World 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚎 — ᴅɪᴠɪɴɪᴛʏ ᴍᴇᴇᴛꜱ ꜱᴄɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ

[Jumbled]

Worldgate​

Divinity meets science fiction

“The golden outline of a door appears before your eyes. You step through.”​

Characters | OOC | Roleplay​

>⠀WORD BANK⠀<

❥ Asura: Demigod that has shifted their alignment and is considered "evil."


❥ Deity: Term for the twelve gods and goddesses.


❥ Deva: Demigod that is aligned "good" or even "neutral."


❥ Elysium: A realm of divine magic and advanced technology; where the Deva live.


❥ Essence: Represents a supernatural or divine power, life force, or spiritual energy; mana.


❥ HoloWare: A device that is built into every Deva’s left arm (unless they are left hand dominant in which case it’s the right) that serves as a holographic mini-computer.


❥ Implant: A chip-device that is inserted to the VPD to supply the Deva with an unlimited cycle of essence during world travel.


❥ Patron Deity: Term used for a god that provides magical support to a Deva.


❥ Spiritus Asper: A place where would-be champions are selected through trials, located on a treacherous mountain, of both strength and mental prowess.


❥ Vertebral Data Port (VPD): Advanced tech port that sits at the top of the spine allowing Devas to use an implant during world travel.


❥ Worldgate: The golden gateway that allows the Deva to travel between worlds.

 

[Jumbled]

Introduction​

There are forces at work beyond mortal comprehension, where Gods and Goddesses congregate and observe not just one world, but many. A place where would-be champions are selected based on their merit, potential and compassion, as well as other desirable traits like strength, willpower and determination. Their goal? Win the favor of the gods and to become a champion. A Deva. These mortal candidates come from many different worlds, all connected through a gate; a golden doorway that opens up into a realm of hardships and trials, and a treacherous climb to the top of a nearly impossible mountain. It's name? Spiritus Asper.

Trials in Spiritus Asper are meant to test individuals through puzzle solving and feats of strength, agility or even more obscure things like compassion and sacrifice. These challenges often change every year, meaning the Deva will all have experienced different tests during their own trials. Some mortals, despite all of their strengths, do not survive the climb. Others might make it to the top but are not selected.

Time passes differently in Spiritus Asper. The deities, of which there are twelve, gather while one god or goddess personally hosts the annual event. Each year, one god has a turn to choose a champion to bestow their distinct power. Not all events finish with a happy outcome, of course.

Selection​

If none of the selected participants of the trial survive, the God hosting the event does not gain a champion until it is their turn again—it is a twelve year cycle, one year per god. This happens more often than not.

If there are mortals that complete the climb, and the God decides not to select a champion (as it is ultimately their choice to make), they may request the mortal returns to their world. This is not a common occurrence but it can happen.

If it is a God’s turn and they do not wish to be the patron of that year’s trial, the god may pass their turn to the next one in line. The God that passes their turn is given the option to choose a candidate from another trail before their next turn, so long as multiple mortals complete the climb and the current patron selects their champion first.

If a mortal dies in the trial, they return back to their world, often waking as if from a bad dream. Their memories blur and fade, just beyond reach, so that they do not drive themselves crazy seeking something too far away for them to grasp. If a mortal is sent back because a God does not choose them, the same applies.

If a champion is chosen, their physical body undergoes a transformation before they finally step through another worldgate that takes them to Elysium, home of the Deva.

Transformation​

The Deva live together in a massive plane of divinity, called Elysium, where both magic and technology meet in the middle. They are the champions from trials past, living as demigods in a realm where they are tasked with missions that are detrimental in preserving life, history and even preventing entire worlds from the brink of extinction.

They stop aging as mortals at the time of entry into their new way of life. While they are closer to immortal than not, the Deva can be killed, so proper training is important. The Deva have unique gifts tied to their Patron God. These skills do not happen all at once, and some take many years to learn.

