The Devine War

Devine War

The Divine War erupted from a fundamental disagreement over the fate of mortals, splitting the pantheon into two factions. What began as philosophical discourse in divine halls escalated into a catastrophic conflict that reshaped the mortal realm. Cities crumbled, lands were scarred by divine power, and civilization itself teetered on the brink of collapse.

The Factions

The Eternal Crown

This faction believes that mortals require divine guidance and protection through predetermined fate. They seek to implement the Grand Design - a cosmic framework that would eliminate suffering but also remove free will. They see themselves as loving shepherds, willing to make difficult choices for the greater good.

The Unfettered

These deities champion mortal free will and self-determination. They believe that struggle and choice are essential to existence, and that mortals must be free to forge their own destinies, even if it means enduring hardship and making mistakes.

The Gods

The Eternal Crown

Aurea, The Dawn Mother

• Domains: The Sun, Farming, Motherhood
• Traditional Worship: Sought blessing for childbirth, crops, and new beginnings
• Sacred Symbols: Rising sun, wheat stalks, cradle
• Notable Aspects: Her temples traditionally served as hospitals and orphanages, and her clergy were known for their healing arts before the war.
• Her temples traditionally served as hospitals and orphanages, and her clergy were known for their healing arts before the war.

War Standing

As a mother goddess, Aurea believes absolute protection is the highest form of love. She has witnessed countless mortal tragedies that she believes could have been prevented through divine intervention. Her desire to shelter mortals from all harm led her to support the Grand Design.

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Morlith, The Mountain Lord

• Domains: Mountains, Moon, Winter
• Traditional Worship: Revered by miners, craftsmen, and mountain dwellers
• Sacred Symbols: Anvil, crystalline peak, frost patterns
• Notable Aspects: His followers were master artisans who believed every craft had one perfect form to aspire to.

War Standing

Morlith’s perfectionistic nature and desire to forge a flawless world drew him to the Grand Design. He sees mortals as raw materials that need shaping into their ideal forms.

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Verdana, The River Queen

• Domains: Rivers & Lakes (Fresh water), Commerce/Prosperity, Oaths/Promises
• Traditional Worship: Invoked for trade, contracts, and justice
• Sacred Symbols: Scales, flowing water, clasped hands
• Notable Aspects: Her temples once served as banks and courthouses, ensuring fair trade and honest dealings.

War Standing

Verdana’s experience with oaths and contracts convinced her that binding all souls to a divine agreement would ensure universal justice and fairness.

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The Unfettered

Kyroth, The Ocean Lord

• Domains: Weather, Sea (Salt water), Victory/War
• Traditional Worship: Beloved by sailors, warriors, and those facing challenges
• Sacred Symbols: Lightning bolt, cresting wave, raised sword
• Notable Aspects: His temples were often built near harbors, serving as lighthouses and gathering places for those seeking courage.

War Standing

Kyroth has witnessed countless mortals achieve victory against impossible odds. These displays of mortal potential convinced him they deserve the freedom to chart their own course.

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Ilara, The Starweaver

• Domains: Hearth/Home/Family, Memory, Stars
• Traditional Worship: Honored by scholars, storytellers, and families
• Sacred Symbols: Hearth fire, open book, star constellation
• Notable Aspects: Her temples housed vast libraries and served as gathering places for storytellers before the war.

War Standing

As keeper of mortal stories, Ilara has seen the beauty and meaning in mortal choice - even in tragedy. She believes predetermined fates would rob existence of its meaning.

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Rhenox, The Wild Hunter

• Domains: Forests, Hunt, Change
• Traditional Worship: Revered by hunters, travelers, and those seeking transformation
• Sacred Symbols: Bow and arrow, winding path, changing moon
• Notable Aspects: His shrines were found at crossroads and in wilderness areas, marking places of decision and transformation.

War Standing

Rhenox embodies the untamed and unpredictable. He sees the Grand Design as a cage that would destroy the beautiful chaos of free will.

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The Conflict

Origins

The war’s seeds were planted when Morlith and Verdana began developing the Grand Design - a divine framework that would bind all mortal souls to predetermined fates. They believed this would eliminate suffering and ensure perfect justice. Aurea, seeing a chance to protect all mortals as a mother protects her children, joined their cause.

Escalation

Kyroth first discovered the plan and recognized it as a threat to mortal potential. He shared this knowledge with Ilara, whose vast collection of mortal stories had shown her the importance of free will. Rhenox, already suspicious of his fellow gods’ increasing control over the mortal realm, quickly joined their opposition.

The Breaking Point

The conflict erupted into war when the Eternal Crown attempted to implement the Grand Design in a major mortal city as a test. The Unfettered intervened, and their clash devastated the region. This battle marked the beginning of open divine warfare.

