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[Kilojoule Proton]

The old gods are dead! Long live the gods of the new order! You, newly ascended divinities, have toppled the corrupt elder gods and brought new life to the halls of Heaven. Now confirmed by the Sun and recognized by the Arbitrary Arbiter, much work lies before you above and below. Down on Earth, Heaven's righteous hegemony covers the better part of a continent, and your followers and worshippers clamor for their promised rewards even as they make war on the defeated gods' loyal cults in their holdouts. Further down in the Underworld, communications with the angels there has grown increasingly erratic over the last few decades if your contacts are to be believed. Even here in Heaven, palace of the Sun and home to gods and angels alike, many of your angelic clerks are growing impatient with the slow progress of the reforms conceded to them during your apotheosis, while just as many seek a return to an easy status quo regardless of the cost to civilization below. Go forth, inheritors of the Sun's mandate! Go forth and enact the change you ascended for!

What is this?

Hierarchy is (intended to be) a god game of the sort that involves frequent, rapid exchanges of titles

Hierarchy: Turn Zero: A Brief Tour

The business of running Heaven and Earth is split among a collection of ministries and the Council.

Spoiler: The Sun's Court (click to show/hide)

The Sun's Court

The Sun's Court is an ancient institution said to have been founded at a time when all angels were mortals and thus retains many strange privileges and powers from bygone ages such as the right to create intelligent life and see the future. Courtiers attend to the Sun in Its splendor and interpret Its nods and intentions, a contentious power detractors point out is more of an art than a science. As a result, the Court is often characterized as a tool for power-hungry angelclerks and their godly head minister, the Steward. Courtiers of the Sun are quick to respond that their close vigil over the Sun has prevented numerous disasters, but it's rather difficult to produce proof of an averted catastrophe. Due to its connection to the Sun, the Court will always be a greater ministry regardless of its influence or funding unless dissolved.

Spoiler: Ministry of Justice (click to show/hide)

Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice is headed by the Arbitrary Arbiter, an Old God who oversaw the contracts that permitted you and your fellows to rebel against Heaven itself. The Arbiter is revered by even the angels most supportive of your rule as the last major link between the old regime and the new gods (along with the Arbiter's encyclopedic knowledge of the Law) and cannot be removed outright. (Peaceful) Disputes between gods and/or angels are commonly decided by the Ministry of Justice which additionally provides notaries escrow services.

Spoiler: Ministry of Glory (click to show/hide)

Ministry of Glory

The Ministry of Glory facilitates the distribution of Glory and Words among divinities, and its ample coffers ensure that the angels are always paid (if not properly compensated for their work). The clerks of the Ministry of Glory receive many benefits peripheral to their stated earnings. They are less prone to obstructing their head minister, the Paragon, at every turn than the clerks of many other ministries, and it is rumored that they are better compensated than they should be.

Spoiler: Ministry of the Realm (click to show/hide)

Ministry of the Realm

The Ministry of the Realm manages heroes, heroic acts and quests, angelic employment, angelic positions outside Heaven, and sundry administrative details above and below, and its head is fittingly called the Manager. Unusually for a heavenly department, this ministry employs a noticeable number of mortal heroes. The angels of this ministry scorn those of the Ministry of Civilization and regard them as power tripping tyrants seeking to control every aspect of mortal civilization. The usual response is that the Ministry of the Realm is filled with rebellious anarchists or worse, mortals.

Spoiler: Ministry of Might (click to show/hide)

Ministry of Might

The Ministry of Might keeps watch over Heaven and fends off threats above, beyond, and below under the vigilant watch of the Marshall. Although uncomfortably outside the scope of this ministry's stated responsibilities, some of its less scrupulous members are rumored to meddle in mortal affairs and engineer wars to avoid excessive budgetary surpluses. Regardless, the complete failure of the last head of this Ministry to perform his duties adequately was a great boon to your quest for divinity because the Ministry of Might has by far the highest number smiting warrants per halo (and is a close second for teleportation/manifestation permits). The latter may not be so surprising given the fact that the Ministry of Might managed to de facto absorb the Ministry of Smiting in the chaos that accompanied your little titanomachy.

