Greater Deities

Greater or True Deities are – as their names suggest – actual cosmic beings of unimaginable power, incomprehensible form, and true immortality that stretches with no bound. They are cosmic entities born directly from celestial bodies that exist beyond the mortal and material planes, but are often responsible for their creation, existence, and destruction. Greater Deities are the governing force of the broader cosmos; the invisible forces that turn and form the universe far beyond the scope of any individual humanoid. Often, these deities can take a humanoid appearance, but ultimately remain innately inhuman in that they lack core components of the humanoid experience: emotions, desires, and comprehension of mortality. Rather, they emobody the celestial bodies that they came from, abstract concepts, or something else that cannot be fully grasped by humanoid understanding.

As the Universe is endless and vast, so too are the number of Greater Deities. A few True Deities, however, interact with the mortal and material planes, exerting some level of control and exhibiting a hint of goals and desires that other True Deities do not. Only those that interact with mortals are actually known... though mortals may or may not realize the magnitude of the immortal they are dealing with. Broadly, True Deities fall into one of three categories: Creation, Between, and Destruction. Other immortal entities fall under the category of Adjacent, as they are servants of or adjacent to an actual Greater Deity.

Of Creation

Born directly alongisde a birth of a celestial body or the explosive spark that creates a new galaxy, the Greater Deities of Creation are blessed with the unique ability for creation, but that alone does not define them. Instead, they are better described as beings of Cycles, oscillating through the universe – seeing galaxies rise and galaxies fall. They apply the same perspective to the worlds that they create. Many Beings of Creation delight in creating other celestial bodies, which may cause the birth of a Greater Deity of the Between. Only a small handful delight in providing a bit of their own essence to serve as the spark for life upon a planet, creating humanoid life. While this spark, essence, or gift is referred to by different names across the many worlds of Creators, it is known on Dremora as a soul.

Notable Creation Deities: The One (Creator of Dremora & Jalasar), The Eternal

Of the Between

These Greater Deities are born from the nebulas and clouds of dust that drift through space and exist between larger celestial bodies. They are the tendrils of connection that drift through space, often unseen, but present nontheless. Among all Greater Deities, it is most common to find Greater Deities of the Between existing in orbit of one another. As they are not blessed with the ability to create, but strive for connection, they commonly follow in the cosmic "footsteps" of Creators. Occasionally, a Being of the Between will descend and inhabit a mortal world. When they do so, they tend to create hive networks or hive minds, a reflection of their origin in more cosmic networks. The form that the network takes depends upon the Being of Between, the Creator of the world, and the circumstances of their arrival and establishment among mortals. When not pursuing creation, Greater Deities of Between often spend their eternal existences avoiding roaming Destruction Deities.

Notable Between Deities: Primus One (the Being of Blood), Horizon (formerly)

Of Destruction

The final type of Greater Deities are those that are born from forces of pure destruction in the universe. Most commonly, they are the embodiment of roaming black holes that exist in the darkest recesses of the universe. It is in their innate nature to summon, absorb, and destroy whatever drifts too close. While the majority are mindless and thoughtless motes of destruction with little to no intention, there are a few that have managed to acquire and absorb a semblance of distinguishable traits. Thus, some Destruction Deities can be reasoned with – others may even be bound by oath. Whether they be featureless forces of destruction or powerful entities with a sense of drive, they are all ultimately incredibly powerful forces that can lay entire worlds, civilizations, and other Greater Deities low just by being in proximity.

Notable Destruction Deities: The Void (The Dread King)

Type

Religious, Divine Host

Alternative Names

True Deities

Related Traditions

• Religious Terms

Notable Members

• Dysis
• Primus One
• The Void

A Note on Adjacents

Greater Deities stand above the pantheon in terms of power and cosmic origin. Adjacents are figures that are similarly born of the cosmos, but they are similar to the Pantheon in that they are derived from a Greater Deity and exhibit only a fraction of the power their Creator possessed. As Adjacents must be created, they are most commonly seen in close orbit to a Greater Deity of Creation, serving as a Creator's servant, companion, and general "overseer of various cosmic affairs". As spawn of Creators, they may exhibit some tendencies and skills of creation, able to create paths through the cosmos, generate light, and even duplicate themselves as needed. They may also develop personalities, though they are often incredibly removed and ungrounded from the personalities that would emerge among mortals. On rare occasions, other Greater Deities may possess an Adjacent or another Greater Deity may be stripped of some of their identity and power to become an Adjacent. As Destruction Deities tend to destroy everything within close proximity to them, it is rare for them to have an Adjacent, but, if they do, the Adjacent does not last long.


Notable Adjacents:

1. Adjacent, servant of The One
2. Horizon, Event Horizon to The Void