Divine Mandate

Before the time of Mortals, when the Prime-Material Plane was freshly forged, and the Greater Gods were still tending to their wounds as the War of Divinity stalled, an argument took place between the original Pantheon. A schism was formed between the group, some, led by Karthex, wished to stay in the newly formed realm and guard the prison of the fallen Primordas. Another faction, led by Akaene, believed their presence on the plane would only serve to destabilize it and eventually lead to the Primordial's awakening. A third party, comprising of the Twin Gods Vaers and Vinkeg simply wished to rest and test their new control over the cosmos. The arguments quickly became violent, with Karthex striking at Bhalla, staining her, while Nyxas was pushed back by Lumeth's orbs of light. The skirmish was terrible, with both sides bearing new wounds, and rifts in space forming where their power's struck each other. The gods quickly blamed the other factions for these lesions and attempted to seal them on their own.

From one of these lesions came a figure, a slippery creature with a silver tongue. He spoke to gods with familiarity,

"*Friends, you bicker between yourselves but accomplish nothing, be civil, let me speak on your behalf."*

###### *"Let me speak on your behalf" – Primary Tenant of the faith of Ashmedae*

Something in the words of the newcomer calmed the tension between the celestials, and though the exact interactions are unknown, the outcomes are known.

1. *The Gods shall not directly interfere with the Prime Realm*
2. *The Gods shall not directly interfere with each other*
3. *The Gods shall unify against threats to any one of them*

Though there are more, these cardinal tenants dictated the positions of the Greater Gods and are still holding them accountable. In the moments the Greater Gods accepted, Akaene spoke to the newcomer.

*"Come, you who has held us to our word, let us hold you to yours."*

And so Ashmedae signed along with the other gods, and once he did his smile tore his kingdom asunder. Though intending to ensure that Ashmedae could not impede the Greater Gods, by acknowledging him within the Divine Mandate, he was elevated to the same level as the other gods and given his own realm and domain.

## **The Newer Gods**

After the creation of the Divine Mandate, the Greater Gods retreated to their own domains, controlling their aspects. In time new gods came, birthed in a multitude of ways. Swiftly, they imposed their will upon the Prime-Material Plane and brought chaos. The Greater Gods descended upon their younger siblings and punished them harshly for their transgressions. Though the new gods were not held by the Divine Mandate, they were held in check by the Greater Gods as they were by Ashmedae. The Newer Gods were given their own domains within the Astral Sea, from where the Greater Gods watch them.

## **The Lesser Gods**

Newer still were the those with but a spark of Divinity, the so called Lesser Gods. Unlike New Gods, these lesser gods were unable to shake the foundations of the Prime-Material Plane. The Greater Gods charged the Newer Gods with keeping the lesser in check as they were kept accountable by their elders.

And so the Divine Mandate dictates the acts of the gods.