Impact on the Mortal Realm

The war manifested in various ways:

• Divine champions leading armies across the lands
• Natural disasters as gods wielded their powers
• Mortal civilizations choosing sides and waging war in their gods’ names
• Ancient cities reduced to ruins by divine conflicts
• The fabric of reality straining under the weight of divine power

The landscape itself bears scars of the conflict: mountains shattered by Morlith’s wrath, eternal storms raging where Kyroth battled Aurea, rivers running backward where Verdana’s power manifested, and forests trapped in perpetual transformation by Rhenox’s wild magic.

Aftermath

The Ceasefire

The war came to an abrupt halt not through victory, but through shared horror. During a pivotal battle between all six gods, their combined divine power created an event known as the Godwound - a devastating tear in reality that began consuming both divine and mortal realms. This cosmic catastrophe forced both factions to realize their conflict threatened not just mortals, but existence itself.

The Price of Divine War

Neither side achieved their goals, and the cost was devastating:

• Vast regions rendered uninhabitable by divine power
• Countless mortal civilizations reduced to scattered survivors
• Ancient knowledge and traditions lost as libraries and temples crumbled
• The Godwound continues to grow slowly, creating areas where divine magic fails and reality becomes unstable
• The gods themselves were permanently weakened, their power diminished by the conflict and the ongoing drain of the Godwound

Divine Diminishment

The gods emerged from the war fundamentally changed:

• Aurea’s radiance is dimmed, her dawn light now tinged with melancholy
• Morlith’s mountains no longer reach the heights they once did
• Verdana’s rivers run slower, many now tainted with divine residue
• Kyroth’s storms lack their former glory
• Ilara’s stars shine less brightly
• Rhenox’s wild places have become more dangerous and unpredictable

The Divine Accord

To prevent further catastrophe, the gods forged the Divine Accord - a compromise between their ideologies:

• Gods may offer guidance but cannot directly control mortal fate
• Divine intervention is limited to maintain the fabric of reality
• The Godwound must be contained through combined divine effort
• Mortal free will remains, but with subtle divine influence allowed
• Both factions work to heal the world, though they remain divided on how best to do so

Current State of the World

• Society rebuilds from scattered remnants of civilization
• Divine magic is less reliable, especially near the Godwound
• New religions and philosophies emerge as mortals grapple with their gods’ fallibility
• Ancient ruins hold dangerous concentrations of divine power
• Some mortal settlements have learned to survive without divine aid
• The Godwound serves as a constant reminder of the war’s cost

Legacy

The Divine War reshaped not just the physical world but the relationship between gods and mortals:

• Many mortals lost faith, leading to the rise of secular societies
• Others maintain cautious worship, understanding their gods’ limitations
• The gods themselves are more distant, humbled by the war’s outcome
• New prophecies speak of the Godwound’s eventual healing, though none know when or how
• Both mortals and gods now understand the terrible price of absolute conviction

The Godwound

The Godwound

The Godwound is the eternal imprint & lingering reminder of the Devine War It is the manifestation of the powerful & divine magic that created it. It’s effects are felt across all the land(s)

• Forcing the seas to rage & manifest monsters
• Causing forests, caves & dungeons to manifest monsters & magical properties
• Creating gates from which monsters appear
• Enhancement of natural disasters

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Recovery

Four Centuries Later

The Sundering of Lands. When The Godwound first manifested, its power didn’t just tear the fabric of reality—it physically ripped the continent apart. The once-unified landmass known as Magnica was split into four distinct continents, separated by great waters born from divine chaos.

The Waters

• The Godwound’s energy created the Sundering Seas
• New island chains formed from fragments of the original continent
• Some islands hold powerful concentrations of divine energy
• Maritime trade routes have become crucial for inter-continental commerce

Modern Political Landscape

The Sundering brought an end to ancient territorial disputes but gave rise to new forms of conflict:

• Naval supremacy became the new measure of power
• Trade routes and island control drive modern politics
• Each continent developed distinct cultural identities
• Inter-continental alliances are both vital and fragile

Technological and Magical Evolution

The post-Sundering world saw unique developments:

• Navigation magic evolved to cope with the Godwound’s interference
• New forms of communication developed to bridge the continental divide
• Each region developed specialized magic based on their environment
• Trade in unique regional resources drives innovation

Cultural Transformation

Four centuries of separation have led to:

• Distinct regional interpretations of the old gods
• New traditions born from adaptation to changed environments
• Unique architectural styles influenced by local conditions
• Regional variations in magical practices and beliefs

Modern Challenges

Despite centuries of recovery, the world faces ongoing issues:

• Periodic expansions of the Godwound require constant vigilance
• Pirates exploit the dangerous waters between continents
• Religious conflicts persist over interpretations of divine intent
• Resource competition drives inter-continental tensions
• Some dream of reunification while others defend independence

Legacy of Division

The Sundering, while catastrophic, brought some unexpected benefits:

• Clearer borders reduced traditional territorial warfare
• Diverse environments promoted cultural and technological specialization
• Separated populations developed unique solutions to shared problems
• New forms of cooperation emerged between distant lands

The world may be physically divided, but the challenges of the Dawn of The New Age have created connections that span the Sundering Seas, proving that even in separation, the peoples of these lands find ways to reach across the raging divide.

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