## The First, The Source, The I AM --- ## Overview Long before the world of Solare came into existence, before the stars were placed in the heavens or the oceans churned upon the earth, there were powerful beings known as **Prime Entities**. They were numerous, each possessing unique abilities and cosmic authority. However, a great war erupted among the Primes, causing chaos and destruction across the cosmos—battles that shattered dimensions and created the raw fabric of magic itself. In the end, it was **The Great God** who emerged victorious—not merely a deity of Law and Goodness, but **the SOURCE from which the very concepts of law and goodness flow**. He is not "good" in the way mortals understand morality; rather, **goodness itself is the echo of his nature rippling through creation**. With the help of his divine creations—the goddesses of cognition (who would become Intelliencia, Knowalia, and Wiszilliona) and Dijinus, god of fire—they forged the intricate world of Solare with their divine powers. The skies glowed with vibrant hues as stars were placed meticulously in the heavens, while oceans churned and mountains rose from the earth. Thus began the reign of the Great God over the First Age of Solare—a golden time when his presence guided all creation directly. --- ## The Nature of Perfection: Beyond Morality ### The Fundamental Paradox The Great God exists beyond the moral framework that governs all other beings, even the gods themselves. To understand him, one must first understand this truth: **The Great God does not choose goodness—he IS goodness.** He does not resist temptation, for temptation is a concept that cannot touch him. He does not struggle with moral choices, for he is the standard by which all choices are measured. Other gods have morality—they choose between right and wrong. The Great God is the principle from which right and wrong derive their meaning. Think of it thus: calling the Great God "good" is like calling fire "hot" or the ocean "wet." It is true, but it fundamentally misses the point. He is not good because he follows rules; **the rules exist because they reflect fragments of what he is**. ### Pure Being Itself Philosophers and theologians describe him as **Pure Being**—the "I AM" of Solare's cosmos. He is: - **The possibility of existence itself** - **The cosmic force that makes meaning possible** - **The standard against which all other standards are measured** - **The light by which all other lights are seen** In his presence, perfection is not an achievement—it simply IS. And that is precisely why he could not remain. --- ## The Divine Withdrawal: Why He Left ### The Problem with Perfection The Great God understood something profound that even the other gods struggle to grasp: **a perfect being cannot relate to imperfect creation**. His presence in Solare created several inescapable problems: #### 1. **Mortals Would Be Overwhelmed** His essence is too pure, too absolute. Like staring directly at the sun, mortals cannot endure unfiltered divinity. They would be burned away by perfection itself—not through cruelty, but simply by proximity to something their mortal forms cannot contain. #### 2. **Growth Would Be Impossible** How can you learn courage when Perfect Protection stands beside you? How can you learn forgiveness when Perfect Justice is always immediate? How can you learn to choose good when Good Itself is standing right there, making the choice for you? #### 3. **Free Will Would Become Illusion** In the presence of absolute perfection, there is no real choice. Everyone would choose him—not from love, not from conviction, but from the sheer overwhelming reality of what he is. That is not free will; that is inevitability. #### 4. **The Balance Would Shatter** When he defeated Hagsurium and the other Prime Entities, the Great God did not destroy them. Destruction would have made him into a tyrant, imposing his will through force—becoming what he opposed. Instead, he bound them with purpose, creating cosmic balance. But that balance only works if **he himself is not directly present on the scales**. His sheer weight of existence would crush the equilibrium. Evil would be unable to function. The Divine Concord would collapse. Free will would become theoretical. ### The Gift of Absence And so, the Great God made the hardest choice any creator can make: **he withdrew**. Not to abandon his creation. Not because he stopped caring. But because **his absence is the greatest gift he could give**. Like a perfect father who knows that if he stays, his children will never learn to walk—because he'll always catch them. Never learn to think—because he'll always have the answer. Never become who they're meant to be—because they'll always be in his shadow. The Great God withdrew **just far enough** that: - His creations must stand on their own - Yet his fundamental laws and love still support everything - His children (the other gods) must govern themselves - Yet they can feel his distant will in their hearts - Mortals must choose their own paths - Yet his divine spark within them yearns toward goodness ### The Test of Faith What is faith when God is standing right in front of you? That's not faith—that's acknowledging observable reality. **True faith, true goodness, true love—these only have meaning when chosen in absence.