War of the Gods
It has twenty years since the Gods returned to the Afterworld, ushering a new era of peace and prosperity. At least, that was the plan. Though it holds true for some, much of the world is still shrouded in darkness, metaphorically and literally. In the direct center of that world lies the one chance it has at something better. Known as the Allied Kingdoms, it is the alliance forged by gods with Somorrah at the center. With weapons crafted by the God Bright Lion and his disciples, they have taken back a small portion of the world. Still, evil lurks in every shadow and the future holds as much danger as it does promise.
A new god having only recently discovered your Dominion, you forged a bond with one of the original new gods known as Obilar Blackspire. A god of Retribution and mercenary of sorts, his small Pantheon was slain by Nulumriel's forces. To keep their legacy alive, he has decided to gather a new group of gods, help them grow in power, and then take the dragon's head from her shoulders. By favor, bribery, or honor you agreed to assist him, though not necessarily as part of his Pantheon. Along with eight others, the eclectic group of fledgling deities ventures forth to grow their reputation. Unknown to them, they will decide the fate of the world in a conflict the Afterworld has never seen before.
Gods of the Fall Primer
The setting was released for the Cypher System a year ago and it is best described as bleak. Elanehtar, the realm of the gods, fell to earth and created a massive crater that spits out monsters and curses on a regular basis. Nod, the second moon and land of nightmares, covers the sun and keeps the most civilized parts of the world in an eternal eclipse. A dragon known as Nulumriel assumed control of the Nightlands and created an order for hunting down new gods that might threaten her reign. Slavery, public torture, starvation, not to mention the skins of dead gods walking around killing people. The Afterworld is a place you survived, not one you enjoyed. Fortunately, it's been a few decades since then and things have gotten a little better.
The Story So Far
Somorrah was one of the few places where the rich didn't arbitrarily abuse the poor, slavery was outlawed, and murders were investigated. Queen Etain sacrificed much to keep her people in a modicum of safety and the new gods were quick to make Somorrah the base of their power. When Nulumriel finally marshaled her forces to march on the city en mass, they were repulsed by the new gods and Queen Etain's army. Outfitted with weapons they had never seen before, crafted by the mysterious Bright Lion, the dark army was defeated and the dread dragon herself lost a measure of the aura of invincibility she'd spent decades cultivating. Unfortunately, the humbling both enraged her and forced a change in plans, switching her focus to dark magic and political machinations.
Both sides have spent the interment years building alliances. Over a dozen Holdfasts threw in with Queen Etain when she beat back the deadliest army in the Nightlands. Along with a few Nefar tribes, monasteries, and even a clan of Scarred, the Allied Kingdoms were born. Each has a representative in Somorrah and debate among them has even turned violent on occasion. The new gods have reclaimed the Temple District and seven different Pantheons call Somorrah home, along with two dozen or so unaffiliated gods. Even more are spread throughout the Allied Kingdoms and for those who never the peace of the old gods have felt hope for the first time in their lives.
Travelers
Supposedly from a another world, one relatively untouched by darkness, these Travelers are exemplified by the Bright Lion. Unused to the terror and rigors of the Afterworld, most turn their talents toward art, creation, and science. Much of the technological advances performed in the last twenty years have been by them. Whether travel between the two worlds will ever truly be possible remains to be seen. Many of their number have awakened to a divine spark while the rest do their best to get by. Most want nothing more than to return to their lives on earth, even if it means giving up divinity.
Lilith
An incredibly powerful Seraph, she was crafted to be the eternal partner of Nuthiel the Architect before Elanehtar fell. Since then she as assembled a small army of Seraphs and declared herself their leader. Existing in the Aether, she seeks to elevate her kin as allies to the new gods rather than servants. Whether this is all the gleaming machine desires remains to be seen. Regardless, she is willing to ally with anyone to aid in hunting down Seraphs of Sin. Zeikon of the dark Tetraptarchy has approached her as an ally, something the mysterious Seraph is still considering.
The Scaled Ones
A large Pantheon of Sleen deities have recently risen from the Akain Desert and declared all of humanity to be their enemy. They've gathered many of the loose tribes of savage Sleen together, even blessing the most loyal of them with new powerful forms. While too few and divided to be a major threat, they've started infiltrating the Nightlands and other places probing for weakness. Sleen that live among humans are far from safe and considered to be traitors by their zealot brethren.
Nightlands
Much has changed in the Nightlands. It is now ruled by a tetrarchy comprised of their major powers, of which Nulumriel is only first among equals. They've formally legitimized many of the atrocities that passed for laws in their nations and maintain a tense ceasefire. Captain Redstone is the closest the Fleet of Sin has to an actual leader and has over two dozen warships at his command. Created from the parts of Cryserech's most accomplished, Milovena assumed the position of Necromigration Conductor after killing her "father" Ishver and slaughtering the Lord's Council in glorious Grand Hunt. Baron Uttama's son Zeikon seized control of the City of Mehergan after his father's death and the City of Iron not long after that. A mysterious accident seriously crippled the young man and he is now more than half Seraph.
Order of Reconciliation
When Nulumriel first took field against an army bolstered by the new gods, she relied on the Order to counter much of their efforts. They fell far short. Used to hunting down lone gods unused to their power, they were broken by their most hated enemy. With over half their number gone, the Order began to rely on new methods for their mission. Gods, once supposedly in need of cleansing, are captured and placed iron maidens devised by Nulumriel herself. Their divine power blood is drained and transfused by the Chalice of Thorns for consumption. Now the Reconciliators possess a measure of their power, a hypocrisy they see only as poetic justice.