Spoiler: Ministry of Civilization (click to show/hide)

Ministry of Civilization

The Ministry of Civilization, under the supervision of the Duke, its head minister, cares for the cults of the gods and mortal civilizations. The incompetence of its previous head is commonly held to be linked to a long period of stagnation in Heaven's domain such that neighboring regions which once fell under Heaven's hegemony have broken free and begun to rival Heaven's cherished domain all under the auspices of unfriendly pantheons. Amusingly, this ministry's relationship with the Ministry of Transportation is incredibly strained after an incident between key members of both ministries. The latter's reluctance to issue teleportation permits to employees of the Ministry of Civilization has led to transport ordinance fines making up a significant fraction of the Ministry of Civilization's expenses.

Spoiler: Ministry of Pontifice (click to show/hide)

Ministry of Pontifice

The Ministry of Pontifice, headed by the Pontifex, employs most of Heaven's emissaries and plays a major role in regulating sacrifices and trades. They work tirelessly to improve relations with nearby pantheons and prominent mortal rulers, and the reports they relay to the Ministries of Civilization and Might are critical to their efficient functioning. This Ministry enjoys a close relationship with the Ministry of Transportation, and teleportation/manifestation permits are approved more frequently and issued more quickly for this ministry than for other ministries. Their work in faraway realms has resulted in contact with a host of orderly, helpful spirits calling themselves Helpers. Most angels remain suspicious of their intentions, but their counsel has been praised by mny a weary clerk.

Spoiler: Ministry of Records (click to show/hide)

Ministry of Records

The Ministry of Records is not currently a greater ministry, but celestial policy still calls for its head position of Archivist to be filled by a god and nothing less. The primary duty of this ministry is to record everything such that Heaven can rebuild the region or the entire world should anything go horribly wrong. As this position has been empty for an unacceptable amount of time, many of the records are out of date, and many of this ministry's clerks fear that the next disaster could very well be the last for Heaven. One reason given for why this ministry is often left without a head is the frequent disappearance or demise of Ministers of Records.

In addition to the above, there are a number of smaller, less influential ministries headed by angels. These include but are not limited to the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Names and Works, the Ministry of Worship, and the Ministry of Purity. Of these, the Ministry of Transportation is the most powerful as a result of an old ruling that teleportation and manifestation on the mortal plane is forbidden without a permit issued by this ministry. The other ministries spend a non-negligible amount of their time and resources trying not to be absorbed by one of the greater ministries and are for the most part angry with your disruption of the stagnant complacence of the old gods.

The Council stands rather outside the hierarchy of ministries and is made up of 24 seats given to Names, high priests, and angels selected by lot. The Council is typically responsible for deciding all matters requiring a consensus, and ministry heads are usually nominated by the Council and confirmed by the Sun. The Council is unpopular among gods for what they see as needless empowerment of mortal priests and angelic clerks, and many attempts have been made to dissolve it in the past.

Joining

Setting questions

0. What is the shape of the world?
(A) Sphere
(B) Disk
(C) Wheel
(D) Shell
(E) Plane
(F) Something else entirely (write-in)

1. What are Heaven's lands on the mortal plane called? (write-in)

2. What is the state of the world under Heaven?
(A) Mostly wilderness but dotted by a few fledgling cities
(B) A mosaic of city-states with no central authority
(C) A small number of large kingdoms vying for dominance
(D) An empire with significant rivals at its margins
(E) A fragmenting empire only a few steps away from collapse
(F) Something else entirely (write-in)

3. What are the lands outside Heaven's watchful gaze like?
(A) Sparsely populated steppes with few cities
(B) Countless squabbling city-states along the shores of a great sea
(C) Many coalitions of city-states in a delicate balance
(D) Powerful kingdoms locked in a struggle with each other
(E) A growing empire in the process of conquering its neighbors (excluding Heaven's demesne--for now)
(F) All of the above
(G) Something else entirely (write-in)

4. What were the cults of the old gods like before your rebellion?
(A) Different from village to village with common deities but no central authority otherwise
(B) Coherent cults largely specific to cities and kingdoms
(C) A strong, centralized organization influential throughout the region
(D) Indistinguishable from the local government for the most part
(E) Something else entirely (write-in)

Individual questions

5. What about yours?
(A) A widespread but relatively small cult present in many communities but dominant in few
(B) A secret society present throughout the region with a few prominent members
(C) An established cult key to a city or state's traditions
(D) Something in between (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)

6. All of the old gods but the Arbiter were ultimately removed by your collective hands. Which one did you strike down, and how did this affect the world? (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)