** The Great God left so that every act of kindness, every prayer, every choice to do right when it would be easier to do wrong—these become **real**. They matter. They're not just obedience; they're **free will in action**. ### The Unknowable Reason There may be deeper truths to his departure that even the gods don't fully understand: - Perhaps he foresaw something coming that requires his absence - Perhaps his continued presence would have prevented something essential - Perhaps there's a cosmic cycle requiring periods of presence and absence - Perhaps he's preparing for a threat even greater than the Prime Entity War - Perhaps **he's testing whether creation can survive without him—because someday, in the far future, it may have to** --- ## The Choice of Perserphina: The Paradox of the Imperfect Heir ### Why Not Choose Perfection? When the Great God decided to withdraw from Solare, he faced a critical choice: who would take his place as the guiding force of this world? He could have chosen: - A perfectly pure celestial being - An angel who never erred - A deity crafted from pure goodness **He chose Perserphina instead.** A goddess who walks nude through mortal cities. Who has affairs with mortal men. Who laughs at crude jokes in taverns. Who was **once mortal herself**. To conservative theologians, this seems like blasphemy. How could the embodiment of perfect goodness choose someone so... human? **That is precisely the point.** ### The Wisdom in "Imperfection" Perserphina's perceived "flaws" are not failures in the Great God's plan—**they ARE the plan**. #### She Was Mortal Once She knows: - What it's like to feel desire, hunger, fear - What it's like to make mistakes and live with consequences - What it's like to choose between competing goods - What it's like to love imperfectly - What it's like to fail and rebuild **A perfect god cannot relate to imperfect mortals.** Perserphina can. #### Her Authenticity Her nudity isn't sin—it's **honesty**. She doesn't hide what she is. She doesn't pretend to be more pure than she is. She is completely, honestly herself. The Great God sees profound truth in this: **authenticity is holier than false purity**. #### She Understands Beauty AND War She embraces the full spectrum of existence. You cannot build without sometimes destroying. You cannot protect without sometimes fighting. She doesn't shy away from the difficult contradictions of existence. #### She Died and Was Reborn When Solare was destroyed and needed rebirth, only someone who had **been reborn** could truly understand how to resurrect a world. Her personal experience with death, destruction, and resurrection made her the only being capable of restoring Solare from memory. #### She Loves Mortals AS THEY ARE A perfect god would demand perfection from mortals. Perserphina loves them despite their flaws **because she shares them**. This is the kind of love Solare needs—not the distant perfection of an untouchable deity, but the warm embrace of someone who understands what it means to be imperfect and still strives to do right. ### The Great God's Logic When the Great God looks at Perserphina: - Walking nude through a city - Sleeping with a mortal soldier - Laughing at ribald humor with adventurers in a tavern **He does not see sin.** He sees a goddess doing exactly what she was meant to do: **being PRESENT with creation in all its messy, beautiful, complicated glory**. She is his hands in the world. And hands get dirty. Solare doesn't need another perfect, distant deity. It needs a goddess who will walk among her people, love them as they are, and guide them not through judgment but through understanding. --- ## His Presence in the World: The Unseen Truth Though the Great God withdrew from Solare at the end of the First Age, **he never truly left**. His presence permeates all of reality in ways both subtle and profound. ### In Natural Law The sun rises. Gravity pulls. Seeds grow. Rivers flow to the ocean. These fundamental reliabilities are **his will, still operating**. The laws of nature are not impersonal forces—they are the lingering structure of his design, still functioning perfectly even in his absence. ### In Moments of Grace When someone makes an impossible recovery. When a coincidence saves a life. When beauty appears in devastation. When everything seems lost, but somehow, impossibly, it isn't. Some call these "miracles," but they're really **echoes of his nature rippling through reality**—the fundamental goodness built into creation expressing itself in unexpected ways. ### In the Conscience That small voice that tells mortals right from wrong? That inner sense of justice, of empathy, of knowing what should be done? That's not merely society or training. That's **the fragment of his nature imprinted on every soul he created**. Every person carries a spark of him within them—the capacity to recognize and choose goodness. ### In Perfect Moments - A