An Blian, the Power of Yearning.

The Power of Faith, of Despair, of Hatred, of Hope and Ambition.

If you are a part of the Aedelwynn campaigns, turn back now. Final warning.

"When the world begs for relief, for war, for safety, servitude, plague, horror, fire, death, love and hatred, the stars shall answer. And with them will come envoys of the stars, before whom mortals will bow. Though they be of blood and flesh, their soul shall be Heirs to the Stars. And upon the will of the people will they serve, as emissaries, rulers, counsellors. As Gods. Gods of Fire, War, Love, and Hatred. Such is the nature of the Wheel of Souls, such is the will of the Stars. For souls to be selected and born anew, as divine amongst men, for a purpose so inexplicable it would break the very mind of those who seek to understand it."

- Hràvanen Aen Laica, Scholar of the Stars.

Overview

The Gods of Aedelwynn are divine souls instilled into a mortal form by the Four Stars to guide living beings away from the cycle of reincarnation and serve their personal agenda. They are not servants, but are emissaries of these Stars capable of miracles and feats of immense power, however they have a will of their own. Despite this predestined purpose, the Gods are shaped and birthed also out of mortal need, created to enact a godly and mortal plan, as the masses of souls cry out to the Stars in their joy, torment, or mystery, which rewards them with a guide, a protector or an avenger.
One thing to remember is that Gods are different from Grand Spirits, 'Nightmare Lords' and Elemental Aspects, albeit they may make use of such things to serve their purposes. It isn’t uncommon for a God of the Hearth to call upon Fire Elementals to their service, or accidently attract some in the wake of its miracles. Many Gods represent moral concepts rather than key aspects of the world, some of which concepts are associated with elements, landscape, etc. (I.E: A Goddess of Motherhood, Life and the Forest)
Gods are not necessarily made from mortals, many can be created out of creatures who gain such powers, such as Mother Night the Goddess of Hunting and Panthers from Unn. Many Grand Spirits and Hellish Princes might be mistaken as Gods due to their vast levels of power. They are not for various reasons: cleric spells aren’t given to them, they don’t grant blessings and either operate through contract or some other method.
Additionally, they have less power than Gods but more direct interaction with limited sections of the world. (I.E: A forest spirit, or a library’s demon are good examples. Grand Spirits dwell in the Dream only appearing through specific rituals or grand events, whereas Hellish Princes remain imprisoned within Xüra’s nightmare.)

"Oak, Ash, Pine, Elm, Thorn."

The Lifespan of a God:

All Gods have multiple stages in their ‘lifespan’ which informs what they’re capable of doing and how much interaction they have on the world at large. Whilst these stages are commonplace, Gods are not beholden to them and may manifest in various forms instead once created by the Stars. When birthed within the Mortal Realm, Gods are considered to have a Divine Soul, or a Perfect Soul, one which is both capable of mortality and imbued with the powers of the divine. When they pass the Ascended stage, they shed their mortality to ascend to divinity proper. The stages are as follows: Fledgling, Awakened, Ascended and Deceased.

Fledgling Deities are divine souls who have chosen, or been chosen, to manifest through the newborn babe of a specific species or people. They are born of a mother and father, and are not aware of their divine powers until they become Awakened. These deities do have prodigal skill and charisma, sometimes being mistaken for a divine servant in disguise, or a once in a lifetime genius. The reasons for starting as a Fledgling are various, and can stem from otherworldly curiosity, to a will to understand those they will eventually lead and guide. Fledgling Deities are mortal in the eyes of most Powers and Outsiders to hide themselves from would-be enemies, only possessing a divine soul that has a tendency to attract followers and believers who seek what the Deity might provide. They are both mortal and divine.

Awakened Deities are Fledgling Deities who have come to realise their true nature. As such, they gain the omniscience and omnipotence that befits their chosen and given domains. This usually makes itself known to the Deity around the age of their mortal form’s adulthood, sometimes a bit earlier should things become dire for their recipient or their followers. At this point, all who look upon a deity know what they are facing. Many may fall in adoration, others may revolt in despair or revulsion to the presence of the divine. Awakened Deities are capable of incredible miracles, can hear the prayers of those who call for their aid, and have an expansive knowledge/wisdom of many things for which they were created. An awakened deity is considered on the level of a divine avatar, however their omnipotence is limited by the domains they’ve adopted. A fire god can’t control water.

Ascended Deities are Awakened Deities who have willingly shed their mortal forms and ascended beyond the Mortal Realm. This might be through assassination, willing death, or spontaneously once they believe their purpose in the Mortal Realm has ended. Ascended Deities usually leave once they’ve secured a legacy through their followers and faith, letting their people continue their instructions as they are guided by said Deity’s teachings. Ascended Deities are what many people recognise as Gods. They are omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, restricted through the Four Stars’ will alone and the influence of other deities. They grant miracle working spells to their most fervent followers, create an afterlife/domain of their own, form servants to enact their will, choose champions, overwatch their domains and intervene should things become too dire for their followers to deal with.

Dead Deities are Awakened Deities or Ascended Deities who have been slain by another Deity, or have powers within a domain often attributed to the afterlife, such as death, the grave, mourning, etc. In the former case, these deities are never truly deceased, however their powers have been cut off through some sort of sealing, or through the total depletion of said powers. Following the deity brings nothing and they are usually left to be forgotten. However, small instances of faith may be enough to rekindle the ‘corpse’ of a Dead Deity, which will be enough for them to speak to their followers. In the latter case, a deity of the dead will likely end their own life via Ascension to serve as wardens over the Deceased Deities, or to understand the plight of the dead so that they might best lead and rule them. A living creature cannot comprehend a dead creature by nature.