Upon becoming a Deva, they are modified physically with an added Vertebral Data Port (VPD) located on their spine just below the base of the neck. This port is used to house the implant required for world travel. It’s often described as unpleasant to insert the implant into the VPD as it connects to every nerve and feeds the body a stream of high output essence. Like an oxygen mask for a set of healthy lungs, it might feel as though it’s doing more harm than good, or just uncomfortable to wear and unnecessary. But, away from Elysium, these devices are indeed necessary for a constant source of essence as well as open communication across worlds to the Central Hub on Elysium.

HoloWare, often referred to as "Holo," is built into each Deva’s left wrist, unless they are left hand dominant in which case it’s the right. It is a holographic mini-computer that is activated by a hand motion. Most missions and general communications are sent to a Deva’s personal iOS (internal operations server). There are other factors in play that keep their information protected, too, like gene sequence recognition, rapid fingerprint scans (RSF) and the detection of other hands in the way that might suggest someone is trying to break in.

❥ Note: While some worlds are filled with essence others lack it completely. If a Deva is sent to a world where there was no essence, they might not be able to summon the worldgate to leave it, or continue to use their abilities after their natural reserves have been depleted.

 

[Jumbled]

The Twelve Deities

Sau

God of War & Courage / Physical Strength / Tank
Champions under the patronage of Sau are made for front line battle. Experts in all forms of combat, both armed and unarmed, they are masters of many weapons. These champions are the strongest physically and can stabilize allies around them with buffs and shields that can encourage (manipulate) others to keep fighting. But they can also incite rage, bloodlust, and chaos in soldiers and populations. With strong intimidation skills, they use fear generated in battle to make enemies flee.

Dua

Goddess of Prophecy & Song / Magical Ability / Support
Champions under the patronage of Dua are masterful with words and can mimic any voice they hear. Very charismatic and convincing, their songs can be compared to those of sirens. They use their voices to mesmerize or hypnotize listeners, causing them to become entranced and forget everything else during their song. Their voices can be converted into a powerful sonic attack capable of causing physical destruction and harming other beings. They have high intuition and insight, and are known to occasionally have premonitions.

Tiga

God of Medicine & Healing / Magical Ability / Support
Champions under the patronage of Tiga are great healers. They are muses for those in the medical fields and have a mind for herbs and remedies. They are able to identify poisons by sight or taste—they’re immune to poisons—and can also cure others of sickness as well as minor and major injuries. They have a unique ability to dreamwalk and often use the dream realm as a means to offer guidance to men. These Champions can resurrect those that have died within the hour, but there is always a cost.

Empat (Reserved: Jumbled / Secondary Character)

God of Death & Destruction / Physical Strength / DPS
Champions under the patronage of Empat are the Grim Reapers of legends, guiding the souls of the dead onto their next journey. They can cause things to rot and disintegrate by touch, speak with the dead, and even resurrect beings to rise as an undead. Control of the dead (necromancy) is a skill that can turn the tides of battle when used correctly. Champions of Empat do not require a golden worldgate to teleport from world to world.

Lima (Available, but Character is built around the main plot, see Details)

Goddess of Justice & Order / Physical Strength / Tank
Champions under the patronage of Lima understand the importance of balance. They have influence over luck and curses, both of which can be used in order to correct an overabundance of one or the other. Along with incredible strength, they have endless stamina and can blend into the dark of night like a shadow on the wall. Shadows become their shield and make enemies blind to incoming attacks.

Alti

God of the Wind, Weather & Messages / Magical Ability / Support
Champions under the patronage of Alti are masters of flight. They move in the winds with ease and can manipulate the air currents to bring either peace or chaos. From gentle breezes to raging storms, they are masters of weather manipulation, including cold and the ability to freeze things. These champions can send messages through the air at the speed of sound, with the option of allowing anyone around to hear their words or privately sending word through telepathy.

Tujuh (Reserved: Chele)

God of Time & Gravity / Magical Ability / Tank
Champions under the patronage of Tujuh can manipulate time by moving it forward or backwards by an hour, or freezing time for the same duration. They can control the level of gravity around themselves and others, granting themselves the ability to float. Power over gravity can crush, lift, throw and immobilize enemies. Time and gravity together are crucial in times of avoiding fast moving attacks and projectiles.