mother holding her newborn - The first snow of winter - A perfect sunset painting the sky - The moment when all is right in the world, even if just for an instant These are **glimpses of his original vision**—moments when reality aligns perfectly with what he intended, when creation reflects its source. ### In Answered Prayers (Rarely) The Great God does not typically intervene directly, but prayers can still be answered through: - Sudden clarity of thought at a crucial moment - An unexpected person arriving at exactly the right time - A door opening that was previously closed - Strength found when all seemed lost - A coincidence too perfect to be coincidence These aren't him actively intervening—they're **the universe still responding to prayers because he built it to care about mortals**. Creation itself remembers its purpose. --- ## Symbols of The Great God ### Primary Symbol: **The Empty Throne** An empty throne carved from pure white stone or depicted in radiant light. This symbol represents: - His rightful place as supreme ruler of all creation - His chosen absence—the throne waiting for him - The space left for others (particularly Perserphina) to step into - The promise of eventual return **In Worship:** Many temples dedicated to the Great God keep an empty throne in their sanctum, maintained but never sat upon. --- ### Secondary Symbol: **The Open Hand** A hand depicted palm-up, fingers slightly curved, often radiating gentle light. This symbol represents: - The gesture of creation—how he formed the world - The offer of blessing extended to all - The open palm that gives freely without grasping - Empty, suggesting absence, but positioned to give **In Worship:** Followers often hold their hands in this position during prayer. --- ### Tertiary Symbol: **The Eternal Flame** A white or golden flame that never dims, never wavers. This symbol represents: - His eternal presence in the fundamental laws of reality - The spark of divinity in all living things - Light that guides but doesn't blind - Warmth that comforts but doesn't consume **In Worship:** Temples maintain eternal flames that are never allowed to go out. --- ### Sacred Symbol: **The Seven-Pointed Star** A star with seven points of equal length. The seven points represent: - Six directions of space (up, down, and the four cardinal directions) - Plus the center—the point of origin, of creation, of **HIM** - Together suggesting that he is the center from which all things radiate **In Worship:** Often worn as pendants or carved above doorways. --- ## Worship & Religious Orders While most mortals in Solare worship the **active gods**—Perserphina, Dijinus, and the elemental deities who answer prayers and intervene—there remain **faithful believers in the Great God**. ### The Order of the First Light **"Keeping the Flame Until His Return"** The oldest and most orthodox monastic order dedicated to the Great God. They believe he will return when Solare has proven itself worthy. **Practices:** - Maintain vast libraries of texts from the First Age - Study ancient prophecies for signs of his return - Preserve knowledge of creation itself - Live in isolated monasteries, dedicating their lives to contemplation - Keep eternal flames burning in every temple **Beliefs:** - The Great God is not truly gone, merely distant - His return is inevitable when the time is right - Current gods are stewards, not replacements - Mortals must prove themselves worthy through goodness **Symbols:** White robes, eternal flames, empty thrones --- ### The Creation Faithful **"In the Beginning, There Was Him"** Common folk who offer quiet prayers to "The Creator" or "The Father of Gods." They don't expect miracles or direct intervention, but find comfort in believing that someone created the world with purpose and love. **Practices:** - Simple prayers at dawn and dusk - Offerings of the first harvest - Naming ceremonies for children invoke his blessing - Marriages sometimes include oaths "before the First Creator" **Beliefs:** - The Great God set everything in motion - Natural law is his will - Life has inherent meaning because he made it - Goodness is honoring his design **Common Prayer:** _"First Light, who made all things—we thank you for this day. Though you walk far from us, we feel your hand in the sunrise and the turning of the seasons. Guide us to live as you intended."