Gods

Most religions on Kilri are created in worship to or directly by powerful beings known as gods. Some gods are mysteries - enigmas sometimes indistinguishable from myths. Others are not only manifest, but actively take part in their respective religions or other aspects of society. Regardless of their intentions, ideals, or domains, gods on Kilri are undeniably tangible and, indeed, fallible. Every known god began life just as every other living creature on the planet, only attaining the mantel and abilities associated with godhood later in life. While this ascension and subsequent immortality can certainly change a god's personality and outlook, they still have the same emotions and desires they held in mortal life.

Much of what transpires in Kilri is done so at the whims and machinations, both obvious and secret, of the gods. Though their number is few, and certainly not every event concerning mortals can be traced back to the gods, rare is the denizen of Kilri that has not been affected in some way by these unique beings.

Ascension
The mysterious event of a creature becoming a god is known as the Ascension, and that's about all the mortal species of Kilri know about it. The process and exact nature of ascension is known, it is assumed, only by the gods. The notion of revealing its secrets is universally met with outright refusal by the gods, even those who remain connected with mortal society. Those who pry too deeply into the matter of ascension often meet a quick end by one god or another.

Ascension seemingly does not happen often. In fact, no new god has been known to have ascended in three hundred years. It is theorized, due to their secrecy on the subject, that the gods themselves choose those who receive the Ascension. It is also possible that Ascension is achieved rather than granted, or it could simply be random chance. Many religions, typically those devoted to independent gods who do not deal with their followers, believe that through devotion they will eventually be granted Ascension. No one truly knows how the Ascension comes about, or even if the gods themselves know. Obviously, its secrets are highly sought after by those craving power, and many gods make it a priority to root out aspiring mortals and end those aspirations.

Godhood
Regardless of how the Ascension occurs, it imparts a god with many abilities that go far above and beyond any yet seen in mortals. Some abilities that manifest are unique to the god, but there are certain aspects that all gods share.

The first is, obviously, immortality. A god does not age, fall ill, or seemingly degrade in anyway. Though they can feel pain and be destroyed, it requires the power of another god or significant numbers of mortals to cause these things. A god that is destroyed reappears, seemingly unharmed, an indeterminate amount of time later. There are reports of a god taking hundreds of years to "resurrect" and reports of a god reappearing the day after their bodily destruction. Some scholars theorize this is why religions exist at all on Kilri, as it is easier to be suppliant to a being of such power than to constantly find the means to destroy them.

Gods do not need to eat, drink, or breathe. When they do it's either for taste or to make mortals feel more comfortable around them. They do not sleep, but they do have to spend at least an hour a day in a meditative trance called rumination. This trance performs many of the same functions of sleep and is used by gods to refresh their minds. They suffer no physical detriments by forgoing rumination, but the longer a god does not ruminate the more emotionally unstable they become. It is thought that rumination is how a god maintains their former mortal mental faculties despite the march of time.

The second most defining trait all gods share is the concept of domain. When a god spends a significant amount of time in any one area, they are said to gain a sense of domain over that area. The amount of time needed to gain this domain and the size of it appears to differ between gods, but typically the larger radius of domain the longer a god must remain in the area. When a god is destroyed, their area of domain is lost and must be regained. The primary use of domain to a god is it gives them the ability to sense all creatures that reside within it. Some gods either gain or grant additional gifts while within their domain, but all are able to know of the presence of a creature within their domain.

Gods are seemingly unable to expand their domain. Thus, with very few exceptions in history, societies ruled by gods don't tend to expand either. While domain is an integral part of a god's existence and power, it is in some ways a limitation as well. Gods who make extensive use of domain do not often venture far from it and find the world outside their domain fairly inconsequential. Some gods largely forsake domain, preferring to mask their presence or wander the world. These are often the more ephemeral gods - those who make their name known in some way, but reveal themselves to only a select few.

The third and final universal ability gods are granted is the concept of blessing. Blessing takes form both on the gods themselves and creatures they bestow a blessing on. All gods have masterful use of magic - some specialize in its use or have some other variant of a blessing, but all find the use of magic more natural than any mortal could possibly imagine. They are able to share a very small fragment of this ability to creatures they desire, either through direct contact or through their domain. A mortal granted a blessing gains a more natural understanding of calculations of magic related to the god they received it from. This eases the effect of magical formula on the recipient's mind, greatly reducing the chance of a mind break from the casting of spells involving those calculations. A blessing is often only given by those gods who maintain religions, but all gods are capable of blessing.

Finally, all gods have a Cause. A god's Cause is a singular idea, philosophy, or natural aspect of the world that the god professes to encapsulate. Causes are not decided by mortal interpretations; they are blatantly and specifically stated by the gods. Even the god of lies will outright state his Cause. Deities will most often expect followers to promote, protect, or otherwise follow their Cause in order to maintain their Blessings. Other gods cultivate their Causes on their own, either through direct action or more subtle means of influencing mortals. Whether a god is designated a Cause upon Ascension or chooses one is not known, and the gods are all as fiercely protective of this secret as they are with all other aspects of Ascension.

Deities
Religion in Kilri is largely a matter of servitude rather than personal faith. While some religions have their roots in mortal imaginations and beliefs, most are considered superstitions or cults. Gods are a very real phenomenon on Kilri, and though their exact nature is a mystery none can deny their presence. Not every god seeks to rule or influence, but those that do are referred to as deities. Their religions are explicitly set up by them and often for them. To be considered a deity, a god must not only create a religion but also have an continued role within it.

Deities very rarely, if ever, leave their area of domain. Indeed, for most the world outside their domain might as well not exist should it not encroach upon them. Unlike many gods, deities will often be fairly frank about their intentions and motivations with mortals. Most seek to impose some ideal or action on society, and those precepts are what form the tenants of their religions. Many, but not all, seek out new followers, but most are more interested in devout servants than popularity. Deities are the most likely gods to provide a blessing to mortals, granting proven worshipers power to carry out their wills.

Thalor
Cause: Order

Thalor is perhaps the most widely worshiped god, and one of the few deities to maintain followings outside of his domain. Above all Thalor represents order and stability in society. His church doubles as a court, his religious leaders being just as much judges as they are priests.

Thalor is a male elf, though he has little regard for the empires of his former race. He appears as an older man, with a gray beard rarely seen on mortal elves. He prefers to wear long robes that his priests emulate, usually with white and blue colors. Those few who have met with Thalor always describe his stern demeanor, comparing talking with him like being scolded by a disappointed father.