Delapan (Reserved: Jumbled)

Goddess of Love and Beauty / Magical Ability / Support
Champions under the patronage of Delapan are tricksters and skillful with emotional and visual manipulations and illusions. They can change the shape of their body, features, and colors, as well as turn into animals so long as they’ve seen the shape before. They can also manipulate what inanimate objects look like for a limited time. With natural cunning and the ability to charm, they are chameleons of the realm, capable of understanding and speaking any language without the aid of Elysium technology.

Khamsa

God of Earth & Agriculture / Magical Ability / Tank
Champions under the patronage of Khamsa can cause plants to grow or shrink at any rate, animate plants and fungi, and manipulate their forms. They have control over rocks and land masses, including shaping the realm, moving or forming mountains, and immobilizing others by turning them to stone. Most known for animating the trees, it is hard for any foe to move beyond the force of nature that stands in their way.

Sepuluh (Reserved: Cealaris)

God of the Hunt & the Moon / Physical Strength / DPS
Champions under the patronage of Sepuluh are master archers with unparalleled precision and speed. Their true-aim, The Arrow of Fate, can kill a man in a single blow from any distance, but can only be used once a day. They possess great skill with hunting knives in close combat as well. Having mastery over the wilderness and wild animals, they not only communicate with animals, but can also turn mortals into wildlife creatures for a short time.

Undici

Goddess of Water & Wine / Magical Ability / Support
Champions under the patronage of Undici have powers related to wine and madness, inducing ecstasy, lunacy, and frenzy in mortals. They can convert any water into alcohol, but are better known for their manipulation of the seas and tides. They can bring about floods or cause droughts as well as unleash gigantic tsunamis and tidal waves.They can breathe underwater and withstand immense water pressure.

Tolv

God of Fire & the Sun / Magical Ability / DPS
Champions under the patronage of Tolv can create and manipulate flames spontaneously. They attack with meteor strikes, streams of lava, or even walls of fire. They have the ability to control sunlight, create blinding flashes of light, and generate intense heat. Manipulation of heat allows these champions to fly, though doing such takes a good deal of concentration.

 

[Jumbled]

Where We Begin​

The golden worldgates opened for their would-be champions as they always did. A person walking home in the dark might spot a bright light in a small, empty park. Others might notice an open gate in the center of their living room leading out into snowy mountainscapes. These selected people from all over the universe were presented with their first decision: Do they run away, or walk through the gate?

However, there was one particular mortal—a private investigator, down on his luck and looking to nab a few unsavory photos of a person he was tailing—that also witnessed a golden gate appear. This worldgate was meant for his target, not for the investigator. Regardless, he was able to rush through the door right before it vanished. Suddenly, he, too, was standing in the realm of Spiritus Asper.

This man did not belong there with the others. There were many individuals standing along the large plateau of snow, looking confused or curious. Some of them appeared foreign while others seemed not entirely human at all, he realized. A voice spoke out, and somehow they all seemed to understand what was said.

“Climb the mountain and gain the favor of the gods,” it told them. It was strange, the P.I. thought, because there was no way that every one of them spoke the same language. But there was only ever one voice and no other translations that followed it.

It was a game of survival, risk and reward, but who would ever believe such a thing if he told them? The others rushed off like they were in some kind of reality TV show. Did they have prior knowledge that he was missing? Unsure of what more to do, the investigator figured he’d better do what he did best, and tail the others to hopefully make it to the top and win whatever this favor was—hopefully a shit ton of cash.

There were steep and sudden dropoffs. Floating platforms waited for them, requiring great leaps and immense strength to clear—or a clever enough mind to find another way. Massive chains, frozen over with ice, were slippery death traps that dangled above even larger drops than the earlier ones. Mazes. Monsters. Illusions. It took what felt like weeks, moving through wind and snow, with numb digits digging out a place to sleep and stay warm through the long nights.

