11.5.1 ASCENDANTS

The mortal realm is bound by the Nine Veils, which hide the esoteric realms of the Nine Domoths. Beyond the Domoths lies the Immanidivinus from which the Gods themselves draw power. It was from these Domoths that mortals were able to reach divinity and become true gods. During ancient times, nexuses of power were used to propel chosen mortals through one of the Nine Veils and within a Domotheos tap into the Immanidivinus and ascend to true divinity. These were called Vernal Gods. 

During the Vernal Wars, the last nine surviving Vernal Gods (originally called the Council of Nine but have come to be known simply as the Nine) sacrificed themselves to give birth to Avechna the Avenger, who was able to finally defeat the last and greatest of the Soulless Gods, Almighty Kethuru. The Nine used the last of their essence to create the Nine Seals that kept the Soulless Gods trapped within their prisons. The Nine Seals were placed over each of the Nine Veils, tapping into the powers of the Domoth.

In the year 551, a Tenth Vernal from another timeline was merged into Avechna. The Silver Dragon Isikathi was the Vernal of Time in her timeline. The Seal of Time was rebuilt by mortal hands from pieces within a Timequake, and her essence returned to it. The Domotheos of Time is lost, trapped within another Timequake - and so the Seal of Time does not function like the others. It protects the Nine from the ravages of Time, and is intrinsically linked to them, but has no Domoth to be claimed nor blessings or curses to be earned.

Since then, one Vernal God has ascended to divinity, and she was Marilynth of Celest. She sacrificed herself to destroy the Pool of Stars and save the Holy Lands of Celestia from the Taint. (See the History of the Celestine Empire.) She was the last of the Vernal Gods.

In the year 168 C.E., the Nine Seals began to weaken and a new type of god arose from mortalkind. Thus is the story of the first and last True Ascended God who was known as Ayridion, the White Flame. Ayridion ascended to godhood from the mortal Soll Peulus who survived the Nine Challenges. Bearing the Seal of Life, Soll Peulus was able to pierce the Veil and enter the Domotheos of Life, thus ascending to godhood as Ayridion. (See Events News 79-89.)

In the year 188 CE, an event occurred that shook the foundations of creation itself. A plague was released into the Pool of Stars and spread throughout all the known nexuses of power. From there, the plague seeped into the Nine Seals and bled into the Domoth, ultimately afflicting Avechna the Avenger. Especially attuned to the Domotheos of Life, Ayridion the White Flame had devoted his divinity to healing. He sought to destroy this plague by immersing throughout the Domoth and driving it out. However, the plague had a mind of its own, somehow infused with the malice of terrible, alien presence drawing power from the Domoth and reaching out towards the Immanidivinus. Ayridion sacrificed himself to create a breach between the Domoth and the Immanidivinus, which has come to be known as the Threshold Abyss. The force of his sacrifice destroyed the plague, expelling it from the Domoth and cleansing the nexuses of power.

Because of the barrier of the Threshold Abyss, it is now impossible for mortals to reach the Immanidivinus and obtain the mantle of godhood. However, they are still able to enter the Domoth and become what is known as an Ascendant. Those who reach Ascendancy through the nexuses of power are known as Vernal Ascendants. Those who reach Ascendancy through the Nine Challenges are known as an Ascendant by the Veil of the Domoth they passed through. After the sacrifice of Ayridion, it was found that his soul survived, and thus Ilyarin, once known as Soll Peulus, returned as an Ascendant of the Domotheos of Life.

VERNAL ASCENDANTS

Each city and commune may raise Vernal Ascendants, who are tied to the nexus of power. The entire council of the city or commune must come to a consensus agreement to raise a Vernal Ascendant, which will drain a huge amount of power from their nexus of power. If the Vernal Ascendant ever leaves the city or commune, they will lose their Ascendancy.

If an organisation has no ascendants or only one ascendant, it costs 2 million to raise an ascendant. Beyond the second, the cost doubles: 4 million for the third, 8 million for the fourth, and so on. An organisation may descend an ascendant, recouping 500,000 power.

TRUE ASCENDANTS

When the Nine Seals weaken, a true ascendant is the mortal who passes through the Nine Challenges and emerges the winner. Bearing one of the Nine Seals, he or she pierces the Veil and enters the Domotheos of that Seal, emerging as a True Ascendant.

2007 - Soll rose to become Ascendant Ilyarin (Seal of Life)
2008 - Sojiro rose to become Ascendant Shuyin (Seal of Death)
2009 - Xiel rose to become Ascendant Viynain (Seal of Nature)
2010 - Ceren rose to become Ascendant Fillin (Seal of War)
2011 - Esano rose to become Ascendant Akyaevin (Seal of Chaos)
2012 - Xenthos rose to become Ascendant Xynthin (Seal of Nature)
2013 - Sidd rose to become Ascendant Synkarin (Seal of War)
2014 - Morkarion rose to become Ascendant Karlach (Seal of Death)
2015 - Kelly rose to become Ascendant Kaimanahi (Seal of Life)
2016 - Celina rose to become Ascendant Cyndarin (Seal of War)
2017 - Falmiis rose to become Ascendant Falaeron (Seal of Knowledge)
2018 - Veyils rose to become Ascendant Deichtine (Seal of Life)
2019 - Yendor rose to become Ascendant Snald (Seal of Death)
2020 - Choros rose to become Ascendant Parhelion (Seal of Justice)
2020 - Ixion merged with Ascendant Zagreus (Seal of Chaos)
2021 - Malarious rose to become Ascendant Malayn (Seal of Death)
2024 - Silvanus rose to become Ascendant Abraxin (Seal of War)

ASCENDANT POWERS

   * Ascendants are considered above demigods, though have most of the powers of a demigod.

   * If the physical form of an Ascendant is destroyed, they do not revert to mortal life if they reach 0 essence and do not have the phoenix power (unlike demigods). Instead, their bodies will slowly reform within the Domoth Realms. They can accelerate this process if they have enough essence to do so.
      * To accelerate the process, the Ascendant may REINCARNATE after a short delay.

   * Ascendants gain the power of CLAIRSENTIENCE, which allows them to sense the presence of other Ascendants in the Realms.

   * Ascendants are naturally capable of FLYing.