God

Biodata

Nature and Definition

“God” is not a fixed rank across the Multiverse. In some worlds, any being with minor supernatural power may claim the title; in others, it denotes an immortal, sacred existence fundamentally beyond mortals 1417.

In the World of Toril, common belief defines Gods through five core traits:

• They are powerful.
• They are immortal.
• They cannot normally be conquered by mortals.
• They are sacred and inviolable.
• They can accomplish what ordinary beings cannot 1417.

Divine Hierarchy and States

Divine Power and Authority

Divine Power is distinct from ordinary Magic Power. Orsaga’s analysis describes its composition as the combined result of the Power of All Beings, World Authority, and energy bearing the user’s will; one unit of Divine Power was estimated to equal roughly fifteen units of his Magic Power 86.

• Power of All Beings — Faith, worship, and the collective will of believers provide a source of divine strength 86 1043.
• World Authority — Divine Sparks and Divine Duties grant a God authority connected to a world’s rules 86 1417.
• Divine Spark — A core source of a God’s status and power; it can be paired with a Divine Duty and may be inherited or seized 397 1409.
• Divine Duty — A domain or responsibility that shapes a God’s authority, abilities, followers, and conflicts with rival Gods 1033 1370.
• Divine Throne — A throne bearing a God’s Divine Power mark symbolizes that deity’s official status within the Pantheon 1323.

Divine Kingdoms

A Divine Kingdom is an isolated, self-sustaining domain established near the world’s rules. Divine Kingdoms may be separated by effectively infinite distance within the Void, making them difficult even for other Gods to locate without a guiding token or coordinates 1032.

• A God can use their Divine Kingdom’s rules to stabilize themselves and perform otherwise unreasonable feats 1036.
• Divine Kingdoms process faith from believers into energy resembling Divine Power, though an inferior Divine Kingdom may lack genuine World Authority 993.
• Divine Kingdoms serve as centers of divine influence, housing believers’ souls and supporting Holy Spirits 409 950.

Believers and Divine Techniques

Gods gain influence through believers, whose faith can deepen sharply during danger, war, or supposed divine trials 950 1043.

• Divine Techniques are special spells granted only to those recognized by a God; they generally surpass ordinary magic in power, convenience, or both 1370.
• A deity’s Divine Duty shapes its followers’ techniques. Healing Gods chiefly grant defensive and restorative abilities, while the Bloody King’s techniques are radically offensive and may kill the user, the target, or both 1370.
• Believers who survive crises may become Fanatic Believers; those who die faithfully may enter a Divine Kingdom as Holy Spirits, benefiting their God 950.
• Gods may also manipulate conflicts among mortals because desperation can increase faith and thus strengthen divine power 1043.

Limitations and Vulnerabilities

True Gods are overwhelmingly difficult for mortals to kill under normal conditions. Their bodies can recover from destruction, while Divine Spark, Divine Duty, and Divine Power grant them authority over mortal life and death 1417.

However, divine status can be restricted.

• During the Cataclysm of the Saints, AO stripped Gods of most of their power and expelled them into the Material World, sealing portions of their Divine Bodies and Divinity Traits 1324.
• Even in Sage Form, diminished Gods retain foundations far beyond ordinary mortals and comparable demigods 1335 1349.
• AO later imposed recurring trials requiring True Gods to periodically leave their Divine Kingdoms and meet stricter standards for retaining their status 1432.
• Divine conflict can devastate mortal civilization: a clash between two Gods in Sage Form destroyed a border city of approximately 30,000 inhabitants 1349.