_ --- ### The Waiting Churches **"The Throne Stands Empty, But Not Forever"** Temples that keep empty thrones, altars, or sanctums dedicated to the Great God. These are often places of philosophical debate about his nature, his will, and the meaning of his absence. **Practices:** - Maintain empty sacred spaces for his eventual return - Host debates and discussions about theology - Preserve ancient rituals from the First Age - Serve as neutral ground for inter-deity conflicts **Beliefs:** - Vary widely—these churches welcome all interpretations - Some believe he watches, some believe he sleeps - Some believe he'll return, others that he won't - United only in honoring his memory and keeping space for him **Notable Sites:** - The Eternal Throne (in Polaria) - The Temple of First Light (in Northern Angoria) - The Cathedral of Beginnings (ancient ruins in South Angoria) --- ### The Heretical Seekers **"He Never Left—We Simply Cannot See"** A controversial group that believes the Great God is still present in Solare, but mortals and even gods lack the spiritual perception to sense him. They engage in extreme meditation, fasting, and mystical practices attempting to "pierce the veil" and perceive his true presence. **Practices:** - Extreme asceticism - Prolonged meditation (sometimes for weeks) - Study of ancient languages and forgotten names - Ritual attempts to "open the third eye of creation" **Beliefs:** - The Great God never left—we're just blind - Enlightenment means perceiving his presence - Other gods are fragments or reflections of him - Reality itself is his body **Status:** Considered heretical by orthodox churches, tolerated by The Waiting Churches, ignored by mainstream worship --- ## Does The Great God Need Worship? ### The Fundamental Difference **Unlike every other god in Solare, the Great God does not need worship to exist.** All other deities—Greater Gods, Lesser Gods, Demi-Gods—are sustained by worship. Their power grows with believers. If they lose all followers, they fade or die. **The Great God is different.** He existed **before** worship. He existed before mortals to worship him. He will exist if every soul forgets his name. ### Why He Doesn't Need Worship 1. **He predates creation itself.** He is not a god created by belief or sustained by prayer. He is the source from which gods themselves derive their existence. 2. **He is the foundation of reality.** Natural law—gravity, time, causality—operates because he set it in motion. These things don't need worship to continue functioning. 3. **He is beyond the Divine Concord.** The rules that govern other gods do not apply to him. He is the exception to all rules because he existed before rules were made. 4. **He transcends the power hierarchy.** While Greater Gods become more powerful with millions of worshippers, the Great God's power is absolute regardless of belief. Adding worshipers doesn't increase infinity. ### Then Why Worship Him? If he doesn't need worship, why do his faithful continue? **Because worship changes the worshiper, not the worshiped.** - Worship reminds mortals of their place in the cosmos - Worship connects them to something greater than themselves - Worship aligns them with the fundamental goodness from which reality flows - Worship is an act of gratitude, not transaction The Creation Faithful don't pray expecting miracles. They pray because **remembering their Creator makes them better people**. The Order of the First Light doesn't study because he demands it. They study because **understanding creation brings them closer to ultimate truth**. ### The Theological Paradox Some scholars argue: "If he doesn't need worship and rarely answers prayers, why not worship the gods who DO interact with mortals?" The faithful respond: "Because truth matters more than convenience. We worship what IS, not what is useful." This creates fascinating philosophical tension in Solare's religions—is it better to worship distant perfection or present imperfection? --- ## His Relationship With the Current Gods The gods of Solare have complex, often contradictory feelings about the Great God. ### Perserphina **The Weight of the Throne** She loves him as a creator and father. She strives constantly to honor his vision. But she also feels the crushing weight of leadership he left her. Sometimes she resents the burden. Sometimes she doubts she's worthy. Sometimes she wishes he would return and take the responsibility back. But she never stops trying to be what he saw in her. **Her Private Prayer (Rarely Spoken):** _"Father of Light, I hope I make you proud. I know I'm not perfect. I know I fail. But I'm trying. Please... if you're watching... let me know I'm doing right."_ --- ### Dijinus **The Son Seeking Approval** As the Great God's direct creation, Dijinus constantly seeks to prove himself worthy. Every great work he creates, every civilization he inspires—he does it hoping his creator would be proud. But the silence gnaws at him. Is he doing enough? Would the Great God approve of his ambition? His passion? His fire? He'll never know, and that drives him to create ever greater works. --- ### Hagsurium **The Eternal Enemy** **HATES** the Great God with consuming, infinite passion. Hagsurium believes Solare should have been his. He believes the Great God's victory was theft. He believes that strength should rule, not goodness. The Great God's absence is both opportunity and insult—proof that the "rightful" ruler abandoned his throne, yet Hagsurium still cannot claim it because of the Divine Concord. Every act of evil, every corrupted soul, every victory over goodness is an act of revenge against the Great God's design. --- ### The Evil Gods **Interpreting Absence** Evil deities like Sorgoganis, Gonosh, and the dark pantheons all ask the same question: **"If he truly cared about goodness, wouldn't he be here?"