NF: It took a bit of discussion, but he listened to the feedback and made the necessary improvements, so I think he’s good to go.
Zee: A strange combination of domain and port, but since no one else is close to the area, there should be plenty of room for growth. Let’s see where Enmity goes, shall we?
Capy: I think a middle ground was found for the character to work. There is clear interest and a very long term plan for the character’s future. I don’t mind the forms since I do not believe gods can be ‘anachronistic’ and I think the electricity port has good potential.
Zee: Everything but the realm and avatar are fine. After some talk, we figured things out and Iternis is in a good place.
NF: So, the necessary changes have been made. I’m a bit concerned about the potential limitations of the domain/portfolio, but other than that it’s good.
Capy: Seems good to me, journeys is a domain with good potential, or at least I found it to be so when I played a god of that area. Personality seems curious and the avatar being a mortal is interesting. Portals were discounted under travel last RP so I think it works here.
Capy: Business seems like a great port which can expand in a lot of ways. I think all else also makes for an interesting character and I see no issue.
Zee; Business Domain with a Money Portfolio, I mean, there’s irony there. Kione seems like an interesting character, I hope she has things she’ll be able to do. Port future seems planned, and there are many things that fall under business to ‘venture’ into. Form is cool, and the realm is as well.
Capy: I feel like Gold and Toasty’s gods could share a domain, with Gold being the more tyrannical and unmoving form of it while Toasty’s is the one based on community and agreements. The character is great, and the avatar is interesting too.
Zee: Tekret is an interesting choice for the rp, but Toasty knows what he is doing, so I have no problems with the app. It works well, and I can’t wait to see how the avatar lives.
This turn will have specific mechanics unique to it that other turns won’t have. This is because turn 0 happens right after the creation of the universe but before the planet has any noticeable features. Might costs will not follow the catalog. Many landscaping and life creating actions will be free, while some complex ones will have discounted prices and certain things will not be allowed at all. There will be a separate catalog that goes over the prices. If an item isn't on the list, it cannot be created.
In Turn 0, players who have Primordial Gods will be the ones who walk upon Galbar using their full power. Conceptual gods that are still apart of the Lifeblood, are free to help shape the world and even use might. Even if their gods are yet to be born. They will be acting as the Lifeblood itself.
Turn 0, unlike other turns, will have a set ‘plot’ that ultimately ends with the Lifeblood going awry thanks to all the rampant use of power by the gods. This will ultimately lead to sentient, mortal life and the Gods withdrawing into the Lifeblood itself, to keep the Lifeblood out of the Physical Reality.
It should be noted that species should really only be created when they have a suitable environment to sustain themselves. Due to the nature of this first turn, the world might change a lot and life, if put in too early, could be destroyed. Take great care when creating.
Turn 0 List
Free: Creating a relatively minor change to the landscape; rending a small valley or canyon, creating a river, raising a mountain or a (small) island.
Free: Significantly changing the landscape; creating a chain of mountains, or an entire desert, raising a large island or an archipelago of smaller ones.
Free: 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.
Free: Create a small ecosystem, which can fill a region such as a river, valley, mountain or small island.
Free: Create a large ecosystem, which can fill a large geographic region such as a whole mountain range, an archipelago, or desert.
1 Might: Create an extraordinary species. More might (up to 3), the more extraordinary.(Manticores, Dragons, Lovecraftian Horrors, etc.)
1 Might: Create a legendary beast of phenomenal power. (Godzilla, Thunderbird, Kraken, King Kong, etc.)
1 Might: Confer a single extraordinary or powerful ability upon a species or set of people. (Wings, Gills, Magic talent, etc.)
Locked: Teach people an idea or technology. This idea or technology should be reasonably attainable from the people’s present culture and technology.
Locked: 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).
Locked: Blessing or cursing a group of people. These should come in different flavours for different gods, but in general, incurring the curse of any god should be a frightening thing indeed. The curse or blessing is like a whip or a carrot respectively; though it is the will of your god made manifest, it is not so powerful as to spell certain doom or utter paradise for those affected. Think something along the lines of perpetually good harvests for a blessing, and incessant nightmares or general sluggishness and fatigue as curses. Blessings or curses can last indefinitely and affect entire bloodlines or regions. A blessing or curse from a given god can be broken by said god free of charge or counteracted by a 1+ MP expenditure from any other god. The more powerful a curse is, the greater it costs and likewise the amount to break it.
1+ Might: Create a Hero. See Consecration for more Hero details.
1+ Might: Form a Holy Order. See Consecration for more Holy Order Details.
1+ Might: Grant a Hero or Holy Order a Title. Titles describe what a Hero is especially good at.
1+ Might: Create an artifact. See Consecration for more details. (A holy blade, a flute of sleeping, a crown of protection, etc)
1+ Might: Create a holy site. See Consecration for more details. (An obelisk of speech, a tower of joy, a castle of pain, etc)
Locked: Open a temporary portal between a God’s personal Realm and Galbar. Typically the means of such transportation will be thematically appropriate for your Portfolios and Abilities. Gods cannot physically enter through this portal, for fear of the Lifeblood and what it would do.
1+ Might: Perform some other godly feat. You can expend Might to perform incredible actions beyond your innate abilities, such as manipulating the weather, hurling mighty fireballs, putting a city to sleep, shrugging off a devastating blow or punching someone really hard. Typically a Domain or Portfolio will provide you with a wide set of godly feats you can perform for free, and Artifacts and holy sites provide more potent ongoing/reusable abilities. The more Might spent on an action, the more potent it is.
Galbar is a barren continent. Do what you will to it. Once you have added more landmasses/populated existing landmasses with ecosystems make sure to add it to this map with paint and someone who as more skill can make it pretty later. But first we need water.
Domain Life. That which grows with a beating heart. That which thinks with a mind full of instincts and thought. That which breathes fresh air and drinks cool waters and eats delicious fruit from vibrant trees. That which is alive. That is life and Oraelia is its embodiment. The Domain of Life deals with living things, to the tiniest of insects, to the mightiest of mammals and the greenery that blankets the world tenderly but most importantly, sentient creatures. All that struggles to live under the warmth of the sun. Oraelia cares deeply for it all. Every single living thing upon Galbar, for life is precious to her and should never be taken lightly.
Portfolio Sunlight. The Lifeblood failed over and over again, for it could not grasp what was truly needed for life to flourish. Time immemorial it created stars, only to leave them in the dark, to stand still in coldness and fiery heat for all time. It was not until Oraelia broke free that the true potential of a star’s light, it’s sunlight, could be seen. As such, she has control over Galbar’s sun and it’s light, using it to allow beautiful life to flourish upon the planet. Sunlight can be used in a variety of ways, from gentle rays of nourishment and warmth, to scorching entire areas to naught but desert(Which Oraelia would never willingly do). From material items to ethereal halos, sunlight is first and foremost a tool of life.
The Garden Under the Sun
An idyllic paradise, bounding in lushness and teeming with life. Cool streams meander their way through fields of verdant grass, as songbirds sing their tunes in the limbs of flowering trees. These tall trees are rocked by a gentle breeze, carrying with them the smells of pleasant aromas. Often reminding those of their favorite things. Much of the landscape is reminiscent of Galbar but in an untouched state. The sun is eternal here, and never sets into her sister’s domain. It provides a pleasant warmth and energizes those that come under it. Somewhere within there lies a small cottage, coated in mosses and flowers. Here Oraelia resides from time to time, if not out enjoying the peace that life brings.
Persona
Bubbly, energetic, playful, happy, whimsical, aloof yet quiet, contemplative, gentle, motherly, soft… These are just a few terms that describe Oraelia. Though she embodies life, Oraelia most often has her head in the clouds. She enjoys being surrounded by greenery, but has a hard time with understanding inorganic things. Perhaps what she has most difficulty with is death. Though she knows it is a natural part of life, Oraelia never likes seeing it. It pains her greatly, which is why she would never willingly harm another being that lives.
She enjoys the company of others, most often in relaxation or exploring new realms. She loves her sister, Gibbou, dearly. Though she embodies the night, this hardly deters Oraelia from going to see her. If not in her own realm, she can be found in the tranquility of the moon.
Base Form
Though she looks similar to Gibbou, or GIbbou looks similar to her (depending on who you ask), there are some differences between the twins. Her base form is that of a young woman, bathed in a warm, golden light. Her hair is long and wavy, with a laurel crown of white flowers going around her head. Her facial features are soft, and petite but her vibrant blue eyes are wide and curious. She is rather short for a God, the same height as her twin and her build is lithe with some curvature at her hips. She has a pleasant warmth to her at all times and usually a playful smile on her lips. She smells like a vibrant spring day. For clothing, she usually wears a variety of summer dresses, made of sunlight.
Domain Form
The genuine joy Oraelia derives from life is manifested in this form. She can become a small wisp of green and yellow light, whose happiness can hardly be contained. Her abundant energy is showcased in this form, for she frequently zips around, never staying still for too long. Especially if something catches her eye. Wherever she goes, she leaves a trail of greenery and the fresh smell of a forest after rain.
Avatar
The Daughter of the Sun, Rhiona is a caretaker of life upon Galbar. She appears as a woman with brunette hair, wearing loose garments upon her sunkissed figure. She has soft features, and sharp, golden eyes. She sees Oraelia as her mother, and cares for her deeply. Though she sees death as her mother does, Rhiona holds no quarrel with it like her mother. What dies, dies and in doing so helps more life to grow.
She is slightly less mature than Oraelia, but that isn’t saying much. Though the two have differences, Rhiona cares deeply for life and would do anything to protect it from itself, and from outside forces. She will be the protector it needs.
She just hopes what mother doesn’t know, won’t hurt her.
NF: He intends for his god to be killed off immediately, leaving behind a hero, so I don’t think we should be too critical about this - not that I see anything which needs to be criticized anyway. The Portfolio itself is very specific and niche, so I doubt anyone else is going to want to compete for it before Termite writes him off. Overall, I approve.
Capy: ✔️ It's alright, I hope he stays around for a long time and has lots of adventures :^)
Zee: Cool story bro. The hero is acceptable, as long as might costs/Prestige Points are accounted for.
NF: My only concern is that the Domain is too specific. Can three portfolios be justified underneath Love? I Don’t know.
