Simaelen - gods

The gods are the only ones in all of creation that have mastered the skill on drawing power froth the faith of their subjects. Commonly, this is done by drawing only the smallest amounts from each individual. Such small amounts in fact, that they don't even notice it, whilst with a large following, a great total power can be gained by a god.
On certain occasions however, especially with very devout people, more power can be drawn from a single individual, up to the point ow drawing all their life energy and killing them. This can only be done to a willing individual and after specific permission.

In return however, gods have also mastered the skill of bestowing a fraction of their power upon single mortals. Whilst this is only used on rare occasions, such empowered mortals suddenly and temporarily gain immense skill, strength, knowledge and understanding. This is how true prophets are made.

The original eight gods were created by the universe. They lived in peace alongside the high spirits and the other spirits  in the Spirit Realm, before any material plane existed.
But after uncounted ages the youngest of the gods, Asebios grew restless and after unsuccessful search for a cure for his restlessness he created the Land, the material plane, out of nothingness. And to populate this land he created the demons to walk the wide plains and be the delight of his eyes.
When the other seven gods found out what he had done they were wrath for none other than the universe itself was granted the right of creation. But as Asebios refused to destroy his creation he was banned on the Land to live amongst them and he was named Devil and a god no longer.

But even then the Devil did not rest but try to return to the Spirit Realm. His attempts forced the gods to watch over the Land at all times. When the demons and the Devil made a powerful stroke and almost reached the Spirit Realm, the gods decided to each create a mortal race of their own to act as sentinels against the demons (As the creation of the demons had brought no punishment from the universe onto the devil - or so they thought - they believed this to be the right choice).
Afterward they swore never to interfere with the happenings on the Land again as to not make things worse. However, the gods soon realised that they could draw on the faith of their creation. It gave them new and unrivalled power. They promised their creation protection and plentiful lives in return for their unwavering faith. With the power thus gained they became the unquestioned rulers of the Spirit Realm.

The price for their newly won power however soon became a burden. Within few centuries they tired of answering petty prayers and saving the lives of their brittle and weak creation over and over again. But without their help, the mortals soon dwindled in numbers, being overrun by the far more advanced demons. In order to secure their power and position within the immortals, the gods then sent the high spirits to the Land. The high spirits taught the mortals many things. How to make weapons, how to build defences, how to fight. But also how to cultivate land and grow large amounts of food to keep the soldiers fed. And no less important, they taught the mortals the importance of praying to the gods. For the gods are their creators and for this are owed the deepest gratitude for all generations to come. The high spirits taught the mortals that unless they worshipped the gods by fighting and working in their name, they would bring down the wrath of the gods upon them and that would be their end.

Sevice to the gods is not done in a church, it is done on a battlefield.

— high spirits during the Years of Learning

With such conviction the high spirits taught this, that by the time they left, all mortals that were taught by them were ready to take up arms and fight to their deaths or do whatever else their leaders demanded of them in the name of the gods. Thus the power of the gods grew once more, without them having to do any more work. For the high spirits had also taught the mortals that they may ask favours of the gods but cannot expect them to be granted, for the gods have greater worries than the lives of single individuals. Feeling this surge of power, the gods soon forsook their older powers for their new ones and their old powers were lost.

With the passing of ages however, as the faith of the mortals dwindled, so did the power of the gods. And the gods withered and starved. Undying as they were there could be no release for them form their starvation and they grew bitter and spiteful or bitter and pitiful.

In later ages many new gods rose, some of them spirits, some pure imagination. But whether they were worshipped as such or not, those only truly became gods that relinquished their old powers for the power that was gained by drawing on the faith of ones subjects.

There are many legends about the gods. They changed and evolved over time and for every religion there are other myths and legends. Altough in later ages the myths around gods move further and further away from the truth, they usually still hold a piece of truth. Some more, some less.
Of the original gods however there is one myth that was never proved. It says that the eight gods were created in four pairs of two, each sharing similar characteristics. This is also ment to be mirrored in the mortal races (the similarities between some races are actually the cause of this myth). Following this myth the human race is ment to be the former twin race of the demons. And for this reason they are mistrusted by some other races, namely the light elves and the dark elves.