Blood of the Divine: A Deity RP Signups

[[Disclaimer: This is a simple Role Playing Game, however, interpretations of various Gods of the past and present, including the Abrahamic God may make appearances as interpreted by the GM. While this is done with no intentions to offend anyone, discretion is advised if you take such things seriously.]]

In this and all worlds, from the most primitive of all species to the most advanced of civilizations have, at one point or all too often, realized and pondered on the existence of something that transcends all reason, all rules and all knowledge. Presences mysterious and powerful, greater than all that can be touched, be seen, be measured. They come in all forms, in all sizes and with all kinds of intentions... they may be familiar or completely alien, but what they all have in common is that they are... more.

This is the story of such beings... the story of those we call Immortals, Monsters, Spirits, Supernatural Gods... all of those who live by rules beyond those of Mortal kind.

Welcome everyone to a new RP!

Now, this is an RP which requires a bit of backstory and world building to make sense... However, what I can say is that we'll be playing as powerful supernatural beings. What we'll call Deities. So from now on, I shall write down some terms and important information about the setting this RP will take place in.

— Deities and Gods —

In our setting, Deities will differentiate themselves in concept from Gods. Gods are a kind of Deity, usually on the top tiers of power who make a claim on the world, the souls within and in turn obtain a great amount of worshipers and the powers they provide. In our RP while all Gods are Deities, not most of Deities are Gods.

Deities for their part are high on the totem pole of Supernatural creatures. They are beings which are defined not by their origin but by their power, which can change the shape of reality and give birth to new worlds. They can change their shape, change the world around them, call upon the souls of the dead and shift between worlds and realities. Thus a Deity could come from any origin as long as they reach the point where they wield enough power to do all which has been said before. They might be the Child of another Deity, a spirit representing a strong concept, a monster or supernatural entity of myth which has lived long or obtained enough power to ascend in rank, a human soul which has ascended beyond the mortal... the possibilities are endless.

— Reality Earth —

The Reality on which modern day planet Earth is located. Has had a long and diverse history with Deities and their ilk. Currently it is a neutral zone for Deities on which great displays of power are being forbidden by the current ruling Gods, the strongest of which is the Abbrahamic God, venerated by multiple religions for centuries now and currently worshiped by over a 3 billion living souls. A multitude of Deities have settled here (Without counting the myriad that have been venerated and originated from this reality) enjoying the relative peace that is to be found in Reality Earth. While minor displays of power, conspiracy and other conflicts spark from time to time, it is a relatively safe place. Enforcing the state of neutrality is a complex spell covering the entire dimension, reinforced by the expectations and understanding of reality by current day humankind. This makes displays of power harder to perform if they are to be perceived by a current day human. So while a Deity might call upon a bolt of lightning in the middle of an empty forest, it would be a lot harder to do the same feat in the middle of a populated city.

— Imaginary Realm —

An Imaginary Realm is a dimension made entirely by a Deity to act as their Domain, Home and Base. It takes a great deal of effort and power to bring forth such a place. At their beginning they tend to be small, rarely more than a few kilometers of existence which then get colored and formed by the inner psyche of their creator. It's edges shift and change with the moods and musings of their Deity, a Realm that while imitating Reality is merely the manifestation of the Deities' dream and imagination. However, given time and power their Creator can give definitive form to their Realm, making it more durable and stable, something that won't change or dissolve without them. Imaginary realms tend to be Created and maintained by a single Deity, though there are cases of multiple Deities sustaining a collective Realm. Gods tend to have their Imaginary Realms as the place where the souls of their worshipers gather after death, providing them their own version of the Afterlife.

— Layers of Reality—

The Layers of Reality are comprised by the after image caused by the passage of time on Reality Earth and the collective vision of such a reality by the Souls which have passed from it. In other words, they are realities which are created as the present world moves in time as reflections of it. There are some which are created without much input from the mortal souls and instead are created by natural phenomena. Such are the Layer of Shadow, a realm standing close to reality on which the shadowy afterimage of the current world is projected. There is also a Layer of the Natural world which is created by the memories and souls of simple animals. However, the most common are those created by a strong memory of a particular time period in Reality. A Layer of Reality is similar to an Imaginary Realm, though it is different as it is not actively created by a Deity, but instead naturally occurs as the imprint of a particularly strong image on Reality Earth, often shared by a great amount of Souls. Thus, there is a Layer of the Old West and all its myths, a Layer containing the distinct flavor of old Japan and much more modern, a Layer created by the imprint of the World Wide Net. Gods of Old tend to house their Imaginary Realms close to the Layers of the ages on which they dominated.

The Layers can also grow with time as the perception of the time they encapsulate changes with time. Thus, at the core of a Layer made of Bronze Age Greek History, it would be just how the people who lived during it remember it, how it truly was. However, as popular perception of such an era changes, the Layer grows and at its boundary the new perception takes root.

In conclusion, there are all sorts of Layers,

— Spirit Layer —

A Layer which is immediately adjacent to Reality Earth. This would be the Layer on which Souls, their Energy and Supernatural events and beings can be easily seen for what they are without having to manifest into the actual Reality Earth. Auras, Astral Projections and such tend to be the product of a mortal being gazing into the Spirit Layer of the World.

— Souls —

Everything living and everything Supernatural possesses a Soul. It is a source of Spiritual power, where consciousness and memories reside, the very essence of a being. Every soul naturally produces energy, some a lot more and some a lot less. This energy has a lot of names and it is used mainly to maintain the functions of the soul, however this is also the energy that is necessary for Divine Feats and all sorts of Supernatural phenomena. All souls tend to produce more energy than that which is required to sustain itself. Supernatural beings utilize this left over energy to be able to do all sorts of supernatural phenomena, however, most mortals are unaware of this energy and know not how to make use of it. Thus, a lot of supernatural beings wish for this energy and do their best to make claims on it. One of the most common claims is that of worship. When praying, venerating or thinking strongly about a God or some other concept a bit of this energy resonates with such a God or concept, bestowing them it. Beyond your own soul, having all kinds of claims over that of others is useful in that it provides you with extra energy and power. A strong spiritual beings can lay all sorts of claims over the soul of others, be it in the form of pacts, being worshiped or simply by brute force. Gods receive energy from the prayers and belief of the souls of their worshipers as well as those dwelling within their Imaginary Realm.

Of course, not all souls are worth the same. Those of unremarkable, ordinary humans produce less energy than that of famous figures who have done mighty feats and earned the respect and worship of others. The souls of such heroes, besides being remarkable and stronger on their own, are further enhanced and empowered by their Legend. Those who remember them, respect them and worship them unconsciously provide these souls with energy in a manner similar to how Gods receive power.

— The Divine Spark —

Unrelated to the Gnosticism concept of the same name, the Divine Spark is in fact the name given to the soul of divine beings. The difference in name comes from the sheer difference in scale and effect from a normal soul and that of a being of such magnitude. While the output of energy of a soul could be comparable to that of a workshop, the Divine Spark resembles a complex of factories both in scale, complexity and output. This is the source of their power, their identity and memory. However, there are Deities that sacrifice part of their Spark to give power to other beings and objects. Weapons of legend, creatures of myth and even children of said Deities can be created by the split of the Divine Spark.

— Legendary Artifacts —

Legendary Artifacts are basically magical or legendary items. They obtain attributes either by magic at their creation or some due to their legend. While their power varies, they all tend to be useful tools. Thus, for example would be Tizona, the sword belonging to El Cid, which name means Firebrand. This Legendary Artifact would possess the attribute of a great blade, fire and given its legend that to strike terror into enemies. Thus, in the possession of a Deity or a Hero, such a weapon could be used to create any of those effects. However, for a Deity, the shape of such a weapon could be malleable. While its original form will always be a blade, a Deity could change its form to fit it within, say, a gun and thus bestow its fire properties into the bullets fired by it. These Artifacts are highly coveted by spirits of all kinds. Even though most of these are linked to a particular hero or soul, there is no guarantee at all that the hero that possessed such a weapon in life was able to get it back in death. Indeed, the Hero having such a weapon is the exception rather than the rule.

— Heroic Souls —

The souls of those mortals which have gone beyond the boundaries of normalcy. Some of these are remembered as great heroes or important figures in the history of humanity. Some have never had their praises sung, but still remain as powerful and wise souls. As mentioned before, these souls are highly coveted by deities as powerful allies and enforcers.