The investigator conned his way through the pure insanity by means of cheating, using other people, and watching what others did first in order to make his way to the top. Always behind, but only enough to get ahead. Although he was not invited, nor did he possess the qualities desired by the gods to compete, he found himself gasping for air at the top of the mountain with the very same person he’d been following before arriving in Spiritus Asper.

Of course, there was a rightful champion. It wasn’t him. Empat gladly accepted the true victor as his new follower. It was the P.I’s target from back home. The other deities stirred, unsettled, though they did not convey their discomfort with Empat or the mortals standing before them. Empat was especially pleased and too distracted with his new disciple to notice anything of interest. He hadn’t had a worthy champion in a very long time.

Suddenly, a goddess spoke freely. It was Lima. Lima favored balance and order. For the longest time, she considered her number of followers to be enough and resisted taking on any others. For roughly 84 years, Lima chose to pass on seeking a new champion, but as the cheating, good-for-nothing investigator stood there, Lima announced that she would take him. Was it a lesson she was aiming to teach the mortal? Did her collection of skilled champions need to be offset by someone underwhelming to balance the scales?

The investigator did not have the body, spirit or mind to properly channel the powers granted by a god. While he was transformed into a Deva regardless of that, there was no way his body could handle what was given to him. The cost of using any power would only result in injury and accidents, making him detrimental to any mission.

The knowledge that her power would break this new Deva before he could ever truly wish to harness it was of no concern to the goddess. Instead she instructed her new follower to go seek out his new quarters in the Sardonyx District after being properly fitted for his new role in Elysium.

Details​

In this story, writers will be exploring personal relationships between characters, going on missions full of action and adventure, and even learning that there is something darker on the horizon that threatens their way of life and those they protect.

There are certain characters that play specific roles in this story, which is why I will be playing Empat’s champion. The investigator seems like a very fun character to play and I’m happy for anyone to get creative with how this guy works. That being said, I can also edit the story above if this character doesn’t end up being a guy. The main thing to remember with Lima’s choice, is that they will suck. And it should be funny at times, or dark, or however you wanna play it, but in general, this character is clearly out of their depth and should be written as such. They do not have to become the true savoir of the story or anything like that, so just have fun with it.

Empat’s champion will not be housed with the main characters in this story. This person has a more sinister role to play in due time, but this will not be evident from the start. As such, we will not see this character often. This is not a good role to have for a main character due to plotting and keeping you all excited and on your toes. Unfortunately it takes the whole “death and destruction” off of the table… at least for now. There may be openings if we get deeper into the plot for other baddies to show up and help out.

The goal here is to have a group of us playing without overlapping Patron Deities. At least some, if not all of us, should be living within the Sardonyx District. If you do not see one of the Gods marked as “Reserved,” then feel free to ask about it. It’s fine if we don’t have representation of every deity, we can always work up NPCs or even secondary characters if you’re feeling super inspired.

If you disappear for a long time, or tell me that you need to drop out of the story for a short while or indefinitely, we will simply send your character out on a mission. That way if you want to return, or maybe even make a new character, that can be a possible action without derailing the main story for those of us still wishing to continue.

Erotica​

Adult theme talk time. I love having sensual moments, erotic elements and themes in my stories. But typically those stories are done with a single partner, not in a group. If characters have good chemistry, are romantic with one another, great. If you want to spend your time exploring those characters sexually, I’ll just ask that you make a one-off thread with those character’s names and their current location in The Forbidden Sanctum.

The next time you post in the group, you can link the thread with them outside of the bedroom and players can have the option to read it or leave it a mystery. That way, the main thread can continue without waiting for things to wrap up (heh), you still have the option to move your characters forward, even if you're not completely finished doing the deed in your private 1x1 thread.

Hopefully that's not confusing, but if you have questions, just ask.

Simply put: You can be sexy, flirtatious, and even walk around naked for whatever reason so long as it makes sense with where we all are in the story. But if you're hoping to write in-depth, sexual scenes involving characters, just have it happen elsewhere, or fade to black. Don't forget to discuss preferences with partners and respect everyone's boundaries.