Avatars

This page is a Work in Progress and is currently under construction.

In the world of Evernyll, Gods are more commonly known as Avatars, and the word "gods" is more of a local vernacular that pops up now and again.

Avatars are the physical manifestation of a Font of Power. They manifest from the combination of sentient thoughts and prayers, and the natural magic of the Font. For example, the intense feelings of fear felt in dark spaces may lead to the creation of a monstrous Avatar within a Font of Darkness in a cave. You could simplify it by saying that natural phenomena cause Fonts of Power, while people cause Avatars to appear in those Fonts.

Sometimes the manifestation is much more intentional. If a group of people find a Font of Water in a river, and the river provides them with food, pearls, and protection, they may begin to pour their hopes and dreams into that river. Their belief in its goodness, the safety they feel beside it, will eventually create a gentle and benevolent Avatar who resembles their river, and their people.

Avatars typically resemble the people who manifest them, or at least have the sort of appearance that they would expect. Warriors who worship a blood Avatar might cause it to look like a fearsome animal, while sun-worshippers may manifest a fire Avatar who looks like a person wearing their style of clothing, and a sun-shaped crown. They are not limited to any appearance, and most remain enigmatic and do not often come into the view of mortals. They are not always rooted to their Font of Power, as some Fonts come and go, such as Lightning or Fire. They are a highly varied type of being and one is better off studying a specific Avatar if they wish to know more about it.

For some, worship of Avatars as gods is a highly spiritual practice, requiring sacrifices, rituals, or spoken prayers. To others, an Avatar is a pragmatic individual with whom a barter can be struck for magical power or some insights about the world. It depends upon the Avatar itself, and the culture of people around it.