New Gods
The New Gods sprang into existence from Gaea's connection with the Demiurge some 50,000 years ago. New Gods are the progeny of Gaea and other Elder Gods, and they are spread among a multitude of demesnes in the region of the Demiurge, such as Asgard, Olympus, and New Genesis.
The godlings have some common traits. Breathing, eating, and sleeping, are affectations borne by their affinity for mortal worship and regard. Being deprived of food can destabilize their harmony but will not kill them outright. They can lift anywhere from ten to thirty tons and have superior endurance to mortals. Some have significantly enhanced senses and reflexes. Almost all of them have a innate attunement to magic flowing around them. Human pathogens, poisons, and natural extremes of heat and cold have little effect. The godlings benefit from the All-Speak, allowing them to communicate with any living, intelligent creature in the realms of the Demiurge.
Gods are inherently creatures of magic and willpower. An injured god requires magic, not medicine, if they wish to heal. Their anatomy bears superficial similarities to humans but they are not creatures of flesh and blood. Their hearts will pump blood even with a spear through it and their eyes will heal if they are blinded. The metaphysical intent of the injury is what matters. Or, a force of sufficient energy to overwhelm the magic that keeps their physical vessel intact. Notably, most godlings do not have a soul. If they perish, their essence returns to their realm and is joined to the harmony of that place.
The Home of the Gods
The homes of the godlings are all connected to the Demiurge by a series of branches called Yggdrasil. New Genesis can be accessed by space travel. Other planes are located immediately adjacent to Earth and can be reached by travelling to certain mountains or areas (Takamagahara and Heliopolis). Asgard's reality protrudes into real space and can be visited with interstellar starships. Boomtubes are a means of instantaneous transportation around the branches of Yggdrasil; in Asgard it takes the form of the Bifrost, while New Genesis can replicate this magic with their advanced technology.
Each dimension, or 'demesne', is a domain that reflects the attitudes and spirits of the creatures that live there. There is a symbiosis between the gods and their demesne, and between the realms and the mortals who believe in them. It is in the nature of these godlings and ideologues to be unchanging; only the beliefs and vision of mortal minds can change what a god *is*. The symbiosis of belief, demesne, worshipper, and god is called 'harmony' and is a key component to much of the structure of the universe.
Navigating between all dimensions via the 'branches' of Yggdrasil is swift and effortless for the New Gods. Several realms maintain casual treaties and alliances with other dimensions. Prior to Ragnarok, the New Gods made frequent visits to Earth and traveled freely.
At the 'high point' of any dimension, the place of greatest power, the Primarch of that dimension is virtually omnipotent. Through their connection to the Demiurge, each primarch has access to the Power Cosmic, a fundamental force of creation that few creatures in the universe can channel. They can establish the reality of their realm with only an effort of willpower. The further a ruler goes from the high point, the weaker his powers become. Rarely do Odin and Zeus, among others, venture from their thrones, for that reason. Many choose to send emissaries, avatars, or children out into the universe to defend against threats and spread their ideology. This attracts new souls and grows the power of the realms.
Several prominent domains and the gods ruling them include:
- The Nine Realms, ruled by Odin
- Olympus, ruled by Zeus
- Punarjanma, ruled by the triad of Vishnu, Brahma, and Krishna
- Abaddos, ruled by Mephisto
- Duril, ruled by the Annunaki
- Tir na Nog, ruled by Nuada of the Tuatha de Danaan
- Heliopolis, ruled by Osiris of the Ennead
- Djalia, ruled by Bast of the Orisha
- Tian, ruled by Shangdi
- Limbo, currently controlled by Illyana Rasputina
- The Heavenly Court of Takamagahara, home of the Shinto.
Notable Exceptions
The Vishanti are a special case: Hoggoth is a First God and Oshtur is the daughter of Gaea. Their son, Agamotto, forms the third part of the Vishanti triad.
Amon-Ra, also know as Atum, is the youngest of the Elder Gods despite being worshiped in the pantheon of the Ennead.
The twin worlds of New Genesis and Apokalips occupy the same spacetime curvature as the other realms of Yggdrasil. However these realms are much older, created by Celestial engineering as control groups for their genetic experiments. This realm is unique in that the planets are populated by a group of Homo Immortalis called the Forever People. These two realms share a single dimensional plane, with two points of power. Highfather wields the Power Cosmic, whereas the evil Darkseid uses his Omega Force. The twin worlds exist at the heart of a singularity that makes traditional travel to or from the system an extraordinary challenge. Their approach to technology and travel has allowed for substantially advanced scientific developments to parallel their mystical affinities, putting them on par with the more empowered deities of other realms.
There are many other sub-dimensional realms spread around the universe. Any sentient race of sufficient intelligence and mutual harmony is capable of instinctually creating the conditions that lead to the budding of a new demesne, and attracting new intelligences to it that grow naturally out of such conditions. X'hal of Okarra ascended into godhood among the Okaarans and Tamaraneas; the Sky Lords of Indigarr were worshipped by primitive life forms on the planet Indigaar.
No other realm or region of space has such a density or complex ecosystem of demesnes as Earth and the realms associated with Yggdrasil.
