World-Building Website by Daniel-André Sørensen
The Personal Website of Daniel A. Sørensen
Worldgods are deistic beings who are considered to have been the first gods in Nym. Long ago during the Primordial Times, the collective spirits of the Kal'Mar elevated and empowered many of the first Primordials into becoming Worldgods; giving them sentience and power, suited to fight against the rise of the Elemental Titans of the time. After the arrival of the Creators and the defeat of the Elemental Titans, many Worldgods would slumber, travel to the deepest reaches of the Underneaths, or assist the Scion races.
Ever since the Creators arrived in Nym, many Worldgods have since disappeared or died; leaving only a few still living in hidden corners of the world. Worldgods and Creators generally don't like each other because of the events of the War of Eternity, when Creators almost destroyed the world, and the Worldgods tried to actively stop their war. Creators also took most of the Worldgods' worshipers away from them; effectively weakening their position of power in Nym.
A Worldgod is defined as a deistic being who was born of this world, and they were all once Primordial creatures. As Primordial creatures, they don't need worshipers to use any of their godlike abilities, and instead depend on Primordial Energy. Worshipers might help them in various ways, but not through common prayer or belief. Instead worshipers of Worldgods are expected to perform more active tasks, like providing assistance or sacrifices. In the case of Wildgods, the Wildpact is used to tie worshipers into a form of loose but willing servitude.
The Worldgods are typically allies of the World Spirits and the Kal'Mar; the two having often fought alongside each other, or helped each other in times of need. There is a noticeable synergy and friendship between Worldgods and most spirits, as both more or less live to see the world thrive and grow, without what they see as unnecessary intervention of outsider gods, like the Creators.
There are many different kinds of Worldgods, such as Wildgods, Earthen Gods, the Seamothers, Spiritgods, and similar beings who are considered Nymborn gods. Many of them have lived in the world since around its forming, and their presence in Nym is what sparked the creation of the Mortal Soul, and thus the evolution of Nym's many different native races and animal creatures.
W I L D G O D S
When
the Elemental Titans rose to power on Nym, the Kal'Mar spirits reached
out to the Primordials. Those of the Primordials who possessed more
wisdom and intelligence than their other kin were given power by the
Kal'Mar, and through their uplifting they became either Earthen Gods or
Wildgods. With their aid the Kal'Mar hoped to defeat the Elemental
Titans, which they eventually did once the Creators arrived.
The Wildgods are the closest descendants of animal Primordials, and they themselves take the form of various animals in the world. There are many Wildgods; the most powerful being constant reincarnations of Wolf, Bear, Lion, Stag, Tiger, Eagle and Boar gods. Together they are the Last Guardians of Nym, charged by the Kal'Mar to protect their world from all who would do it harm, and forever maintain the Natural Balance.
The Wildgods are the closest descendants of animal Primordials, and they themselves take the form of various animals in the world. There are many Wildgods; the most powerful being constant reincarnations of Wolf, Bear, Lion, Stag, Tiger, Eagle and Boar gods. Together they are the Last Guardians of Nym, charged by the Kal'Mar to protect their world from all who would do it harm, and forever maintain the Natural Balance.
Through
something called the Wildpact, a Wildgod who dies is reborn as a new
Wildgod from its most powerful servant; when the Wildgod's soul and
spirit merges with that of its servant. This way there is always a
Wildgod present to protect the world, for as long as the Wildpact still
remains. But ever since the Creators arrived in Nym, the Wildpact has been slowly declining among the different races of the world.
After the War of Titans, the Wildgods (the Phoenix Mother, Zirche, specifically) would create the Mortal Soul, which gave life to creatures that would evolve into the first mortal races, known as the Scions. Over time the Wildgods would guide and watch over newer races that evolved from the Mortal Soul, like the Wildkith, who were the first to join the Wildgods' Wildpact.
The Wildgods have grown more distant in their interactions with the mortal races, as many of the mortal races have evolved to become independent and without the need of the Wildgods' guidance, and simply forgot them. The arrival of the Creators also turned many of the mortal races to worship them instead of the Wildgods.
After the War of Titans, the Wildgods (the Phoenix Mother, Zirche, specifically) would create the Mortal Soul, which gave life to creatures that would evolve into the first mortal races, known as the Scions. Over time the Wildgods would guide and watch over newer races that evolved from the Mortal Soul, like the Wildkith, who were the first to join the Wildgods' Wildpact.
The Wildgods have grown more distant in their interactions with the mortal races, as many of the mortal races have evolved to become independent and without the need of the Wildgods' guidance, and simply forgot them. The arrival of the Creators also turned many of the mortal races to worship them instead of the Wildgods.
