings of Power
Pan-Dimensional Beings
There are a number of known beings that exist across multiple dimensions or planes but do not appear to be either Gods or fit with the Lesser Powers. (Although it is always possible that they are in fact Gods, and simply claim not to be).
These Pan-Dimensional beings, or Pan-D's as they are sometimes known, are almost always mysterious, inscrutable, and from a mortal point of view, just plain weird. None of the known Pan-D's appear to use mortal Agents.
Known Pan-D's include:
- The Big J
- The Black Tower
- The Little White Duck
Dragons
Oldest of the mortal races the first dragons possesed powers that rivalled the Gods, and even thir much later, debased descendents are beings of considerable power.
