Summary
For as long as civilizations have existed, more than just people have been around them. The wild world of
Veltrona and its wildernesses, the night skies of the
Dark Ocean, the blistering radiance of the Sun, and so much more. Among these things, 'spiritual' beings have existed alongside them all, ephemeral yet tangible, abstract yet certain. Paradoxical existences that sometimes exist, sometimes don't, and interact with the world in ways a logical mind struggles to grasp. People ascribed upon them names, and tried to
understand these beings and their unique forces upon the universe.
Broadly speaking, at least within scholarly circles, two major classifications exist:
divine and
heavenly.
Divine beings are those intrinsically or closely intertwined with people and civilizations, specifically.
Heavenly beings are civilization-agnostic, existing by their own rules, logic, and way of things.
While identified as such, there is no true rule binding either to these definitions. It is more an attempt to understand how they function in a logical mannerism. Goddesses, for example, are seen as divine in nature as the very concept of a goddess is in relation to a civilization. However, some beings that are more heavenly in nature, such as the
Origin Goddesses, are classified under the idea of being a 'goddess' by some, like priestesses of
Volapaws. Others, like
cultivators in
Nerzin view them under the name of
Heavenly Supremes.
In general, one can think of 'divine' as closer to people, and 'heavenly' as closer to nature, although even that conceptualization has inherent flaws. Common vernacular even interchangeably uses the two, muddying the lines that scholars try to define.
Hierarchy of the Heavens
Dragonkind, one of the foremost species on Veltrona and arguably the oldest, has long studied the ways of spiritual beings. Dragons themselves are distinctly under the camp of 'heavenly' purview, as they do not care for the notions of divinity or 'powers greater than themselves'. As great existences, they naturally embody such self-certainty that they are, essentially, divine already. Other civilizations are less certain about that fact, though many begrudgingly acknowledge draconic power all the same.
Dragon scholars have, over eons, gathered their understanding of the Heavens into a so-called
Hierarchy. Rather than one based on rulers, power, or other authoritarian ideas,
relevancy became its foundation. In other words, they sorted the concepts of spiritual beings based on how much they regularly influence Veltrona or its peoples.
Such work time and again sparked endless controversies, and made it problematic for the many peoples. To some minds, quantifying the divine is to make them
lesser. The more one understands, paradoxically somehow there is less perceived value. Others, curious as to those incomprehensible beings, were yet intrigued in learning more. This, too, became a problem throughout history–for better or worse.
The hierarchy is traditionally divided into seven spheres of influence:
Spirit
Divine/Heavenly Beast
Minor Divinity/Heavenly
Divine/Heavenly Being
Exalted
Worldly Goddess
Origin Goddess
Notably it exists in a very generalized sense–some parts of the hierarchy are much closer to some areas than others. For example, the people of
Atenkhet live beneath a benevolent Exalted queen,
Aramix. Those in
Nerzin live mired about in all kinds of varying degrees of divine and heavenly. The pursuit of the Heavens is core to the Path of Cultivation, while spiritual beings often wander the mortal world with casual and indifferent ease.
Aerthen, by contrast, is a much calmer place with 'less' divine activity going on ever since the
World Gate explosion.
Given the often consistent and long-standing nature of dragons and their intellectual influence, most do end up referring to their Heavenly Hierarchy more often than not.
Spirits
Some of the smallest denominations of 'spiritual being' that can exist, spirits are varied by nature. Sometimes sapient, more often not, they live by esoteric rules and notions, flitting between divine and heavenly at will. The likes of
tinkers and
arete are counted among them. Given how many kinds of spirits there
are, one should be careful to learn their different temperaments. Folk legend can take on a very different meaning where they're concerned, and the wise person pays heed.
That said, people are more often to confuse spirit types than not, so that makes it hard to trust source reliability sometimes.
Divine/Heavenly Beast
Animals that have grasped, or been blessed with, spiritual power of a kind. Much rarer than spirits, for short-lived peoples they would be fortunate to encounter one in their entire lifetime. They often become paragons of their intrinsic nature, such as
tagraxi being apex huntresses and mistressfully clever creatures. They can also take on new, uncharacteristic natures, such as pacifism, guardianship, something similar to scholarly interests and 'learning', etc. What ultimately happens is random enough no one has any real idea as to the
why.