However, there is something of note to know about the Heroic Souls which have obtained great renown. As time passes and their legends shift and change, the Heroic Soul might embrace these changes and thus receive the energy coming from those who hold this new vision. This is a way for Heroic Souls to grow in power, developing new personas and integrating new myths and idiosyncrasies into themselves. Some also develop some sort of alternate personality as their legend changes. However, some souls refuse these changes and remain steadfast in their origin. This is, indeed, another form of strength, in which they stand fast by who they are. However, this leaves the impression and expectations of this new legend unanswered. In such cases, it is highly possible that a wandering spirit with a low identity embraces this legend and then becomes it or if the legend is strong enough, it might create a new soul to carry its expectations and legacy.

— Monsters and Supernatural Beings —

Aside from mortal souls, there also exist supernatural beings which have appeared on the myths of Earth. As it happens with Heroic Souls and Gods, sometimes these beings are born and create their own legends and sometimes the legends give form to nameless formless spirits which embrace the identity of this Supernatural being. The Origin is truly not important, what matters is that these beings do exist. In current times, these residing on Reality Earth exist either in disguise, isolated areas or mostly within the Spirit Layer. However, the vast majority inhabit the other Layers of Reality or Imaginary Realms where they are not as limited in form or action. Some of these creatures are animalistic in nature, savage beasts and monsters that wield their supernatural powers without true understanding of it. Some are cunning and strong, seeking further power, to rise in status and sate whatever craving their soul has. Some are powerful legendary beasts, spirits of legend and divine messengers of the Gods. Some become old and powerful enough to become Deities in their own reckon and then some become mighty enough to rule great parts of Layers of Reality. These souls too, are highly valuable for their varied skills, powers and abilities.

— Claims —

Claims refers to the obligation a soul might have to another. These claims can manifest in the form of energy exchange, labor obligations or complete ownership of a soul. As mentioned before, there are many ways to lay claim to another soul and indeed, there is a large exchange of souls thorough the realities.

— Archetype —

Another category that tends to be on the upper echelons of power are Archetypes. These are the very essence of a concept of reality. There might be many Gods and Deities with mastery over fire and which embody it, but there is only one Archetype Fire, the ultimate source of it, the prime representation of this concept. Unlike Deities, Archetypes do not tend to have egos and personalities or at the very least, not a lot of it. They simply are and exists. Their power might be borrowed by one which embodies and understands their concept, but the Concepts tend to be untameable and absolute.

— The Endless Field —

A conceptual and physical that is outside and supports the Realms of Reality. There are some models of Reality which depict it as a sort of tree, always moving upwards. On the top of the tree there is the present day of Reality Earth, moving forward and leaving in its trail the Layers of Reality which act as its recorded past and would be represented by the trunk and roots of the tree. The Endless Field would be the soil upon which this tree stands. A mostly barren and somewhat chaotic realm of plains which extends into infinity. In this Realm there are no rules, there are no masters. Little portions of it might be settled and claimed, but its vast expanse is impossible to tame. From it, monsters, demons, supernatural beings and souls manifest from its very soil. While most of the land is a barren wasteland, anything and everything might be found sooner on later on this endless expanse.

Alright then, that is most of the concepts that will show up in the setting. I know it is a lot to go through and that some things might not make much sense, so if you have any questions I'll be willing to answer them.

Now, here goes the character profile:

• Name: What name do you go by?
• Age: A meaningless concept for one of your kind.
• Gender: If applicable. Many Deities do like to have one, but once again, may not apply or may shift.
• Appearance: Now, now, for a Deity form is a mutable concept, but there certainly is a look or an appearance that is the favorite of even the most chaotic of shapeshifters. Do take into account that since Deities can travel between many different layers, their preferred looks might change to accommodate. A mysterious man in a hooded cloak in a medieval setting might appear wearing sunglasses and an Armani suit in present day Reality Earth or a sleek panther in the Animal Layer. There are themes that tend to remain constant even if they adapt to new locations and settings.
• Personality: What does your God act like? Are they overly proud? Do they have a thirst for knowledge or blood? Are they pleasant and kind or surly and associable? You know the drill, what are they like?
• Motivation: An important thing here, things flow better when there is something your character wants. Let your Deities have desires, wishes, expectations and dreams. May be as simple as to own the soul of Beethoven to listen to a private concert from their favorite musician or as ambitious as to change the matter of reality.
• Likes and Dislikes: Which concepts does your Deity revel in? What do they love? What do they hate? What do they support? What do they fight?
• Origin/Bio: How did your Deity come to be? Are they an Ascended human? Did a stronger Deity split their Spark to give birth to your character? Were you a lowly monster that climbed the ranks of the Supernatural through age and power? Did you just come to be from a huge accumulation of energy deep in the Layers of Reality? There are many options.
• Claims: Now this one is optional. Does someone have a claim on your Deity? Owe any favors that might need to be repaid? Owe someone that prays at you miracle or two? Or do you maybe have a powerful Parent or Master that pulls your strings?
• Abilities and Possessions: Now, here is a part that is a bit unconventional when it comes to the character sheet. Down here, I will describe a lot of abilities and powers of Deities... and you will have Ten Points to spend on getting the abilities you want as strong as you want them. Worry not, for you may grow stronger and get things beyond what you get on character generation. This is only how your character is at the beginning of the RP. Furthermore, if you want something for your character you don't see named here you may discuss with me and we'll see if it gets added to the list. Do note that in most of these items you will need to specify which form the bonus takes in the case of your particular character. Don't assume you get the complete package by sinking points into it.
  • Physical Form: The might of your character's physical form. Covers super strenght, resilience, shapeshifting, speed, reflexes and all the abilities which would help your character fight and move in the world with nothing but their own body. Maximum of five points might be bought into this skill.
  • Magical Mastery: The might of your character's magic. How proficient they are at weaving spells, calling upon elements, altering the image of reality and other such feats of magic. Since the possible effects and shapes of magic are so numerous, you will need to explain what flavor of it your character indulges in. Maximum of five points can be bought into this skill.
  • Imaginary Realm: By sinking one point on this skill, your character may create their own small imaginary realm. Upon it, they may create their abode, store items and souls, host parties or whatever they may desire. Further points sunk into it expand the scope of the realm, let you call upon it to overwrite the place where you are (A hard task this one), solidify it to make it more permanent and stable, among other effects. Maximum of five points might be sunk here. Also, describe your imaginary realm here if you buy points into it.
  • Souls: What souls does your character have claims on? One point grants access to owning completely a lesser, heroic soul. A lesser Heroic Soul, tend to be in general, either of a lower power level than a greater one or the side characters of a story. Thus, Achilles and Hector would be the greater Heroic Souls of their Epics, while Ajax would be an example of a lesser Heroic Soul. Otherwise, one point lets you have a claim on a greater Heroic Soul, letting you summon the Hero for small amounts of time to assist in combat or any other endeavor. Two points lets you own a greater heroic soul. You may also have instead spend a single point into obtain numerous generic souls. May be a hundred ordinary humans of the modern ear or fifty roman legionaries. The details of it will need to be discussed. There is no limit on the points you may sink on this field.
  • Supernatural beings: Like souls, but speaking of creatures of legend. May cross over into Souls with supernatural heroes of inhuman origin, in which case that hero may be signed up on either field. Spend points here to obtain medusas, hellhounds, djinns, air spirits and other such creatures to serve your cause. This field, as well, may need to be discussed to reach an agreement. To know what your points may buy, compare the power of the creature you wish to buy with that of what you might get for the same cost on Heroic Souls.
  • Legendary Artifacts: One point per artifact, more potent ones might be more expensive as ruled by me. Do describe the item, their legend, uses and power. If it seems reasonable I will allow it, if not we shall try to reach an agreement. You may also create by your own power your own custom made artifact, but given their lack of a legend and that you get to custom make your own artifact, expect it to be a tad weaker than an artifact from legend unless you sink more points into it.
  • Vessel Creation: A bit of a specialty skill, but one that is useful nevertheless. This skill represent the expertise of a deity into creating physical bodies and creatures. This skill is most useful to interact directly with Reality Earth due to the spell effected upon it, which severely limits the supernatural within this space. Thus a highly supernatural Deity might find it tiring to move and remain within Reality Earth in their true bodies, even if disguised. With this skill, a Deity might create a completely mortal vessel which they might possess, leaving their true essence elsewhere. Being in a normal body, which respects the rules of Reality Earth will result in a lot less energy wasted when interacting with that space. Additionally, they might create bodies for the Souls they own to inhabit within Reality Earth, which is less tiring than maintaining the materialization of such a Soul. With one point you may create up to three human vessels when visiting Reality Earth. With more points you may create a lot more of vessels and are not restricted to human shapes. Animals and plants are available as well with points spent. Outside of Reality Earth, this skill remains useful, as without the spell which limits supernatural powers, you may create vessels that are a lot more powerful and not grounded in reality. Thus monstrous shapes are available to use and possess. While these are weaker than the real deal, they still can be dangerous and make for a safer alternative to direct confrontation as you will only be slightly harmed if your Vessel is destroyed. Up to five points may be sunk into this skill.