Capy: ✔️ No concerns on my side. Love can mean a lot of things so I think a creative player can make great use of the domain. Sometimes by being a domain the concept is open to wider interpretations and that leads to variety. Realm seems fine if they intend on getting mortals to it, domain form being almost the same is something I think they might want to change later, avatar is great.
Zee; Another wonderful addition to the cast. Can’t wait to see the interactions between Neiya and others.
NF: I approve. Though, I am somewhat wary toward mind control and whatnot. If he chooses to break an important character’s mind, it should be with the permission of the character’s owner.
Capy: ✔️ Yeah, mindcontrol obviously cannot be enforced without meta approval. I think everything is fine, if anything I feel like this could be a primordial god but at the same time maybe the lifeblood wouldn’t initially want to create a god who is so similar to the void it fought and it takes mortal thoughts to create the ironic creation.
Zee; Another positive addition to the cast. Can’t wait to see what becomes of Sevdural and the interactions he has with other life.
NF: I created a height limit for avatars, and a fifteen kilometer high tree is a pretty huge violation of that, even if it is presumably stationary.
Capy: I don’t care about the height limit if it's stationary. A mindless character with no thoughts is a risky pick, I would like to remind Frettzo of the Mk2 nature god whose player left because playing an animal was hard. If he is fully sure about going for this, then I won’t object.
Zee; I’ve talked with Frettzo in length before how he didn’t necessarily want to pay a god in the next iteration. I think this is, perhaps a compromise of sorts. I am confident he can make it work, and I await to see what horrors he’s cooking up.
NF: The sheet seems like it lacks detail, but it tells us everything we need to know and there’s nothing inherently wrong with it, so in my opinion the lack of detail isn’t such a huge drawback. I think this should be accepted.
Capy: Born from conceptual fire I think the passion port works well. Question is where they will go from here, but I think it has good potential.
Capy: It’s a pretty concise character and I can’t really point at anything I feel like could be better. I think a gentle goddess of the night is a pretty good take and so far it seems like a character who stays on theme while flexible to expand beyond.
Zee; Gibbou, sister of Oraelia, what more could you ask for? We talked at length where Gibbou could go with the domain and port she is starting out with. It’s a good theme and is thematic to the setting. I know for a fact Sauce will make it work. The app looks good, and will make a good addition to the cast.
NF: So long as his Domain adheres specifically to nature within the ocean, as he defined it, I am fine with that. I have no issues with anything else.
Capy: I think it works well, I don’t mind nature going for a more ‘biome’ angle so I think the domain and port are fine, the forms are interesting even if a bit similar, the personality being alien can be a strength or an issue for the playability depending on how things evolve, but I think it will go well.
Zee; A very thought out, and superb app that was easy to read and understand. Klaar is a nature god, and his domain of nature, covers ocean life very well. As long as that theme is respected, I have no quarrels with it. Oceans is a good portfolio choice and is thematic with the theme of Nature. There are many different pathways a nature god can do, and one who specializes in oceans, should be no different. Klaar’s realm is an interesting place that I will never go to, for my fear of the ocean is real here. The cthulhu vibe is real, and he will make an excellent addition to the cast.
NF: A god of magic is something that was missing in Mk3. The sheet itself is detailed and explains everything quite well. Ultimately, I approve.
Capy: I think it's fine for gods to have portfolios over ‘original’ concepts, it is especially helpful when it comes to fantasy content, provided its a logical thing it's no issue and in this case it seems to be well established. Personality seems cool, playing both sides in conflicts can be a good take for some gods to have while others are stuck in conflicts.
Capy: How do you pronounce this, lol. Anyway, it's a pretty straightforward character I believe. Goes beyond just being a cold god of the cold and I think the focus on intimacy and logic is beneficial. No complaints.
NF: It is an interesting character - especially the bit about him being enslaved in his own realm, it’s not normally something that can happen, but if he’s fine with it then I don’t see why not. Though we need to make it clear to him that, since his realm appears to house “the souls of the damned”, he will probably have to work with Commodore’s god to some extent. Also, I’m somewhat concerned that it might take a while for his god to be born, since I’m assuming it requires mortals to progress to the point where they have slavery.
Capy: It won’t take a while because Turn 1 will already be like, copper age to bronze age, which means some sort of slavery already exists. I had some issues with his portfolio and domain but talking things through I think he has a good idea about freedom and will be a very interesting take on our cast.
NF: The Nature Domain is a bit strange. Do you think a Stone or Earth Domain would be more fitting? Other than that, the sheet is fine.
Capy: ✔️ I really like boris, the fact he is an animal seems interesting, though some players have struggled with playing non-human characters I feel like the Mk4 systems do a better job at this than other Mks did. Personality is alright, fits well the theme of a mountain I believe, the realm seems more connected to Galbar than others, but I think that is okay if done correctly. Its a pretty nice idea overall.
Zee: With a little bit of change, we got it to work out. Gratz, you’re the BOAR.
NF: I think this portfolio is unconventional but interesting. I’m a bit iffy on the connection between Hope and Stars, so I am setting the following condition: Sirius can only spend DP on hope-related actions when the stars are visible, otherwise he will have to spend MP. That said, DP actions he takes while the stars are out can still remain in effect after the stars are gone.
Capy: ✔️ I am still not fully 100% sure about the unlimited potential stars have to get just any port under it, but at the same time I think it's part of what goes with being a conceptual god, the links between port and domain are less clear. That said, I would place the manipulation of the material of the stars as a cosmic domain, and suggest Leo to go for it as his second domain. Personality wise it seems good enough, pretty the archetypical neutral good style character in Divinus. Realm, Domains and avatar seems fine to me.
Zee; Minor Nitpicks. ‘he can bless people to see ‘prefectly’ > perfectly. He can ‘imbued’ materials > imbue which points to ‘ ‘ heart's desire > The Followers of Sirius have greater mental protection, but for all but his greatest champions, it pales in comparison to the innate power of avatars. > Bolded section sound weird, I get what you are trying to say, but it could be clarified further. and delegetion to attempt to better the world. > delegation
There are more spelling errors, but I would say that Ceres would benefit more from having an Artifact as a Hammer, instead of just starting with one. As long as this is understood, that the hammer is not an artifact, until it becomes one, we are good.
Until the spelling errors are corrected, application denied.
I’m just kidding, accepted, but please work on those errors.
Zee: An interesting character to add to the cast. Perfection and Glamour as a combo seems fairly thematic, and both showcase Cadien’s attempt to achieve true perfection. Personality, realm and forms seems fine to me. Avatar is functional. You also have a plan for more ports, which is always a good thing to see. I don’t really have any other comments.
Capy: ✔️ Domain and portfolio seems fine and the description gives me a good idea of what he is going for. One advice I’d give is to also move Glamour a bit into magical properties too to make it more flexible? Persona is common to that of a perfection god, but I feel the self-improvement angle and soldiering on is enough to make the character very unique and cool. His avatar is cool.
NF: I am personally fine with this. Everything in his CS seems to fall in line with what we have established. My only concern is whether or not he will be able to find three portfolios for his domain.
Capy: ✔️ If he has made clear he can handle it all, not reduce to isolationism and being at odds with the entire pantheon and that he knows where he will expand towards then I have no objections. Historically all death gods have dropped in the early times of Divinus RPs, so here is hope Thaa will move away from the typical issues and stand above them. The avatar is cool and feels like a guardian of the underworld, the realm seems fine, obviously.
Zee; Thaa is a well thought out character with the clear goal of possessing the dead. Afterlife is a unique portfolio that goes well with the dead. It allows for interaction between Thaa and other gods who wish to have souls/dead, which is always a good thing. Realm. Persona, forms, and Avatar are all constructed in a careful manner. Having talked with Commy about his future ports, I am confident in saying he will add a fine addition to the cast.
NF: Everything seems to be fine. There are no real issues, and everything positive I have to say more or less echoes what I have previously said.
Zee: Besides some minor spelling errors, the application is very good. Supernatural and darkness make a fine combo, and are thematic. I have no doubt Cappy has plans to branch out even further. Persona is sweet, forms are good, and the avatar is ‘human’.
Special thanks to all those who ran previous iterations of the roleplay over many years: ActRaiserTheReturned, Kho, Rtron, Cyclone, BBeast, Muttonhawk, Antarctic Termite.
There is no prologue.
What was there before, is unknown even to the gods. Was the universe a long dead thing composed only of cold, disperse atoms? Was it an ocean of chaos waiting to be leashed by logic? Was it a stale existence under countless laws of logic that ultimately became paradoxical to each other? It does not matter.
What is known is that at the beginning there was only the void and the Lifeblood.
The Lifeblood was pure, raw, existence, condensed into a viscous formless matter. It was all that could be, unified into one entity, and though mindless, it was eager to create. This was anathema to the void, existence and nonexistence fighting an eternal silent war. Countless times the Lifeblood had attempted to create and countless times it had failed.
Then it did not fail, a plane of existence had been born, a planet, by the name of Galbar.
Lifeblood's greatest success… and its greatest defeat. Shining all around the planet were countless stars, the crumbles of the failures, the contrasting imagery showcasing a simple truth: Existence was no longer unified as a simple ‘could be’, now there was that which was and that which couldn’t be.
This divide saw the Lifeblood becoming a paradox, each stroke in the canvas of creation that was Galbar meant countless other potential strokes would not be made. For the first time it thought, and in its mind countless voices advocated for a different color to be added to that canvas.
The voices grew louder and louder, they started to showcase emotions, arguments, trickery, and they started to become bolder, and yet the Lifeblood stayed inactive, floating in a still, barren Galbar.
It didn’t take long before the ever growing voices decided to take matters into their own hands, and as such, from the viscous puddle of the Lifeblood, the first and most primordial gods rose, ready to shape the world.
Synopsis
Divinus will be a story about a pantheon of deities, their creations, and the world of Galbar as it is shaped by our collective actions.
Born from the mysterious and infinitely powerful entity known as the Lifeblood, each God represents aspects of creation that grew too influential to be bound by formlessness, and so decided to take matters in their own hand. Some gods will be born in the primordial times (turn 0) and rule over aspects such as fire, oceans, life, shaping the continents, the laws of physics and creating Galbar’s first inhabitants. They are the Primordials. Other gods will arise as mortals start to spread out and grow in intelligence (turn 1), and will rule over aspects such as the music, justice, war and knowledge. They will be known as Conceptionals.