They are, however, much more often molded by the cultures around them, an often confusing fact. Where as the nature of spirits tends to be universal, heavenly beasts seem to emerge as reflections of ideas. A beast believed to have noble characteristics will
usually take on something akin to those characteristics. Mythos and legends of all kinds easily build upon them as a result. These ones are better identified as
divine beasts, though dragons don't bother to make that distinction.
Of course, this doesn't mean they're trapped in any one place for one particular culture. It can be quite awkward when a foreign divine beast meanders through another's local scene.
Minor Divinity/Heavenly
These are willful existences capable of sustaining themselves, and have a grasp on handling spiritual power. Depending on the form they take, they can be confused for other types of divinity or heavenly existences, which makes identifying them a pain. They could be called sapient after a fashion, but they are by their nature 'bound to what they are'. A divine flame, for example, will only ever
be a flame and everything that concept entails. A divine comb will naturally seek to be utilized, and become fussy when it is not.
Little rhyme, reason, or consistency exists where minor heavenlies are concerned. Two heavenly flames can come to emphasize very different natures–one is a flame that purges evil, another is a flame that heals, for instance. Similar to spirits, one must spend time learning the sensibilities of a particular minor heavenly lest they offend it greatly. However, for many, these entities are often the first doorway through which the roads of spirituality are made available.
Their title of 'minor' is due to the severe limitation of their natures, which didn't impress dragon scholars. It's best not to call them 'minor' to their metaphorical face, if one wishes to avoid angering them.
Heavenly/Divine Being
An existence empowered with great spiritual conceptualization, such as a person who has obtained enlightenment, animals/objects with a realized sapiency, holistic natural forces, etc. They can freely practice and increase their capability as a spiritual being or power without much restriction, growing and changing into something more.
Many types of priestesses usually fall under this classification, but are not 'wholly divine' in the same manner. They can utilize divine power, often through rituals, faith, benevolent spirits, goddesses, etc, but do not 'embody' it. It can, admittedly, become a semantic argument in practical instances. Being able to use
divine magic is not quite the same as existing as a divine being, for example.
Saintesses, enlightened monks, priestesses, venerated elders, and more can fall into this classification. It is not a function of "this person is called a saint, so they become a divine being", but rather people giving names to the divine beings they do encounter. Immortals and transcendents are usually lumped into this classification, but that is perhaps holistically improper to do sometimes.
Exalted
Those mortals who receive divine enlightenment through a patron goddess are traditionally called
exalted. They are also sometimes called
demigoddesses, but depending on the specific exalted, this can be hilariously incorrect to assume. They're a very particular type of divinity, for their future is forever intertwined by the goddess(es) who empowered them. It should be stated the nature of this relationship is a mutual one–those who are exalted,
want to be, and achieve accord with a respective Goddess. One can revoke this empowerment, but they will lose all divinity and everything they gained from utilizing it. What this 'everything' entails is a murky detail and something that varies greatly.
The option nonetheless remains, if an exalted finds just enough cause to do so.
Exalted are rare existences with barely any handfuls of them on Veltrona at a time. Each one is notably memorable, if not in written history, then in the lasting impact they leave behind. For as awesome as their existence is, there are downsides. These problems take better perspective when the exalted are compared with two other types of 'divinity':
immortals, and transcendents.
The exalted are guided upon their path, chosen and controlled by their goddess. Immortals seek divine perfection on their own, limited by the 'box' of the universe. Transcendents utilize spirituality to surpass all limitations; even move beyond the universe's box. These roads, thusly, are shaped and changed radically by their practitioners. While exalted have virtually no freedom, their immediate elevation in power is tremendous. Their growth, however, is exceedingly slow and tied to that of their goddess. Over eternity itself, immortals and transcendents usually and eventually surpass them.
Also, unlike the other two, exalted cannot pass on their power in any form without permission. Their children are liable to mutate out of control, if they are born at all, becoming abominable types of
Forsaken. Other people cannot become vessels of their will or power, for they themselves are borrowers in the first place. The goddess who controls their power will often not allow others to possess it.