And that's about it for now. If you read all that and reached this point... Congratulations! This RP will depend on interpersonal relations, ambition for your characters to acquire more power, souls or whatever they desire and a bit of create your own entertainment. Be warned that this is a Sandbox for the most part. There will be some events and such, but most of the time there will be no clear guides about what to do except what you find fun to RP with others.

Now, once again, if you have any questions, suggestions or ways to fix the mess that is this Sign up, please, I am all ears.

edited 13th Nov '12 11:00:21 AM by daltar

Oh boy, oh boy. Call me interested! Really liked the concept, the whole idea behind it. There was a Deity RP here not too long ago, but that fell through, so hopefully this one will work. I'll think of something, and then post it here.

This is very interesting and looks like you put quite a bit of work into it. I will have to give this some thought and send a PM or two, but I think I may sign up to join this.

tl;dr

In all seriousness, will the signups remain open after the RP starts? I have a lot of fucking shit going on right now, and I can't be buggered to make a character. I'm too tapped out creatively. And I wanna see what happens with FOA before I commit to another RP. So basically, what I'm asking is can I sign up later when I have the time and am feeling more motivated?

• Name: I go by many names. The Seraphim, The Color of Man, Mania, Delight, Ecstasy, and Molly. Molly is my favorite one, I think.
• Age: The desire for that which is not duty has always existed.
• Gender: 9 times out of 6, I will take a female form. At least what humans would describe as female. But if my needs suit me, and my suits need me, I will take a male form. Those can be fun when courting human girls. Under my skirt contains a portal to many places in known existence,and I like to tease that perverts are just trying to gain the secrets of the multiverse when they look under it.
• Appearance: She know◊ that she has many she's◊ within she◊ that could be◊. Who's◊ to say what she◊ should be◊. There are many she's◊ she's◊ left to see◊, and she's◊ that she◊ will never be.
• Personality: Some say I light up their life, make them see things clearly, while not ever saying anything clear on my mind. Some say that I'm a blight on existence, a nuisance and a slut, with no purpose and no ambition. I say that I'm a ray of light, and a shadow of darkness, helpful to those who want help, but not always those who need it. You might say I'm a lover of laughter, sexy and good music. But everyone says I throw the best parties.
• Motivation: I want all things that no one needs. I travel the multiverse in search of objects, places, and people that are no longer needed or desired by anyone or anything. I invite these objects to live in my realm and revel and bath in the eventual and unknown peace that comes with being an unneeded thing. I also travel across all of existence looking for good parties, fun people, and attractive beings to be romantically intimate with. I am also seeking the Apple of Discord to appease Chaos or he will take away something very important to me.
• Likes and Dislikes: I support all that has no purpose, and all things that are in between. I love to party, and I love music, and I hate having to pick sides. I'm not a fan of the battle between good and evil, or the battle between Chaos and Order.
• Origin/Bio: I am nor the Alpha nor am I the Omega. I am that which is in between. I represent neither Chaos or Order, and yet I am willed by them both. All things that are not needed somewhere in the multiverse, whether they be people, places, objects or concepts, fall under the purview of my control. I can only do things that do not have to be done. If somewhere, it needs to happen, I can not control it. I am the opposite of duty and responsibility, and always have been, and always will be, long after Life and Death have passed. They are necessary evils. I am an unnecessary one.
• Claims: I am slaves to Order and Chaos, both physically and emotionally. They use me how they see fit, and are often fighting over me. I'm not a fan of either one of them.
• Abilities and Possessions:
  • Physical Form: Shapeshifting - Master over my physical form, that which is constantly changing to suit every need, and no needs at all. It is my most defining characteristic. 5 Points.
  • Magical Mastery: I don't like to call it Magic. I think of it as Will. Willing things to be. I can shape aspects of reality such as the laws of physics when relative to myself, I can change the color of any object or person to any hue on the color spectrum, I can create music and flashing lights from my palms and in addition I have the powerful ability to cause madness and delirium in mortal men when I need to protect myself. 2 points.
  • Imaginary Realm: Betwixt - The most confusing and bombastic realm known to most Deities. It exists in between the domains of Life and Death, and is of such changing properties that are outside the scope of known reality, that it is impossible to describe. A domain of changing colors, perspectives, shapes and things to find, that there is always something new going on, and traversing it is almost impossible for anyone who isn't insane. One minute, everything may look like a cartoon, and the next everything may be upside down or sideways. I live her, and can shape it how I see fit. I host many parties here, and often change it to look a bit less hectic for these delightful events and bacchanals. 3 points

edited 13th Nov '12 5:15:51 PM by Saturn

Glad to see interest! And yup, KSPAM. Given the Sanbox nature of this RP, I don't think I will need to close Signups at any point.

Also, already some modifications. I'm making the limit on most abilities 5 instead of 3.

edited 13th Nov '12 10:59:08 AM by daltar

Alright, double post to introduce one of my characters.

