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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Snapdragyn" data-source="post: 1456462" data-attributes="member: 12432">What most IMC call 'gods' are members of any sapient race who have attained immortality (a dangerous & usually fatal endeavor) & divinity (in game mechanics, level 30+ & some mojo mystical uber-difficult stuff). There are currently almost 300 of these Undying, although most are unknown to any mortal. They don't technically 'grant' spells, but instead serve as a conduit through which their followers draw on the power of the Spirit Realm (although this is not common knowledge). The thing is, these 'gods' don't necessarily LIKE this set-up; serving as a mystical conduit in this manner restricts their actions since they become bound by the mystical demands of their worshippers. Unworshipped 'deifics' are free to roam the world; worshipped deifics are stuck in the near layer of the Spirit Realm & can only rarely break free. Some accept this as 'the natural order of things', some do it 'to serve the greater good', some go along with it 'just for kicks', & some do it for their own 'nefarious ends'. Others, however, actively seek to avoid worship -- either by trying to obscure knowledge of their divinity (or even their existance), or even by destroying any who dare restrain them so (though this becomes more difficult for them to do as they get more worshippers, since they're then more strongly tied to the Spirit Realm).This results in a world in which there are many extremely powerful beings wandering around who do absolutely nothing to reveal their great power, & a few dozen 'gods' who almost never directly intervene. The few who do intervene are generally young 'gods' who still have a bit of freedom, although that usually ends quickly with all of the fresh converts following a major divine act. For example, the newest god (see below) intervened once at the moment of his ascendance to turn the tide of a great battle; since then the most he has managed to do directly is animate a statue in his main temple when a new leader of his church needs to be appointed (which he then does personally).The general populace is aware that exceptional mortals may ascend to divinity -- the last commonly known occurance was a LG (as opposed to UA variants) paladin about 200 years ago, & his church currently rules a major nation. The laity don't typically know that worship works in quite the manner that it does. There are actually a few deities who have been driven mad by the pressing demands of their worshippers: the restriction, the constant barely audible murmurings of their prayers, the divinations which COMPEL answers.... The priesthoods of those churches are interesting places at higher levels, as the entrenched hierarchy seeks to maintain the secret of worship's true effects, & thus the status quo.. for personal power? to protect the poor masses who need a god's power? Who knows.Of course, there IS the Spirit Realm itself... though no one now alive remembers, it is concious, & sparked the creation of the first material planes out of the chaos-stuff of the Dream. It hasn't said whether it's a god or not, though perhaps no one has ever thought to ask.The 'infernals' & 'celestials' of typical D&D are simply natives of two planes, Sinistra & (not yet named); I'm debating whether they should follow standard good/evil dichotomy, go law/chaos instead, or masquerade as one while actually being the other.</blockquote>

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