[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/JYRdVZc.png[/img][/center] [center][h1][color=f7976a]Re:Divinus VII[/color][/h1][sub][h2][i][color=fdc68a]A Reincarnation of the Divine Roleplay[/color][/i][/h2][/sub][/center] [color=fdc68a][hr][center][h2][color=f7976a][u]Premise[/u][/color][/h2][/center] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5428402]The Cycle changes again[/url] - death and rebirth repeating in a perpetual divine pathos. This is a story describing the Divine and their great acts of creation; the unfolding history of the cosmos as a new pantheon of gods and goddesses seek to express their will upon the known world and its numerous denizens. This is Divinus... The sacred seed of a nascent world has been sown, and Anath Homura - the Creatrix - calls out to those that would become its cultivators and architects - to those that would become Divine. These new deities originating from both near and from afar shall shape reality in accordance to their desires with the cosmic might that they possess! These deities may shift the landscape, sculpt the seas, stain the skies, beget a myriad of flora, fauna, spirits and elementals, both the feral and the civilized. These deities may craft potent relics and command powerful armies, or conjure horrific monstrosities fought by sanctioned heroes seeking glory as they defend the dreams and passions of the Divine. There is no end to the tales that will be told when the world is woven into existence! This RP is about weaving fantastical stories, and exploring a new world wherein gods and goddesses walk among mortals and rewrite reality. Communication is required for the sake of cohesive writing and fair play, but there are no restrictions or rules, so have fun! [b]Note:[/b] if you're unfamiliar with the[/color] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4291608]Rules of the Guild[/url][color=fdc68a], we do adhere to them. [center][h2][color=f7976a][u]Joining the RP[/u][/color][/h2][/center] Before writing in the IC, you must go through a simple of process of approval - either in the OOC or on the Discord server. You'll be asked about what sort of stories you wish to write, and ideas you have for the setting and characters you introduce. This process can be concise or lengthy depending on your preferences, of course. Also! Please click on this link to join the [url=https://discord.gg/7mXhG9NNE8]Discord server:[/url] where players can communicate and collaborate more with live-updates. It isn't mandatory, but it does really assist with writing and participating in the RP. [b]Creating a Character:[/b] You can be whomever you wish to be in this Roleplay, as you can define what being a deity means to you - in this story, in this setting. You write as a member of the pantheon, or as a mundane/mortal bystander. You can write as previous characters you've played as from anytime and anywhere, or you can create completely new characters with a blank background. Be who you want to be. [center][h3][color=f7976a][i]Character Sheet Template (Optional)[/i][/color][/h3][/center] [b]Name[/b]. To know your character, you must name your character. Know that there are no naming conventions considering the current nature of the cosmos. Feel free to utilize names from any culture or tradition that appeals to you. [b]Demeanor[/b]. The Demeanor of a character is the image they project to the outside world; how the character is perceived, or at least how they want to be perceived. Demeanors can be changed by characters with relatively little effort - they are, after all, surface impressions. [b]Nature[/b]. The Nature of a character is their basic personality, their fundamental behavior and perception of the world. Nature is not the only aspect of the characters true personality, merely the most dominant aspect. Natures should be changed only in response to major events and interaction. A change in Nature represents a major shift in a character's attitude and outlook. [b]Epithets[/b]. The Epithets a character has commonly indicates more about their characteristics and traits, as well as denotes the role of their presence in the cosmos. A character with greater, much more significant, Epithets will garner the attention of powerful forces, such as the Creatrix herself. [/color] [center][h2][color=f7976a][u]Updates WIP[/u][/color][/h2][/center] [color=fdc68a]These updates will be primarily regarding the Lore of the setting; the prevalent characters and shape of the world. Those that wish to contribute to the development of the Lore may feel free to message me anytime in the OOC or on the Discord server.