I dodged a bullet, I've come to learn
Or perhaps not, remembering Telin's assurances that this universe was tailored to my liking. Guaranteed to be a realm I'd never want to leave.
He was right.
That said, divinity was my birthright. And now that I obtained it, there were a few things I learned about the realms in which we dwelled. Most notably the fact that it was highly frowned upon to leave.
The mere presence of even a demigod could change reality on the Mortal Plane in real-time. Most Gods didn't see that as a good thing. Thankfully, however, exploration was a part of my portfolio. As such, my influence on the Mortal Plane was negligible, but not negated. And it would only become less negligible as people's faith in me increased.
That aside, I could safely reason why the gods never left their realms. Assuming they even could.
As I could use the moon, Mani, to look down on the surrounding areas of the Bodhi Peninsula with shocking detail, so too could I gaze upon the free space within the moon, now filled with many planetoids and moonlets drifting precariously close to the astral sea creatures living around them.
While much time was spent weaving and creating new worlds by those that called Eotrom home. More time was spent exploring the ones in existence already.
From the surface of my home, the divine moon, the other worlds appeared as a distant set of marbles, arranged in the form of a three-dimensional, six-pointed star.
Bithisarea, the mainland without solid land, was a gas giant with rings composed of liquid water. As a result, it became a hotspot for everyone to fly around in, either under the convoluted laws of gravity or via the relatively low-tech but well-made aircraft being made in the world far above. It was a place of artisanal craft and commerce, above all else. Fueled by the stream of raw materials and goods from the world above.
Ilium, the final destination of the abundance of magma pulled from the Mortal Plane, was the industrial center for the commonwealth of Eotrom. Like Odissi and Deapou, it was an unforgiving tundra that blanketed a hot core of molten earth. A heat source used to drive the relocated forges of the Gray-Dwarf stronghold and the glorious factories I made below the tower.
Here was where measured portions of the perpetually molten metals that composed the sun were delivered to be tampered with endlessly for the sake of creating the most pristine equipment for the Legions and other- no less-quality items, for those below.
Larger portions from the sun were, of course, sold at horrendously low prices for the many smiths and metalworkers in the kingdom below. But even more, was sent to the Artificers.
For it was also to Ilium that the artificers went to form their worlds. Or rather, around Ilium.
Many of them were chiseled strongholds. Pillars of carved stone, illuminated with flaring braziers and burning hearths. But one, in particular, was skeletal in origin. It was squat, with a domed platform at the center, vast enough to contain Ed's chemical plants, dockyards, factories, and other such structures within the hub of a spoked habitation ring that spun ever so slowly.
It, however, was empty for now, as its owner was with me, toiling away in my alchemical lab. Thus the main attraction around the world of Ilium was the gang of dwarves, orcs, and goblins shuffling about a deep pit of burning embers and billowing smoke. Roasted legs and smoked ribs or barrels of mead and ale were shuffled all about, seemingly to the benefit of one stern-faced dwarven man.
Sitting atop the greatest seat in his outdoor court was Elsgril Silverforge among his dwarven kin. Forgruna, Darekhil, Thordrohilda, and the dwarves from the compound who stayed remained silent for once as they ate and drank. Intently, they studied and stared for the best brew and grill masters among the crowd.
Despite his bickering, it was the last of many such events held not only by the dwarven artificers, but by the Captains across all the worlds. They, in particular, were voracious in acquiring the best and brightest of the citizens in order to trudge down the rugged path towards technological superiority- an act that would take considerably less time now, considering engineering was one of my divine domains as well.
[Lvl 2 Perk: Evolution - Piety Nave: The nave transforms your divine mana into an energy that will increase your physical and mental abilities while performing actions related to your portfolio.]
Clockwise to it, when looking from above, was a world of perpetual song and dance. A world where Ritrix and the other bards hosted festivities throughout the endless twilight. A place where, like many other worlds, whispers and praises lingered, trailing through the void between worlds to befall my evolved ears.
[Lvl 2 Perk: Evolution - Orison Vestibule: This otic implant of the divine allows is a receiver for prayer. Enabling you to answer or ignore the pleas of your followers.]
Louder than their prayers, though, was the world on the far side of the recreational world. A flat-topped shard or chunk of stone surrounded by air. A domain of knowledge and engineering, with primary schools, universities, and trade schools trapped in a temporally dilated dome. A place where countless prayers were whispered. And in return, they received inspiration or aid.
Motes of twilight or tiny moons assisted their weary eyes in reading just one more line of text. Words of assurance were whispered in their ears, giving them the perspective needed to understand a difficult concept or equation. Or, in some cases, some received guidance on who to seek out for the sake of their goals.
[Lvl 2 Perk: Cantrip: Metaphysical form - Through creating a divine facsimile of your essence, you can perform miracles, inspire, or otherwise interact with your followers without revealing yourself or even being present.]
Sitting on the far side of my home was the second-to-last major world. Carbury's Grove and the larger variations of the Silverstream forest and Duskwoods. It was there that the majority of the materials unique to this realm were birthed. Hides or leathers and feathers or scales acquired from scavenging the remnants of nature's cycle, rather than hunting, and an arrangement of ores, stones, liquids, and other magical materials born from this realm.
Last but not least was the Transfer Station. A small platform that served as the entrance to the realm, overlooking a core that would one day become the last of the main worlds. The Headquarters for the Legio Noctis.
Still, though, there were countless other worlds. As many as there were Captains of the Nox, ranging from formless labyrinths or clusters of floating stone to immense globules of water with but a single patch of land. Some, like the two lunar and two dusk worlds orbiting my home, were hollowed and barren rocks, yet they poured sermons and prayers into the astral sea without pause.
Others were more… quaint. Festering lands of magma and ash orbited near the sun. Worlds of dust and sand sat before that, overlooked by jungles, forests, grasslands, or floating oceans with frozen shards, chunks, and pillars of ice and snow looming behind them.
I could see it all, from here in my timeless alchemical lab. I could watch it intently. That and I could do a hundred other things while I used a fraction of my stores of unicorn blood to brew and brew and brew. I could guide them. Not only down their paths. But towards finding those best suited to journey beside them.
I could hear everything- their wants and needs. So, like any benevolent god, I placed them at the height of my priorities as I listened. And brewed and brewed and brewed.
[The Eternal Path: Step 3 - Mission.]
[With your realm formed and your pantheons created, you must send your faithful out into the world to build your first houses of worship and fill the hierarchies of your clergy across all denominations. Then, their first group of acolytes must be recruited or converted and indoctrinated fully into the clergy.]