Godlings

Godlings can come in as many shapes and forms as those who believe in them can imagine. However, they are created by the collective, and as such will take on the features and forms that the many who believe in them agree upon. In many cases, they will follow the forms of familiar people and creatures, either real or from myths and stories.   Their appearance will change over time as the make-up and collective beliefs of their followers change.

Godlings cannot reproduce, but they can split into new forms as beliefs diverge, or come together into new forms as beliefs merge and combine.

Genesis and infancy

  Some theologicians postulate that Godlings come into being all the time, but the belief that drives them is not strong enough to maintain their cohesion and so they immediately dissipate.   The number of believers required to sustain a fledgling Godling is not much, it can be as little as two people if their common devotion is strong enough. But a newborn Godling is relatively weak to their potential, and requires constant renewal of the devotion to survive long.    

Growth and evolution

To survive, a fledgling Godling must receive new devotion and recieve it regularly. This can be achieved in many ways, and is often achieved through collective prayer, rituals and religious observance. It can also be achieved through communications of all kinds, like any idea spreads, and stories, myths, performance all play a part.   Some godlings receive their energies through sustained and strong emotions. This can be achieved through fear, or adoration, loyalty and subservience to others.  

Focus of devotion

In all these cases, the devotion and beliefs of the people giving it must be aligned, and this usually need a common focal point of some sort. This could be a person, object, an idea, a story, or a shared experience.

• People are common initial focal points. Like the Lords of Fire who are considered living gods by those who follow them, or a charismatic leader who inspires and protects, or a recently deceased and loved family member.
• Inanimate objects and even places can also become focal points, especially those of great cultural or historical significance. The Moji of the uferbrech goblins are examples of this.
• Stories and myths gather devotion as they are shared and spread.
• Ideas and emotions can become focal points. Shared experiences, desires for safety, salvation, justice or revenge. If these desires become concrete enough they can mainifest as personifications of that emotional need.

Abstract focal points can be slow and difficult to form, but once those beliefs manifest in the world, they can be even more pervasive than those focussed on physical things. If they manifest, they almost always do so as Autonomous Godlings from their inception.  

Autonomy

When they are first born, Godlings are completely dependant upon their focal point for survival. The devotion of their followers remains fixed upon that focal point, be it person or place, and it is from their that the Godling draws its form, powers and identity.   It is possible for the focus of devotion to shift from the origin to the Godling itself. And this moment is the most significant in the evolution of any Godling. It is this autonomy that the Lords of Fire seek to prevent though their process of God Tethering.   Autonomy can be achieved through two primary means:

• Through the death or destruction of the original focal point. When people die, the object destroyed or the place becomes lost.
• Followers recognise the manifestation of the Godling as separate from the focal point, and turn their devotion to it instead.

 

Divergence

Divergence of a Godling occurs when there are differences in belief amongst those giving their devotion. The Godling gains two (or more) variations of itself, each attached to the same focal point if it still exists. The process can be fraught with conflict - both between the diverged godlings, but also between their followers, as each struggles with mastery over its core identity. Often, a divergent godling may quickly consume, or re-converge, with its counterpart, or they may become truly separate. Schisms in cults or religions are prime candidates for diverged Godlings.  

Convergence

Covergences are rarer, as they rely on the beliefs of the followers of two Godlings to align. This can be done harmoniously, but more often occurs through subterfuge, subjugation or even thralldom. Followers of a godling may infilitrate and corrupt another cult or religion, or a Godling may subjugate and consume a weaker Godling, thereby channelling the devotion of its followers to itself. Violent convergances were common in the latter stages of The Godling Wars, as the various personlity cults were subjugated into ever stronger and more domineering Godlings.  

Dissolution

When their followers dwindle, a Godling is weakened as the flow of devotion ebbs away. But even in memory or in the retelling of old tales, small sparks of Divine magic remain. And this energy may be sustained for a long time, with the Godling left to wander mindlessly in a near-nothing state. Many believe that the oldest of the forgotton Kahi, Ancestor Spirits, the Unkahi, may be remnants of Godlings from the Godling Wars themselves.  

Resurgance

Godlings can come back from dissolution if they aquire new followers, but this process often entails an evolution of form and identity depending on the followers it can attract.   Okudi is one such Godling that has been brought back from the brink of full dissolution through the long ages of Shadowfire as he preyed upon those who would fear him and tell of his stories. Now gaining more followers through the activities of his cult, the Teeth of the Devourer, his strength, and hunger is growing.

Godlings crave devotion, and will seek as much as they can get. It is their life and sustenance.