7. Which three of the greater ministries would you most like to head in descending order of interest?
(A) Sun's Court
(B) Ministry of Glory
(C) Ministry of the Realm
(D) Ministry of Might
(E) Ministry of Civilization
(F) Ministry of Pontifice
(G) Ministry of Records

8. Have you been in an accident, incident, or other event that resulted in your death?
(A) Yes
(B) No

9. What does time fly like?
(E) Something else entirely (write-in)
(D) A dragon
(C) A cricket
(B) A banana
(A) An arrow

8. Synecdoche?
(C) Something else entirely (write-in)
(B) Whole for part
(A) Part for whole

7. Character sheet:
Mortal name:
Primary sphere:
Secondary sphere:
Immediate agenda:
Description (optional):

[Kilojoule Proton]

(Reserved for infodumps)

[Demonic Spoon]

Joining

Setting questions

0. What is the shape of the world?
(C) Wheel

1. What are Heaven's lands on the mortal plane called?
Kingdom Under Heaven

2. What is the state of the world under Heaven?
(E) A fragmenting empire only a few steps away from collapse

3. What are the lands outside Heaven's watchful gaze like?
(F) All of the above

4. What were the cults of the old gods like before your rebellion?
(D) Indistinguishable from the local government for the most part

Individual questions

5. What about yours?
(B) A secret society present throughout the region with a few prominent members

6. All of the old gods but the Arbiter were ultimately removed by your collective hands. Which one did you strike down, and how did this affect the world? (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)
Farinli, the God of Prophecy, failed to foresee his foul murder at the hands of Mion, but he did manage a doublekill. Mion got better though?

The future has become much less certain, and fate more varied since the death of Farinli. Many reputable mortal Augurs and Seers have become ridiculed and discredited when their predictions and prophecies suddenly became a lot less accurate.

7. Which three of the greater ministries would you most like to head in descending order of interest?
(1) Ministry of Might
(2) Ministry of Glory
(3) Ministry of Pontifice

8. Have you been in an accident, incident, or other event that resulted in your death?
(A) Yes

9. What does time fly like?
(C) A cricket

8. Synecdoche?
(A) Part for whole

7. Character sheet:
Mortal name: Mion
Primary sphere: Murder
Secondary sphere: Wealth
Immediate agenda: Overturn the old order, restore the lands under heaven, discourage rival nations through smiting.
Description (optional): After her resurrection Mion has generally been manifesting as a ball of knives, a four armed warrior or a golden statue.

[Stirk]

Setting questions

0. What is the shape of the world?
(E) Plane

1. What are Heaven's lands on the mortal plane called? (write-in)

Holy Autonomous Liaison Occupation Zones (HALO zones for short)

2. What is the state of the world under Heaven?
(A) Mostly wilderness but dotted by a few fledgling cities
(F) With the ruins of the last God's favored civilization sprinkled throughout. Occasionally inhabited post-apocalyptic style.

3. What are the lands outside Heaven's watchful gaze like?
(F) All of the above

4. What were the cults of the old gods like before your rebellion?
(B) Coherent cults largely specific to cities and kingdoms

Individual questions

5. What about yours?
(B) A secret society present throughout the region with a few prominent members

6. All of the old gods but the Arbiter were ultimately removed by your collective hands. Which one did you strike down, and how did this affect the world? (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)

The Goddess of Secrets was slain by my hand, done in by repeated volleys of arrows to the face. My co-conspirators and I planned the assault in bars, taverns, restaurants, and other public places and told those around us to spread our plan so she would not catch wind of it. As she fell, our methods became a curse. Any attempt at further conspiracy or secrecy will always create a rumor in such locations, said to be spread by the whispered voice of the fallen Goddess. Any who visit such establishments may hear Rumors that will include hints of secret actions done by the Gods.

Said Goddess's name was, as one would expect, known only to herself.

7. Which three of the greater ministries would you most like to head in descending order of interest?
(1) Sun's Court
(2) Ministry of the Realm
(3) Ministry of Might
(4) Ministry of Civilization
(5) Ministry of Pontifice
(X) Ministry of Records - Clearly a trap to trick players into doing the book keeping.
(X) Ministry of Glory-Doesn't Mice already head this?

