Faith and Gods

Gods: The pantheon of divine beings tied to Bil Hanna is as diverse as it is powerful. Due to the strange nature of Bil Hanna, the magic that surrounds it, and The Source itself, gods and other divine beings can be shaped by mortals, with some races being able to achieve godhood themselves. Divinity is a role that can be taken by any in Bil Hanna as all deities are Ascended from those races who inhabit the world. Ascendancy can happen through Worship and Mantling. While these are often achieved purposely, some few deities have had these roles forced upon them.

Worship Ascendants:

Worship Ascendants are those Gods raised to their status upon the faith of their followers alone. Often, they have convinced a populace to begin worshiping them but many of these were simple folk heroes who never would have chosen this life for themselves, praised for their selfless deeds or heroic sacrifices. Only in exceptional circumstances have these Gods been killed, as their followers' faiths can sustain them, and mere belief of their immortality is enough to make it true.

Though, the Ascension is a double edged sword; as the Ascended is idolized by their followers, they begin to fit the ideal of said followers. The ultimate example of this is the Dragon Kings who are worshiped by their Draconic followers. These Kings are not born as Dragons, but through the faith of their followers they begin to take on Draconic traits until they are remade and rule as a true Dragon King of immense power.

Ascending in this manner does not simply change the Ascendants physical form. The worshipers’ faith forms a comprehensive mold that the Ascendant is forced to fill. Though aspects of their personality will remain intact, they are as their followers believe them to be and will act accordingly, taking on the traits and form that their followers hold in their hearts.

Mantle Ascendants:

Referred to by the common man as "The Deck", Mantle Ascendants are the grand concepts that have existed in this world since its inception. These “Gods” are utterly abstract and choose to express their influence on to the world through the Mantle Ascendants. As all of these Deities are dual natured, most have two Ascendants in the world, called Faces, to represent the contrasting ideals. These Ascendants already contain the ideal inside of them before they receive their mantle, but are these traits are magnified by the Mantle they now hold. Because they are merely the Face of a Card and not the God itself, these ascendants can be killed, some just as easily as any other mortal.

In the same way the Worship Ascendants are tied to the will of their people and act according to the followers' will, the power of the Mantle as chained to the god they represent. These Ascendants find themselves physically and mentally incapable of acting against their role without extreme effort. If they do, what divinity they have will not answer their call and will only return to them when they revert to following their Card’s Will. If they do not, the Mantles of the Deck are lost as quickly as they are gained and will be bestowed upon someone more fitting. Some lose their Mantle within a few hours of receiving it, whilst rare few have managed to possess theirs for eons.

Faith in the Deck is common in many nations but is practiced differently in each. Some, like the Empire, worship the Deck and Mantles as a whole and offer up sacrifices to them as they have need. Others, like the Dwarven People, idolize only a single card to the exclusion of all others.

Other Gods:

Many other gods are worshiped on Bil Hanna, especially among the humans. Their transient nature has brought a hodgepodge of faiths from other worlds. While these deities have some influence in this world, visions of them are as if through a fog and their voices are only echoes.