[/color] [center][hider=Old Rules/Content] [img]https://i.imgur.com/KA3GtJR.png[/img] [hr] [center][sub][b]Credits[/b] Praise be to the following, for countless unknown hours, toiling away at the forge of creation. Without such contributions, we may never be where we are now. Antartic Termite, ActRaiser, Kho, Cyclone, Rtron, Muttonhawk, BBeast, Lord Zee, Not Fishing, Double Capybara, Enzayne, Commodore, Zurajai, AdorableSaucer, Lauder, Frettzo and Chris488. Also a huge shoutout to everyone else who has continued to show their support over the years. Without you there would be no Divinus! [/sub][/center] [hr] [u][h2]Prologue[/h2][/u] She would sow the first seed for a nascent world to be born; summoning earth for the lands, water for the seas, wind for the skies, and fire for the life that would blossom - the four elements proceeded to merge into a single shape that would be the foundation of further creation. The world that was her conjured canvas stayed blank, waiting in a state of emptiness for the hands of the artists that would come in due time. She must call to them now. The heavenly voice of the red goddess echoed across the infinite void, resonating with otherworldly power and divine absolution. [b][i]“I am Anath Homura! Come forth to me, and become the cosmic cultivators and architects of a new realm! Join my pantheon, and become Divine! Shape the sturdy land, shift the singing sea, sculpt the soaring sky, rewrite reality in accordance with your visions!”[/i][/b] The barren orb to be a new world that she had created still silently hung in the center of the celebration, like an immense heart that had yet to begin beating with the hum of life. It would be the source of so much more; clever civilizations and widespread wilderness, creatures of all shapes and sizes, and a multitude of imagination manifesting such wondrous sights that would inspire those that would be witness to it all. Existence swirled with revelry as it revealed itself to the unknown, and allowed outsiders to enter. The newcomers were free to claim their mantles as deities among the burgeoning pantheon - to become the gods and goddesses of this world. [hr] [u][h2]Synopsis[/h2][/u] This is a story describing the Divine and their great acts of creation; the unfolding history of the cosmos as a new pantheon of gods and goddesses seek to express their will upon the known world and its numerous denizens. This is Divinus... The sacred seed of a nascent world shall be sown, and Anath calls out to those that would become its cultivators and architects - to those that would become Divine. These new deities originating from both near and from afar shall shape reality in accordance to their desires with the cosmic might that they possess. Anath intends to recede into her realm, and has granted free reign to those that would join the pantheon and enact their vision upon the world... These deities may shift the landscape, sculpt the seas, stain the skies, beget a myriad of flora, fauna, spirits and elementals, both the beastial and the civilized. These deities may craft potent relics and command powerful armies, or conjure horrific monstrosities fought by sanctioned heroes seeking glory as they defend the dreams and passions of the Divine. There is no end to the tales that will be told when the world is woven into existence... The Divine adhere to many rules, but do not be daunted. This RP is about weaving fantastical stories, and exploring a new world wherein gods and goddesses walk among mortals and rewrite reality. All of the rules are for the sake of cohesive writing and fair play, so have fun! [hr] [u][h2]Mechanics[/h2][/u] [hider=Turns] The roleplay is divided in turns which change on the 1st and 15th of every IRL month. 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 Aspect Points to use, any points not spent at the end of the turn are wasted and do not carry over to the next turn’s budget. You will always receive 5MP/5AP[/hider] [hider=Aspects] An Aspect is an element of the universe over which a god rules absolute. These 'elements' can range from the obvious (Love, War, Death, Crafting and classical elements such as Water and Fire) to the abstract (Journeys, Secrets, Purity, Loss, etc). They often align with a deity beyond merely what powers they command, especially in their worldview or personality. Aspects are unique and cannot be shared. Only one can truly master their chosen facet. A god cannot innately sense the aspect of another god. As well as Might, Aspects allow the player to spend Aspect Points (or AP) on actions related to their Aspect. A god begins with one Aspect. Additional Aspects require a player to spend 3 MP in actions related to that new Aspect. A player is then able to spend an additional 3MP to acquire this new Aspect. See the Aspect Points section below for more detail. To unlock another Aspect, you would need to spend 3 might points (MP) towards its acquisition. Example; A War god makes an artifact for 1MP; a crown that dominates the mind of the one who wears it and turns them into a monster. That War god then has 1/3MP spent towards the Domination Aspect Once they have spent a total of 3MP or more towards the Domination Aspect (can be three individual actions, one whole sum or a combination of both), they then can then spend 3 might points (MP) to purchase that Aspect. They are now the god of both War and Domination. Finally, Aspects allow for discounts in the might catalog. Unlike past Divinus where the discount rounded down, this time the discount will round up. Example: The War god spends 5MP building a war related artifact. They decide to discount the artifact by half. 5/2 = 2.5, which we would then round up to 3. Thus they would only pay 3MP for their war artifact. Another example would be a 3MP Artifact, discounted to 1.5 and rounded up to 2, which would then be the cost. A 1MP artifact discounted by half is 0.5, rounded up is 1, thus their cost is still 1MP. An even example is a 4MP artifact discounted to 2MP, since it