** They interpret his absence as proof that: - He doesn't actually care about creation - His ideals were impossible to maintain - Might truly does make right - His grand experiment failed They see his withdrawal as permission to corrupt his creation. If goodness can't defend itself without him, was it ever really strong enough to deserve dominance? --- ### The Good Gods **Upholding the Vision** Gods like Angoria, Elandra, Lialandra, and Morthil strive constantly to uphold what they believe the Great God's principles to be. But they debate endlessly: - What would he want us to do about [[Karudasos|the Dark Lands]]? - Would he approve of the Divine Concord, or does it restrict good too much? - Should we be more merciful or more just? - Is Perserphina's approach what he intended? They lack his perfect clarity, so they must interpret and argue and hope they're choosing correctly. --- ### The Neutral Gods **The Philosophical Observers** Gods like Arnelime (Time) and Ishimus (Neutral Magic) view the Great God as a cosmic force more than a person. They believe: - His absence is necessary for balance - His presence would tip the scales impossibly toward good - Neutrality itself may be part of his design - Perfection requires imperfection to exist They're less concerned with pleasing him and more interested in understanding the cosmic structure he created. --- ## Can He Be Contacted? **The short answer: Extremely rarely, and never directly.** The Great God does not answer prayers the way other gods do. He doesn't send visions, grant spells, or manifest avatars. But under certain exceptional circumstances, his presence can be **felt**: ### Through Perserphina As his chosen heir, she maintains the strongest connection. She sometimes feels his will—not as words or visions, but as **deep, bone-certain instinct**. She'll be facing a decision, and suddenly know—with absolute clarity—what he would want. She can't explain how she knows. She just **does**. This happens rarely, in moments of cosmic importance. --- ### In Moments of Ultimate Crisis When Solare itself faces existential threat—not just wars or disasters, but threats to existence itself—some claim to feel his presence. Not as intervention, but as: - Sudden inspiration when all hope is lost - Impossible coincidences that change everything - A sense of direction given to champions - Strength beyond what should be possible He doesn't act directly, but **reality seems to bend slightly in favor of goodness** when all hangs in the balance. --- ### In Prayer by the Truly Devoted Most prayers to the Great God go unanswered. But occasionally—very occasionally—someone pure of heart and in desperate need might receive not a vision, not words, but **a feeling**: An inexplicable certainty of what they must do. A sudden peace when there should be only despair. Clarity when there should be confusion. Strength when there should be weakness. It's never obvious. Never flashy. Just... a gentle push in the right direction. --- ### Through Ancient Divine Artifacts Certain relics from the First Age still carry fragments of his power. These can sometimes serve as conduits for his distant will: - **The Chalice of Dawn:** Said to glow in the presence of true goodness - **The Codex Prima:** An ancient text that some claim reveals new passages when the time is right - **The Crown of First Light:** A relic that granted its wearer clarity of purpose These artifacts don't grant power the way normal magic items do. They grant **certainty**—a glimpse of what he would want. --- ## Prophecies of Return Ancient texts and oral traditions speak of conditions under which the Great God might return to Solare. These prophecies are debated endlessly among scholars and faithful: ### The Prophecy of Ultimate Darkness _"When darkness threatens to consume all light, when evil stands unopposed at the threshold of victory, when the last candle flickers before eternal night—then shall the First Light return."_ **Interpretation:** He will return when Solare faces a threat so great that even the gods cannot stop it. --- ### The Prophecy of Maturation _"When mortals have learned to walk without stumbling, when they choose good without guidance, when they love without commandment—then shall the Father return as a friend, not as a parent."_ **Interpretation:** He will return when mortals have finally matured enough to see him not as a parent to depend on, but as an equal to walk alongside. --- ### The Prophecy of Completion _"When the work begun is finally finished, when the threads are woven complete, when creation reaches its intended form—then shall the Maker return to see what has been made."_ **Interpretation:** He will return when Solare has become what he always intended it to be. --- ### The Prophecy of Perfect Balance _"When good and evil stand in equal measure, when neither can claim victory, when the scales hang perfectly still—then shall the Judge return to break the tie."_ **Interpretation:** He will return when the cosmic balance is so perfect that only he can tip it. --- ### The Prophecy of the Last Faithful _"When his name is forgotten by all but one, when that last soul speaks the ancient words, when memory itself nearly dies—then shall he return to save what remains."