Zæthera

In the world of Zæthera, becoming a god is as simple as blowing out a flickering flame. Here, every living being can attain godhood, but only for a limited time. This is governed by a mysterious force called the Aethercrown, an ever-present energy that grants brief omnipotence to those who harness it. - Anyone can become a god, but the length of their reign depends on how they ascend. Some are gods for only a second, others for a decade. - Gods cannot protect themselves from their own decline. Once they reach the height of their power, an invisible countdown begins. - The Aethercrown is capricious. It can be acquired through glory, cunning, chance, or even a well-timed wish. Zæthera is a realm where cities rise and fall overnight, shaped by ephemeral rulers. Beggar-kings become storm gods for an hour, then fade back into oblivion. Scholars seek to calculate the cycles of the Aethercrown, while assassins hunt down young deities to overthrow them before they become too powerful. In the skies float the ruins of abandoned cities, once created by ephemeral celestial emperors. In the seas, islands appear and disappear at the whim of ancient gods who have fallen from grace. When a deity loses its power, it suffers a violent backlash: some forget their own reign, others become wandering specters, unable to influence the world. A few survivors, called the Remnants, retain bits of their former power and desperately seek a way to become eternal again.