isn’t a decimal the number remains 2 and is not rounded up. [/hider] [hider=Realms] A God’s personal locus of power. A realm is a loose term to describe a place or seat where a God resides. From a towering alabaster castle, to a woodland of dark pines, an ocean monument or a deep and dark mountain home, a realm can come in many different shapes and flavors. All share these common points however; It must hold a space in the physical plane. The realm can be ‘moved’ and made somewhere else for a flat additional cost, you can only have one realm at a time. A God has absolute authority in their own realm but are never completely invulnerable. Finally, a realm can only be as large as a minor change to the landscape. All realms cost 2MP to create and 2MP to relocate (as needed). A realm can be purchased with 2 AP, but then the aesthetic and function of the realm must match the aesthetic of the Aspect. [/hider] [hider=Might] [b]Might Points[/b] Might Points (MP) and Aspect Points (AP), 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 & 5 AP per turn. Aspect Points [u]may not[/u] be spent towards future aspect acquisitions. At the start of each Turn, all unspent Might and Aspect 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 AP can only be spent in whole number increments; an act which would be worth less than 1 MP could probably be performed for free. [b]Aspect Points[/b] Here’s a further look into AP. Unlike Might points, which can be spent freely on anything in the catalog, Aspect Points can only be spent on things that have a direct correlation with your Aspects(s) or that which you directly create with MP - as a foundation for further creation. For example, a god of animals wishes to create an extraordinary species of giant goats. They are free to use their AP to do so, because their aspect is animals, and by extension, goats fall under that aspect. A god of death would not be able to use their AP to make goats, but would be free to do so with MP. (That is unless such goats are undead or death related of course.) Aspect Points cannot contribute towards unlocking new Aspects unlike Might Points. Once you acquire a new aspect (once again by spending 3mp on relevant actions towards the new aspect and then purchasing the said aspect for an additional 3mp, you are able to use AP for said aspect. The goal of AP is to allow a God to have points used specifically for their own aspect(s). [hider=The Catalog] [list] [*]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. These changes will be barely visible on the world map; about 1% to 2% of a continent, or roughly 8 km in diameter. [*]4 Might: Significantly changing the landscape; creating a chain of mountains, or an entire desert, raising a large island or an archipelago of smaller ones. These changes would be prominently visible on the world map; about 20% to 30% of the continent, or roughly 2,000 to 3,000 km in diameter. [*]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. The equivalent of creating a new map for reference. [*]2 Might: Create a small ecosystem, which can fill a region such as a river, valley, mountain or small island. [*]4 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.) [*]4 Might: Create a sapient species. (Something along humanities power scale; Humans, Catfolk, Hobbits, Goblins, Orcs) Note; Any sapient species cannot be discounted. [*]6 Might: Create an extraordinary sapient species (Something normally above the power scale of a human; Demons, Angels, Giants) Note: [i]Sapience is special and uniquely define in this RP: Creatures that have the sentience feature can be imparted with knowledge, where nonsentient species have to slowly attain knowledge. Also, an innate enhancement is limited to 2 Might. (Honorary 3 Might, if 2 AP is spent) The sentience part cost 4 Might cannot be discounted, so the lowest a sentient extraordinary species would cost 5 Might (4 + 1 AP/MP Aspect-related) The 2 Might for an innate ability is the limit. Afterwards, every other enhancement is a Blessing/Curse, or would be something like knowledge and access to technology. You cannot create a 10 Might creature(s) in a single act. There is no option like that listed in the Catalog.[/i] [*]1 Might: Teach people an idea or technology. This idea or technology should be reasonably attainable from the people’s present culture and technology. However, the foundations for civilization and simple technology do not cost Might. For example; a common language, an understanding of how to construct a basic shelter, primitive crafting for art, clothing, cooking, transportation, fighting, scavenging, medicine, religion, and governance, etc. These freely gained foundations should reflect the environment in which the civilization emerges from, and have context provided for within the IC. [*]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 flavors 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. Blessings and curses can manifest as a set of Artifacts that grant the Blessing or inflict the curse. 