Progression - Rule the Heavens

When a demi-god has attained a sufficient following, he will automatically progress to a lesser god. He may now imbue lesser powers upon his clerics, and deliver quests for immortality to his followers. He may receive powers from greater gods he is allied with. The blows of mortals and lesser immortals have no effect, and only other gods may weaken him. The power of a god is strongly tied to the number and strength of his followers, so it is in the best interests to recruit and keep them. Indeed, a lesser god with no followers is demoted to demi-god and must begin anew to attain true divinity. The affairs of all gods involve politics, squabbles, and power grabs, and a higher god will seek alliances with lesser gods to further their own power. There is no limit on the number of lesser gods, but this is not true above this level. To attain the status of a greater god requires a divine war.

A greater god gains new powers and may delegate them to lesser gods in exchange for support. He gains little power now through mortal followers, and thus is better served by recruiting demi-gods and lesser gods to support him. There cannot be more than nine greater gods in existance. A greater god is thus displaced by the actions of a lesser god through divine war. Such wars involve the affairs of men as the most direct way to weaken a god is to eliminate his followers. A greater god must keep his allies to have success. If the power of a greater god is reduced sufficiently, he is demoted to a lesser god, and the lesser god with the greatest following assumes his place. A greater god will likely spend most of his time working alliances and watching his back. If he is lucky, he may have time and sufficient cun to advance once more.

There is only one supreme deity. The power of a supreme deity is derived entirely from the nine greater gods, with or without their willing support, and thus he is nearly omnipotent. A supreme deity can only be deposed by the united action the majority of the greater gods. A divine war takes place to reduce the power of the supreme deity, and once it is of a sufficiently low level, the greater gods must vote to promote one of their own as the supreme deity. If such an occurrance happens, the deposed supreme deity is utterly destroyed, leaving a power vaccum among the greater gods. One lesser god will be promoted to a greater god; in this event it is the new supreme deity who choses this.