• Name: Erin Talen, Lady of the Tower Peering through the Winter Forest, The Museum Raider, The Apprentice.
• Gender: Female
• Appearance: Erin is pretty stable when her physical representation is concerned. She usually appears a young woman with pale skin, ice blue eyes and long black hair of great, though simple, beauty. The color of her eyes is a theme almost always present in her, indeed they are the part of her body she's most reluctant to change.
• Personality: Erin is a serene, soft spoken Deity. She is to a certain extend patient, willing to enjoy her time at peace and relaxed. However, when her passions are concerned, she will ditch her cool attitude and a spark of energy will set her into unstoppable motion towards that which she desires. She is also jovial, friendly and may enjoy the occasional opportunity to tease.
• Motivation: Erin Talen is hopelessly obseced with knowledge and with the relics of time past. While this is a common desire for Deities, Erin's appreciation goes beyond the power housed within and instead is drawn from a deep sense of curiosity and wonder. She also enjoys some of the more base comforts of life such as food and drink, loving to try a new quality wine or any kind of well executed food. When not submerged in some particular bit of research or indulging herself in long periods of reading, she likes to keep up with current events of Reality Earth.
• Likes and Dislikes: Likes Cold, Dislikes Fire. Delights in knowledge of all kinds, techniques and skills learned over long periods of time. Hates those who would deny knowledge, who would destroy libraries, who would suppress ideas. Relishes on the Past, enjoys the Present and is insecure about the Future.
• Origin/Bio: Erin began her existence as a weak nature spirit, a mere manifestation of energy that gave birth to a soul. Erin lived and wandered through the Layers of existence as such an insignificant being, existing purely out of instinct until a day when she was spotted among many other by the Egyptian God of knowledge, Thoth. She was then made into one of his many assistant spirits, eventually taking in the form of an Ibis. This period, tending to the library of a Knowledge God, was the turning point of her existence, when she became more than a wayward spirit and she got her main drive, her ever burning passion for knowledge. Some time after this, Erin stepped out of service from Thoth and took to wandering the Layers of Reality once again... now with an identity and purpose. Over time, she became an Entity known as the Apprentice, one which would appear time and again in service of the greatest teachers she could find. Initially, she rebuked knowledge in the arts of the body and combat, believing it inferior to the sheer nature of Reality, however, a Master of the Martial with a very strong sense of self caught her for a while and made her see the value and depth that there is in the arts of the Martial, the wonder at the skill of the runner. From here on, the Apprentice never ignored the body ever again. Thus she learned, she grew and she served, until the point came when the Apprentice became a Master in her own right. There is still much she does not know, much still to learn... but when she started to explore her own self, her wants and her desires. At such point, she build her own new identity, labored at creating a world she would be comfortable at. She chose her own name and thus became Erin Talen.
• Claims: She has three debts left to repay to Thoth, her original Master.
• Abilities and Possessions:
• Physical Form (2): Representing the period of time since she became aware of the importance of one's own body and self. She trained herself as a warrior, read about as many skills, techniques and schools of battle as she could get her hands on. Thus, Erin is faster and stronger than she might look at first glance and capable of handling herself in combat.
• Magical Mastery (3): Erin has studied magic since her apprenticeship with Thoth began and those studies never really ended. She has mastery over the elements of ice and cold, over the Winter due to her study and affinity for it. She has learned of rule based magic, of how to affect the world around her through her will and has thus become a powerful Sorceress in her own right.
• Imaginary Realm (2): Erin's own Imaginary Realm, the place where she is most at ease, her home. It is simply a sphere shaped space, five kilometers in diameter. On it there is a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides but North, where there is the sea. A lake reaches deeply into the valley, extending from the cold sea. The mainland is mostly covered by a sparse forest and the whole Realm is covered in an eternal winter. And peering through the forest, deep into this land, there is a single tall wizard's tower, her home, her library and her abode. She spent a point to create this space and then another one to materialize it and make it eternal.
• Souls (1): Sir Gawain the Son of Lot, King of Orkney. Erin obtained the Soul of Sir Gawain to be completely hers after a great deal of searching, bartering and an opportunity born out of battle. Needless to say, Gawain is a strong warrior, courteous, with strength that increases in daylight and lessens at dusk.
• Supernatural Beings (1): Erin obtained a Thunderbird of no particular legend to serve as her familiar and servant. This creature has the ability to transform to human form, mastery over lightning, thunder and winds. Erin sometimes takes advantage of the elemental masteries of her servant to wield and use lightning as a power of her own.
• Legendary Artifacts (1): Dáinsleif, king Högni's sword. A Norse Artifact with the attributes of Precision and Wounding. When wielded in battle it will seek and pull towards its target and when struck by it, it shall create wounds that take effort to be healed. A powerful Deity might not mind such cuts in battle, but they will remain and hurt until they are properly treated and time passes for them to heal.
• Vessel Creation (0): Erin has no skill whatsoever in creating Vessels. Indeed, she often needs to call on favors or bargain for bodies in case she has need of them. This comes from her nature as an Apprentice, which makes her always strive to experience things by herself in order to learn as much as possible.

And with this, I would like to make a small note here. I've been approached by some players making their characters and a common theme has been that of creating their characters based on a concept or element in particular. For example, the desire to make a representation of the Unknown, or Nobility or some such. The Deity of X. While that is way to go at it, I would like people to start with a character and then see what themes and likes they can apply to them, what the Deities latched on, studied and such. They in general were not born out of a single concept, Deities in this setting tend to start as something else and only after time and experience do they get the power to become Deities. Thus during their experience and growth, they should have a wide variety of interest and perhaps not a single theme or focus that could be called their thing.

Just something to consider.

edited 13th Nov '12 6:52:56 PM by daltar

• Name: Lucunditas, the God of Pleasure.
• Age: "Oh, I love it when they ask me that."
• Gender: Male.
• Appearance: I usually look like this.◊ And when I say usually, I mean all the time.
• Personality: Lucunditas is the collection of pretty much every bad thing about a person. Every vice, every sin, every instinct. He's loud, he's messy, he's prideful, he's wrathful, he's envious, he's a jerkass, he's a constant snarker, and most of all, he's a prankster. He literally does not care if his toilet prank will flood a town, he'll do it for the giggles. As such, he is often seen as this stupid Deity who simply does things because they're fun, which is exactly what he wants people to think. Most of all, Lucunditas loves to rub something in people's faces. So if their expectations are low, their looks of complete surprise will be much more satisfying when he does something they never expected him to do. If you can find his deeply buried good side, you'll find someone who constantly strives to make you feel better, because deep down inside, Lucunditas enjoys having fun in life: and what's more fun than having someone to have fun with.
• Motivation: As a being made of raw feelings, instincts, sins and vices, Lucunditas wants to be the one controlling pleasure. He believes that pleasure is one of the most overlooked things in life. People want to achieve their motivations to become pleased with their lives. So if Lucunditas can control pleasure, he can make someone give up on their life quest, or watch as all the work of their life goes down the drain after finding a new pleasure.
• Likes and Dislikes: He enjoys watching people argue, fight and yell at each other. He also enjoys watching people altogether- he says "it's a great exercise for your mind"- and he loves the little things. He hates people that believe they are "philosophical" and "deep", and would love to shove their faces down a metaphorical toilet.
• Origin/Bio: Lucunditas became a Deity thanks to a collection of energy: the raw energy that came from pleasure. He was a monster, a supernatural being that fed on said pleasure. He didn't know that, he thought that he simply liked to eat. But as he obtained more of this energy, he became more intelligent, and found other ways to satisfy his need. He fed on pleasure, he lived on pleasure, and he became a Deity through pleasure. That is the story of Lucunditas.
• Claims: "No claims, thank Me."
• Abilities and Possessions:
  • Physical Form: 4 points. Lucunditas' form may be one-armed, but he can still kick someone's butt with it. He used his free time to become stronger, faster and better. He's very strong, extremely agile, and an excellent jumper. Try to attack him just because he's one-armed, and you might find your face in the ground after just one minute and thirty seconds of fighting.
  • Imaginary Realm: 3 points. Lucunditas' imaginary realm is what he likes to call the Pleasure Palace. It's a giant place that keeps changing as time progresses, and is a never ending corridor filled with rooms. Each rooms contains a type of pleasure. Do you take pleasure in killing people? Then on one room, you may find fake human beings for you to kill in the most gruesome ways. Do you take pleasure in playing electronic games? Then in another room, you will find the most powerful computer ever created, and a library containing every game ever created. As a new type of pleasure surfaces on the Reality Earth, Lucunditas adds a new room for it. He also constantly hosts parties for the other Deities, believing that it's good to have some fun once in a while.
• Vessel Creation: 3 points. Lucunditas' favorite ability. Every time he visits Reality Earth, he takes a new form, just to see what kind of new fun he can have. When exploring other places outside of Reality Earth, he also does the same. Legends even says he's experienced every type of genetic combination humans can have by creating a gigantic number of vessels for visiting Reality Earth. What he does with these vessels, in and out of Earth, is his own goddamn business, thank you very much.

I have an idea. I'll have it up soon. Be expecting me...