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. Deities can detect the presence of any blessing or curse in their locale. The nature and origin of blessings and curses cannot be innately discerned by deities without expending Might. [*]3 Might: Resurrect a dead creature. [*]1 Might: Create a Hero. These are exceptionally powerful individuals among your creations whose powers and skills are renowned and well beyond the capabilities of normal members of their species. [*]3 Might: Create a Holy Order. Just as heroes can come in a variety of forms and flavors, holy orders can likewise be a marauding horde, a circle of wizards, knight-paladins tasked with healing the sick and keeping the peace, or anything else. [*]1-5 Might: Create an Artifact. A functional relic with the amount of Might determining its overall power. If multiple gods work together to create an artifact, each can contribute up to 5 Might, so the most powerful artifacts will be ones that were made through the combined efforts of several gods. Artifacts can be lost, stolen, destroyed, traded, etc. [*]1-5 Might: Create a Monument. A functional site with the amount of Might determining its overall power. If multiple gods work together to create a monument, each can contribute up to 5 Might, so the most powerful monuments will be ones that were made through the combined efforts of several gods. Monuments are more powerful than an artifact of the same Might value, however this advantage is offset by their disadvantages in being immobile. [*]2 Might: Create a realm. See realm section for more information. Cannot be discounted. [*]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, punching someone really hard, manifesting a form that is far too much to be withstood by mortals, often kill or blind those who come into direct eye contact with said form. Typically an Aspectwill provide you with a wide set of godly feats you can perform for free, and Artifacts and Monuments provide more potent ongoing/reusable abilities. The more Might spent on an action, the more potent it is. [*]5 Might: Acquiring an Avatar. [/list][/hider] [hider=Examples of Artifacts] For reference: A 1 Might Artifact is an incredible tool that lets its wielder thrive in a location smaller than a 2 Might creation/change to the landscape, and to easily defeat mundane opponents or common challenges. Examples; a blade that cuts through resilient material like metal and stone with ease, a cloak that allows its wearer to fly swiftly, a suit of armor that protects its wearer from magical harm, a wand that lets its wielder freely cast a simple spell, a bow that fire an arrow that never misses a target within range and sight. A 2 Might Artifact allows its wielder to thrive in a larger location equal in size to a 2 Might creation/change to the landscape, and to easily defeat stronger species or heroic challenges. Examples; a crown that allows its wearer to disintegrate their enemies, a decanter that supplies endless water, a ring that allows the wearer to shapeshift into any animal, a pair of necklaces that allows the wearers to communicate across the continent. A 3 Might Artifact is powerful enough to slightly hinder the Divine, though too weak to harm them. It allows its wielder to stand against any other standard mortal opponent. Only the Divine are capable of breaking Artifacts of this power level. Examples; a helm that allows its wearer to see through illusions and grants the ability to view places across the world, a pair of boots that lets the wearer choose to cause earthquakes wherever they walk, a shield of teleportation to appear in any location the wielder has visited, a staff that lets the wielder freely cast very strong and intricate spells. A 4 Might Artifact allows its wielder to thrive in a location equal in size to a 4 Might creation/change to the landscape. Examples; a lantern that wards away/banish/command the presence of mighty malignant spirits, a scepter that controls the storms - conjuring or dispersing destructive storms at will, a coffin that contains a copied vessel of the body and soul of the one attuned to its magic, a utility belt that can transform hundreds of other objects the wielder touches into gemstones embedded into the belt, and undo the transformation via touch again. A 5 Might Artifact is powerful enough to allow its wielder to stand against the strength of Divine opponents, though it would not allow a mortal to truly defeat a deity. Artifacts of this power level cannot be broken. Examples; A flying chariot that can illuminate all of a large region with its magical light, gauntlets that grant the wearer the strength to smash through a mountain, an orb that can control the local pace of time for its wielder, a small statue that transform into a legendary beast of tremendous size. Note: The effects of various artifacts can be selected and used by any Artifact regardless of the Might level, the difference is the potency of the selected effect. For example, a 1 Might cloak that grants flight isn't as fast or durable as a 5 Might cloak that grants flight. In addition, a 5 Might cloak of flight may grant additional features that improve upon its function, such as improved reflexes and the ability to traverse in hostile environments that are dark or lack breathable air, etc. Another example, a 4 Might coffin that contains the entire body and soul of a person that awakens upon the former's demise - a 2 Might coffin or container may contain a limb or brain that replaces that part of the person upon its demise. [/hider] [/hider] [hider=The Innate Abilities of Gods] [list] [*]Gods