Though they are all siblings with similar objectives of ‘world building’, each one has their take on how the canvas of creation should be painted, that is why they broke free from the Lifeblood after all, and while deities can cooperate, conflict and intrigue will be no strangers to them.
Though that what gave them life, could also take it. The more the Lifeblood is used, the more it grows unpredictable and dangerous. This vastness of power, limitless in potential, could also spell doom for Galbar. Will it be used with a careful, guiding hand? Or pushed until the breaking point? Only time will tell.
Mechanics
The roleplay is divided in turns. They are associated with the passage of time IC, but it's typically vague and left to the players.
Each turn gives the player Might and Domain Points to use, any points not spent at the end of the turn is wasted and does not carry over to the next turn’s budget.
Turn 0 will have specific mechanics unique to it that other turns won’t have. This is because turn 0 happens right after the creation of the universe but before the planet has any noticeable features. Might costs will not follow the catalogue. Many landscaping and life creating actions will be free, while some complex ones will have discounted prices and certain things will not be allowed at all. There will be a separate catalogue that goes over the prices. If an item isn't on the list, it cannot be created.
In Turn 0, players who have Primordial Gods will be the ones who walk upon Galbar using their full power. Conceptual gods that are still apart of the Lifeblood, are free to help shape the world and even use might. Even if their gods are yet to be born. They will be acting as the Lifeblood itself.
Turn 0, unlike other turns, will have a set ‘plot’ that ultimately ends with the Lifeblood going awry thanks to all the rampant use of power by the gods. This will ultimately lead to sentient, mortal life and the Gods withdrawing into the Lifeblood itself, to keep the Lifeblood out of the Physical Reality.
Turn 0 might: 5MP/0DP
Domains are 'elements' of the universe over which a god rules. These 'elements' are broad and can range from the obvious (Love, War, Death, Crafting, classical elements such as Water and Fire) to the abstract (Journeys, Secrets, Purity, Loss). They often align with aspects of a deity beyond merely what powers they command, especially in their worldview or personality. There can be many gods with the same Domain.
They allow the player to spend Domain Points on actions relating to their Domain, and also make acquiring portfolios related to the Domain cheaper. A god begins with one free Domain. Additional Domains will cost 5MP, and will require you to already have at least three portfolios related to your previous Domain.
Portfolios
What makes gods more unique is their Portfolio. These are specific elements of a Domain over which the god has greater power. A god whose domain is water will have power over all water, but if their portfolio is 'rivers' then their power over rivers is particularly potent and overrides the power of any other god - regardless of Domain - over rivers. While other factors may be at play, this is the general rule.
Portfolios allow players to receive discounts or enhancements on related actions. The discount is 50% rounded down, which means that a 1MP action can be done for free while either a 2MP or 3MP action will only cost 1MP. If a player chooses not to receive a discount, they can instead receive an enhancement, which makes the action more powerful than an unenhanced feat performed at the same price. As a general rule, assume that an enhancement doubles the action’s value. So a 3MP enhanced artifact will usually defeat a 3MP unenhanced artifact, assuming all else is equal.
One portfolio may fall under multiple domains. For example, the Song portfolio may be claimed as part of Beauty, Language, Art, or others. Different gods may also have similar portfolios, such as The Sun (Deserts) and Suffering (Wastelands). However, no two gods can share a portfolio, regardless of their Domain.
In order to acquire a new portfolio, the god must first unlock it, by spending up to either 5MP or 5DP on actions related to the portfolio in question. The god must then spend an additional cost to unlock it - 3MP if it is related to one of their Domains. Gods are allowed to purchase portfolios outside of their Domain, but at an increased cost of 5MP instead of 3MP.
A God’s personal seat of power. They have absolute authority in their personal realms, and are at their strongest, most definitive self. They can do anything, and create without the same constraints they face upon Galbar. What they cannot do, is merge their realm with Galbar or the consequences could be dire.
The Realms can be a variety of different things, concepts, places, and so on and so forth. They differ from Galbar, as they exist on a separate plane of reality, and are wholly contained within the Lifeblood. Traversing the Realms can be as hard as swimming through glass, or as simple as walking through a field of flowers. It depends upon how open a God wants to be to their siblings and others.
There is common ground within the vast space of Realms, a place where gods can meet freely in neutrality. It is called Antiquity and takes the form of a vast Colosseum. It is an ever changing place, where the only thing that remains constant is the stone. Alabaster, veined with gold and precious jewels. Galbar is always visible in Antiquity’s sky, but Antiquity is not visible from Galbar. Not one God knows who made it, only that it exists for the sole purpose of settling disputes. If any ever arise.
For mortals, Realms are far more dangerous than Galbar and there is no great certainty on how it affects them. What is known is that only the strongest of heroes, with the greatest gifts, would have the capability to come out unscathed.
It should be noted, that all Realms have a natural connection to Antiquity, and this can take any shape or form. Realms can also connect to one another, if both gods are in agreement. This connection can end at any moment if either God wishes it to be.
To better influence or control the mortal lands a deity may decide to consecrate a person, group, item, location or even an era. These blessed entities or locations are given titles which imbue them with special characteristics and the ability to do things normal mortals cannot do.
•• Prestige
Prestige are points awarded to the consecrated which in turn can be used to acquire more titles or to perform certain outstanding actions without the need of a deity investing points on it.
Active entities such as Heroes and Holy Orders gain prestige by activity, being awarded by being used in posts. Passive ones such as a holy site or Golden Generation will only be awarded it when another player interacts with it.
•• Titles
Titles represent the skills, powers, blessings and unique abilities or aspects. While from an IC perspective they are won because of those things, they must be first bought using MP, DP or Prestige to grant the abilities they are related to. Titles can be enhanced to become better by spending more points on it, the rank of a title should be showcased in roman numerals.
The cost of titles start at 1. Acquiring more titles will increase the cost. Titles of higher rank count as more than one title (A rank II title has a Title Weight of 2, a rank III has 3).
So:
For a total title weight of 3 you can have
Title A I Title B I Title C I
Or
Title A II Title B I
The cost grows like this:
1 - 5 Title Weight 1 Might / Domain Point or 10 prestige for new titles or ranks
5 - 10 Title Weight 2 Might / Domain Point or 15 prestige for new titles or ranks
10+ Title Weight 3 Might / Domain Point or 20 prestige for new titles or ranks
Example of random consecrated with titles
The Great General Sagacious I: This hero is blessed with a keen and adaptable mind Far-Seeing II: This hero is not only capable of seeing farther than mortals of his species, he is also able to notice the most minute details and see through conditions like fog and even the night.
The Wild Ones Shapeshifters II: The members of this holy order are able to take the shape of most animals with ease. Chimeras III: Upon mastering shapeshifting they are able to mix aspects of different animals in their transformations
The kingdom’s cultural golden age Able Craftsman I: Many born in this golden generation will have great skill when it comes to crafting, creating goods of greater quality and beauty. Innovators I: This generation will have many in it who are able to find new solutions to old problems. Inspired Architects I: The people of this generation are more inclined to create new architectural styles.
The Unbreakable Wall Impossibly Tall I: The building is far taller than any wall built by mortals of a similar technological era. Unbreakable II: The holy site is incredibly sturdy, no matter from what it was built from, it takes a lot of effort to damage this building. Self-Repairing I: This holy site is able to slowly reconstruct itself autonomously, provided most of the building is intact.
The Flying Chariot Flying Vessel I: This artifact is able to take flight at a moderate speed.
♦ Heroes
A hero is a lesser being that has been blessed by some god, often to act as a noteworthy servant or a free entity that will influence the world in a manner desirable to that god.
Heroes can be granted a great deal of power, but even if they start with more humble beginnings they can become formidable over time.
Since time moves fast in Divinus the mortality of a hero needs to be addressed. A player may allow them to live a normal mortal lifespan, however, extending their life or outright making them immortal is something that can be done as well, with no additional cost. Alternatively, the heroic power can be made into a heroic bloodline, in this case ONE descendant of the hero will get to take over their power and titles.
Example heroes can be the champion of a deity, a great conqueror, an enlightened king, a legendary artist or a religious prophet.
♦ Holy Orders
Despite its name, a holy order may be any group of individuals blessed by a deity, be it a religious or “secular” one. Since here we are dealing with groups of dozens, hundreds or perhaps a few thousands, the power is far more diluted than that of a hero, however, it is also better spread out, can act at many places at once and is harder to eradicate.
Example Holy Orders can be a holy order, a great dynasty, a skillful court, a group of hunters, a cult, a thieves guild, a government council.
♦ Golden Generation
A Golden Generation is a period of time in which some people may be born with greater potential than usual or showcasing abilities or characteristics that are not usual. It acts similarly to a Holy Order in that it creates groups of exalted individuals, however, in a less organized, more widespread and only temporary manner. For example, a prestigious musician’s guild is a Holy Order, a generation in which many great musicians are born is a Golden Generation, warriors of a Holy Order are understood to be allies but two warriors blessed by a Golden Generation may end up as bitter enemies.
These should be used when a deity needs widespread change or influence without a clear leader or center of such things. While a generation is active ANY deity can roleplay a random mortal who has the characteristics of the Golden Age’s blessing.
Golden Age will only last for a small while, once enough time has passed it will be gone and only beings established as having been born during the blessed times will be able to access its rewards.
♦ Holy Site
Despite its name, Holy Sites can be made for a variety of purposes, not necessarily religious ones. Instead of blessing a living entity a deity may consecrate a location or building, who in turn can have a variety of effects, be it by influencing those who go near it, by having extraordinary qualities or by performing certain actions.
Examples can be a holy mountain, a great lighthouse, great walls, a prestigious university.
♦ Artifacts
Finally, an object may be blessed instead. It could be a simple sword, a plant, a throne, a bed or even a ship. Provided the object is not stationary enough to be a holy site it can be considered an Artifact. Mundane objects may be blessed in Artifacts but a god can straight up build an Artifact too.
