Gods and Powers

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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:

  1. 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.
  2. The power of Gods or perhaps just their ability to manifest power on a plane 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. However gods generally seek more followers by varying means and they presumably have a reason for doing so. Or maybe it's just a way of keeping score.

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.

Pantheons

Pantheons generally represent groups of gods and powers, sometimes allied, sometimes oppositional. Pantheons are often identified by the grouping of their mortal followers, usually regional, cultural, or racial.

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 "transcend”, 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

Generally not styling themselves as gods but of equivalent power.

Elementals

The Elemental Planes (Earth, Fire, Water, Air, ...) are sources or manifestations of godlike power that don't seem to have the personas usually associated with gods. The most powerful Elemental Lords may be manifestations of that power or beings that draw on that power, either way they share the common traits of immortality, godlike power in their spheres, and an interest in a hierarchy of lesser beings.

Fae

Some Fae Lords of the Seelie and Unseelie courts have powers equivalent to those of lesser powers or demi-gods, especially in their own realms. There are implications they serve or follow higher powers, knowledge of which is not shared with mortals.

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 possessed powers that rivalled the Gods, and even their much later, debased descendants are beings of considerable power.

Titans

The oldest are gods, they just prefer to be called Titans and who's going to argue. Their descendants vary in power, you could differentiate between the mortal and immortal Titans but they might object. The least of them have been categorised here by philosophers.

On Purple the Ancient Titans have a strong presence.

Titans are venerated as the founders of the main cities of the Ellenic States.

Among the most powerful Titans are

Horrors

Nameless ones, things from beyond the veil, old ones, cthuloid nightmares, I could go on but your sanity seems to be fading...

Mostly things that exist on a different basis from our commonly accepted concepts of life, sanity, beauty.

They may or may not be opposed to us or even aware of us, but their very existence and presence is usually very bad for us.

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