8. Have you been in an accident, incident, or other event that resulted in your death?
(B) No

9. What does time fly like?
(E) A bullet. Its like an arrow but gunnier.

8. Synecdoche?
(A) Part for whole

7. Character sheet:
Mortal name: Elda
Primary sphere: Gemstones
Secondary sphere: Planting
Immediate agenda: Refill the World under Heaven with Life
Description (optional): Elda was known as the "Merchant-Hero" as a mortal. While well built and powerful, he remained little match for other heroes physically. His heroic feats tend toward the logistical and organizational. He would prevent famines by storing and delivering mass quantities of food, prevent plagues by producing and distributing medicine, fend off monster attacks by hiring and equipping guards, and otherwise pull strings to make things happen. He would always pay in gemestones after he became an enemy of Heaven, rather than risk using their coinage. It was a simple task as his merchant-group-turned-cult had a large stake in the gem trade giving them ample supply. Precious gems became a simple of his cult, later becoming his sphere as a God.

His secondary sphere was apparently granted by association. Seeds, the "gem of life", act as an extension of his primary sphere. He has taken to it like a fish to water, eager to use his now powers to "plant" life on the world.

Physically he has the appearance of a well-chiseled mortal. Upon his ascension his body had transformed into a statue of shining gemstone, with color changing every hue imaginable depending on the viewer's angle and the light. Some unimaginable colors sneak their way in if the viewer looks at strange angles.

[Demonic Spoon]

(X) Ministry of Glory-Doesn't Mice already head this?

No, that's the ministry of Justice?

[Naturegirl1999]

0. What is the shape of the world?
(C) Wheel


1. What are Heaven's lands on the mortal plane called? (write-in)
Holy Forest

2. What is the state of the world under Heaven?
(A) Mostly wilderness but dotted by a few fledgling cities

3. What are the lands outside Heaven's watchful gaze like?
(F) All of the above

4. What were the cults of the old gods like before your rebellion?
(C) A strong, centralized organization influential throughout the region

Individual questions

5. What about yours?
(A) A widespread but relatively small cult present in many communities but dominant in few

6. All of the old gods but the Arbiter were ultimately removed by your collective hands. Which one did you strike down, and how did this affect the world? (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)

I slayed the god of stone. The effect of which caused rocks to erode faster than normal
((Any other ideas for side effects of slaying a god of stone? One that’s more balanced?))

7. Which three of the greater ministries would you most like to head in descending order of interest?
(1) Ministry of Pontifice
(2) Ministry of Civilization
(3) Ministry of Records

8. Have you been in an accident, incident, or other event that resulted in your death?
(B) No

9. What does time fly like?
(C) A cricket

8. Synecdoche?
(C) Something else entirely (write-in)
(A) Part for whole

7. Character sheet:
Mortal name: Ronda
Primary sphere: Plants
Secondary sphere: Fungi
Immediate agenda: Let plants and fungi grow throughout the land

[Roboson]

Setting questions

0. What is the shape of the world?
(E) Plane

1. What are Heaven's lands on the mortal plane called? (write-in)
Gardens. Written as Garden of ____.

2. What is the state of the world under Heaven?
(A) Mostly wilderness but dotted by a few fledgling cities

3. What are the lands outside Heaven's watchful gaze like?
(C) Many coalitions of city-states in a delicate balance

4. What were the cults of the old gods like before your rebellion?
(A) Different from village to village with common deities but no central authority otherwise

Individual questions

5. What about yours?
(A) A widespread but relatively small cult present in many communities but dominant in few

6. All of the old gods but the Arbiter were ultimately removed by your collective hands. Which one did you strike down, and how did this affect the world? (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)

I struck down the god of civilization so that the world may grow wild and savage.

7. Which three of the greater ministries would you most like to head in descending order of interest?
(A) Sun's Court
(B) Ministry of Glory
(C) Ministry of the Realm

8. Have you been in an accident, incident, or other event that resulted in your death?
(B) No

9. What does time fly like?

(D) A dragon

8. Synecdoche?
(C) Worm.

7. Character sheet:
Mortal name: Lu
Primary sphere: Wildness
Secondary sphere: Monsters

Immediate agenda: The world has become tame, and orderly, humans do not fear the dark, nor the forests, or the primal hinterlands beyond their nearsighted view. In their peace, they've become complacent in worship and lazy in ethic. Thus, the world beyond their walls must return to wilds, so that the mortals once again understand their place in this world.