"Let the warmth of the Patron in your heart. Let his grace guide you.
Through the darkest of nights, let your soul be a beacon of hope and victory.
Like the eye of the Sun in the vicious Winter, never falter, never stray."

Domains, & Lesser Powers

Domains are parts of the worldly realm that Gods take under their wing, as creators, stewards, protectors and guides. This is both granted to them by nature, and chosen on the moment of their creation. Domains can be vaguely anything conceptual or physical, giving said deity complete control over these domains. Domains are also what dictate the powers a God may give to their champion, cleric or prophets, sometimes more than another. It is what allows a cleric to raise the dead, shoot fireballs, heal the wounded, etc. It is also what ‘limits’ a God, though Gods are by nature omniscient their subconcious would prefer to deal with things they appreciate or favour most.

Certain creatures can achieve God-like status through common belief, or creation. Servants of Gods can attain lesser Power status through this, and sometimes be chosen by the Stars to ascend themselves; such is believed to be the case with myths like "Tellelorn", the Dreaming Tree, or "Yor'vëo", the Aged Man of the Swamps. These creatures, ancient and unfathomable, are both founders of myth, and founded by myth. The power of Yearning suffuses every aspect of creation, everything that breathes yearn for something better, or something worse. This collective conciousness is both born of the Divine, and births the Divine.

Holy warriors, heroes of incredible renown, saintly priests and druids that have defended tradition to the bitter end will die, and as they do, their souls shall yearn for something greater. This yearning fuels the powers of others of their kind, funnelled through the veil of faith and the grasp of the Gods. The Yearning grants paladins, clerics, zealots, faithful and other creatures their abilities, powers beyond belief, and sometimes the chosen opportunity to become one deity's avatar.

Methods of Manifestation & Intervention:

Eriu, Princess of the Tuatha de Dannan by Jim Fitzpatrick

---

"On the Third Day, the the Huntress slew her sister as the world drowned in sorrow. Edelin was flooded, gone beneath the waves of tears shed by the Thunderer's betrayal. From the Mourner's neck bled the trees, the rivers and mountains again. And the world was restored, as the creatures of the woods and the skies and the seas returned to their rightful place. Yet this was not a victory, for of the Four Lords of the Edel, three had perished, and the last branded herself a 'kinslayer'."

---

Methods of Manifestation:

The Gods may manifest themselves in multiple manners to speak, communicate or guide their faithful. These manifestations depend on the point at which their lifespan is currently. Fledgling Deities cannot manifest other than in person, like a mortal would, whereas Awakened Deities can reach out to others through things such as telepathy, or dreamwalking. Ascended Deities make use of Manifestation very carefully, as some forms may overwhelm or tip the balance of the realm through their presence.

The most common methods of Manifestation are the following: Omens, Prophecies, Divination, Dreams, Possessions and the creation of Avatars. For further information, check the sidebar which goes into detail about said forms of manifestation.

Omens are the main method of communication, accessible to Ascended and Dead Deities. They can be subtle, or explicit, but are often indirect enough to not have a lasting effect on the mortal realm. Omens often come to followers and common folk through the medium of divination, or simple observation, however they are mostly to the interpretation of the viewer.
Prophecies are a method of communication that allows a prophet, someone personally ordained by an Ascended Deity to preach their Gods’ will, to interpret a series of omens and events that have been given to them. These prophecies tend to be cryptic, complicated and full of imagery rather than clear and concise visions. Going against a prophecy tends to force its reckoning.
Divination is accessible to many followers of the Deity, which may answer at every stage except for Dead. Divination will contact the deity with differing chances of success, after which the God may respond through imagery or short sentences, though often they opt to let the follower decide through their own internal voice.
Dreams are direct visions and messages directly sent to a follower or chosen figure’s mind through the realm of dreams. It is also the safest method for a God to manifest their form into the mind of another. Through dreams, Gods can progressively give their faithful clearer visions which might reveal information or inform their followers on current issues.
Possession is a frighteningly powerful method of manifesting oneself to the mortal realm, as well as the most dangerous method. The body of the possessed rarely survives, and only does if it is warded and prepared beforehand. Possessions usually require consent. The person who becomes possessed suffers major withdrawals from the loss of such power, some even go insane.
Avatars are the most powerful method of manifestation a deity can attain without directly intervening. An Awakened Deity is an avatar in function, which can create immense acts of divinity and possesses awesome powers. An avatar has incredible effects on the landscape around them, and leaves no trace of its passing once it is gone.

---

Known Domains:

Many Gods hold domain over various things, concepts, aspects of nature, wrath and war. Here is a list of known domains that the current deities of Aedelwynn hold stewardship over.

• Arcane
• Ambition
• Blood
• Conquest
• Death
• Dragons
• Dreams
• Forge
• Grave
• Knowledge
• Law
• Life
• Light
• Nature
• Night
• Order
• Protection
• Shadows
• Tempest
• Travel
• Trickery
• Twilight
• Undeath
• War
• Zeal

Credit goes to: Adam Skorupa, Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz