Who could create the most interesting element?

Who could create the most awe inspiring galaxy?

Thear won and populated various planets with algae, plants and small animals.

Who could create the most beautiful creature sculpture?

Ceepa won but loved all of the gods sculptures. She breathed life into all the creations to live in harmony. She infused the creatures with souls and freedom of thought. The original fey creations are the main creatures of the world where giants and serpents (dragons) lived. They were immortal creatures at this time.

Which god had the most power?

The Dorweundol won by creating death for the creatures. He separated the world into two places: the celestial world and an underworld where the spirits/souls of the titans/giants/dragons go when they die. Angered by this decision, the celestial ancients fought back against the gods and lost. The entire process angered ALL of the gods that their creations would revolt against them. Even though Dorweundol had won, the other gods were so angry with their creations that they split the world further disconnecting their creations from the celestial world with a larger mortal realm where the spirits of the giants and serpents would go after death and be repurposed into modern humanoids. The celestial ancients continue to stay in their sky island called The Wilds where their nature is to rarely procreate, making their numbers incredibly small in overall numbers. This has largely diminished their will to fight back against the gods in the future. The Real Gods still expect the celestial ancients of The Wilds to pay homage to them every year, but largely now focus on the humanoids of the mortal realm as their main game pieces.

Celestials- The heavens, planets, moons, and cosmos is the realm of the gods

The Wilds (Feywild)- The Wilds was the original creations of Giants and Serpents for the Ancients. Today, in the Modern Age, they live on a floating island in the sky.

The Mortal Plane- The mortals are repurposed spirits/souls of the ancients which are now humanoids.

Underworld- The Underworld is home to chaos creations and soul repurposing. The Hag Convens are the only living creatures that typically visit this realm.

Which god could create the most advanced civilization?

The Age of Advancement was the rise of amazing civilizations with incredible technology. It was a golden age of knowledge and intelligence. Magic trains, air ships, antigravity elevators, animal and human bionic technology all infused by magic. Magic artifacts, technology, and weapons were in common supply. In an ancient language foreign to any modern humanoids, there might be instructions to design technology or create massive vehicles.

Ceano won late in the game by flooding the world drowning the civilizations up to the clouds themselves. It was never really won as much as it was destroyed. All the Gods simply agreed that Ceano won. In doing so, he submerged the most advanced civilizations of the world resetting the earthly playing board. The lost civilizations now lay ruined under the water leaving the nomadic tribes referred to as "Cloud People" to settle and grow their cultures. They were outcasts during this age of advancement that did not live in mainstream civilization. Happy to be alone, they largely resisted technology. In the years following the flood, they began to flourish and expand. Because of these events, there are a few artifacts on land that have been leftover and not washed away by the cataclysmic tsunami by the hands of Ceano.

The main advanced civilizations were in The Tinted Deep, Endless Expanse, and Treacherous Expanse, and the unnamed waters between the main continents. The only possible place to discover these societies are in The Tinted Deep where it is shallower, albeit still incredibly deep.

The Dead - There are burial sites deep underground in the Katopian Desert that were protected from the flood.

Massive Oceanic Beasts - Such as dragon turtles, leviathan, and ancient ocean dragon turtles, etc.

Halo - A massive architectural ring that circles the globe which was nearly completed during the Age of Advancement. Constructs were specially developed to achieve this monumental feat. This ring was supposed to connect the land with the sky, but was never finished due to the flood. It can only be seen from the floating isle, The Wilds, on clear days.

Ancient Constructs - Protecting artifacts, such as the Drakkadian army of golems, etc.

Who can inspire/influence the most cultures to follow them?

The object of the Current Era game is to gain the most followers and influence throughout the world. This is a subjective goal as since gods who lose join the sides of other gods and mortals will never totally submit to one purpose. Baalnec will always call the end of a match, however, if he won’t (because he is too close to winning), the other gods will make a majority decision.

After the Age of Advancement cleared the earthly game board with a massive flood, The Real Gods have spent significant time collecting tribes, developing myths, unifying languages, solidifying cultural values, and constructing venerable empires to play with. As the cultures have grown to such large sizes, they are now at the tipping point of global expansionism. As Neutrum City has become the focal point of a new culture, The Real Gods have recognized the time for action is now. They are poised and ready to set into motion their plans to conquer other cultures by whatever means necessary.

Magic actually survived the Age of Advancement, it was always part of the world. In actuality, it never really went away from the mortal plane at all, but the knowledge of how to use it did. Many spell scrolls had been collected in various secret libraries across the world which eventually became the Ministry of Magic. When the early magic sensitive NPCs met up to compare notes they were able to discover spells that were nearly lost to the past. They paved the way for modern casters as well as creating spells named after themselves gaining great reputability in the realm. Even so, very few scholars know know the ancient language of the previous civilizations. This is one of the reasons why the Ministry of Magic has become such a powerful place.

Try as the gods might, there are still vestiges of the ancient empires and ages. Certain survivors of the Age of Advancement held on to old traditions, rituals, and knowledge of how to use magic. They were infused with it. They formed the first Hag Covens and have waged silent wars on each other for centuries setting up their own influence outside of the gods "silly" game. They had no use for such evil and destructive gods which left them for dead. If there ever was a wild card for this game, the card is surely being played by the Hag Covens. They actively manipulate the world for themselves, unaware that they are even playing in the game for a second time. What they do know, even though time has warped their evil minds, is that their existence is based on doing whatever it takes to survive, just like they did the last time.

If that wasn't enough, there is one last wild card in this campaign setting, and it's the most important card in the game. This is where the players come in. They are unknown to both god, kingdom, and coven and may very well prove to be the greatest pawns in the game. The gods may influence them. The gods may trick them. The gods may attempt to kill them. The gods will do whatever it takes to have the players cut down their enemies and create the greatest nation on earth in their image using the players as their crowning focal point.

The Gods are not allowed to:

• Physically interact with mortals. It is said that the gods have bred with mortals to create Demi-gods or magic sensitive individuals. This is not typical, but certainly possible. Gods would only do this seldomly so as to not draw attention from other gods. It is more typical of a god to sway humanoids by empowering them with magical abilities under the guide of a Magic Sensitive Characters.
• Directly manipulate mortals as far as killing them (even though they easily could).
• Tell mortals EXACTLY what to do. They need to honor the idea of free will.
• Kill another God.
• Leave the cosmos while a game is in session.
• Change the “fate” of a character. For instance, a character may be in the process of dying, but they may give them an advanced chance to survive if their purpose is to help that god achieve victory. If a PCs enemy is dead set on making sure a character is dead, there is no choice for the god to let them
• Ceano is to protect the previous ages from being discovered so as to not alter the game through the previous games technology advancements. He has taken a certain races, constructs, serpents, and given them the ability to breathe underwater to protect the ancient sites that lay deep in the ocean depths.

The Gods are allowed to:

• Influence mortals intellectually/emotionally/spiritually.
• Bestow magical powers to 1% number of mortals in the realm.
• All gods must have equal access to all cultures at the beginning of the game. Gods may reduce or bolster influence as they see fit during the course of the game, however, mortals have their own way of resisting influence.
• Accept a mortal as an angel/demon if they choose to in their personal armies for some reason.
• The god that wins gets to make a rule for the next age.

Occasionally dragons and other aerial creatures will nest in the mountaintops away from mortals. The main sites of these peaks are in the Drakkadian Mountains, Katopian Desert mountains, northern Skarsgard Mountains, and the Hordeterian Mountain range. It is said that the “Boneyard” of Katopia holds bones of dragons still, but it is only theory and humanoids tend to go mad never returning from the desert expanse.

There is one single artifact that survived the cataclysmic events of the Age of Power and that is in Neutrum City, specifically a massive destroyed bridge. It now leads to an ocean overlook, but it has continued to inform and confuse societies for ages. Being that modern land was originally so high in the world, the bridge was left mostly undiscovered. Once the Ceano drowned the world during the Age of Advancement, only then did cultures find this monument in the previous era. 

The True Origin: In the aftermath of the Upheaval, when the gods punished the Ancients for their rebellion, the world was torn asunder, and the mighty dragons were stripped of their immortality. From the ashes of these fallen beings, a great phoenix was born, its flames consuming the remains of the slain dragons. From the burnt remains of the dragons, the Birdfolk emerged through beams of fire and light. Though they remain unaware of their draconic heritage, instead they believe themselves to be purely the descendants of the great phoenix, a creature symbolizing rebirth and renewal.

Birdonian Religion and Reverence: The Birdonians hold a deep reverence for the natural world, believing that every creature carries within it a spirit, a spark of the divine that connects all living things. These spirits are honored through rituals that invoke the elements, particularly fire, which is seen as the most powerful symbol of transformation and purification. The phoenix, with its fiery rebirth, is the ultimate representation of this cycle, embodying the Birdonians' belief in the eternal nature of the spirit.

Fire, smoke, and ash play central roles in Birdonian rituals, which are often conducted at great heights—on mountaintops, cliffs, or other elevated places where they feel closer to the sky and the spirits that reside there. The act of standing in the smoke of a fire is believed to purify the body and soul, cleansing away the impurities of the past and allowing for renewal. The darkness of night, contrasted with the light of the flames, symbolizes the Birdonians' belief in the ability to see the truth even in the darkest of times. Nighttime rituals, where the fire’s light guides the way, are particularly significant, representing the victory of clarity and truth over the confusion and fear of darkness.

Cultural Identity and Sacred Practices: Birdonians see themselves as the heirs of the phoenix, their lives intertwined with the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. They believe that the spirit of the phoenix resides within them, granting them the strength to rise from adversity and to continuously renew themselves and their culture. This belief is reflected in their reverence for high places and open air, where they feel closest to the spirit of the phoenix and the divine essence that flows through all living things. The act of walking on hot coals, a ceremonial practice, is a physical manifestation of their resilience and spiritual endurance, symbolizing their journey through life’s trials and the inevitable renewal that follows.

Sacred Sites of Renewal: Birdonians honor their sacred sites, which are often located on towering mountaintops, deep within ancient forests, or other elevated places where the phoenix is believed to have first risen. These sites are considered places of great spiritual power, where the connection to the phoenix is strongest. Rituals conducted at these sites often involve the use of fire and ash, with participants marking themselves with ash to symbolize rebirth and renewal. The smoke from these fires is believed to carry prayers and offerings to the spirits, further strengthening the bond between the Birdonians and their divine heritage.

Disputed Lineage: Among Birdonian society, there is a long-standing belief in their unique connection to the phoenix, seeing themselves as distinctly separate from other races, especially the dragon-kin. However, there are persistent myths among other cultures, particularly the Kreegs, that suggest Birdonians and dragon-kin share a common lineage, both being derived from the Ancients. This claim is hotly disputed by Birdonians, who reject any association with the draconic legacy, believing it diminishes their sacred bond with the phoenix. This dispute has fueled a cultural rivalry between Birdonians and Drakkadians, with each side claiming superiority in their divine origins. This rivalry has sometimes led to tension, racism, and conflict, particularly in border regions where the two cultures interact.

The Phoenix and the Serpent: Though the true origin of the Birdonians is rooted in both the phoenix and the draconic essence, their mythology focuses solely on the phoenix, deliberately omitting any connection to the Serpents of the Sky. The phoenix is seen as a pure symbol of rebirth, free from the taint of the dragon’s power, and represents the Birdonians’ aspiration for continual renewal and spiritual ascent. The Serpent, in Birdonian myths, is often depicted as a cautionary figure—a creature that failed to achieve the purity of the phoenix, serving as a reminder of the dangers of pride and the importance of humility in the face of divine power.

The Evolution of the Races: Legacy of the Ancients

In the aftermath of the Upheaval, a cataclysmic event that shattered the power of the Ancients, the gods punished the mighty dragons and giants by stripping them of their immortality. From their fragmented souls, new beings were created—beings who would become the new playthings of the gods in their endless games of influence and control. The gods, each with their own interests and desires, further modified these new beings, resulting in several distinct branches of dragon-kin and humanoids.

Among these creations were the dragon-kin, born from the diluted essence of the True Dragons Malklik and Bryaghk (among others). The powerful and proud dragonborn, the cunning kobolds, the resilient lizardfolk, and the mysterious birdfolk all emerged, each embodying different aspects of their draconic ancestry.

As these newly-formed tribes scattered across the realm, they began to evolve, guided by the gods’ influences. The Dwarves inherited the giants' strength, the Elves their grace, the Omarn Goliaths their power, and the Orcs their unyielding fury. The Monazan women embodied maternal femininity, while the Tabaxi gained feline agility. Some vestiges of the Ancients remained: the Elves and Dwarves retained extraordinarily long lives, while races like the Monazan, Orcs, and Omarn Goliaths continued to show a recessive trait for larger, towering humanoids within their ranks. These traits are a direct reflection of the giants from whom they descended, connecting them to a legacy of power and grandeur that still echoes through the ages.

Malklik, an ancient blue dragon, and Bryaghk, her once-loyal mate, were among the last of the true dragons who still roamed the mortal plane. In their prime, they shared a vision of uniting all dragon-kin under a single ruler—an entity known in prophecy as the "Rainbow Wyrm." This legendary dragon, said to be born from Malklik’s final pure egg, would possess scales of every color, symbolizing the unity and strength of all dragon-kin.

The Tragedy of the Lost Egg and the Upheaval

Before the Upheaval, Malklik bore a final egg, believed to be the Rainbow Wyrm, but it was lost just before the revolt against the gods. As the world was torn apart during the Upheaval, the egg vanished, hidden somewhere in the fractured remains of the old world. This egg, if found, could still hold the potential to fulfill the prophecy of uniting all dragon-kin under one ruler.

To aid in their quest to find the Rainbow Wyrm, Malklik and Bryaghk created the Astral Dragon Key. This artifact, crafted from their own essence, was a powerful tool capable of locating true dragons and, possibly, the hidden egg. However, their unity was not to last. Bryaghk, during his search for the egg, encountered Ommadon, a greenskin with fiendish demonic machinations. Influenced by dark forces and the demon lord Ommadon, Bryaghk's mind became corrupted, twisting his noble quest into one of power and domination.

The Split and the Search for the Rainbow Wyrm

The corruption of Bryaghk led to a bitter fallout between him and Malklik. The Astral Dragon Key was split into two halves, diminishing its power. Now, each dragon seeks the egg for different reasons—Malklik still believes in the prophecy of unity, while Bryaghk intends to use the egg to dominate and corrupt the world.

Malklik, weakened by age and near the end of her life, spends much of her time in a deep slumber. Despite this, she has managed to create powerful relics, imbuing them with her essence and placing them in the world to guide and protect her kin. However, as her influence wanes, so too does the power of these relics. Her ultimate goal is to find her final egg, now believed to be the "Rainbow Wyrm," which has been recently uncovered by the Scholars of Dragylon. Unbeknownst to them, the egg’s magic has gone into hibernation and can only be awakened by the presence of a true dragon.

Malklik knows that the egg must be brought to The Wilds, specifically to the Serpent Peaks, the ancient stronghold of the last true dragons. However, she also knows that dragon-kin would be unlikely to undertake such a journey. The true dragons of The Wilds are fiercely protective of their territory, harboring deep-seated anger and jealousy from the events of the Upheaval. The arrival of dragon-kin with the egg would likely provoke their wrath, making the journey perilous.

There is a cross-cultural believe in the the high heavens above and the hellish realm of the underworld of hell below. Neither realm has actually been seen or described with any credible evidence, however, folklore discusses their existence quite often even though they may have differing names identifying similar features. It is common knowledge to all cultures of what one might mean when referring to another culture's idea of heaven or hell even if they are not educated in other cultures religious beliefs.