Exusians

Exusian is the technical or scientific name of the varies deities and gods which roam the upper realms and lower realms of the Ceromoxus system. They can vary in power but for the most part a few things remain consistent for most of the gods: a following of worshippers, immortality, and power beyond what the natural beings of the realms could ever hope to achieve; even the least powerful of the gods, Hero-gods, have enhanced strength, speed, and hearing with many having heightened intelligence and wisdom beyond their years.

## Creation of Ascension

There is but two ways that a deity can be shaped, as with the other higher god statuses, though there is one that is widely known and accepted as the correct way and another which is heavily frowned upon. The first is creation through a higher god who notices their worshippers dutiful work and potential as a deity, the other is ascension through the murder of another deity through which they take over their status, portfolio, and domain.

After a certain time deities may be elevate to a higher deity status, of course this takes deeds, proof of power and ability, and recognition from a more powerful deity; the only way for one to skip all these steps and reach greater godhood would be through the murder of another deity or, a promotion of status by the ethereal council themselves.

Ascendance was always offered, not required. If an individual desired to remain in their current form rather then transform into a higher being, there was no shame attached to this decision. Nevertheless, the great majority of gods accepted promotion, seeing it as a chance to obtain an even more virtuous and powerful state of existence.

## Pantheons

Pantheons are typically used to categorize deities by are also, in some cases, a symbol of unity between various deities are their portfolio items. There are a number of pantheons with several that are viewed a the "core" or main pantheons that several hundred thousand individuals follow/worship; it is common for their to be temples that are not devoted to just one deity but a whole pantheon (with the more popular deities have their own individual temples separate that can be found in larger cities).

## The Ethereal Council

They lord over all other exusians and control the flow of life and death, they care little, though, for mortals and are mostly focused on deities doing and following their portfolio and domain without straying to far so long as they continue to do the job they were assigned. For the most part they simply watch over the worlds from their place in the Cosmos, pulling the strings in the background.

## Types of Exusians

There 7 categories which the exusians can be divided into based on their power and number of worshippers, these categories are: Hero-god, demi-god, patron, demon lord, idol, lesser god, greater god, and vestige. The most powerful of all the gods is the Ethereal council, the beings which created all of life and preside over all other deities, the identity of the council members are unknown by mortals and strictly forbidden to be discussed outside of the upper realms or in the presence of a non-exusian being.

### Hero-gods

The least powerful of the exusians, hero-gods are typically made through mortals who have gained the attention of a respective god and have been elevated to godhood by a god of a higher status; deities of idol power or above are the only ones able to do this. Typically the hero-god will serve under the deity they were created by until their death where they may be transformed into an angel or until they are promoted to the status of demi-god, these are the only exusians that lack immortality but still gain enhanced strength, speed, and hearing with some having greater intelligence and memory than they did in their "lesser" life.

### Demi-gods

Demi-gods are the first thing most think of when they think of deities walking on the mortal planes, these exusians are the product of a hero-god elevated in status, a child between a deity of lesser status or higher, or by the recognition of a patron deity. They have immortality, something hero-god's lack, and some can even grant small boons to their worshippers if they have any. Demi-gods are some of the exusians which won't usually have any worshippers and those that they have are few in numbers but devote.

### Idol

Getting into the more powerful of the exusians with the ability to create hero-gods and demi-gods, most idols reach their worshippers through visions and symbolism. The addition of the ability to teleport at will and change their appearance one of the few boons idols get being a step up from patrons.

### Lesser Gods

Unable to travel through the mortal planes without the use of an avatar, these exusians are typically worshipped by a number of people; 20 thousand or more; and will spend their days tending to their portfolios and relationships with the other deities of the realms. They still have the ability to use visions and symbolism to get their point across to their followers, often preferring this over the use of an avatar in most cases because if the avatar gets damaged the deity behind them does as well.

### Greater Gods

These exusians can be worshipped by up to, if not more than millions of beings across the realms. Their influence is vast and wide with many existing since the dawn of time and only a few being newly ascended to this status of divinity, they can visit multiple people in their avatar form and speak through visions and symbolism across whole realms. Theses gods power is rivaled only by the vestiges and the Ethereal council deities.

### Vestiges

The most powerful of the non-ethereal council deities, these beings have long been resting dormant in the plane of dreams above the Central Plane or lock away in prisons spread across the realms. They are so ancient and dangerous in power that even an attempt at releasing them can result in many being injured; primal in their nature vestiges were the original exusians, the first made, which all others after had to work together to defeat in the long 1st divine war. Now, these ancient beings lay locked away and festering with anger, the location of any unknown to the common man and scholar as this information is kept within the divine circle.

### Patrons

Found roaming the mortal planes, these exusians are most often thought of as bargainers. In exchange for their worshippers devotion they give them boons of wealth, riches, or power periodically with many being from the lower planes. They offer power and riches in exchange for their worshippers continued service and promise of carrying out deeds that the patron may ask of later on in their relationship. There are times when a patron is higher in power than an idol with all the bells and whistles that come with it.

### Demon Lords

These exusians is the only exusian type which is restricted to a species, demons. They are powerful beings which have managed to reach semi-godhood through the defeat of other demon lords and lesser deities, however, their powers are heavily restricted and varied depending on the demon lord they have a different resistances and vulnerability compared to the next demon lord.

### Leviathans

Beings of immense size and power, they can vary greatly in appearance from one another as they all originate from different realms and perhaps are evolved beings of lesser species, though this is not known. There are a number of myths surrounding them with just a few of the more popular ones being that leviathans were created by Illimate, the allmighty creator, in order to challenge her creations; other variations of this myth are that Leviathans were meant to be the protectors of the realms but gained sapience and revolted against their creator, as well as that Leviathans have existed since the beginning of time since before even Illimate walked among the stars; It is also told that Leviathans were made from the tears of Keiraake after his daughter was killed by Uund.