Deities in Etheria are manifestations of collective belief, embodying the desires, fears, and values of the people. Each Scale supports one deity at a time, but belief is fluid—deities may fade, migrate, or be replaced. However, they leave behind imprints, resonances of their past influence, allowing for their potential return if faith realigns. The borders of each Scale shift in response to changing beliefs, ensuring a dynamic divine balance.
When a deity weakens, it does not vanish entirely but lingers as an imprint. If belief later realigns with its essence, the deity may return without needing to be recreated. For example, a Deity of Protection may fade in times of peace, giving way to a Deity of Prosperity, only to reawaken when war rekindles the need for protection.
Some deities in Etheria fight relentlessly to maintain their power, using conduits, and even conflict to keep faith alive. Others manipulate belief by merging with rival domains or altering their own nature to remain relevant. However, some deities are more passive, relying on deeply rooted traditions or ancient temples to sustain their presence. A few accept their decline entirely, fading into imprints or drifting until belief calls them back. While no deity is ever truly gone, their survival depends on how far they are willing to fight for their people.
A deity is not bound permanently to a scale and may drift to another scale if it becomes more aligned with its essence. However, migration can only occur after the current deity weakens. In some cases, multiple deities may compete for a scale, engaging in a struggle for dominance until the strongest faith prevails. If a deity senses greater belief elsewhere, it may choose to abandon its current scale in search of a new home. This process can even happen for imprinted deities
When no existing deity fully embodies the will of the people, a new deity emerges. This process begins as a new resonating thread, triggered by a subtle shift in people's will that grows stronger until the new domain(s) are significant enough, the thread will then embody the collective will of the people.
Deities in Etheria are never truly lost. However they can linger as a imprint or drift to another scale, When faith declines, a deity weakens and dissolves into this latent state. Yet, these imprints preserve their essence, allowing for potential rebirth or reactivation if belief resurges. Some deities reawaken after years or even centuries, while others seek or are pulled to new scales.
Certain individuals, known as Echo-Bearers, act as resonance conduits, extending a deity’s influence beyond its home scale. Though they do not wield divine power themselves, they serve as crucial anchors, preserving the deity’s presence across distant lands.
In regions where neighboring scales overlap, the domains of deities may merge or influence one another, creating blended divine manifestations.
For example, in a contested area where a Deity of War and a Deity of Strategy exert influence, their combined presence might give rise to a unique Deity of Tactics—one that embodies both martial prowess and calculated warfare.
At the heart of Etheria’s divine order lies Irion’s Will, the guiding force that governs the pace of divine transitions. No deity is ever truly permanent, nor is any deity ever completely gone. Irion’s Will prevents sudden rises or collapses, ensuring that only deep and widespread faith can bring about lasting change.
However, in times of upheaval—whether caused by war, disaster, or revolution—the balance may shift rapidly. Scales tip, faith surges, and new divine forces emerge to reshape Etheria, all while maintaining the cosmic equilibrium that defines the world.