Soulrest
The war between Lords of Hell has settled into an uneasy truce as they worked together to leash the Hellmaw after it nearly destroyed their realms. Now each have claim on different souls, bargaining for their service. While a few goodly Lords have domains of relative peace, they are also places of pure equality. Only in the realms of the Rakshasa Queen and her ilk can souls have a chance at becoming powerful, important, or famed. Though not directly spoken, they all hint the most loyal of their number may even be allowed to return to the realm of the living. Of course all evidence points to the contrary.
Ravengel
When the true nature of the Ravers, skins of the old gods that gained sentience and began devouring all living things, became common knowledge a splinter faction of the Adherents began to worship them. Known as the Forsaken, they sacrifice those who had a connection to the original god. As the skin wraps around them, a new creature is born. Known as Ravengel, they're nearly as intelligent as the gods they once were, but still just as evil as the Ravers they became. Thankfully few in number, Ravengel seek to plunge the Afterworld into even greater darkness, inflicting suffering for its own sake.
Character Creation
You may select any one Flavor in addition to your Type. This does include the Tech flavor and you treat magical artifacts and objects as advanced technology.
Descriptors
You may use any official Cypher System Descriptor. I have most of the books including Predation, Unmasked, both Character Options, Expanded Worlds, Alternate Origins, and Torment Tides of Numenera. Feel free to reflavor as needed. A Gods might be machines, werewolves, and things even stranger still.
Foci
You may use any Foci from the books above, reflavoring as needed. However, you do select two different Foci. One can be any that you want while the other must tie into your Dominion. Unlike the standard game you may access Tiers of your chosen Foci and Type as you spend experience unlocking them, but you may only gain divine shifts and tier abilities from your Dominion Focus as you fulfill Obligations. For example, a God of the Hunt may choose Carries a Quiver, Hunts With Great Skill, or Lives in the Wilderness as her divine Focus.
Followers
Unlike the new gods from a stand Gods of the Fall game you have a chance at several people worshiping you. These are Followers and their prayers have a number of different benefits. You may harvest the divine energy of their prayers every month, using it in a few different ways. This number is represented by your Faith score, which is rated from 0-20. For every 4 of your Faith score you gain a single Prayer point, which may be spent to ignore a GM intrusion without spending experience, recharge a depleted Cypher by +1d6, or reroll a failed Might or Intellect defense roll. This number goes up and down, with dedicated Followers being worth more than those that simply utter your name. Pantheons automatically gain a Faith bonus, but that does make you beholden to other gods.
Equipment
Bright Lion has created several new weapons and armor wielded by the gods and their most trusted followers. Known as Power gear, they occupy a Cypher slot and have a corresponding ability that can be used if one is proficient in the tool. While you start with standard equipment, each of these new weapons can be purchased for 800 stars while the armor can be bought for 1200 stars. Players should feel free to suggest the creation of their unique weapon. Weapons
Brawl Gauntlets
These heavy steel gauntlets can increase the wearer's strength. Treat as light weapons or can be used to increase unarmed damage by +1.
God Strength (1 Might Point): Reduces the difficulty of lifting something heavy by 1 step.
Caster
A magical firearm, the caster is charged with sorcery and launches bolts of force. Comes in light, medium, and heavy versions. Can make attacks up to a long range. When spending effort to increase damage the points may be drawn from any pool and your effort is considered to be 1 higher than it actually is. Light versions can fire six shots before reloading, medium and heavy versions can fire eight shots before reloading.
Reload (1+ Intellect Point): Recharges your Caster as an action. Medium versions require 2 Intellect points and heavy versions require 3 Intellect points.
Expert Craft
Even simple weapons have the potential for greatness. These can be any standard weapon. They deal +1 damage.
Piercing Blow (1 Might or Speed Point): Attack ignores up to 3 armor.
Changesword
Rather than a solid edge, this weapon is made of undulating silvery metal. As an action, it can be reformed into a light, medium, or heavy weapon. It can also deal bashing, slashing, or piercing damage.
Quickchange (1 Intellect Point): Switches the damage type and/or weapon size without spending an action.
Fullblade
A weapon of almost impractical size, the Fullblade appears to be a large piece of sharpened metal, but is actually very carefully crafted and weighted. It is a heavy weapon that deals 10 damage and all attack rolls made with it have their difficulty increased by 1 step.
Giantslayer (2 Might Points): Decrease the difficulty of a single attack roll by 1 step against a foe that has a penalty on Speed defense rolls due to size.
Glaive
Two glowing blades sit at either end of this metal pole. A medium weapon that deals +1 damage is the user is trained in it.
Whirlwind (2 Speed Points): Attack two separate targets, both of which must be in immediate range. The second attack made with it has the difficulty increased by 1 step.
Armor
Rather than creating new sets of armor, these are actually modification that can be placed onto existing Power armor. Power armor is functionally no different than regular armor except it always has at least one modification. Each modification reduces the armor bonus by -1. Adding additional modifications costs 200 stars each.
Cypher Reservoir: Can drain a held Cypher as an action, transferring its benefits to the armor. Only one Cypher may be held in such a way at a time and it must be depleted before another is gained.
Leaping: Provides an asset on skill checks made to jump and if the jump task is difficulty of 4 or less you automatically succeed.
Regenerative: Provides an asset on Recovery rolls while worn.
Rune of Protection: Provides an asset on Speed defense rolls against melee attacks or ranged attacks, chosen when you first purchase the armor.
Spellblocking: Provides +4 armor against spells and similar effects.