• Name: Nostro, The Bastion, The first Sir, The Great Guard , Sentinel
• Gender: Male
• Appearance: An absolute mountain of a man, well over seven feet, encased in a suitably massive suit of bright silvery armor. The helmet is a barbute type, adorned with a pair of snow-white antlers. Not one facial feature is visible from within the helmet; only a single bright light shines from within, in-between where his eyes would be. The image of a snarling lion formed onto each pauldron, which go up to form a wide, but low collar around the helmet. His breastplate is emblazoned with the image of a north-facing bastard sword, with an intricate tangles of ivy, vines, and floral patterns being etched on the perimeter and covering the arms entirely, as if it were overgrowth. The cuirass is segmented into several plates, each with long, thin dagger etched onto it. The remaining leg armor is similarly designed to the arms, with the feet forming into an angular point.
• Personality: Seeking to live in a way that's productive, orderly, and ultimately servile to a noble cause, Nostro is a knight, through and through. This can, however, be to a fault: he can easily be led into the naive, overly rigid, and utterly obstinate attitudes that remind others why Chivalric codes never quite caught on. It's a rare situation that he's not crusading, literally or figuratively, against some vice or great wrong in the world(s). For as much as he sees is in need of remedy, it might strike one as odd that he sees the existence as quite a fine place, befuddling that he considers people generally worth protecting. He holds a generally negative view of sorcerous, or even subversive approaches to most problems, preferring to enter a conflict with the strength of his back and heart.
• Motivation: To create a world where the right thing and the smart thing are one and the same. Where people don't need to die to preserve the ego of wicked and self-centered men. Where people can actually fight and die for what they believe in, unobstructed.
• Origins: Nostro was born a ferocious, though oddly short, sort of giant. For thousands of years he led as a vanguard of monstrous hordes, terrorizing even some gods with grand displays of brutality, cunning, strength and martial skill. One such display led to the formation of the Grand Canyon, as it were. It was only due to the early intervention and cooperative effort of several gods, the still young god of Abraham amongst them, that his forces were dispersed and he was driven into the Layers of Reality. It was at a very particular layer, a rather romanticized replication of Medieval Europe, that he found his current motivation You see, he'd been feasting on a few dozen bulls that he'd stolen nearby farmer, when an errant knight had traced him to his spot. It was clear in but a few seconds that the said knight hadn't a dream of defeating Nostro; not him, not any army he could bring. The knight, more stalwart than nearly any deity, monster, or spirit that Nostro had faced, assaulted him in a full sprint. The ensuing battle wasn't even that. A foul gust of wind from Nostro's gaping maw had killed the knight well before he'd gotten in arms distance. The knight's courage, on the other hand, struck Nostro harder than he'd ever been struck. After all he'd destroyed, the ornery armies he'd commanded, it was at this moment that he found himself weeping, crying like a small child, before the corpse of the thing that tried to kill him. Over the course of the next few months, there were only a handful of things in all creation that could even guess where he'd gone.....
• Claims: An oath, to all the souls of the innocents he'd harmed, to live out the rest of his days serving the greater good. He's not even sure how may souls that makes, to be honest.
• Abilities:
  • Physical form (5): A living engine of destruction, cast of an alloy of herculean strength, lightning speed, and reflexes honed by millennia of war. The destruction he's wrought in the past, using only his bare hands, has been compared to a small scale natural disaster, and occasionally confused for an entire family of giants having attacked at the same time. His time as a knight has applied an equal amount of skill with weaponry to match his raw power. One doesn't tangle with the forces of darkness with any less.
  • Magical Mastery (0): Even in his best moods, he's generally contemptuous of magic use, seeing the power it can grant over reality as an unneeded temptation to evil, if not necessarily evil in and of itself.
  • Imaginary Realm(1): Nostro's Imaginary Realm is little more than a simple cottage, over looking a cliff that grant's him the view of a vast ocean. It's in a perpetual state of sunset, with only a few scant clouds cluttering the sky. The cottage is, of course, scaled to accommodate his size. Behind the cottage is a small, grassy valley, where he keeps around fifty or so cattle, thirty sheep, ten bee hives, and a vegetable garden. Next to the cottage is a smithy, where he repairs his weapons and armor.
  • Souls(0): He doesn't want the company of any sort of soul that'd consider sticking with him, and neither should you.
  • Supernatural Beings(1): A supernaturally large and steed. Likes to, on occasion, race locomotives across hundreds of miles. Will occasionally provide small, yet painful, reminders to Nostro when he's getting to surly. Likes pomegranate
  • Legendary Artifacts(3):
    • Ohsi, his mace, and a massive one at that; its head is about the size of his own, with the entire thing being half his height. It carries strong magic-nullifying properties. This allows him to break through magical barriers more easily than most, as well as block magical attacks.
    • Aegis, a golden shield that'd been forged for the greek god Zeus. It's forger is the god of smithing and the hearth, Hephaestus. No particular abilities outside of extreme endurance.

edited 25th Nov '12 7:11:58 PM by goodisgood

• Name: The Collector, Caretaker of Lost Souls, the Dandy, the Queen of the Crossroads, the Mistress (this one is most often used by the souls she owns)
• Age: Irrelevant, but likely very old, even by Deity standards
• Gender: Female, and she seems to think of herself as such as well. However, on occasion she has been known to assume a male form which is just as fabulous
• Appearance: Usually this, although she has many forms. Typically though, they all have white hair, and show a great deal of effort put into appearance, usually by means of exquisite and lavish Victorian dress.
• Personality: A vexing vixen who comes off as refined and elegant, who never once loses her cool. She speaks politely, and often plainly, preferring not to mix words. Always keeps her word, though be mindful of the letter of the agreement as well as its spirit when making any kind of deal with her. Loves to tease and prod, potentially her only unrefined habit. Other deities are spared the worst of it, but her familiars and souls get the brunt of it, always being used for her entertainment.
• Motivation: She wants all the souls. And not just any souls, no. She wants all the best souls. She's a collector of esoterica, and owning hero souls and magic weapons and ancient monsters seems to be a hobby for her.
• Likes/Dislikes: Floating, wine, treasure, messing with Gil/Losing treasure, being messed with
• Origin/Bio: A work in progress, but I'd kind of like her to remain mysterious if I can.
• Abilities and Possessions:
  • Souls (3 points):
    • Gilgamesh: The greatest warrior king, a being of an absolute ego who cannot be swayed or intimidated. An exceptionally strong human spirit, the Mistress spent a lot of time tracking down and obtaining his soul. He's her primary servant, who she uses when a job needs to get done, or when she needs to amuse herself
    • Pheonix: The pheonix is an extremely rare, immortal bird whose feathers are soft as down and sell for prices higher than gold, and whose tears are said to cure the wounded and sick. Pheonixes' songs are widely regarded to be the most beautiful thing on the planet.
  • Imaginary Realm (2 points): The Mistress' Imaginary Realm consists of a cozy living room on the toop floor of a castle surrounded by mist (bonus points for figuring out if the rest of the castle even exists). The primary space consists of a large black throne adorned with a carved eye and crushed red velvet seat cushions facing a grand fireplace. The mantle of the fireplace is home to the heads of many magical creatures, stuffed and put on display. There are windows to the right and left of the fireplace and mantle, and they cover the rest of the wall the throne faces. Behind the throne, two couches, exotic animal throw rug and fireplace lies a seemingly endless maze of assorted books and artifacts, wandered by many of the purposeless servant souls she's collected, awaiting orders from their master. This realm is where she stores all of her collection. Right now she has a myriad of small miracles and oddities, but she is always looking to expand her collection of souls and artifacts to include some larger prizes, of which she only has a few at the moment.
  • Legendary Artifacts (5 points):
    • Narayanastra: The personal missile of Lord Vishnu. It initially appears as a shining orb of fire which materializes in the palm, but can be used as a projectile weapon. Upon firing, it splits into many small missiles, which bombard large groups of enemies like a saturation bombing. This is an extremely powerful weapon, one whose output can increase incrementally and even exponentially according to the will of the user.
    • Vimana: A flying machine capable of traveling between Realms and Layers which can reach extremely, extremely high speeds and reacts to the thoughts of the pilot.
    • Hlidskjalf: Odin's all-seeing throne. She won it off of him in a poker game. With this throne, she can spy on anyone, anywhere, as long as they're within the same Realm or Layer. It cannot see through magical protection though (as long as it was made to protect against scrying).
    • Gae Bolg: The spear crafted from the bones of a sea monster. It's capable of delivering an absolutely fatal wound to all who step within its range, and can even be used over long distances as a bomb like projectile.

edited 15th Nov '12 12:25:02 AM by KSPAM

It's been a while since I've joined any R Ps here, but I'm very interested in this!

One question, is there any way that two souls could get fused together? I have a character in my brain, and I think that would be a interesting origin.

Hmmmm do tell me in PM and I'll see if it's doable.

Booking a spot. I'll be in contact as soon as I think of something workable.

Saturn: Approved, though do know that there is no Fate. While Oracles and such try to gaze into the future they see only possibilities, some better than the others. So determining what is not needed might be a tad hard.

Stratofarius: Approved. Given your description at the end I do guess he can and will interact with the others somewhat cordially, though still I must ask... he will, right?

goodisgood: Nostro is good! Though perhaps downplay the sheer destruction he made before being defeated. Remember that Gods are even higher on the totem pole than our Deities.

KSPAM: Ehehe really shouldn't have made the Age field... really, we shouldn't consider how old our deities are. Do send me her Bio and Origin when they are done. As for her abilities... Well, here are some things.