Might Points (MP) and Domain Points (DP), also known as Might, are the primary ‘currency’ of your characters and are a way of measuring the power and exertion that a god puts into their various actions. The ultimate limit on the powerful acts of your gods is based on these Points.
All gods receive a base income of 5 MP per turn. DP Income is variable, and Domain Points can be spent like Might Points, but only on actions related to the god’s domain. At the start of each Turn, all unspent Might and Domain Points from the previous turn are lost.
Might is spent whenever your god creates something significant or performs a feat of great godly power beyond your regular capabilities. Typically more Might is expended for more powerful actions. MP and DP can only be spent in whole number increments; an act which would be worth less than 1 MP could probably be performed for free.
Might Points
2 Might: Creating a relatively minor change to the landscape; rending a small valley or canyon, creating a river, raising a mountain or a (small) island.
5 Might: Significantly changing the landscape; creating a chain of mountains, or an entire desert, raising a large island or an archipelago of smaller ones.
8 Might: Causing extreme change to the landscape; raising an entire (mostly empty) continent from the sea, or willing into existence a sizable (moon-sized) Celestial body.
2 Might: Create a small ecosystem, which can fill a region such as a river, valley, mountain or small island.
5 Might: Create a large ecosystem, which can fill a large geographic region such as a whole mountain range, an archipelago, or desert.
1-3 Might: Create an extraordinary species. More might (up to 3), the more extraordinary.(Manticores, Dragons, Lovecraftian Horrors, etc.)
2 Might: Create a legendary beast of phenomenal power. (Godzilla, Thunderbird, Kraken, King Kong, etc.)
2 Might: Confer a single extraordinary or powerful ability upon a species or set of people. (Wings, Gills, Magic talent, etc.)
1 Might: Teach people an idea or technology. This idea or technology should be reasonably attainable from the people’s present culture and technology.
1 Might: Bestowing a group with a one-time gift of powerful artifacts beyond their present abilities to craft (e.g. a set of steel swords in a timeframe of copper age technology).
1+ Might: Blessing or cursing a group of people. These should come in different flavours for different gods, but in general, incurring the curse of any god should be a frightening thing indeed. The curse or blessing is like a whip or a carrot respectively; though it is the will of your god made manifest, it is not so powerful as to spell certain doom or utter paradise for those affected. Think something along the lines of perpetually good harvests for a blessing, and incessant nightmares or general sluggishness and fatigue as curses. Blessings or curses can last indefinitely and affect entire bloodlines or regions. A blessing or curse from a given god can be broken by said god free of charge or counteracted by a 1+ MP expenditure from any other god. The more powerful a curse is, the greater it costs and likewise the amount to break it.
1+ Might: Create a Hero. See Consecration for more Hero details.
1+ Might: Form a Holy Order. See Consecration for more Holy Order Details.
1+ Might: Grant a Hero or Holy Order a Title. Titles describe what a Hero is especially good at.
1+ Might: Create an artifact. See Consecration for more details. (A holy blade, a flute of sleeping, a crown of protection, etc)
1+ Might: Create a holy site. See Consecration for more details. (An obelisk of speech, a tower of joy, a castle of pain, etc)
1 Might: Open a temporary portal between a God’s personal Realm and Galbar. Typically the means of such transportation will be thematically appropriate for your Portfolios and Abilities. Gods cannot physically enter through this portal, for fear of the Lifeblood and what it would do.
1+ Might: Perform some other godly feat. You can expend Might to perform incredible actions beyond your innate abilities, such as manipulating the weather, hurling mighty fireballs, putting a city to sleep, shrugging off a devastating blow or punching someone really hard. Typically a Domain or Portfolio will provide you with a wide set of godly feats you can perform for free, and Artifacts and holy sites provide more potent ongoing/reusable abilities. The more Might spent on an action, the more potent it is.
Domain Points
Unlike Might points, which can be spent freely on anything in the catalogue, Domain Points can only be spent on things that have a direct correlation with your Domain(s). For example, a god of Life (Animals) wishes to create an extraordinary species of giant goats. They are free to use their DP to do so, because their domain is life, and by extension, their port (Which falls under their domain’s theme) allows them to make animals. A god of Death (Guidance) would not be able to use their DP to make goats, but would be free to do so with MP.
Domain Points contribute as much to unlock new Portfolios as Might Points.
Domain Points can also be used to branch out into Portfolios that fit under the theme of a Domain. Let’s say the God of Life (Animals) wishes to expand into the plant portfolio. This is allowed because it fits with the theme of life. They could spend 5DP on plant-related actions, which would then allow them to purchase the port for the reduced amount.
The God of Death (Guidance) can also try to expand into plants, but he is only allowed to use MP to unlock it, and must pay the full price.
Prestige
Prestige are the points awarded to the “active” type consecrated (Heroes, Holy Orders) whenever they are featured in a post and to the “passive” types (Holy Sites, Artifacts, Golden Generations) whenever someone else other than their creator OR owner (In the case of objects and locations given to others) uses / visits them.
Prestige is awarded by both post count and post length. Being featured in a post in a significant role will award a consecrated a minimum of one prestige. If the post exceeds 2500 characters 2 prestige will be won. If 5000+ 3 prestige will be won. If 7500+ 4 prestige will be won. If 10000+ characters 5 prestige will be won, this is the upper limit.
Prestige may be spent in actions such:
1 Prestige: A small impressive feat beyond their established abilities (Throwing a boulder far away, hitting a target standing very far with a bow and arrow, delivering an inspiring speech to a small group of people.) 3 Prestige: An impressive feat (Crushing a boulder with a punch, hitting a target standing very far by throwing a blunt object with their own hands, delivering an inspiring speech in a crowded city center) 5 Prestige: Creating a settlement (Bringing in people and some basic structures) or helping to improve an existing one 5 Prestige: Making a minor cultural or technological shift (A new musical style, architectural innovation, introducing new crops, creating a festival) 8 Prestige: Making a major cultural shift (A new ideology, an influential book, introducing a religion or sect, creating a code of practice like The Way of the Samurai) 10 Prestige: A major technological shift (Taming an animal, advancing a technique, creating a unique craft be it Damascus Steel or French Wine)
15 Prestige: Creating an adjacent minor consecrated entity. For example, a holy order creating a great palace (holy site) or one of their members rising above the others (hero) or a Hero crafting an object of great value (artifact) or inspiring an entire generation of people (golden age) or recruiting an army of expert soldiers to aim them in combat (holy order) These are not full on consecrated, they can not acquire titles of their own or gather prestige, they are merely a tool for the actual consecrated.
Acquiring / Upgrading a title 10 Prestige (From 1 to 5 TW) 15 Prestige (From 5 to 10 TW) 20 prestige (From 10+ onward TW)
Gods are the ultimate authorities in the universe, but their influence is still limited. Within their realms, no single being can best them; they may take whatever form they please and warp reality with little to no effort. In Antiquity, they find it impossible to build anything which significantly changes the environment, but are still beings of immense power, with only other gods capable of matching them. The area they are most limited in is Galbar.
In Galbar, it is impossible for them to manifest at their full power. Their presence disrupts the balance of Galbar’s Lifeblood, which has adapted by forming a natural barrier to keep them out. It is immensely difficult for a god to take on a sustainable form. If they somehow do, reality itself will warp and crack at their mere presence, with cataclysmic consequences for both the god and the world.
However, this does not mean they are incapable of influencing Galbar at all. They can give subtle blessings to certain areas or individuals, and still have ways to communicate with mortals. And lastly, they can create avatars to act on their behalf.
By default, gods are allowed to have the following abilities and traits: Form: While having some innate shapeshifting ability, with enough patience they can take any form they want but quick, one time, transformations require might. Gods tend to have a set of forms that are more stable and showcase their full capabilities among some unique abilities and behaviours. They have one core form from when they first broke free from the lifeblood plus one form for each domain they have, including the first one, gods can change into those forms quickly without the use of might, but excessive change in a shot period of time can be tiring or worse, can lead to instability. Immortality: Gods are ageless and almost unkillable. If they are to die, it must be either by suicide, by the hands of another god, or by their lifeblood somehow going unstable. Strength: Gods are immensely powerful, capable of lifting objects larger than them, and are unaffected by fatigue. Travel: Gods can run at high speeds, walk on water, and fly. However, their form does need to be taken into consideration. A light, agile form with wings will be able to fly much faster than a large heavy form without wings. Perception: The range of a god’s sight is limitless; they may see anything with pinpoint accuracy, so long as their view is not obstructed by obstacles or the horizon. They can hear for miles, perceive multiple sounds at once without error, and can smell where other divine beings have been. Lastly, all gods possess a mental image of Galbar’s landscape within their mind, and they are able to zero in on and examine certain areas. They may also perceive anything within the vicinity of their avatars, their holy sites, or any mortals who are praying to them. Communication: An Avatar’s mind automatically translates all sapient mortal languages, based on the intent behind the words and sounds rather than the words themselves. They can even communicate with non-sapient creatures provided they are relevant to their Domain. Prayers: Gods have full access to the minds of any mortals who willingly pray to them, hearing their words and thoughts, and even being able to actively read the mortals’ memories if they wish. A god may read a mortal’s mind without prayer if that mortal is inside their realm, or one of their consecrated locations on Galbar. Creation: Being born from the Lifeblood, the essence of Creation, gods are able to create things from nothing and shift them with ease. On a very small scale this does not drain their energy at all, for example, they can create a clump of metal and heat the metal to melt it, they can shape clay and carve stone with their touch, they can cause seeds to grow rapidly by merely focusing on it.
Because gods are unable to directly set foot on Galbar without dire consequences, the next best way to do so is through avatars. Simply put, an avatar is an extension of a god’s will and power, but it is far less powerful than its creator. It allows a god to maintain a foothold on Galbar without damaging the delicate balance of the Lifeblood.
The exact nature of an avatar is up to the player. For some, it could be a direct incarnation of your god, allowing you to be in two places at once. Alternatively, the Avatar could be an independent agent with its own personality, though it would still share the same soul as the god and would be directly dependent on it for survival. Or maybe the Avatar is a mortal whose soul your god has decided to hitch a ride on, either outright possessing them or serving more as a hands-off spiritual guide, making the Avatar more of a prophet or messiah figure. These are just suggestions; if you have another idea for how your avatar might function, feel free to propose it.
