The Gods' Wars

The Gods' Wars
Not every demigod can ascend to Godhood. Most of you never will. But Gods’ Wars will give you a chance to gain power and favor from these incredible beings. Do well enough in the competition, and you can, yourself, Ascend to join them in Godhood! The Gods’ Wars have been run countless times across countless worlds, with countless themes. Demigods have intervened to rig elections, intercede in succession crises, start wars, and more! This time, the theme is love.

Love is in the air as the Season begins in (near) London 1880! Lilian Thompson and Victor Moore are the most eligible debutantes, the so-called "catches" of the season. Attend balls and other social events, romance and befriend other mortals and demigods alike, while you increase devotion to and complete Quests for the Gods.

In order to Ascend, demigod participants must score among the top six in the competition. Points are given out by Gods in their chosen Aspects. The Aspects include Bonding, Justice, Arts, Sporting, Scholarship, Pugilism, Fabrication, Balance, Trickery, and Hedonism. The top three scorers in each Aspect will be visible on CANDI and, at the end of the game, will get bonus points.

Will you win the honor and privilege of ascending to Godhood or will you pursue love, wherever it may lead? Find out in this year’s Gods’ Wars!

Aspects
Hera; Justice: Though it is her husband who is officially the God of justice, Hera feels strongly about the concept. Ensuring that the wicked are punished and the virtuous are rewarded is what Hera is most interested in ensuring for this competition and what will increase your points in this Aspect. Completing Quests for Hera will do the same.

Aphrodite; Bonding- As the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite believes that nothing is more important than your relationships with people. Though she, herself, is a particular fan of romantic love, she acknowledges that strong friendships with others can also be important. Quests completed for Aphrodite and actions relating to gaining love and friendship will increase your points in this Aspect.

Apollo; Arts- Though Apollo is less well known for being the God of poetry, it is still a great love of his. Wooing a romantic partner with honeyed words, showing off your skills in flower arranging, composing a ballad, and similar pursuits will please Apollo and increase your points in this Aspect. Completing Quests for Apollo will also do the same.

Artemis; Sporting- Though hunting is the favored sport of Artemis, she has graciously acknowledged that sporting is much more varied in Victorian London. Hunting, archery, cricket, croquet, and fencing, for example, are all rather popular. Hunting may win you special favor, but any type of sporting in addition to completing Quests for Artemis will increase your points in this Aspect.

Dionysus; Hedonism- Let’s be honest, what’s the point of life if you can’t let loose every now and again? Or, really, as often as possible. Dionysus encourages drinking, partying, and hedonism in all of its glorious and enjoyable forms. Indulge yourself, enjoy a bit of revelry, and you will increase your points in this Aspect. Completing Quests for Dionysus will also do the same.

Hephaestus; Fabrication- Nothing could make Hephaestus more proud than crafting something incredible. As the God of blacksmithing, metalworking, masonry, and more, the medium does not matter for Hephaestus. Create something impressive and complete Quests for Hephaestus and you will increase your points in this Aspect.

Athena; Scholarship- “Scholarship is to be created by… awakening a pure interest in knowledge.” Learning, seeking knowledge, or creating something new from the knowledge and wisdom you have gained are what Athena most values. Pursuing or producing knowledge or scholarship as well as completing Quests for Athena will increase your points in this Aspect.

Ares; Pugilism- It can’t be all war all the time. But you can fight nearly all of the time and Ares will absolutely encourage you to do so. Friendly bouts of wrestling, loud arguments, or a classic punch in the face will all please Ares and will increase your points in this Aspect, in addition to performing Quests for him.

Hermes; Trickery- Some people take this competition far too seriously, and Hermes wishes to ensure that there is still fun to be had. And what could be more fun than a bit of dishonesty, double-crossing, and deceit? In addition to completing Quests for Hermes, engaging in trickery in any form will increase your points in this Aspect.

Demeter; Balance: Mortals are often so narrow-minded and don’t consider the consequences of their actions. Demeter has been around for millennia and knows that everything is connected. Because of her status as the Goddess of the Harvest, she is particularly interested in the balance between industry and the environment. In addition to completing Quests for Demeter, taking actions to restore balance, especially to the environment, will increase your points in this Aspect.

Zeus, Poseidon, Hades- As the Fathers of the Realms, these three oversee the competition more generally and are not sponsoring any particular Aspect. You can still gain their favour and do Quests for them. This will get you points in the overall competition, but not for any particular Aspect. Because of their relative status amongst the other Gods, their favour and Quests will be worth slightly more points in the overall competition.

Being a Demigod
As omnipotent, omniscient beings, Gods get bored easily. While unable to manifest fully on Earth for long, they can stick around for long enough to leave something of themselves behind. Demigods are children of gods and humans. They are beings caught between two worlds- having the godly powers of one parent, and the mortal trappings of the other.

But, they can become something more! Gods’ Wars gives them the chance to embrace their godly heritage, and, should things go well- ascend to full Godhood themselves. Though they will have to give up their mortal trappings and home in London, obviously that is a small price to pay for the significant power boost and escalation to full divinity.

Though you may not have known of any other demigods like yourself, there are a surprising number of them in London. Now that the Gods’ Wars have officially begun, you can find the list of demigods and their divine parent. Tiresias can give you this information as well as answer any other questions you have about the competition or being a demigod in Victorian London.

Aoratos
Zemele was in love. Though her visit to Earth had been quite short thus far, she found that Peter was everything she had ever wanted in a man. He was handsome, charming, and an excellent dancer. It was their first waltz when she knew she had to have him. His fiancee was a problem, but only a minor inconvenience. She was a Goddess of Love and Beauty after all. What human could possibly stand up to such elegance and grace as she had? Zemele spent a weekend dancing with Peter at countless balls, whispering compliments in his ear at parties, offering light touches with hints of more. But it wasn’t enough. She had to pull out her trump card. On the last night, she asked him to follow her into the garden- a scandal for two unwed people to be alone together- but she had charmed Peter enough that he was willing.

As he met her by the fountain, lilac bushes filling the air with their sweet perfume, she dropped her facade and appeared to him in all her glory. Her skin took on a magical sheen, her hair billowed out in luscious brilliance, her eyes glimmered with the light of the very stars. Rose petals fluttered around Zemele in vermillion halo.

As she batted her glittering eyelashes at Peter, certain she had sufficiently won him over, he merely stared at her in confusion. It was jarring enough that Zemele’s true form faded, jolting back to that of her mortal body. Only then did Peter speak.

“I apologize, but I haven’t the faintest idea who you are or how I got here.”

He remembered nothing of her, nothing of his fiancee, and nothing of his own life. For Zemele had ignored the warnings of the Gods not to use her powers in front of mortals. Mortal minds cannot possibly comprehend the deities' incredible abilities. She spent her days in regret, pining for her mortal near-lover who spent the rest of his short life attempting to regain what he had lost.

It is this story, more than any other warning or rule, that Gods and demigods remember. The mortal mind cannot handle displays of magic- it re-writes what they've seen. Showing off a small amount of power may lead merely to a headache or moment of forgetfulness. A more intense display may lead to complete amnesia. How much more mortals can handle depends on the mind and the extent of your power. It is an imperfect science, and it is recommended not to use one’s powers or use any other type of magic in front of the mortals. It wouldn’t do to have someone inconvenient catch on. Or to have your best friend or romantic partner forget who you are.