God

The Gods are immortal beings from the divine realm, a world whose very fabric can be manipulated through careful, willful intent. After eons spent in the divine realm, many Gods descended to the terrestrial plane of Gaia, a world with more stable and restrictive rules. The Gods breathed life and magic into Gaia, influencing and helping evolve the mortals who inhabited it. Though their divine power is significantly weaker in the terrestrial realm, their eons of magical proficiency allow them to retain formidable strength.

In the modern era of Endros, Gods and mortals coexist in relative peace. Throughout history, however, numerous conflicts and violent rivalries have erupted between them. While many Gods have been killed by mortals, a feat more common than most would believe, the number pales in comparison to mortals slain by Gods. In rare instances, a single mortal has managed to defeat a God, though these legends often become difficult to verify within a few generations.

When a God is killed, their mortal form dissipates into raw essence, and their spiritual essence returns to the divine realm. It requires approximately a generation (20-40 years) for their divine essence to reform fully enough to return to the mortal realm.

Gods of War

Artemis, God of Hunting: Serves as the face of the Adventurer's Guild; bestows his Sacrament upon elite Hunters.
Kratos, God of Conquest: Ruler of Titania. Embodies military might and leads the Titan Order.
Valkyrie, Goddess of Battle: Legendary warrior with supernatural reflexes who seeks worthy opponents and grants her rare Sacrament only to those who can wound her in combat.
Varga, God of Beasts: Beastkin deity who embodies primal power.

Gods of Creation

Aedron, God of Crafting: Dwarven smith responsible for many legendary relics and World Wonders. Channels his divine essence into artifacts rather than mortals.
Sutra, Goddess of the Weave: Elven enchantress who weaves magic into physical forms, creating enchantments of unparalleled complexity.

The Dragon Gods

Nautilus, God of Water: Massive blue dragon who commands the depths. Has killed more demons than any other being.
Pyros, God of Fire: Crimson dragon with a volatile temperament who demands tribute and occasionally punishes settlements that fail to meet his expectations.
Sylvara, Goddess of Nature: Green dragon with unparalleled mastery over nature magic.
Tempest, God of Air: Yellow dragon with control over storms and lightning who maintains an ongoing rivalry with Pyros.
Terra, Goddess of Earth: Brown dragon who hoards earthen treasures and collaborates on major construction projects.

Other Gods

Adonis, God of Fate: Created the Astralei. Left Endros but maintains influence throughout it.
Amara, Goddess of Compassion: Embodiment of healing and kindness.
Concordia, Goddess of Pacts: Queen of Skywood. Established the House of Maidens to serve as her agents throughout Endros.
Lexica, Goddess of the Mind: Leader of the Archivist's Guild and Adventurer's Guild.
Lyra, Goddess of Revelry: Inspiring performer who founded the Bardic College.
Ursula, Goddess of the Sea: Shape-shifting ruler of the underwater realm. Created the Merfolk and can transform into the legendary Kraken.

Demigod

Demigods are powerful mortals born to Goddesses within the terrestrial realm. Only Goddesses can birth a Demigod, as the process consumes more than three times the divine essence it requires to Anoint someone. This drains the Goddess of her powers, preventing her from performing godly magic during pregnancy and sapping desperately-needed resources. While growing, a Demigod's energy body requires extreme amounts of Prana, requiring multiple Saints or powerful priests to help raise them.

Demigods possess similar powers to the Gods, but have shorter lifespans than mortals. Their power burns bright and fast, and exhausts itself quickly. Unlike the Gods, Demigods aren't bound to archetypes. They can evolve, adapt, and choose new paths like mortals do.

Demigods are rare, but some were raised throughout Gaia's history, mostly in the First Age when divine essence was more accessible. However, from a species survival standpoint, the requirements to birth and raise them now are generally regarded as too costly. Their mortal nature and short lifespans can also be emotionally taxing on their parents.