Regardless of what form your avatar takes, all avatars are of roughly the same power level. They are capable of great feats, but a group of heroes might be able to overpower them. They may also spend MP and FP on their owner’s behalf.
Every player is allowed one free avatar. Purchasing a second one will cost 3MP (not DP), and will require the god to have a second domain. A third avatar will cost 5MP, and will require a third domain. It is recommended that you put a lot of thought into your avatars, as they will be your god’s main representative at the beginning of the RP. It is not possible for players to have more than three avatars.
If your first avatar dies, and you have no others, it will cost the same price as a second avatar to replace them. The cost for your second avatar after that will still be 3MP, however.
By default, avatars are allowed to have the following abilities and traits: Form: Like their godly masters, Avatars are allowed one free starting form, though it is far more limited in size. As a general rule, an Avatar’s form should never be larger than twenty feet in height. Anything larger than that requires too much lifeblood to sustain. Immortality: Avatars are ageless, and immensely difficult to kill. Doing so will genuinely require the direct involvement of another Avatar, or a powerful party of Heroes. When an Avatar is killed, its essence is usually absorbed back into the patron god. Acclimatization: Avatars are unharmed by mundane environmental hazards, but may still feel discomfort in certain situations - such as the Avatar of a God of Cold choosing to stand in a volcano. They can survive falls from extreme heights, and are not bound by conventional mortal needs such as food or sleep. Strength: Avatars are immensely powerful, capable of lifting objects larger than them, and are unaffected by fatigue. Travel: Avatars can run at high speeds, walk on water, and fly. However, their form does need to be taken into consideration. A light, agile form with wings will be able to fly much faster than a large heavy form that lacks them. Perception: Avatars can see as far as the horizon. They can hear for miles, perceive multiple sounds at once without error, and can smell where other divine beings have recently been. Communication: An Avatar’s mind automatically translates all sapient mortal languages, based on the intent behind the words and sounds rather than the words themselves. They can even communicate with non-sapient creatures provided they are relevant to their Domain. Avatars may also open telepathic communication directly with other gods or avatars, though their god has the power to listen to both sides of the conversation. Mutations: Avatars may make slight alterations to creatures and the surrounding environment depending on their portfolios. An Avatar of Nature may make plants bloom in locations they have stepped, while an Avatar of Pestilence might impart a minor sickness onto a group of mortals that insulted him.
With this new iteration, Demigods hold no place within it. As such, new players who join will be solely conceptional gods. This birth can take many forms. From at last gaining consciousness from the lifeblood, given birth by another god to take up the mantle of the New God’s domain, or by mortals who create something new, the skies are the limit. The only limitation is that New Gods cannot be born upon Galbar.
These New Gods that come after turn one, will be given a period of two turns at half might and domain points, before becoming a fully fledged god. During this time, New Gods are weaker than their greaters, but still a formidable threat in their own right.
General Rules and Regulations
The Golden Rule--Do not godmod/metagame/powerplay. It’s ironic because this is an RP with actual gods as characters; however, there are definitely limits as to the power level of our gods. We’re trying to make a collaborative story rather than host a game meant to be ‘won,’ so please keep that in mind as you write.
The Rule of Fair Warning--Before significantly influencing someone else’s creations, especially if it is going to be in a destructive way, give them some fair warning OOC so that potential objections can be made ahead of time and plans can be shifted. Ideally conflicts between two gods that lead to destruction or harm of one god or its possessions will be written with the consent of both players, but if you think that somebody is being unreasonable us GMs can intervene.
The Good Samaritan Rule--Somewhere in every post, please attach a hider box containing a short summary of the post’s actions, including how Might has been expended in the post if applicable. As Divinus RPs have traditionally had some massive posts, this helps greatly when trying to keep track of all that’s been going on and when trying to make sure you didn’t miss any important plot point within some massive post. That being said, please do still try to read all IC posts and not just the summaries. Example: Your summary should convey the bare minimum of which characters were involved, what major plot points were covered, and which (if any) other peoples' characters you're initiating some sort of action with, and how MP, DP and Prestige was spent.
The Bookkeeping Rule--We will be using a wiki to store character and creation sheets, as past experience has demonstrated that RPGuild character tab on this thread won’t be enough space and will get too cluttered. For all creations of significance, please make at least a 1-2 sentence page for them on our wiki. The 0th post on the characters section will contain a link to our wiki; if you need any help figuring out how to use the wiki, by all means feel free to ask. Clarification: Though the wiki is considered canon, you should still describe your creations IC. Don't simply reference that you've made a creation IC and then make us all go to the wiki article to find out basic details on what the creation does; it's unhealthy to make reading the wiki articles obligatory for one's understanding of what's happening IC.
Leave of Absence--Please give us forewarning on the OOC if circumstances dictate that you will become inactive in the RP for a time. I’m sure we’ve all seen the phenomena of people simply vanishing; it’s frustrating and leaves work where the others have to pick up the narrative pieces. Failure to follow this rule can potentially lead to your god being deposed IC; the Lifeblood works in mysterious ways.
Sexual Content--Please keep it PG-13. Fade to black, and always remember, the Guild Rules come first and foremost.
The above commandments are most important. Almost every other conduct is to fall under the domain of common sense and the RPGuild rules, with the understanding that our goal is to collaboratively create cool narratives. Be considerate to one another and facilitate storytelling. If there are any concerns or clarifications required, the GMs are always happy to help.
Character Creation
We would like to reiterate that we will be using a wikia (link can be found on the 0th post of the character section) to store and organize all character sheets, rather than the character tab on this RPGuild thread. This is obligatory; however, if you need help figuring out how to work with the wiki, just let us know. If you like, you may still use the character tab to compile links to the various wiki articles for your creations.
With that out of the way, feel free to format your sheet however you like, so long as it clearly contains answers to at least the questions posed by this example sheet below.
As you consider ideas for your character and grapple with what you want to do, We would encourage you to first focus upon what sort of Domain and Portfolio you want to have, and then use that as a foundation to construct a god that makes sense given that dimension.
Beyond the concept for your character, you should also have an idea of what you want your god to do, how your god might change or progress, how they will contribute to the story and how they will interact with other players.
Name: ((To know your god, name your god.))
Primordial or Conceptual: ((Were they born at the dawn of Galbar’s creation or afterward? Nobody needs to wait until civilization is born to pick a conceptional god, as they can still play as part of the lifeblood before splitting from it.))
Domain: ((Give us some idea of what this means, this should not merely be a generic definition of the term but also showcase your god’s take on the concept))
Portfolio: ((A non-generic definition of the term along with what powers and innate abilities their portfolio award them.))
Their Realm: ((A Brief snippet of what their Realm might look like. Doesn’t have to be too detailed.))
Persona: ((General moral alignment, ambitions, personality traits, etc.))
Base Form: ((Pictures, descriptions or both are fine. Any specific capability of this form over the others should be described.))
Domain Form: ((Their domain-specific form, any specific capability of this form over the others should also be described.))
Avatar: ((Tell us a bit about their first avatar. Define capabilities and approach to mortalkind. Once again, It is recommended that you put a lot of thought into your avatars, as they will be your god’s main representative at the beginning of the RP.))
Musical Theme: ((What’s their jam? Optional.)) ((Lastly, remember to read the OP thoroughly!))
Domain Life. That which grows with a beating heart. That which thinks with a mind full of instincts and thought. That which breathes fresh air and drinks cool waters and eats delicious fruit from vibrant trees. That which is alive. That is life and Oraelia is its embodiment. The Domain of Life deals with living things, to the tiniest of insects, to the mightiest of mammals and most importantly, sentience creatures. All that struggles to live under the warmth of the sun. Oraelia cares deeply for it all. Every single living thing upon Galbar, for life is precious to her and should never be taken lightly.
Portfolio Sunlight. The Lifeblood failed over and over again, for it could not grasp what was truly needed for life to flourish. Time immemorial it created stars, only to leave them in the dark, to stand still in coldness and fiery heat for all time. It was not until Oraelia broke free that the true potential of a star’s light, it’s sunlight, could be seen. As such, she has control over Galbar’s sun and it’s light, using it to allow beautiful life to flourish upon the planet. Sunlight can be used in a variety of ways, from gentle rays of nourishment and warmth, to scorching entire areas to naught but desert(Which Oraelia would never willingly do). From material items to ethereal halos, sunlight is first and foremost a tool of life.
The Garden Under the Sun
An idyllic paradise, bounding in lushness and teeming with life. Cool streams meander their way through fields of verdant grass, as songbirds sing their tunes in the limbs of flowering trees. These tall trees are rocked by a gentle breeze, carrying with them the smells of pleasant aromas. Often reminding those of their favorite things. Much of the landscape is reminiscent of Galbar but in an untouched state. The sun is eternal here, and never sets into her sister’s domain. It provides a pleasant warmth and energizes those that come under it. Somewhere within there lies a small cottage, coated in mosses and flowers. Here Oraelia resides from time to time, if not out enjoying the peace that life brings.
Persona
Bubbly, energetic, playful, happy, whimsical, aloof yet quiet, contemplative, gentle, soft… These are just a few terms that describe Oraelia. Though she embodies life, Oraelia most often has her head in the clouds. She enjoys being surrounded by greenery, but has a hard time with understanding inorganic things. Perhaps what she has most difficulty with is death. Though she knows it is a natural part of life, Oraelia never likes seeing it. It pains her greatly, which is why she would never willingly harm another being that lives.
She enjoys the company of others, most often in relaxation or exploring new realms. She loves her sister, Gibbou, dearly. Though she emobodies the night, this hardly deters Oraelia from going to see her. If not in her own realm, she can be found in the tranquility of the moon.
Base Form
Her base form is that of a young woman, bathed in a warm, golden light with a halo over her head of the same color. Her golden hair is long and wavy, with a band of white flowers going through it. Her facial features are soft, and petite but her blue eyes are sharp and curious. She is rather short for a God, and her build is lithe with some curvature at her hips. She has a pleasant warmth to her at all times and usually a playful smile on her lips. She smells like a vibrant spring day. For clothing, she usually wears a variety of summer dresses.