Those who accept exaltation do so for endless reasons. Many civilizations come to rely upon, or be influenced by, exalted beings throughout the ages. The burdens foisted upon them are great, and many ultimately buckle underneath the pressure.
Worldly Goddess
The grandest of divine and heavenly existences that 'live upon' Veltrona. As they're limited to the reach of Veltrona, as far as anyone knows, dragons describe them as 'worldly powers', which other peoples then conferred to be 'Worldly Goddess'. These spiritual beings don't exactly line up with the hierarchy sensibly, and the constant friction over their classification muddies things further. This is where most civilizations usually form radically different opinions from dragons, especially if they're religiously devoted to particular divine goddesses.
The most reliable detail is that Worldly Goddesses are usually defined by rules such as the tenets of their religion or conceptual existence. Their manner of growth is greatly defined by these rules, with faith-derived goddesses tied directly to their civilizations or religion at large, while 'nature' goddesses are more their conceptual domain.
Seralkono, the Divine Tempest, is one such goddess who is more the latter than the former, though she is greatly worshipped by
harpies and other peoples concerned about the wind.
Akenra is the supreme goddess of
Uatkara and embodies the singular sun over Veltrona, but it's less clear if this is literal or symbolic. As there are many other sun goddesses, it's usually inferred as symbolic, though Uatkara doesn't view it that way. Then there are uncertain goddesses, such as
Kirichiki, Bringer of Our Silent Death, who oversees the totality of death across Veltrona; at least, if no other goddess 'takes the responsibility' for it.
Worldly Goddesses grow and change with the world around them, though their rules remain with great consistency. It is these rules that ultimately mean beings like cultivating immortals or transcendents can eventually 'exceed' the power of a Worldly Goddess. In some ways, the Worldly Goddesses' deep concerns over such people is easily understandable.
More often than not, Worldly Goddesses are busy keeping the various divinities and heavenlies around Veltrona in some semblance of order. Countless parties are pushing their own agendas, be they mortal or spiritual. The messes that result are endless and unceasing, leaving them often to a role of caretaker and guardian. It doesn't help when a lot of upstarts seek to 'overthrow the Heavens' in their ambitions, either.
It's not an easy life being a Worldly Goddess.
Origin Goddess
At the farthest realms of understanding, there are existences beyond mortal comprehension. The so-called '
Origin Goddesses' are believed to be divine or heavenly beings far removed from Veltrona. In fact, they push beyond the boundaries of the universe itself. They do not obey the rules as others do, for if anything,
they are the rules themselves. The more they choose to manifest, the greater reality bends and contorts, ultimately shattering to accommodate their alien and unfathomable existences.
In other words, they are as much apart of the universe itself as they are outside of it. Few truly grasp their paradoxical natures, perhaps being physically incapable of doing so at all.
What makes them 'goddesses' over other ideas, such as eldritch horrors, is their intrinsic relationship to the universe. As a
jiuweihu scholar once said, "if we are the cauldron, then they are the caretakers who tend it". Parts of them can be found everywhere, forming the foundations that all beings ultimately call 'life'. Those willing to fully question everything may find existence, in its entirety, is comprised
of them. Of course, this is an easy road to madness for those unprepared.
Some of the Origin Goddesses are more perceivable than others, in one form or another. It-That-Loves-Us shares a close relationship with sapient life, for it embodies love in all its pure forms. While it is obviously out of sight and unknowable to many, those who 'delve into love', will encounter it
much faster than the others. A good comparison would be an Origin Goddess so difficult to discern, it is simply called
the Fathom. Suspected to be the origin of all
mana, and thus
magic, no amount of 'delving into mana' brings one any closer to it. Few have any idea what draws its attention, let alone how to go about doing so.
For their part, the Origin Goddesses simply
are. Those among mortals who perceive them may try to worship, revile, or ignore them, but they are always there. It is scarcely countable the times they have listened, or perhaps they always are, and their words cannot reach mortal life? Being unbound by the limitations of linear time, it can be difficult to imagine.
Although, people do enjoy projecting their own limitations on the limitless.
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