_ **Interpretation:** He will return when faith in him is nearly extinct, to reward the last believer. --- ### The Prophecy of Never _"The throne stands empty. The throne will stand empty. The throne was always meant to be empty. His greatest gift was departure. His return would undo all he built."_ **Interpretation:** He will never return, because his absence is the entire point—and his faithful must learn to accept this. --- ## Divine Domains The Great God is the source of all divine domains, but he is most closely associated with: **Primary Domains:** - **Life** - He is the source of all existence - **Light** - He is the First Light from which all others shine - **Order** - He established cosmic law - **Knowledge** - He understands all that is and can be **Secondary Domains:** - **Peace** - His will is ultimate harmony - **Forge** - He is the ultimate creator - **Nature** - He designed the natural order **Note:** Clerics cannot directly worship the Great God for mechanical purposes, as he does not grant spells or answer prayers in the way other gods do. Those who wish to honor him typically become clerics of Perserphina, the designated inheritor of his mantle. However, Dungeon Masters may allow rare exceptions for prophets or chosen ones in extraordinary circumstances. --- ## Artifacts Associated With The Great God No common mortal artifacts exist, as he departed before the age of heroes. However, several legendary items are said to contain fragments of his power: ### **The Codex Prima** _The First Book of Creation_ A massive tome bound in white stone and gold, containing the fundamental laws of reality written in a language that predates all others. Reading it grants understanding of cosmic truth—and risks madness from comprehending infinity. --- ### **The Crown of First Light** _The Original Authority_ A simple circlet of pure white metal that glows with inner radiance. When worn by someone pure of heart, it grants perfect moral clarity—the wearer always knows the right choice. But wearing it while harboring evil intent causes unbearable pain. --- ### **The Chalice of Dawn** _The Cup of Beginnings_ A golden chalice that, when filled with water, turns it into liquid that can heal any wound, cure any disease, or even restore life—once per century. It glows in the presence of true goodness and tarnishes in the presence of evil. --- ### **The Empty Throne Itself** _The Seat of All Creation_ Hidden somewhere in Solare (or perhaps in a divine realm), the actual throne the Great God once sat upon. It is said that whoever sits upon it will either: - Ascend to godhood beyond imagination, or - Be annihilated instantly for daring to claim what is not theirs No one has found it. Some say Perserphina hid it. Others say it never existed in physical form. --- ## Holy Books & Codes While he left no explicit scripture, several texts are considered sacred by his faithful: ### **"The Words of Creation"** The oldest religious text in Solare, containing fragments of what are believed to be his original commandments: _"Let there be light, and truth in the light." "Let there be choice, and meaning in the choice." "Let there be beauty, and purpose in the beauty." "Let all things grow toward what they were meant to be."_ --- ### **"The Silence of the Father"** A philosophical text exploring why he left and what his absence means. Required reading in The Order of the First Light. --- ### **"Meditations on Perfection"** A collection of prayers, poems, and philosophical essays by those who have tried to understand his nature. --- ## His Absolute Nature: The Unfathomable ### The Alpha and Omega The Great God is described as **the Alpha and Omega**—the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He is: - **Eternal** - He has no beginning and will have no end - **Omniscient** - He knows all that was, is, and could be - **Omnipotent** - No force in existence can oppose his will - **Omnipresent** - He exists in all places and times simultaneously, even in apparent absence - **Immutable** - He does not change, because he is already perfect - **Self-Sufficient** - He needs nothing from anyone ### Beyond Comprehension Mortals, and even gods, cannot truly comprehend what he is. Attempting to understand the Great God is like: - An ant trying to understand human civilization - A candle trying to understand the sun - A raindrop trying to understand the ocean - A moment trying to understand eternity The best mortals can do is understand **shadows and echoes**—hints of what he is, reflected through his creation. ### The Terror of Perfection While mortals fear evil gods like Hagsurium and Sorgoganis, the priests say: **"To stand before Hagsurium is to face death and torment. To stand before the Great God is to face oblivion of the self— Not through destruction, but through the overwhelming realization of one's own insignificance before absolute perfection."