cannot be harmed by mundane weapons or magic, they are simply far too weak to do damage to a god. However, a god can muster enough power to hurt or even ‘kill’ another, even though true death for a god is a daunting task to pursue in a fair fight. Furthermore, gods do not suffer ailments that afflict mortals. [*]Gods are able to shapeshift between their forms related to their aspects, and that of a mortal form. The maximum size of a deity is roughly similar to a large mountain - 8,000 or so meters in height/diameter, if you will. [*]The very lands themselves can be bent to the whims of gods, all gods can freely create or modify the environment and its denizens in their localized area in ways akin to the acts listed in the Might catalog; such as changing the landscape, making an ecosystem or a monument, populating it with a myriad of life - These free actions cannot imitate any act that costs more than 2 Might. The conjured creations and modifications remain limited to a close proximity of a god, and disperse after a short duration in the absence of an aforementioned god, unless the required amount of Might is spent to make them permanent. Minor changes made to preexisting creations by a god using their Aspect can remain permanent for free. For example, a god with the water aspect grants a creature the ability to swim swiftly in water. This ability could be made permanent since it is related to the god's Aspect. [*]The senses of a god stretch to that of the very horizons themselves, able to see in perfect clarity. They are able to see heat and magnetic pulls and they are able to hear for as far as they can see, selectively tuning out annoyances as they wish or discerning individual speech from a large crowd. What a God cannot do freely is read the minds of mortal kind unless they have expended Might in some capacity that aids with this endeavor. A god cannot sense the aspect of another god. [*]Traveling as a god is innately faster than what mortal eyes can perceive, being able to run, jump, float, swim, or merely fly, faster than nearly all things in the cosmos. [/list] [/hider] [hider=On Avatars] Avatars and their use to Deities: An avatar is a fragment of a deities power. They can range from being essentially a puppet that has no mind or will of its own, or they can be completely independent of their patron deity and interpret the deities commands in their own way. An avatar's use to a deity is twofold: Firstly, they are a direct extension of a deity's power, and can directly spend Might or Aspect points for their creator at any time. In addition, an Avatar's power is small enough that, unless an avatar identifies themselves or reveals their divine power, they can serve as virtually incognito agents of the divine. Avatars, at least in comparison to their creator deities, are far weaker. Though even this comparative weakness is still far stronger than a mortal could ever hope to become normally. They do not require sleep, nourishment, or any kind of physical relief. Though, naturally, they may choose to emulate these needs if they desire. Beyond this lack of needs an avatar can effortlessly move at speeds that would make the fastest runners seem slow, undertake physical challenges that make even the strongest mortal seem weak, and perceive the world so perfectly that almost nothing can escape their detection. Creating an Avatar takes 5 MP or AP if related to an Aspect. The limit to a deity’s avatars is directly tied to their total number of Aspects. If appropriately themed, an avatar may be discounted in price. In addition, it is possible that becoming an avatar is something that a deity can reward a mortal, should they see fit to do so. This ritual will take 5 MP or AP, and will irreversibly convert the mortal into being an avatar while rejuvenating them to their physical prime. A majority of mortals, even if they interact with the divine on a daily basis, are not going to be mentally prepared for the aftermath of such a transformation: A feeling of limitlessness, access to heaps of divine knowledge, and access to the ability to create and destroy as a divine does are all things that they simply can never comprehend as a mortal, and these converted avatars will require careful guidance once the transformation is complete. However, these transformed mortals will have wisdom and experience that most deities will simply never be able to have, and can prove to be valuable advisors, spies, or leaders depending on what a deity requires of them. [/hider] [hider=New Gods] New players may join as recently arrived deities, or may join as a demigod. Demigods function much in the same way as normal gods do, however their Might and Aspect points are reduced to reflect their status, thus they will receive only 2 MP and 3 AP at the beginning of a turn. A demigod can become a god, if they prove themselves worthy of such a responsibility. [/hider] [hider=Champions & Orders] Great heroes of legend, whether they be warriors, scholars, or leaders, are those chosen by patron gods and gifted extraordinary power. These champions can be devastating forces on the field of battle, or they may even be wizened sages with little affinity for fighting. All champions are exceptionally resilient individuals but all champions can be felled one way or another, whether