View source for The Twelve Gods

The Twelve Gods is the common name for the group of [[:Category:Deity|divine entities]] who created and are worshiped on [[Jesenreth (Planet)|Jesenreth]] and in its [[Jesenreth (Crystal Sphere)|crystal sphere]]. The existence of the Twelve Gods is almost universally accepted, even if they are not worshiped, though most intelligent beings do worship one or more. There is likewise broad agreement that the gods created Jesenreth and its sphere, though the exact reasons, methods and roles in that creation differ between different theologies. 

The gods themselves, it is said, were born when the First God, [[quata|Quata]], exploded from being unable to contain all of its power and potentiality. The First God’s corpse is now the sun, still radiating power after many thousands of years. The gods initially were not quite intelligent, but became so after a long period of brutal warfare with each other, and created the world and life as an expression of their inner natures, inspired or taught, it is said, by gods from other spheres.

Nowadays they coexist in a more or less uneasy tension with each other, competing by various means for the worship, or at least the fear, of sapient beings, which sustains their power. No gods have particular claims over certain [[:Category:Race|races]], but some races naturally gravitate towards certain gods, such as [[gnoll|gnolls]] to [[Hrux]] or [[Elf|elves]] to [[Hephemia]]. All gods embody a certain moral philosophy and have a portfolio of things they control.

Traditionally sages of religion have divided the gods into three power levels: Greater ([[Hephemia]], [[Qulphine]], [[Matemator]], and [[Hrux]]), Intermediate ([[Desdera]], [[Symunon]], [[Raketra]], and [[Devet]]), and Lesser ([[Elwer]], [[Culon]], [[Aloo]], and [[Ikbrix]]). All are truly divine, with Greater gods having near-limitless control of key aspects of reality, Intermediate gods controlling important aspects, and Lesser gods controlling more limited, but still important, aspects. Below true divinity, but above mortal beings, are classes of quasi-divine or supernatural beings like [[demi-gods]], [[angels]], and [[fiends]], many of whom serve the full gods. 

Among themselves, the gods naturally fall into three broad groups according to moral orientation: Good ([[Hephemia]], [[Desdera]], [[Elwer]], [[Culon]], and [[Aloo]]), Neutral ([[Qulphine]], [[Matemator]], [[Symunon]], and [[Raketra]], or Evil ([[Hrux]], [[Devet]], and [[Ikbrix]]). Gods in each group tend to be friendly towards each other and to cooperate on common interests. The good gods generally acknowledge Hephemia as their leader, and seek and accept her counsel and help, which she gladly gives. The neutral gods see each other as allies and equals in keeping the two extremes in check. The evil gods see all other gods, evil or not, as their enemies, but will grudgingly cooperate with other evil or neutral gods when doing so increases the evil in the world. 

While each god heads what is effectively his or her own religion, many creatures worhsip, or at least pay respects to, several gods, even the evil ones, if only to beg them not to afflict them. Other religions exist in the sphere as well, such as worship of the [[Snake Gods]], various demonic, devilish, or [[undead]] cults, and those who "worship" some abstract philosophy or principle.

{{Needs Work}} - Need to bring table over from old wiki.