** This is why he could not remain. His presence is too vast, too pure, too overwhelming. Mortals cannot endure unfiltered divinity. Even the gods—mighty beings of cosmic power—feel small in his presence. It is said that when he withdrew, even Dijinus and the goddesses of cognition wept with relief, though they loved him dearly. --- ## The Great Mystery: What Is He Doing Now? The faithful debate endlessly: If he's not creating other worlds, what IS he doing? ### Theory 1: The Eternal Watch He observes all of creation from a distance, watching to see if his grand experiment succeeds—if free will can choose goodness without his direct guidance. ### Theory 2: The Cosmic War He battles threats beyond mortal comprehension—Prime Entities that still exist in the void, cosmic horrors that threaten reality itself. His withdrawal wasn't abandonment; it was redeployment. ### Theory 3: The Ultimate Sacrifice He dissolved his own consciousness to empower the Divine Concord and the fundamental laws of reality. He's not "somewhere"—he IS the structure of existence itself now. ### Theory 4: The Necessary Sleep The war with the Prime Entities wounded him in ways even gods cannot understand. He sleeps, healing, gathering strength for some future crisis. ### Theory 5: The Paradox He exists in all times simultaneously. From his perspective, he never left—he is still in the First Age, still watching Solare's end, still present at every moment. Mortals perceive absence because they experience time linearly. ### Theory 6: The Unknowable Truth His purpose is so far beyond mortal or divine comprehension that attempting to understand it is meaningless. The question "What is he doing?" presupposes categories of action and purpose that don't apply to him. **The faithful response:** _"We do not need to understand. We need only to remember, and to live as he would want."_ --- ## For Dungeon Masters: Using The Great God in Your Campaign ### Mechanical Notes **The Great God should NEVER appear directly in a campaign.** He is not a stat block, not an NPC, not a plot device. He is the foundational principle upon which Solare exists. However, his influence can appear in subtle ways: #### Signs of His Presence - Ancient ruins from the First Age with inexplicable properties - Artifacts that grant moral clarity or cosmic knowledge - Moments when reality itself seems to favor good actions - Prophecies that come true in unexpected ways - NPCs who feel "called" to do right for no logical reason #### Story Hooks - A cult claims the Great God has returned—are they right, or mad? - An artifact from the First Age is discovered, still radiating his power - A character receives a vision they believe came from him—but did it? - The prophecies of his return seem to be coming true - A villain seeks to destroy all memory of him, believing that will free reality from his influence #### Themes to Explore - **Faith without evidence:** How do you believe in something that never responds? - **The paradox of perfection:** Can perfection coexist with free will? - **The burden of legacy:** How do you live up to an impossible standard? - **The meaning of absence:** Does love mean staying, or does it sometimes mean leaving? --- ### Roleplaying His Faithful Characters who worship or honor the Great God might: **Personality Traits:** - Speak in thoughtful, measured tones - Quote from ancient texts - See patterns and purpose in everything - Struggle with the silence of their god - Take moral questions very seriously **Motivations:** - Seeking to understand his will - Trying to prove worthy of his creation - Preserving knowledge from the First Age - Preparing for his prophesied return - Living up to impossible standards **Conflicts:** - Doubt: Does he even exist anymore? - Jealousy: Why do other gods answer their followers? - Purpose: What's the point of worship if no one's listening? - Legacy: How can we honor someone we can't understand? --- ### The Ultimate Campaign Moment If your campaign reaches truly epic, world-shaking scale—if the very existence of Solare hangs in the balance—you might have one moment where players feel his presence. Not as an NPC. Not as a stat block. Not even as a voice. But as a moment of absolute certainty. A feeling that everything will be okay, even when it clearly won't be. A glimpse of purpose in chaos. A sudden understanding of what must be done. And then it's gone. And your players are left wondering: Was that really him? Or just hope in desperate times? **That uncertainty is the point.** --- ## Final Words: The Eternal Question The priests of The Order of the First Light end their services with this question: _"Will he return?"_ And the faithful respond: _"We do not know. But we remember. And in remembering, we keep the First Light burning."_ --- **For he is the Great God. The I AM. The Source. The Beginning and the End.** **He needs no worship, yet we worship.** **He offers no miracles, yet we pray.** **He grants no answers, yet we ask.** **Because some truths are worth honoring, even in silence.** **Because some lights are worth keeping, even in darkness.** **Because some fathers are worth waiting for, even when they may never return.** **The throne stands empty.** **But not forever.** --- _May the First Light guide you._