they have a singular weakness and such. Champions are able to, like gods, grant boons, create lesser artifacts, teach their people a technology or idea, or perform tremendous tasks using their own Spirit. Spirit is a currency of sorts that is not meant to limit the pacing of a champion’s story or impose costs upon actions that normal mortals can do, but rather to act as a bonus that lets the champion occasionally get rewards or perform things that should otherwise require divine intervention. You can think of spirit as being akin to accumulated favor with the gods, or perhaps even bits of divine power itself. [hider=Earning Spirit] 1 spirit, at a minimum, is awarded to a champion for every post in which they appear as more than just a passing mention in one line. 1 spirit is additionally awarded to a champion if they are featured in a post that does not involve the deity that created them. 1 spirit is additionally awarded to all relevant champions if the post is a collab. 1 spirit is additionally earned if the post is of medium length (think about 5,000+ chars). This is just so that it’s not so much more ‘optimal’ to break posts into lots of smaller chunks to farm spirit. 1 spirit is additionally earned if the post is particularly long (roughly 10,000+ chars), and the champion features throughout it all. 4 spirit can be awarded as a lump sum if a champion embarks upon and completes a significant mission, quest, or personal goal of some sort that they either set for themselves or were given by another champion or mortal. 10 spirit can be awarded as a lump sum if a champion completes a divine quest. These can be handed out by any god or demigod for free, but they should be somewhat arduous and span over several posts in order to justify this princely reward! [/hider] Of course, given that heroes are far weaker than gods, they are not able to achieve the same great abilities or use spirit to perform feats as grand as a god might. What a god could make or do pertaining to their aspect at no cost, a champion must spend a significant amount of Spirit to even come close to replicating. Champions just generally cannot hope to outdo the gods without Herculean efforts. Some examples of how to spend Spirit are as follows: Tor the Scholar desires to found a community behind him, choosing to found a tribe he spends 10 of his Spirit to found the group and imposes upon them his philosophy that plagiarism is sinful, and other such unifying thought. Tor the Scholar then wishes to make a magical glowing tablet that does not naturally decay and which codifies the history and laws of the tribe; he spends 4 of his Spirit to make this minor artifact that will exist in the tribe until it is either destroyed or forgotten about. Tor the Scholar then seeks to solidify his power by creating a magical crown that confers not only style and charisma, but also imbues its wearer with the ability to taste plagiarism if one licks a parchment or tablet in question. For this more potent artifact, 10 spirit is appropriate. Here is a non-exhaustive list of Spirit expenditures: [hider=The Catalog] 2 Spirit: Push their limits to perform a single great feat well beyond what they're normally capable of, and far beyond what normal mortals could do. (e.g. wrestle with a much larger beast or creature, cast some gigantic spell, journey for many days without stopping for rest) 4-12 Spirit: Craft a powerful artifact. These artifacts are not meant to be as potent or extreme as those made by gods, and can be broken if mishandled; in general they are weaker than an artifact made by a god for 1 Might. (These Artifacts can range from Throgg the Death Knight attaching his soul to his sword to making a crown that scares away goblins). Spending additional spirit can allow you to upgrade the artifact, and you can do this incrementally over time. 8 Spirit: Invent and teach people a new basic technology, spell or idea. (e.g. stone houses, mercantilism, commune with birds) 10 Spirit: Somehow enhance a community to become exceptional. You need not spend Spirit to merely raise an army or found a city -- normal mortals can do such things -- but doing this will make them much grander. Think raising a mighty warband, founding a kingdom that shall endure for a long time, creating some subversive cult that might rapidly grow and undermine (and perhaps even destroy) a nation, or anything else. This can freely include some new technology or idea that binds them together, from the bullet point above. 12 Spirit: Anoint another Champion. 15 Spirit: Consecrate an area with some blessing or otherwise imbue it with power; for instance, making a farmland especially fertile, or a fortress’ walls almost impregnable. 