• Just in case, Gilgamesh here is not like the Gilgamesh of Nasuverse, thus he is not considered all that stronger than for example... King Arthur, Roland and the other protagonists of their own Myths. Still, he is a greater Spirit so he is worth two points. With the remaining two points you could have 100 normal souls to serve you and the phoenix, though that really enters the field of Supernatural being. Would like to know which attributes and powers you award the phoenix and Gilgamesh in this incarnation. As for the Magical Items... Cintamani might not work, unless we put some big limits of power and even so she might be worth more than one point. Hlidskjalf can only see everything happening within the Realm or Layer it is currently in, and cannot peer through magically protected locations. Caladbolg does work as you described it, being a sword with properties or Rainbow, Arcs of Energy and Sharpness.

Of course. He's a jerkass, not stupid. Strolling into a room full of Deities and going "hey, hey, hey, fuck you" is a pretty stupid idea. He can control himself.

edited 14th Nov '12 12:33:55 AM by Stratofarius

I see. Still, I think I'm gonna stick with him because something tells me having Heracles chained up wouldn't be as fun. Also, this lets me bring out wrestler Gil!

As for the Cintamani Stone, yeah, it does have one big limitation power, namely the "worthiness of the wisher". You only get a wish that was within your capacity to fulfill. It's like the Holy Grail, except the evil genie is outside the wish-granting device this time.

That sounds fair with Odin's throne. Also, question. The point of Gil was, in her eyes, to own the strongest human soul. I don't care if he's only marginally stronger than other protagonists, I just want to know if there are any other heroes stronger than him, because that's kind of the point (owning the strongest human soul).

Cintamani stone: Still, it is a tad arbitrary to decide who is worthy or not and thus measure the level of the wish. We would also need to decide exactly what it can do and such and depending on that seeing if it would be worth more points.

Gilgamesh: He's not stronger than the other greater heroic souls. It really is incredibly hard to determine who is the stronger human soul, given that some stronger ones might become deities on their own like Heracles and such. Also, as they are remembered and forgotten by history, the energy they have at their disposition also changes... not to mention that the Nasuverse rule of 'The Older it is, the Stronger it is' does no necessarily apply here. Thus, I cannot say that Gil is stronger even by the smallest of margins than other major legendary figures. He is still, though very strong and since he is an old hero, your character might prefer him to some other mortal.

edited 14th Nov '12 10:31:32 AM by daltar

The Mistress orchestrated the reemergence of Gilgamesh in pop-culture so he'd have more power at his disposal

But seriously, I see your point. And that's cool. As for the stone... hmmmm... good point. Mind if we discuss this by PM, or on skype? I don't wanna clog the thread with it.

Wee, sheet's done!

• Name: Somnium-Nocturno
• Gender: Androgynous, but it's physical body is female.
• Appearance: "What?"◊
• Personality: Somnium-Nocturno is quite eccentric, being comprised of two souls, that sometimes seem to work in unison, and sometimes seem to be waging psychological warfare. Somnium is cheery, friendly, and empathic, always trying to make those around her happy. Nocturno, on the other hand, is gloomy, antisocial, and apathic, only finding joy in bringing terror to those around it. As a whole, Somnium-Nocturno is extremely chaotic, moving from interest, to interest, to interest with just as varying speed.
• Motivation: As a whole, Somnium-Nocturno's primary goal- although it is often set aside for other things- is to replace the archetype of dreams. Somnium's most prevalent motivation is wanting everyone to be happy, while Nocturno wishes to terrorize the universe.
• Likes and Dislikes: Somnium-Nocturno likes change, emotions, dreams, nightmares, chaos, and the minds of humans. Somnium loves happiness and hates fear, while the opposite is true for Nocturno. Somnium-Nocturno dislikes everything static, boring, and unimaginative.
• Origin/Bio: Somnium-Nocturno started out as two seperate souls, a human girl and a Mara, somehow, the souls were fused together, creating the volatile deity. At first desperately attempting to seperate themselves, they eventually became used to each other, and started thinking and acting in tandem, until they finally saw themselves as a single being. Since then, they've done a lot of stuff, and it would take a little to long to list it all.
• Claims: None.
• Abilities and Possessions:
  • Physical Form: 1. Not particularly skilled at physical forms, Nocturno generally seems to be leaking out of Somnium, and they have a very hard time restraining it.
  • Magical Mastery: 3. Somnium-Nocturno wields illusion magic, whether that means masking it's appearance, terrorizing victims, or most other things in the insubstantial images department. For illusions that are about human sized or smaller, they can even make it tangible.
  • Imaginary Realm: 3. Somnium-Nocturno's Imaginary Realm at first seems to be constantly changing forms, and one would first see a beautiful, colorful beach, only for it to rapidly transform into a gray, molten hot lake if fire. As one continues to be in the realm, it would solidify as either the beach, or the lake, based upon how the viewer felt at the time.
  • Souls: 1. Has about 100 generic men and women of varying time periods.
  • Supernatural beings: 1. 50 Mara reside in the Imaginary Realm, mostly contained in the lake of fire.
  • Legendary Artifacts: 1. Carnwennan, King Arthur's dagger, is capable of shrouding it's wielder in shadows, allowing Somnium-Nocturno to appear as merely a wisp of darkness. When Nocturno gets his hands on it, he prefers to make it the most intimidating weapon he can think of.
  • Vessel Creation: 0.

• Name: Malunall
• Gender: M
• Appearance: Malunall always looks strange and incongruous as hell. In the modern Reality he is a tall, gangly man in elaborate Steampunk attire. In the Animal Layer he is a tall, proud man with a torch. In The Wild West he wears a suit and carries a minigun. Regardless of where he is, Malunall will always have an appearance associated with a Renaissance Man.
• Personality: Malunall is passionate as hell. Progress, progress at all cost is the name of the game here. He thinks people should be out of their comfort zones, forcibly yanked if necessary. Those who stand in the way of Progress must be destroyed.
• Motivation: PROGRESS. TO SEE PROGRESS IN ITS INFINITE FORMS! This is the best Motivation ever because it doesn't actually have an ending. If there would be one thing, it would be to see the Humans come in contact with another sentient race that they either show their decency and love to, or that they utterly destroy because the race hates them for being filthy monkeys. He also wishes to not become a God, because that would make him too dependent on the beliefs of a race quickly finding his kind to be obsolete: just how he likes it. He does not believe that Humans should strive to be gods, or perfect, because that would in fact diminish the greatness of humankind in his eyes.
• Likes and Dislikes: Malunall loves anyone who brings change and progress to existence, and hates those who like Safety and Security. Or, as he would put it, STAGNATION. He really, really likes Humans, and hates anti-human racism and inexplicable pettiness. So, basically he hates a lot of the Gods and Deities who are more impartial or fickle. He dislikes Gods that think the Humans owe them something instead of the other way around. He also like a good Natty Light.
• Origin/Bio: Malunall is fairly young, with a simple origin: the industrial revolution. When the revolution was at its height, when factories were being raised and new inventions coming from the minds of brilliant men, Malunall formed right then and there out of the collective hope of Mankind. He had existed, in an extremely limited capacity with no Divine Spark, before then, but back then he was The Manifest Destiny, a very basic and abstract version of his current self.
• Claims: There are no direct Claims on Malunall, but he definitely has a few guys who don't like him. He's keeping God off his back for inspiring Carl Sagan and Neil Degrasse Tyson by saying he'll do something for the big guy later, but that's about it.
• Abilities and Possessions:
  • Magical Mastery: 3 points. Malunall can create and inspire: his magic allows him to call wondrous constructs from thin air, provided that they've never been seen or made before in that realm.
  • Imaginary Realm: 2 points. Malunall's realm is a massive complex, all glittering lights and cyberpunk computers. Every computer is capable of functioning as a Magical Database with an actual Enhance Button for any images uploaded to it. The computers are also capable of backing up to other Realms if necessary, and have essentially every possible port for uploading of information.
  • Legendary Artifacts:
    • 1 point for The First Wheel. While it is useless on its own, Malunall can create powerful wheeled vehicles by using the first wheel as a template.
    • 2 points for The Fire Prometheus stole from the gods. On its own, it's an incredibly powerful fire, but its true power is that anyone under its illumination becomes inspired to do New Things and be a "trailblazer," as it were. Wielded as a weapon by a Diety, it is capable of standing up to authority figures, Gods, and snooty superior pricks.
  • Vessel Creation: 2 points, creating a largely mortal vessel capable of exerting Malunall's powers.