Domain Form
The genuine joy Oraelia derives from life is manifested in this form. She can become a small wisp of green and yellow light, whose happiness can hardly be contained. Her abundant energy is showcased in this form, for she frequently zips around, never staying still for too long. Especially if something catches her eye.
Avatar
The Daughter of the Sun, Rhiona is much the same as her mother, but with a few key differences. She appears as a woman with brunette hair, wearing loose garments upon her sunkissed figure. She has soft features, and sharp, golden eyes. She sees Oraelia as her mother, and cares for her deeply, but where Oraelia cares for all life regardless of the harm it does to others, Rhiona does not care for that which intentionally harms. She sees death as a part of the cycle, and holds no quarrel with it like her mother. What dies, dies and in doing so helps more life to grow. She can be stern and angry, loving and kind but she cares deeply for life and would do anything to protect it from itself, and from outside forces.
Special thanks to all those who ran previous iterations of the roleplay over many years: ActRaiserTheReturned, Kho, Rtron, Cyclone, BBeast, Muttonhawk, Antarctic Termite.
There is no prologue.
What was there before, is unknown even to the gods. Was the universe a long dead thing composed only of cold, disperse atoms? Was it an ocean of chaos waiting to be leashed by logic? Was it a stale existence under countless laws of logic that ultimately became paradoxical to each other? It does not matter.
What is known is that at the beginning there was only the void and the Lifeblood.
The Lifeblood was pure, raw, existence, condensed into a viscous formless matter. It was all that could be, unified into one entity, and though mindless, it was eager to create. This was anathema to the void, existence and nonexistence fighting an eternal silent war. Countless times the Lifeblood had attempted to create and countless times it had failed.
Then it did not fail, a plane of existence had been born, a planet, by the name of Galbar.
Lifeblood's greatest success… and its greatest defeat. Shining all around the planet were countless stars, the crumbles of the failures, the contrasting imagery showcasing a simple truth: Existence was no longer unified as a simple ‘could be’, now there was that which was and that which couldn’t be.
This divide saw the Lifeblood becoming a paradox, each stroke in the canvas of creation that was Galbar meant countless other potential strokes would not be made. For the first time it thought, and in its mind countless voices advocated for a different color to be added to that canvas.
The voices grew louder and louder, they started to showcase emotions, arguments, trickery, and they started to become bolder, and yet the Lifeblood stayed inactive, floating in a still, barren Galbar.
It didn’t take long before the ever growing voices decided to take matters into their own hands, and as such, from the viscous puddle of the Lifeblood, the first and most primordial gods rose, ready to shape the world.
Synopsis
Divinus will be a story about a pantheon of deities, their creations, and the world of Galbar as it is shaped by our collective actions.
Born from the mysterious and infinitely powerful entity known as the Lifeblood, each God represents aspects of creation that grew too influential to be bound by formlessness, and so decided to take matters in their own hand. Some gods will be born in the primordial times (turn 0) and rule over aspects such as fire, oceans, life, shaping the continents, the laws of physics and creating Galbar’s first inhabitants. They are the Primordials. Other gods will arise as mortals start to spread out and grow in intelligence (turn 1), and will rule over aspects such as the music, justice, war and knowledge. They will be known as Conceptionals.
Though they are all siblings with similar objectives of ‘world building’, each one has their take on how the canvas of creation should be painted, that is why they broke free from the Lifeblood after all, and while deities can cooperate, conflict and intrigue will be no strangers to them.
Though that what gave them life, could also take it. The more the Lifeblood is used, the more it grows unpredictable and dangerous. This vastness of power, limitless in potential, could also spell doom for Galbar. Will it be used with a careful, guiding hand? Or pushed until the breaking point? Only time will tell.
Mechanics
The roleplay is divided in turns. They are associated with the passage of time IC, but it's typically vague and left to the players.
Each turn gives the player Might and Domain Points to use, any points not spent at the end of the turn is wasted and does not carry over to the next turn’s budget.
Turn 0 will have specific mechanics unique to it that other turns won’t have. This is because turn 0 happens right after the creation of the universe but before the planet has any noticeable features. Might costs will not follow the catalogue. Many landscaping and life creating actions will be free, while some complex ones will have discounted prices and certain things will not be allowed at all. There will be a separate catalogue that goes over the prices. If an item isn't on the list, it cannot be created.
In Turn 0, players who have Primordial Gods will be the ones who walk upon Galbar using their full power. Conceptual gods that are still apart of the Lifeblood, are free to help shape the world and even use might. Even if their gods are yet to be born. They will be acting as the Lifeblood itself.
Turn 0, unlike other turns, will have a set ‘plot’ that ultimately ends with the Lifeblood going awry thanks to all the rampant use of power by the gods. This will ultimately lead to sentient, mortal life and the Gods withdrawing into the Lifeblood itself, to keep the Lifeblood out of the Physical Reality.
Turn 0 might: 5MP/0DP
Domains are 'elements' of the universe over which a god rules. These 'elements' are broad and can range from the obvious (Love, War, Death, Crafting, classical elements such as Water and Fire) to the abstract (Journeys, Secrets, Purity, Loss). They often align with aspects of a deity beyond merely what powers they command, especially in their worldview or personality. There can be many gods with the same Domain.
They allow the player to spend Domain Points on actions relating to their Domain, and also make acquiring portfolios related to the Domain cheaper. A god begins with one free Domain. Additional Domains will cost 5MP, and will require you to already have at least three portfolios related to your previous Domain.
Portfolios
What makes gods more unique is their Portfolio. These are specific elements of a Domain over which the god has greater power. A god whose domain is water will have power over all water, but if their portfolio is 'rivers' then their power over rivers is particularly potent and overrides the power of any other god - regardless of Domain - over rivers. While other factors may be at play, this is the general rule.
Portfolios allow players to receive discounts or enhancements on related actions. The discount is 50% rounded down, which means that a 1MP action can be done for free while either a 2MP or 3MP action will only cost 1MP. If a player chooses not to receive a discount, they can instead receive an enhancement, which makes the action more powerful than an unenhanced feat performed at the same price. As a general rule, assume that an enhancement doubles the action’s value. So a 3MP enhanced artifact will usually defeat a 3MP unenhanced artifact, assuming all else is equal.
One portfolio may fall under multiple domains. For example, the Song portfolio may be claimed as part of Beauty, Language, Art, or others. Different gods may also have similar portfolios, such as The Sun (Deserts) and Suffering (Wastelands). However, no two gods can share a portfolio, regardless of their Domain.
In order to acquire a new portfolio, the god must first unlock it, by spending up to either 5MP or 5DP on actions related to the portfolio in question. The god must then spend an additional cost to unlock it - 3MP if it is related to one of their Domains. Gods are allowed to purchase portfolios outside of their Domain, but at an increased cost of 5MP instead of 3MP.
A God’s personal seat of power. They have absolute authority in their personal realms, and are at their strongest, most definitive self. They can do anything, and create without the same constraints they face upon Galbar. What they cannot do, is merge their realm with Galbar or the consequences could be dire.
The Realms can be a variety of different things, concepts, places, and so on and so forth. They differ from Galbar, as they exist on a separate plane of reality, and are wholly contained within the Lifeblood. Traversing the Realms can be as hard as swimming through glass, or as simple as walking through a field of flowers. It depends upon how open a God wants to be to their siblings and others.
There is common ground within the vast space of Realms, a place where gods can meet freely in neutrality. It is called Antiquity and takes the form of a vast Colosseum. It is an ever changing place, where the only thing that remains constant is the stone. Alabaster, veined with gold and precious jewels. Galbar is always visible in Antiquity’s sky, but Antiquity is not visible from Galbar. Not one God knows who made it, only that it exists for the sole purpose of settling disputes. If any ever arise.
For mortals, Realms are far more dangerous than Galbar and there is no great certainty on how it affects them. What is known is that only the strongest of heroes, with the greatest gifts, would have the capability to come out unscathed.
It should be noted, that all Realms have a natural connection to Antiquity, and this can take any shape or form. Realms can also connect to one another, if both gods are in agreement. This connection can end at any moment if either God wishes it to be.
To better influence or control the mortal lands a deity may decide to consecrate a person, group, item, location or even an era. These blessed entities or locations are given titles which imbue them with special characteristics and the ability to do things normal mortals cannot do.
•• Prestige
Prestige are points awarded to the consecrated which in turn can be used to acquire more titles or to perform certain outstanding actions without the need of a deity investing points on it.
Active entities such as Heroes and Holy Orders gain prestige by activity, being awarded by being used in posts. Passive ones such as a holy site or Golden Generation will only be awarded it when another player interacts with it.
•• Titles
Titles represent the skills, powers, blessings and unique abilities or aspects. While from an IC perspective they are won because of those things, they must be first bought using MP, DP or Prestige to grant the abilities they are related to. Titles can be enhanced to become better by spending more points on it, the rank of a title should be showcased in roman numerals.
The cost of titles start at 1. Acquiring more titles will increase the cost. Titles of higher rank count as more than one title (A rank II title has a Title Weight of 2, a rank III has 3).
So:
For a total title weight of 3 you can have
Title A I Title B I Title C I
Or
Title A II Title B I
The cost grows like this:
1 - 5 Title Weight 1 Might / Domain Point or 10 prestige for new titles or ranks
5 - 10 Title Weight 2 Might / Domain Point or 15 prestige for new titles or ranks
10+ Title Weight 3 Might / Domain Point or 20 prestige for new titles or ranks
Example of random consecrated with titles
The Great General Sagacious I: This hero is blessed with a keen and adaptable mind Far-Seeing II: This hero is not only capable of seeing farther than mortals of his species, he is also able to notice the most minute details and see through conditions like fog and even the night.
The Wild Ones Shapeshifters II: The members of this holy order are able to take the shape of most animals with ease. Chimeras III: Upon mastering shapeshifting they are able to mix aspects of different animals in their transformations
The kingdom’s cultural golden age Able Craftsman I: Many born in this golden generation will have great skill when it comes to crafting, creating goods of greater quality and beauty. Innovators I: This generation will have many in it who are able to find new solutions to old problems. Inspired Architects I: The people of this generation are more inclined to create new architectural styles.