Description (optional): Lu is an old god to be included in this revolution. Perhaps he was simply born first of the newly ascended gods, or was indeed an old god who never rose to power in the age of his bothers and sisters. Perhaps he's just an old soul at heart. Whatever the case, Lu yearns for a world of wonders. He believes there should be mortal territories, and wilds to be feared by the common folk, and conquered by those with enough power, men, or intelligence. He has a disdain for mortal civilizations which grow to large and tame the lands around them, but seems fine with mortals which gain the strength to become one with the wild places of the world.

Lu appears as a large humanoid tree with six arms. His skin is smooth tree bark and while his head has a ring of foliage above the ears, the top of his head has gone bald. He has a rather long beard of vines and leaves growing down from his face, connecting to his sparse hair. He wears a large black pelt over his lower body, leaving his chest exposed, though mostly covered by the large beard. These traits combine to make him appear old, but he is far from frail. His body is as limber as a predator, and his mind has grown old and sagelike. At least he thinks so, many who speak with him find his vision of the world odd and counter-intuitive.

Lu is often associated with the wilds between mortal strongholds. As a result, he has few strong cults within the city states themselves. However, his places of worship often are built next to or serve as the gates of cities. Mortals will often pray for his protection on their journeys through the wilds, which Lu does indeed grant. This builds into his vision of the world, as these mortals know they enter his domain and fear the danger there, so they worship him for his protection and favor. This is how it should be.

[TricMagic]

Joining

Setting questions

0. What is the shape of the world?
(C) Wheel


1. What are Heaven's lands on the mortal plane called? (write-in)
Kingdom Under Heaven


2. What is the state of the world under Heaven?
(E) A fragmenting empire only a few steps away from collapse


3. What are the lands outside Heaven's watchful gaze like?
(F) All of the above


4. What were the cults of the old gods like before your rebellion?
(D) Indistinguishable from the local government for the most part

Individual questions

5. What about yours?
(D) Something in between (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)
A chaotic mess of astronomer love cults spread across multiple people and societies inspired by their goddess..

6. All of the old gods but the Arbiter were ultimately removed by your collective hands. Which one did you strike down, and how did this affect the world? (write-in, subject to GM rebalancing)
Nonina, the Goddess of Love and Astronomy Ironically, it was her advice which led to her downfall, the many cults she formed in her adventures giving rise to a person who united them and summoned her. Sadly, the ritual they used was too effective, as they were trying to weaken her enough to force her to join in their nigh-time parties. Almost an accident really, how was she supposed to know that ancient scroll transferred divinity and killed a god through worship.

7. Which three of the greater ministries would you most like to head in descending order of interest?
(D) Ministry of Might
(F) Ministry of Pontifice
(G) Ministry of Records

8. Have you been in an accident, incident, or other event that resulted in your death?
(B) No

9. What does time fly like?
(E) Something else entirely (write-in)
A party under falling stars.

8. Synecdoche?
(C) Something else entirely (write-in)
Is that some type of foreign divine word..?

7. Character sheet:
Mortal name: Fas
Primary sphere: Travel
Secondary sphere: Love
Immediate agenda: Primarily to get things in order before civilization collapses, given she was effectively thrust into the job as a fluke during the ritual to call their goddess down and have her join in. Now their goddess is dead and she has to deal with the paperwork.
Description (optional): Shockingly beautiful, with dark skin, long, red-gold hair, and eyes the color of jade. She is very tall and broad-shouldered, and looks rather smug. She usually wears peasants' clothes dyed medium yellow.

[Kilojoule Proton]

I'm not sure the most recent one would be Toady-approved

[TricMagic]

I'm not sure the most recent one would be Toady-approved

Fair.  Just that is what the generator made.

Point being she was a very adventurous goddess.

[Stirk]

(X) Ministry of Glory-Doesn't Mice already head this?

No, that's the ministry of Justice?

Then why are they both second on the lists? Checkmate.

[Demonic Spoon]

(X) Ministry of Glory-Doesn't Mice already head this?

No, that's the ministry of Justice?

Then why are they both second on the lists? Checkmate.

The ministry of justice isn't on the list of available ministries to head because it's already under micelus.

[micelus]

I bump this in the name of the Sun!


\[T]/ PRAISE THE SUN \[T]/

[micelus]

Perhaps Heaven must be content with two of its ministries lacking leadership?

[Stirk]

Perhaps Heaven must be content with two of its ministries lacking leadership?

That would certainly lead to them being absorbed by the other ministries, I assume.