Divine Ascension (PSC)

It is remotely possible for mortals to ascend into the ranks of the divine. However, there are certain requirements that must be fulfilled before such a thing can happen.
First, the character in question must have advanced to an experience level that is significantly above and beyond the average level of adventurer-type characters in the general campaign. This includes all such nonplayer character types as military leaders, royal wizards, and so on. For example, if the average level of characters in the campaign, both player and nonplayer, is around 5th level, then a candidate for ascension should be something like 9th or 10th level. If the average level is something like 15th, then a character would have to be in the realm of 25th-30th level!
Second, the character’s ability scores must have been raised through some mighty world-shaking magic to be on par with the lesser demigods. Should such an act be lightly considered, remember that a wish spell is the most powerful magic that mankind can control, and such an average increase in abilities would literally take the power of dozens of wishes.
Third, each personage must have a body of sincere worshipers, people convinced of his or her divinity due to their witnessing of and/or belief in the mighty deeds and miracles the character has performed (and continues to perform). These must be genuine worshipers, honest in their adoration or propitiation of the person.
Fourth, the person in question must be and have been a faithful and true follower of his or her alignment and patron deity. It is certain that any deviation will have been noted by the divine powers.
If all of the above conditions have been met, and the character has fulfilled a sufficient number of divine quests, then the character’s deity may choose to invest the candidate with a certain amount of divine power, and bring the character into the ranks of the god’s celestial servants. This process of ascension usually involves a great glowing beam of light and celestial fanfare, or (in the case of those transmigrating to the lower planes), a blotting of the sun, thunder and lightning, and the disappearance of the character in a great smoky explosion.
Characters thus taken into the realms of the gods serve their patron as minor functionaries and messengers. After several centuries of superior service and gradual advancement, exceptional servants may be awarded the status of demigod, which includes having an earthly priesthood and the ability to grant spells to the demigod’s priests.
Naturally, ascension to divinity effectively removes the character from the general campaign, as he or she becomes a nonplayer member of the DM’s pantheon. The section on divine intervention applies in general to these characters as well, as the patron deity has more important jobs for his or her servants than to continually send them when called to interfere in worldly matters.
Category:Priest's Spell Compendium