The Unbreakable Wall Impossibly Tall I: The building is far taller than any wall built by mortals of a similar technological era. Unbreakable II: The holy site is incredibly sturdy, no matter from what it was built from, it takes a lot of effort to damage this building. Self-Repairing I: This holy site is able to slowly reconstruct itself autonomously, provided most of the building is intact.
The Flying Chariot Flying Vessel I: This artifact is able to take flight at a moderate speed.
♦ Heroes
A hero is a lesser being that has been blessed by some god, often to act as a noteworthy servant or a free entity that will influence the world in a manner desirable to that god.
Heroes can be granted a great deal of power, but even if they start with more humble beginnings they can become formidable over time.
Since time moves fast in Divinus the mortality of a hero needs to be addressed. A player may allow them to live a normal mortal lifespan, however, extending their life or outright making them immortal is something that can be done as well, with no additional cost. Alternatively, the heroic power can be made into a heroic bloodline, in this case ONE descendant of the hero will get to take over their power and titles.
Example heroes can be the champion of a deity, a great conqueror, an enlightened king, a legendary artist or a religious prophet.
♦ Holy Orders
Despite its name, a holy order may be any group of individuals blessed by a deity, be it a religious or “secular” one. Since here we are dealing with groups of dozens, hundreds or perhaps a few thousands, the power is far more diluted than that of a hero, however, it is also better spread out, can act at many places at once and is harder to eradicate.
Example Holy Orders can be a holy order, a great dynasty, a skillful court, a group of hunters, a cult, a thieves guild, a government council.
♦ Golden Generation
A Golden Generation is a period of time in which some people may be born with greater potential than usual or showcasing abilities or characteristics that are not usual. It acts similarly to a Holy Order in that it creates groups of exalted individuals, however, in a less organized, more widespread and only temporary manner. For example, a prestigious musician’s guild is a Holy Order, a generation in which many great musicians are born is a Golden Generation, warriors of a Holy Order are understood to be allies but two warriors blessed by a Golden Generation may end up as bitter enemies.
These should be used when a deity needs widespread change or influence without a clear leader or center of such things. While a generation is active ANY deity can roleplay a random mortal who has the characteristics of the Golden Age’s blessing.
Golden Age will only last for a small while, once enough time has passed it will be gone and only beings established as having been born during the blessed times will be able to access its rewards.
♦ Holy Site
Despite its name, Holy Sites can be made for a variety of purposes, not necessarily religious ones. Instead of blessing a living entity a deity may consecrate a location or building, who in turn can have a variety of effects, be it by influencing those who go near it, by having extraordinary qualities or by performing certain actions.
Examples can be a holy mountain, a great lighthouse, great walls, a prestigious university.
♦ Artifacts
Finally, an object may be blessed instead. It could be a simple sword, a plant, a throne, a bed or even a ship. Provided the object is not stationary enough to be a holy site it can be considered an Artifact. Mundane objects may be blessed in Artifacts but a god can straight up build an Artifact too.
Might Points (MP) and Domain Points (DP), also known as Might, are the primary ‘currency’ of your characters and are a way of measuring the power and exertion that a god puts into their various actions. The ultimate limit on the powerful acts of your gods is based on these Points.
All gods receive a base income of 5 MP per turn. DP Income is variable, and Domain Points can be spent like Might Points, but only on actions related to the god’s domain. At the start of each Turn, all unspent Might and Domain Points from the previous turn are lost.
Might is spent whenever your god creates something significant or performs a feat of great godly power beyond your regular capabilities. Typically more Might is expended for more powerful actions. MP and DP can only be spent in whole number increments; an act which would be worth less than 1 MP could probably be performed for free.
Might Points
2 Might: Creating a relatively minor change to the landscape; rending a small valley or canyon, creating a river, raising a mountain or a (small) island.
5 Might: Significantly changing the landscape; creating a chain of mountains, or an entire desert, raising a large island or an archipelago of smaller ones.
8 Might: Causing extreme change to the landscape; raising an entire (mostly empty) continent from the sea, or willing into existence a sizable (moon-sized) Celestial body.
2 Might: Create a small ecosystem, which can fill a region such as a river, valley, mountain or small island.
5 Might: Create a large ecosystem, which can fill a large geographic region such as a whole mountain range, an archipelago, or desert.
1-3 Might: Create an extraordinary species. More might (up to 3), the more extraordinary.(Manticores, Dragons, Lovecraftian Horrors, etc.)
2 Might: Create a legendary beast of phenomenal power. (Godzilla, Thunderbird, Kraken, King Kong, etc.)
2 Might: Confer a single extraordinary or powerful ability upon a species or set of people. (Wings, Gills, Magic talent, etc.)
1 Might: Teach people an idea or technology. This idea or technology should be reasonably attainable from the people’s present culture and technology.
1 Might: Bestowing a group with a one-time gift of powerful artifacts beyond their present abilities to craft (e.g. a set of steel swords in a timeframe of copper age technology).
1+ Might: Blessing or cursing a group of people. These should come in different flavours for different gods, but in general, incurring the curse of any god should be a frightening thing indeed. The curse or blessing is like a whip or a carrot respectively; though it is the will of your god made manifest, it is not so powerful as to spell certain doom or utter paradise for those affected. Think something along the lines of perpetually good harvests for a blessing, and incessant nightmares or general sluggishness and fatigue as curses. Blessings or curses can last indefinitely and affect entire bloodlines or regions. A blessing or curse from a given god can be broken by said god free of charge or counteracted by a 1+ MP expenditure from any other god. The more powerful a curse is, the greater it costs and likewise the amount to break it.
1+ Might: Create a Hero. See Consecration for more Hero details.
1+ Might: Form a Holy Order. See Consecration for more Holy Order Details.
1+ Might: Grant a Hero or Holy Order a Title. Titles describe what a Hero is especially good at.
1+ Might: Create an artifact. See Consecration for more details. (A holy blade, a flute of sleeping, a crown of protection, etc)
1+ Might: Create a holy site. See Consecration for more details. (An obelisk of speech, a tower of joy, a castle of pain, etc)
1 Might: Open a temporary portal between a God’s personal Realm and Galbar. Typically the means of such transportation will be thematically appropriate for your Portfolios and Abilities. Gods cannot physically enter through this portal, for fear of the Lifeblood and what it would do.
1+ Might: Perform some other godly feat. You can expend Might to perform incredible actions beyond your innate abilities, such as manipulating the weather, hurling mighty fireballs, putting a city to sleep, shrugging off a devastating blow or punching someone really hard. Typically a Domain or Portfolio will provide you with a wide set of godly feats you can perform for free, and Artifacts and holy sites provide more potent ongoing/reusable abilities. The more Might spent on an action, the more potent it is.
Domain Points
Unlike Might points, which can be spent freely on anything in the catalogue, Domain Points can only be spent on things that have a direct correlation with your Domain(s). For example, a god of Life (Animals) wishes to create an extraordinary species of giant goats. They are free to use their DP to do so, because their domain is life, and by extension, their port (Which falls under their domain’s theme) allows them to make animals. A god of Death (Guidance) would not be able to use their DP to make goats, but would be free to do so with MP.
Domain Points contribute as much to unlock new Portfolios as Might Points.
Domain Points can also be used to branch out into Portfolios that fit under the theme of a Domain. Let’s say the God of Life (Animals) wishes to expand into the plant portfolio. This is allowed because it fits with the theme of life. They could spend 5DP on plant-related actions, which would then allow them to purchase the port for the reduced amount.
The God of Death (Guidance) can also try to expand into plants, but he is only allowed to use MP to unlock it, and must pay the full price.
Prestige
Prestige are the points awarded to the “active” type consecrated (Heroes, Holy Orders) whenever they are featured in a post and to the “passive” types (Holy Sites, Artifacts, Golden Generations) whenever someone else other than their creator OR owner (In the case of objects and locations given to others) uses / visits them.
Prestige is awarded by both post count and post length. Being featured in a post in a significant role will award a consecrated a minimum of one prestige. If the post exceeds 2500 characters 2 prestige will be won. If 5000+ 3 prestige will be won. If 7500+ 4 prestige will be won. If 10000+ characters 5 prestige will be won, this is the upper limit.
Prestige may be spent in actions such:
1 Prestige: A small impressive feat beyond their established abilities (Throwing a boulder far away, hitting a target standing very far with a bow and arrow, delivering an inspiring speech to a small group of people.) 3 Prestige: An impressive feat (Crushing a boulder with a punch, hitting a target standing very far by throwing a blunt object with their own hands, delivering an inspiring speech in a crowded city center) 5 Prestige: Creating a settlement (Bringing in people and some basic structures) or helping to improve an existing one 5 Prestige: Making a minor cultural or technological shift (A new musical style, architectural innovation, introducing new crops, creating a festival) 8 Prestige: Making a major cultural shift (A new ideology, an influential book, introducing a religion or sect, creating a code of practice like The Way of the Samurai) 10 Prestige: A major technological shift (Taming an animal, advancing a technique, creating a unique craft be it Damascus Steel or French Wine)
15 Prestige: Creating an adjacent minor consecrated entity. For example, a holy order creating a great palace (holy site) or one of their members rising above the others (hero) or a Hero crafting an object of great value (artifact) or inspiring an entire generation of people (golden age) or recruiting an army of expert soldiers to aim them in combat (holy order) These are not full on consecrated, they can not acquire titles of their own or gather prestige, they are merely a tool for the actual consecrated.
Acquiring / Upgrading a title 10 Prestige (From 1 to 5 TW) 15 Prestige (From 5 to 10 TW) 20 prestige (From 10+ onward TW)
Gods are the ultimate authorities in the universe, but their influence is still limited. Within their realms, no single being can best them; they may take whatever form they please and warp reality with little to no effort. In Antiquity, they find it impossible to build anything which significantly changes the environment, but are still beings of immense power, with only other gods capable of matching them. The area they are most limited in is Galbar.
In Galbar, it is impossible for them to manifest at their full power. Their presence disrupts the balance of Galbar’s Lifeblood, which has adapted by forming a natural barrier to keep them out. It is immensely difficult for a god to take on a sustainable form. If they somehow do, reality itself will warp and crack at their mere presence, with cataclysmic consequences for both the god and the world.
