Divinaris Marks
When the gods walk among mortals it is to change the world. Mortals that the gods favor are elevated above their peers. Given extraordinary power so that they may serve the god with greater efficiency. Or to be cursed for their heinous words and actions. Take heed, and contemplate your relationship with the gods.
All across Siliren, people speak of divine favors and blessings from the gods. Moments when a person, or even a city, experiences good fortune that’s inexplicable. They praise their deity with words and offerings. And the gods will smile with appreciation.
These are not the true blessings that the gods can bestow. When an exceptional individual brings favor to the god’s domain, or progresses the god’s agenda, they may be blessed with a Divinaris Mark.
What is a Divinaris Mark?
A god may appear to a favored individual, and imbue part of their power. In most instances, the individual experiences a physical change: eye colors changing, the appearance of a tattoo like pattern etched into their skin, or, sometimes, an instantaneous growth spurt. Some gods prefer subtle manifestations, affecting the individual’s aura, or a physical change that’s only visible under certain environmental, or emotional conditions. The uniqueness of a Divinaris Mark reflects the relationship between the god and the mortal.
When a character, or NPC, has a Divinaris mark, they acquire a power and/or ability that is related to the god’s domains. Refer to a god’s lore page to see what power their Divinaris Mark provides.
Multiple Divinaris Marks
It is possible for a character to gain the attention of multiple gods. However, gods are more reserved about bestowing a Divinaris Mark on an individual already marked by another god, especially if marked by a rival. If a character has only a single mark from any deity, they are able to gain blessings from other gods as well. Once a character has received a second Divinaris Mark from the same god, making them a Disciple, they can no longer gain additional favor from gods that have not yet given them a blessing. Becoming a Disciple to multiple gods is possible, but challenging. The character has to keep each god convinced that they are furthering their goals and protecting their domains. If not, then a god may come and take back their blessings.
Once a god has marked the same individual three times, they have declared that individual as their Champion. If another god has already given a Divinaris Mark to a Champion of another god, they will not bestow any more of their power. The relationship between deity and mortal is exclusive; no mortal can Champion another deity, and a deity cannot have more than one Champion. Should a character become a Champion, and have Divinaris Marks from other gods, they would not lose the blessings of the other divine. For a god to take direct action that weakens the Champion of another would be a prelude to another Divine War.
How to Receive a Divinaris Mark
Gods only approach individuals that they highly regard. A character’s reputation with a god must be at least Prestigious before the character qualifies for a Divinaris Mark. The player should then reach out to a Spirit Moderator if they wish to request a Divinaris Mark. Spirit Moderators should first evaluate the status of the character’s relation to other gods.
When a Spirit Moderator approves the request for a Divinaris Mark, they coordinate with the player to run a personal Moderated Thread, in which case the Spirit Moderator will roleplay the god. The Moderated thread will lower a character’s reputation with the god by 100 points.
Ways of Gaining Reputation with a God
Actions speak louder than words. Individuals that visit the temples and donate regularly are doing what other mortals deem to be appropriate worship. Regular worship will not draw the attention of any god. Gods will take note of individuals that make great accomplishments, survive the harrowing odds of their domain, who contribute the most powerful magic items to their arsenals, or who bolster their domain’s power while potentially undermining a rival’s domain. Each god is striving to accomplish an agenda. To better understand what those agenda might be, review the god in question’s lore page.
Once a character has received a Divinaris Mark from a god, they must accomplish more significant achievements to bolster their reputation further. The same actions that gained their attention the first time may not be enough to gain more favor.
Curses
Gods can also take a negative viewpoint of a character. If a character is undermining a god’s domain, or actively speaks out against a god they will lose reputation with them. When a character’s reputation with a god falls deep enough into the negatives, the god will appear to the character and bestow on them a curse. Curses are not on par with a Divinaris Mark in terms of power, yet they can have a much greater impact on the character’s life. To see the specific curse a god would bestow on a character, look to the god in question’s lore page.
In some instances, a god cannot curse an individual. When they cannot take direct action, they will call on their followers instead. If a character has a low enough reputation to warrant being cursed, but has valid reasons why a god cannot do so, then they will notice more interference from followers of the enraged god. If their reputation is low enough, a god may send their Champion to smite the character on their behalf.
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