But even so, the Wildgods still
exist and guard Nym, just not necessarily in the daily lives of the
majority of mortal races anymore. Many are believed to be hibernating in
the wild and remote corners of the world, while some are still present
in distant Wildkith communities. Throughout history, Wildgods have
disappeared and appeared again over and over several times; often
returning from wherever they are hiding to assist the lands and races of
Nym in their time of need.
E A R T H E N G O D S
After
the Elemental Titans' rise to power, the Kal'Mar reached out to the
wisest and most intelligent Primordials, who they elevated to Wildgods
and Earthen Gods. The Earthen Gods were former stonegaerm Primordials;
creatures made of earth and stone, who had shaped the ancient mountains.
The most powerful of the stonegaerm became the Earthen Gods, and over
time they developed flesh instead of stone, yet some remained
rock-bodied. Of the forces that fought the Elemental Titans, the Earthen
Gods were always the ones who were at the the forefront, and many would
die until the arrival of the Creators, and the end of the War of Titans.
Very few Earthen Gods remain in the world, and no one has truly seen one in many ages. The majority of Earthen Gods went underground, where they guard the Worldsoul, and after the War of Eternity they would also end up guarding the Creator Gaerdras; a promise they made to the Creators, in return for the Creators having aided in defeating the Elemental Titans during the War of Titans.
Those
who didn't go underground are said to have entered a slumber and become
mountains, although which mountains specifically is unclear and only a
few are known. Sometimes certain mountains seem to spawn rich veins of valuable minerals at will, and tribal cultures see this as a sign of an Earthen God's presence. Some Earthborn cultures worship certain mountains that
are strong in natural energies, and tell tales of how their people once
spawned from these mountains.
These are ancient stories, but races who
were once of the Earthborn trace their origins to the Earthen Gods, and
the likelihood that their people originally came from these ancient
mountains, or even from the Earthen Gods of the Underground Realms, is
not entirely unbelievable.
Various tribal cultures, like orcish, troll, goblin or the general Folc worship the Earthen Gods; making long pilgrimages to various mountains said to be sleeping Earthen Gods. The Earthen Wake, a shamanistic order of shamans from various races, tribes, and clans, directly assist in maintaining the safety of these mountains; traveling the lands, communicating with the spirits of these mountains, and teaching the many peoples of the gifts and powers of the Earthen Gods.
G O D S P I R I T S
Beings known as Godspirits are Worldgods who are related to Wildgods, but often much smaller and less powerful. Most Godspirits serve or used to serve the various Wildgods, and would tend to the Wildgods' domains when they were gone. But since Wildgods are often hibernating to preserve and gather energies, Godspirits are often left to their own devices.
Godspirits are born from World Spirits or Wyld Spirits, who usually imitate the appearances of animals; only more ethereal or aetheric in nature. Unlike the greater Worldgods, Godspirits are not considered to have originated from Primordials, and instead they are usually made from spirits of the land (like the World Spirits and Wyld Spirits), when the Wildgods infuse them with their own power to elevate them. These empowered Godspirits will then assist their Wildgod masters directly or indirectly, and particularly strong and loyal Godspirits will eventually become the new bodies of their masters, when a Wildgod is due a rebirth.
Those of the Godspirits who don't serve a Wildgod can be found tending to their own packs or broods; typically in distant, wild places of the world, like ancient forests, deep caves, or hidden mountain peaks. Otherwise those who still serve their Wildgod masters can be found guarding a Wildgod's lair, or performing other tasks that assist the Wildgod in its duty to protect the world's natural lands, or to help in maintaining the Wildpact.
Various Godspirits include phoenixes, wyldstags, spirit wolves, saberbeasts, and other similar animal-like creatures. While they might appear as beasts, if not a little aetheric in appearance, the Godspirits are considerably more intelligent and powerful. Some might possess speech, often through telepathic means, or they might possess certain deistic abilities that empathize their godlike nature.
Druids and shamans often interact with or communicate with Godspirits; as a means of maintaining a connection to the Wildgods, who are more elusive in comparison to Godspirits. Sometimes Godspirits will amass around Nymshards found in the wild, or they will gather in other places where aetheric energy is strong. They have also been known to mobilize in hostile force against various settlements; who often encroach upon and threaten the local lands and forests.
Godspirits, either those who serve Wildgods or those who serve themselves, hold little tolerance for the civilized races and their machines, cities, and other modern aspects. Anything that threatens the home of the Godspirits is considered an enemy, and these protectors of the lands will make use of nature itself to defend their territories, as well as protect those animals and races who depend on them.
Malendii employs several different Godspirits to help protect her Wyldtress in the Mortal Realm, and she has been known to be a mother of sorts to them, when the Wildgods weren't there to watch over them or guide them. On the other hand, some Godspirits mistrust the Creators, just like some of their Wildgod masters do, and so they often have no allies but themselves. Godspirits might sometimes reach out to the animals of their local lands, and gather them to help protect Godspirit lairs, or use them as warriors in their wars against the incursions of civilizations.