However, this does not mean they are incapable of influencing Galbar at all. They can give subtle blessings to certain areas or individuals, and still have ways to communicate with mortals. And lastly, they can create avatars to act on their behalf.
By default, gods are allowed to have the following abilities and traits: Form: While having some innate shapeshifting ability, with enough patience they can take any form they want but quick, one time, transformations require might. Gods tend to have a set of forms that are more stable and showcase their full capabilities among some unique abilities and behaviours. They have one core form from when they first broke free from the lifeblood plus one form for each domain they have, including the first one, gods can change into those forms quickly without the use of might, but excessive change in a shot period of time can be tiring or worse, can lead to instability. Immortality: Gods are ageless and almost unkillable. If they are to die, it must be either by suicide, by the hands of another god, or by their lifeblood somehow going unstable. Strength: Gods are immensely powerful, capable of lifting objects larger than them, and are unaffected by fatigue. Travel: Gods can run at high speeds, walk on water, and fly. However, their form does need to be taken into consideration. A light, agile form with wings will be able to fly much faster than a large heavy form without wings. Perception: The range of a god’s sight is limitless; they may see anything with pinpoint accuracy, so long as their view is not obstructed by obstacles or the horizon. They can hear for miles, perceive multiple sounds at once without error, and can smell where other divine beings have been. Lastly, all gods possess a mental image of Galbar’s landscape within their mind, and they are able to zero in on and examine certain areas. They may also perceive anything within the vicinity of their avatars, their holy sites, or any mortals who are praying to them. Communication: An Avatar’s mind automatically translates all sapient mortal languages, based on the intent behind the words and sounds rather than the words themselves. They can even communicate with non-sapient creatures provided they are relevant to their Domain. Prayers: Gods have full access to the minds of any mortals who willingly pray to them, hearing their words and thoughts, and even being able to actively read the mortals’ memories if they wish. A god may read a mortal’s mind without prayer if that mortal is inside their realm, or one of their consecrated locations on Galbar. Creation: Being born from the Lifeblood, the essence of Creation, gods are able to create things from nothing and shift them with ease. On a very small scale this does not drain their energy at all, for example, they can create a clump of metal and heat the metal to melt it, they can shape clay and carve stone with their touch, they can cause seeds to grow rapidly by merely focusing on it.
Because gods are unable to directly set foot on Galbar without dire consequences, the next best way to do so is through avatars. Simply put, an avatar is an extension of a god’s will and power, but it is far less powerful than its creator. It allows a god to maintain a foothold on Galbar without damaging the delicate balance of the Lifeblood.
The exact nature of an avatar is up to the player. For some, it could be a direct incarnation of your god, allowing you to be in two places at once. Alternatively, the Avatar could be an independent agent with its own personality, though it would still share the same soul as the god and would be directly dependent on it for survival. Or maybe the Avatar is a mortal whose soul your god has decided to hitch a ride on, either outright possessing them or serving more as a hands-off spiritual guide, making the Avatar more of a prophet or messiah figure. These are just suggestions; if you have another idea for how your avatar might function, feel free to propose it.
Regardless of what form your avatar takes, all avatars are of roughly the same power level. They are capable of great feats, but a group of heroes might be able to overpower them. They may also spend MP and FP on their owner’s behalf.
Every player is allowed one free avatar. Purchasing a second one will cost 3MP (not DP), and will require the god to have a second domain. A third avatar will cost 5MP, and will require a third domain. It is recommended that you put a lot of thought into your avatars, as they will be your god’s main representative at the beginning of the RP. It is not possible for players to have more than three avatars.
If your first avatar dies, and you have no others, it will cost the same price as a second avatar to replace them. The cost for your second avatar after that will still be 3MP, however.
By default, avatars are allowed to have the following abilities and traits: Form: Like their godly masters, Avatars are allowed one free starting form, though it is far more limited in size. As a general rule, an Avatar’s form should never be larger than twenty feet in height. Anything larger than that requires too much lifeblood to sustain. Immortality: Avatars are ageless, and immensely difficult to kill. Doing so will genuinely require the direct involvement of another Avatar, or a powerful party of Heroes. When an Avatar is killed, its essence is usually absorbed back into the patron god. Acclimatization: Avatars are unharmed by mundane environmental hazards, but may still feel discomfort in certain situations - such as the Avatar of a God of Cold choosing to stand in a volcano. They can survive falls from extreme heights, and are not bound by conventional mortal needs such as food or sleep. Strength: Avatars are immensely powerful, capable of lifting objects larger than them, and are unaffected by fatigue. Travel: Avatars can run at high speeds, walk on water, and fly. However, their form does need to be taken into consideration. A light, agile form with wings will be able to fly much faster than a large heavy form that lacks them. Perception: Avatars can see as far as the horizon. They can hear for miles, perceive multiple sounds at once without error, and can smell where other divine beings have recently been. Communication: An Avatar’s mind automatically translates all sapient mortal languages, based on the intent behind the words and sounds rather than the words themselves. They can even communicate with non-sapient creatures provided they are relevant to their Domain. Avatars may also open telepathic communication directly with other gods or avatars, though their god has the power to listen to both sides of the conversation. Mutations: Avatars may make slight alterations to creatures and the surrounding environment depending on their portfolios. An Avatar of Nature may make plants bloom in locations they have stepped, while an Avatar of Pestilence might impart a minor sickness onto a group of mortals that insulted him.
With this new iteration, Demigods hold no place within it. As such, new players who join will be solely conceptional gods. This birth can take many forms. From at last gaining consciousness from the lifeblood, given birth by another god to take up the mantle of the New God’s domain, or by mortals who create something new, the skies are the limit. The only limitation is that New Gods cannot be born upon Galbar.
These New Gods that come after turn one, will be given a period of two turns at half might and domain points, before becoming a fully fledged god. During this time, New Gods are weaker than their greaters, but still a formidable threat in their own right.
General Rules and Regulations
The Golden Rule--Do not godmod/metagame/powerplay. It’s ironic because this is an RP with actual gods as characters; however, there are definitely limits as to the power level of our gods. We’re trying to make a collaborative story rather than host a game meant to be ‘won,’ so please keep that in mind as you write.
The Rule of Fair Warning--Before significantly influencing someone else’s creations, especially if it is going to be in a destructive way, give them some fair warning OOC so that potential objections can be made ahead of time and plans can be shifted. Ideally conflicts between two gods that lead to destruction or harm of one god or its possessions will be written with the consent of both players, but if you think that somebody is being unreasonable us GMs can intervene.
The Good Samaritan Rule--Somewhere in every post, please attach a hider box containing a short summary of the post’s actions, including how Might has been expended in the post if applicable. As Divinus RPs have traditionally had some massive posts, this helps greatly when trying to keep track of all that’s been going on and when trying to make sure you didn’t miss any important plot point within some massive post. That being said, please do still try to read all IC posts and not just the summaries. Example: Your summary should convey the bare minimum of which characters were involved, what major plot points were covered, and which (if any) other peoples' characters you're initiating some sort of action with, and how MP, DP and Prestige was spent.
The Bookkeeping Rule--We will be using a wiki to store character and creation sheets, as past experience has demonstrated that RPGuild character tab on this thread won’t be enough space and will get too cluttered. For all creations of significance, please make at least a 1-2 sentence page for them on our wiki. The 0th post on the characters section will contain a link to our wiki; if you need any help figuring out how to use the wiki, by all means feel free to ask. Clarification: Though the wiki is considered canon, you should still describe your creations IC. Don't simply reference that you've made a creation IC and then make us all go to the wiki article to find out basic details on what the creation does; it's unhealthy to make reading the wiki articles obligatory for one's understanding of what's happening IC.
Leave of Absence--Please give us forewarning on the OOC if circumstances dictate that you will become inactive in the RP for a time. I’m sure we’ve all seen the phenomena of people simply vanishing; it’s frustrating and leaves work where the others have to pick up the narrative pieces. Failure to follow this rule can potentially lead to your god being deposed IC; the Lifeblood works in mysterious ways.
Sexual Content--Please keep it PG-13. Fade to black, and always remember, the Guild Rules come first and foremost.
The above commandments are most important. Almost every other conduct is to fall under the domain of common sense and the RPGuild rules, with the understanding that our goal is to collaboratively create cool narratives. Be considerate to one another and facilitate storytelling. If there are any concerns or clarifications required, the GMs are always happy to help.
Character Creation
We would like to reiterate that we will be using a wikia (link can be found on the 0th post of the character section) to store and organize all character sheets, rather than the character tab on this RPGuild thread. This is obligatory; however, if you need help figuring out how to work with the wiki, just let us know. If you like, you may still use the character tab to compile links to the various wiki articles for your creations.
With that out of the way, feel free to format your sheet however you like, so long as it clearly contains answers to at least the questions posed by this example sheet below.
As you consider ideas for your character and grapple with what you want to do, We would encourage you to first focus upon what sort of Domain and Portfolio you want to have, and then use that as a foundation to construct a god that makes sense given that dimension.
Beyond the concept for your character, you should also have an idea of what you want your god to do, how your god might change or progress, how they will contribute to the story and how they will interact with other players.
Name: ((To know your god, name your god.))
Primordial or Conceptual: ((Were they born at the dawn of Galbar’s creation or afterward? Nobody needs to wait until civilization is born to pick a conceptional god, as they can still play as part of the lifeblood before splitting from it.))
Domain: ((Give us some idea of what this means, this should not merely be a generic definition of the term but also showcase your god’s take on the concept))
Portfolio: ((A non-generic definition of the term along with what powers and innate abilities their portfolio award them.))
Their Realm: ((A Brief snippet of what their Realm might look like. Doesn’t have to be too detailed.))
Persona: ((General moral alignment, ambitions, personality traits, etc.))
Base Form: ((Pictures, descriptions or both are fine. Any specific capability of this form over the others should be described.))
Domain Form: ((Their domain-specific form, any specific capability of this form over the others should also be described.))
Avatar: ((Tell us a bit about their first avatar. Define capabilities and approach to mortalkind. Once again, It is recommended that you put a lot of thought into your avatars, as they will be your god’s main representative at the beginning of the RP.))
Musical Theme: ((What’s their jam? Optional.)) ((Lastly, remember to read the OP thoroughly!))