25 Spirit: Found a holy order, which can include giving them unique powers: think along the lines of a new magic system, or martial art, or knowledge of how to craft some sort of exotic weaponry. ~100 Spirit: Attempt to attain demigod status. At this point, a champion will have shown sufficient valor to begin drawing the attention of the divine, and perhaps even Anath. [/hider] [b]Holy Orders[/b] Sometimes one or two champions isn’t enough, and instead a god might choose to create some large group to perform a similar role. Just as champions can come in a variety of forms and flavors, holy orders can likewise be a marauding horde, a circle of wizards, knight-paladins tasked with healing the sick and keeping the peace, or anything else. A holy order costs 3 Might for a god to found, but champions can alternatively create them with spirit. The general rule of thumb is that the more members are present in a holy order, the less potent you should expect them to be individually -- for instance, a sacred band of ten warriors might have each one rival a champion in strength, but a vast army of a hundred thousand crusaders should probably confer only modest powers upon the members. This isn’t to say that if half the holy order is wiped out the remaining half grow twice as powerful as they don’t have to share some source of power with as many people (though it might make sense to say that the survivors were generally those that were more powerful to begin with) or that a circle of five wizards adding a sixth member should expect each individual to grow much weaker. It’s just that very powerful holy orders should generally be small in size, and that much larger ones shouldn’t expect to grant as much power. However, you can have individuals that are both members of a holy order and champions, and/or individuals that are part of two or more holy orders at the same time. Much as champions earn and spend Spirit, holy orders earn Prestige. This is once again meant as more of a reward that allows a holy order to create things that would otherwise probably need to be made by a god using Might, or to do truly exceptional feats, and not as some tax that they must pay in order to fulfill the everyday functions the holy order was created for. Prestige is generally more valuable than Spirit, but harder to earn. [hider=Earning Prestige] 1 Prestige is awarded for every post in which the holy order is not just offhandedly mentioned, but plays a significant role. 1 Prestige is additionally awarded to all relevant holy order(s) if the post is a collab. 1 Prestige is additionally awarded if on top of the above point, it’s also an especially long post (10,000+ chars) and they play a role throughout most of it. 5 Prestige is earned if the holy order completes a divine quest or directive of some sort that was assigned by a god. This should be somewhat challenging and take a while for them to accomplish! [/hider] [hider=Prestige Catalog] 1 Prestige: Quickly recruit and train up to standard a significant number of new members. You can recruit members for free over time and hand out a uniform or whatnot to almost anyone, but it would normally take time to fully anoint them and get them up to par with the rest of the order’s members. 3 Prestige: Invent and proliferate some new technology, philosophy, or skill among themselves and/or surrounding communities. 3-8 Prestige: Manufacturing or enchanting some unique artifact. Much like artifacts bought with a champion’s spirit, these are meant to not be too extreme and to generally be inferior compared to those directly forged by a god using Might. 5 Prestige: Making significant upgrades to the holy order’s powers, equipment, or tactics; think of this as being equivalent to a Blessing or such. 5-10 Prestige: Consecrate some place as sacred, effectively either creating a monument or bestowing a blessing upon the region. 7 Prestige: Anoint a champion from some promising member of the order’s ranks. 10 Prestige: Forming a new holy order. This may splinter off as something wholly separate and rivalrous, or be a friendly sister organization, or be something akin to an upper rank within the holy order (with the two overlapping) [/hider] [/hider] [hr] [u][h2]General Rules and Regulations[/h2][/u] [list] [*]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 Superior 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, AP, Spirit, and Prestige was spent. [*]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 Cosmos 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. [/list] [hr] [u][h2]Character Creation[/h2][/u] 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 Aspect 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. Note: Returning characters from previous iterations is permitted, but that character does not possess any of their prior powers or possessions, and abides by the new system. When writing a returning character, please remember to not make it so it is required to read the previous iterations to understand them. Before posting in the IC, your character must be reviewed and approved by the GMs. Afterwards, please post a copy of your character sheet in the Characters tab section for easy reference. [hider=Character Sheet] Name: ((To know your god, name your god.)) Base Form: ((Pictures, descriptions or both are fine. Any specific capability of this form over the others should be described.)) Aspect: ((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)) Persona: ((General moral alignment, ambitions, personality traits, etc.)) Myth: ((OPTIONAL; Share a scene from what you imagine the myth of your god to be. Maybe it’s a story of one time the god performed a miracle, maybe it’s an old hermit sharing some scripture on the god’s wisdom, or maybe it’s a scene of the god doing something godly.)) Musical Theme: ((What’s their jam? Optional.)) ((Lastly, remember to read the OP thoroughly!))[/hider] [/hider][/center]