edited 15th Nov '12 6:16:00 AM by Taco

• Name: Crow (just a humble Crow)
• Gender: Male
• Appearance: A (cough) raven-haired young man, slender, not too tall, in simple clothing that's easy to travel in. Nothing extravagant. Occasionally accompanied by black wings, but the whole wing motif has been played out a bit, hasn't it? So if he's not flying, he keeps them non-existent.
• Personality: Humble in some aspects and prideful in others, Crow is playful, flirtatious, a bit of a trickster, never taking himself too seriously and always coming and going on a whim. Nonetheless, he can be a friendly person - if you happen to not find his demeanor annoying.
• Motivation: Nothing much, nothing much; he just wants to go out and see the worlds, glimpse upon all the sights and sounds the many realities have to offer. Why hole yourself up in your own little realm when there is so much to explore?
• Likes and Dislikes: Likes travel, flirting, women, seeing new things, food, drink, games, sleep, marveling at treasures (though not keeping them), and living carefree. Does not like rules, restrictions, being tied down, or obligated in any way.
• Origin/Bio: The disowned son of a regal and royal deity with an expansive realm, Crow lived a comfortable, provided for, incredibly dull life with servants waiting on him hand and foot. So when he became of age and could form a realm of himself with his inherited property and servants, he gave away his possessions and his riches to those who served him so and headed off on his own, refusing to gather dust like the valuables in his treasury. (Supposedly.)
• Claims: None, or so he says.
• Abilities and Possessions:
  • Physical Form (2): Like all deities, Crow is fit but not extraordinarily so, at the peak of human standards but not too far past. There is only one standard he measures above the rank and file, and that is his speed - he can step quicker than the wind and his wings can carry him against a hurricane, albeit with a few feathers no longer left intact. In non-poetic terms, he's fast - fast enough to cause a breeze where he flies by.
  • Magical Mastery (2): Capable of flight, levitation, and floating, along with creating gusts of wind to carry him aloft on his travels. If need be, he can also teleport, but only at the same rate it would take him to fly that distance, and flight never tires him, though it still has its uses. Lastly, he can create minor illusions with a single feather, and change his form from his ordinary self, to himself with wings, to the crow of which he took his namesake.
  • Imaginary Realm (0): Claims to have given away his lot to all those who served him, who I suppose are the ones maintaining the reality now. Hopefully they're maintaining it well.
  • Souls (0): Has no companions save for himself and that which he carries on him. Likes to imagine his servants would be loyal to him if he returned to his realm, what with all the charity, though that might be him lying.
  • Supernatural beings (0): He can talk to birds, crows in particular, but they don't swear any loyalty to him or anything. Still, nice to make some friends, right?
  • Legendary Artifacts (0?): Carries with him a journal which he claims is the future greatest anthology of all earthly and non-earthly experiences known to man or deity, and a compass he claims will always point him the right way, save for when the fairies grab a hold of its needle. Being perfectly honest, the only thing truly magical about his possessions is how he always seems to have the money to travel, and even that is questionable.
  • Vessel Creation (1): For the sake of occasional travel into Reality Earth, Crow can prepare a few different forms for himself - an affable hitchhiker, a wealthy gentleman on cruise, or a humble bird taking a flight of fancy. Whatever form he takes when he visits, he's always someone heading somewhere.

edited 14th Nov '12 11:16:17 PM by Starbound2

• Name: Ar'ru; The Coming Darkness... the Shining Light... the Fallen... the Risen... the Angel... The Demon... the Sin... the Virtue... Hope... Despair.
• Age: Darkness and Light have always existed... but it was not until the very moment that the light of hope and the rays of despair were freed from Pandora's box that I was born.
• Gender: Varies.
• Appearance: I have a few forms that I take through my vessels... Though, my main form is this
• Personality: I am one who is rather kind and polite; an innocent in a sense. Though, I do not care much for the likes of laws or the rules of others, for I like to follow my own set of rules. The concepts of love and happiness are rather strange and alien to me... I have seen the suffering of others, and the subtle cold enthralls of death... along with the greatest betrayal of all... yet there is still happiness and hope in the eyes of many. I am simply curious as to why?
• Motivation: My motives are... simple. I seek that which makes people what they are and what drives people to continue moving forward. In their darkest hours... why do they still cling to hope? Why do they continue to fight the impossible? What makes them believe that through their despair that there is still hope? I want to know those answers and much more.
• Likes and Dislikes: What I like...? Well... I like both 'hope' and 'despair'. The two concepts fascinate me more than anything else. Seeing one suffering... yet still able to hold a smile and continue to move forward... that is what truly touches me. I hate that which seeks an absolute solution to all problems or a definite path. I also hate to see people fully give up... it pains me.
• Origin/Bio: Though I was not 'born' till later... I like to think that I have been watching both the sins and darkness in demons and villains... along with watching the virtues and light shine within both the angels and heroes who would combat them... Though, I will say that my true origins lies not within complex concepts such as man, demon, angel, heroes, or beasts... but instead the simplest that was to be forever sealed within a box that was eventually opened by a young girl name Pandora. That simple concept that was sealed was known as hope, and her cruel brother despair. It was because of her innocent act of curiosity that I was born.
• Claims: I have two that I owe an eternal debt to. The first is he who allowed the concepts of despair and hope; the first sinner. No matter how evil or vile they shall act to me.. I will always thank them for giving me purpose. The second is the young girl who freed me from my cold and chilly prison along with my mean siblings and gave us life; Pandora.
• Abilities and Possessions:
  • Physical Form (0): Physically? I will admit that I am quite frail. My speed, strength, and endurance are all mediocre... but that is quite alright.
  • Magical Mastery (5): My magic is what truly makes me... well, me. With my powers, I can cause plagues upon the fields of men and suck the life from the living... or even place curses upon one's body to make them weak and frail... anything that can lead to one falling into despair I have control over it; whether it be terrifying illusions and hallucinations, or a great mist that physically and mentally weakens those that it touches. I can also read the minds of the mortals in order to find their fears, and I can also sense slight signs of what the fears of the other deities are. I can also place blessings upon one's body to improve their physical abilities and make them stronger, allow them to think clearly, inspire hope into them, and make their bodies incapable of feeling pain. My magic even allows me to heal one's body in mere minutes. Not only that, but my magic allows me to create powerful and sturdy barriers for my allies and those I consider my friends.
  • Imaginary Realm (0): Unlike the others... I have no use of a personal realm or a permanent home... for I am constantly traveling and on the prowl.
  • Souls (1): Lancelot of the Lake; the Perfect Knight. A betrayer, a murderer, an adulterer... the greatest symbol of despair... but also the noblest and most perfect symbol of hope. He is quite the champion that I have picked up over my years of existence... One could say that I'm infatuated with him. Capable of improvising a suitable weapon and use it effectively, and being able to disguise himself as his enemies, he truly is the perfect champion for protecting frail me.
  • Supernatural beings (0): Minions...? S-Serving me...? N-No!
  • Legendary Artifacts (3): The Lance of Longinus: The spear that was capable of piercing the son of god... Wounds inflicted by it will much harder to heal and whatever defenses are set up to defend against it will always be weaker than they usually are. However, a very strong god will be more than capable of surviving it compared to a lesser god, but the abilities of the lance will still have some affect upon them. Due to bathing in the blood of Jesus, the lance has also gained great holy attributes. It, to me... is the truest symbol of hope and despair.
  • Vessel Creation (1): I am only capable of creating three humanoid vessels at a time, but what kind of person would I be for needing anymore than that?

edited 14th Nov '12 10:14:49 PM by Aevum

Falkon: Approved! Welcome aboard.

Taco: Defy the Establishment does not seem all to fit for the Fire. It is true that Prometheus defied the Gods, but if anything, the fire should inspire people into creating new things. Progress as you God likes. It was what elevated humans into what they are after all.

Starbound: Approved!

Aevum: Approved! Though in the description of Longinus, it should read Deity instead of God.

edited 14th Nov '12 11:21:08 PM by daltar

Name: Ioba

Gender: Female

Appearance: Her preferred form is that of a huge black hunting dog, sleek and lean, standing to a grown man’s elbow at the shoulder. In darkness, her form tends to dissociate; she appears to bleed into the shadows, and her eyes and teeth lose definition and begin to glow an unsettling white, and black smoke billows from her shoulders, paws and tail. When dealing with people or other Deities, she grudgingly adopts the form of a short girl in her young twenties with dark tanned skin and pitch-black hair cut raggedly just above her ears. Yes, she does have a tail and ears; no, she doesn’t appreciate people stroking them. She will adhere to the dress code of the Layer or realm she’s in without complaint (just a lot of fidgeting and squirming), but if given the choice she prefers her own outfit, a simple skirt and chest binding of leather that leaves as much of her skin bare as possible to display her tattoos. These tattoos are abstract designs for the most part, but incorporate her name and stories of her deeds, successful hunts, and other facets of her slowly burgeoning Legend into them.

Personality: The word that best describes Ioba is ‘straightforward’. While not especially brash or excitable, like any hunting dog, once she has her sights set on something, it takes a hell of a lot to get her to give up on it. She has little real patience for vagary, misdirection or stalling, and is only considerate of other people’s feelings when they have the power to make life unpleasant for her. Fortunately, she considers getting whined at or nagged unpleasant, so people who know how to deal with her can do so fairly easily. She will do anything for personal glory or to add to her Legend, and despises those who take advantage of the weak for their own benefit or who steal credit or recognition from their rightful targets. She avoids making contracts or agreements with anyone in any capacity except siblings in arms or otherwise on equal footing. She has little respect for those who can defend themselves but choose not to. In general, she lives life large, enjoying hunting (legendary beasts, wrongdoers or other heroes), drinking, fighting, sex, and other active pastimes to the fullest.

Motivation: What Ioba wants most is recognition. Because of her inauspicious origins, she’s very conscious of how she’s perceived, and is always looking for feats to perform, well-known fighters to defeat, and other heroic deeds to add to her Legend. Artifact bearers are her favorite people to pick fights with, both for the glory of defeating them and for the possibility of gaining powerful trophies.

Her goal in life is to challenge and defeat Cu Chulainn, the Gaelic hero of legend, and her lifestyle is geared toward gaining recognition, praise and strength to realize that goal.

Likes and Dislikes: Ioba is naturally a free spirit, and loves exercising her abilities, body and will as she chooses. Now unchained, she refuses to submit herself to anyone else’s will ever again, partially from enjoying her own freedom and partially out of respect for her former master, whose service she died in. She loves to hunt, drink, fight and fuck and to do those things as she chooses. Underdogs and challengers hold a special place in her heart, and she will never mock, deride or turn away anyone who wants to challenge her in any of her favorite arenas.

Wordbreakers, liars, and people who bargain in bad faith or take advantage of those who depend on them or who can’t defend themselves make her angry. She has no patience for cowards, either, a definition that extends to people who refuse to fight her when she asks and people who choose not to defend themselves from circumstances or obligations that she considers unfair. Esoteric laws and regulations also tend to frustrate her, though not to the point where she’ll break them just to be contrary.

Origin/Bio: In life, Ioba was the guardhound of the legendary smith Culann, uncle to the man who would one day be called Cu Chulainn. She was killed by the legendary hero when he was just a boy, and through the title of ‘Hound of Culann’, some of the energy that resonated within his heroic soul as his legend was passed down through the ages also resonated within her. After almost a thousand years, her soul finally burned brightly enough to give birth to a new Deity, though she was still just a pale reflection of her murderer. She was mortified when she realized that her contribution to history was to have been killed by a child, and vowed to step out from beneath his shadow and make her own name for herself, and one day challenge him to another fight – this time to win.

During her quest, she found herself taking on new and strange characteristics – an attraction to darkness and mist, eyes that glow in the dark, and strangest of all, the ability to tell when mortals are near death. Her new identity as the Black Dog gave her a significant power boost, but all her newfound awareness of death did was heighten her desire to live.

Claims: She is born from the legend of Cu Chulainn, and thus a small amount of his power is reflected onto her. By her reckoning, this gives him power over her; it’s unofficial, but she despises the thought anyway.

Abilities and Possessions
Physical Form: Four points. The majority of Ioba’s might is physical in nature no matter which form she’s in. On four legs she fights with either her greatsword or with her natural teeth and claws, which glow white when striking or when struck; they are unbreakable and strong enough to tear through metal with ease. In her human shape, the same is true – her nails can lengthen and sharpen at a moment’s notice, as can her teeth, and her unarmed strikes hit like hammers. Her body is hard and very resilient; she can shrug off even heavy blows to a point, and strikes from bladed weapons that would amputate, gut or kill mortals only gash her. She is by no means invincible, though.

Any time, at will, she can shapeshift between two forms – a young woman about 5’4” tall with black hair and tanned skin or a huge black wolfhound. Clothes or other items in contact with her are not affected by the transformation, unless they are specified by her as part of her self-image (example: Ioba wearing a fancy dress shapeshifts into a dog, steps out of the dress and shapeshifts back into her human form wearing her leather outfit). In dog form, she possesses the characteristics of the Black Dog of the Isle of Man, specifically limited physical dissociation in darkness. The degree to which she becomes intangible depends on how dark it is and how much of her body is shaded.

Magical Mastery: Two points. In her human form, she can tell directions at crossroads, though this is usually limited to vague information such as ‘to the sea’. In dog form, she is the Black Dog – aside from her shadow affinity and the crossroad trick, she gains soundless movement, the ability to tell when mortals are near death, and the ability to summon mist or fog at will. After the sun sets, she can teleport within banks of fog. She can also communicate with animals of sufficient intelligence (like humans, it varies) in either form.

Imaginary Realm: Two points. Ioba’s Dominion is a small feasting hall/hunting lounge, Teach Madra, and its surrounding forests. The hall can house up to twenty people, and will shift subtly in shape and production capabilities (kitchens, larder, wine/beer cellar) to ensure that everyone is properly fed, boozed and housed in warmth and comfort, all while maintaining a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The forest is stocked with game animals from across the world, from deer and elk to more dangerous creatures like bears, and even while Ioba is ‘at home’, she’s more likely to be found out among the pines and rocky streams than inside the lodge. Anyone who sufficiently impresses her in battle or in other ways has an open invitation to visit at any time at all, under any circumstances, and can join in as many hunting trips into the wilds as they like. The one exception is the full moon, when she hunts by herself in her original form.

Souls: Zero points. Ioba refuses to lay claim to any souls, both because she doesn’t want to impose on anyone’s freedom and because she wants to become great by her own merits alone. She does have a defense agreement with a little village in the metaphysically nearby Celt Layer, though, for which the villagers provide Teach Madra with alcohol.

Supernatural Beings: One point. The forests of Ioba’s Dominion hold several families of supernatural beasts, mostly dire bears and the like, though there is a hydra in the lake. They don’t consider themselves allied with Ioba and she holds no claim over them, but there is mutual respect between the lady of the land and her “tenants”. This mutual respect sometimes includes beating the crap out of each other in sparring matches or in special, non-lethal hunts.

Legendary Artifacts: One point. Ioba’s prized possession is the last greatsword forged by her master, Culann, before his death. It currently has no name, but she hopes that its legend will grow in proportion with hers as she uses it. In her human form, it is nearly taller than she is; in her dog form, she carries the blade between her teeth. The sword has minimal magical qualities; if broken, it will mend itself over a period of days as long as no pieces are missing, and if the wielder is enraged, it doubles the force imparted by its own strikes. Ioba can travel in either form without the blade visibly on her person and it will appear when she calls it, as long as she has had the opportunity to store it properly (if she’s disarmed or otherwise loses it, she can’t call it). When she’s not carrying it, it hangs on the wall above her bed in Teach Madra.

Vessel Creation: Zero points. Wherever Ioba goes, she is there in person. Because of the limitations imposed on deities in Reality Earth, she cannot shapeshift from one form to the other without departing to a plane with less strict regulations, changing, and coming back. For this reason, she prefers to spend her time in Reality Earth in her dog form.

edited 14th Nov '12 11:45:43 PM by RedSavant