Rite of Ascension

"We have destroyed all mention and notes of the ritual, no one should be able to follow in our footsteps. This world does not need more of us. There are those who were so close to completing it, including that damned thief...oh well."

— The Pathfinder

Gods are not always born sometimes they are made. During the Age of Miracles all were blessed with a divine spark, granting everyone a modicum of divine ability. Amongst the denizens of Ostyria there were a few that stood above the rest. Whether it was their leadership prowess, their natural talent for magic, or their ferocity on the battlefield, the few who stood above found a way to harness their divine sparks fully. Their divine sparks were highly invested which allowed them to perform feats none other could. These highly invested individuals would become gods but in order to ascend to godhood, they would first have to conduct a harrowing ritual.

History

The Rite of Ascension was developed by the 3 titans of Osytria, Life, Death, and Time. As a part of their descension into godhood after the Spark of Divinity sacrificed itself to save Osytria, the titans believed it necessary to elevate some of their own creations and the planar refugees to greater positions in order to prevent another possible world destruction scenario.

The rite was a harrowing ordeal and many tried to perform it but failed. The few that were able to complete the ritual was ascended to godhood completely shedding their mortal coils and lives. They along with the titans would become the modern day Pantheon of Ostyria.

After the Betrayer ignited The Planar Convergence, the gods decided that the rite needed to be destroyed and forgotten. Many of their peers had joined with the Betrayer causing a schism in the Pantheon, the Primes being those against the Betrayer and the Eclipsed being those whose sided with the Betrayer. In order to prevent more betrayal The Primes worked a great miracle to remove the rite from Osytria. There were some Ostyrians who were on the path of ascension when the rite was removed, they were not completely at a lost, for a side effect of starting the ritual was the burgeoning of minor godlike abilities. These beings eventually became the Elysians, minor deities.