Mortal Gods

In the Age of Gods and Magic a mighty Pantheon stood watch over all life on Earth. Led by the Godmother Galea, they continually strove towards their sacred duty to guide and shape all life on Earth. To nurture, teach and inspire faith. In return, the Gods thrived off of their faith.   The magic that flowed through the Gods was exceptionally powerful, and when they deemed appropriate, they would share their power with the mortals. They gifted them their boons, their weapons, their blessings, and their seed. They also granted curses, death, pain and destruction. Galea tolerated cruelty so long as it was necessary to upholding the sacred duty. But she was soft on Mortals, and would often discipline Gods who did not care for the greater wellbeing of life.   It was the Eve of the Festival of the Gods, and a mass of faithful disciples gathered on the Isle of Gods, eager for worship. It was the first time in many lifetimes that the entire Pantheon would descend from their Above-Place and gather on Earth in corporeal forms. Creatures of all races, creeds and intelligence gathered for this occasion. The diversity of life was a thing of beauty. They did not always exist in harmony, but their faith in the Pantheon kept them united.   The Gods began to show, and the Valley of the Gods was their stage. Their followers wept and cheered, astonished at their beauty and their might. Almost the entire Pantheon had arrived, and anticipation was building, for Galea was the last that was set to appear. The crowd chanted her name, but she did not appear. The other gods struggled to hide their panic once they realised they were unable to return to the Above-Place. The entirety of the Isle of Gods observed their meltdown.