It felt like my entire world was on fire. Somewhere, in the corner of my mind, I knew that Torm was dead. I could feel, more than see, the Voice of the World displaying that both torm and his dragon were dead. I knew I was gaining levels, since a god had to be worth a healthy chunk of XP, even if I had very powerful help with the fight. But this felt like something more.

Call out to your goddess, my Queen! Invoke her here, so that she can help you with this change. The sisters are already doing their part.

A voice called to me in my head. Sanvi, using her Message ability, to cut through the golden fire and all the pain. Clever girl. I took a breath that made my lungs feel as though they were boiling, and called out to the sky, “Oh, Auril Frostmaiden, Mistress of Winter’s Wrath, your servant calls to you now, in her time of need! Aid me, my goddess!”

Suddenly, I felt a cool breeze cutting through the golden flames, reducing my distress. And a laughing voice whispered in my mind. “Dutiful child, you have always been a source of amusement and pride to me, ever since you chose me as your patron in your transfer. Now, you have slain a god, as a mere mortal, and him in his full power! Oh, I cannot wait to see the reaction of his faithful!”

Then, a warm touch rolled over my skin, beneath my clothes, like a lover’s caress. A second voice, which oozed sex and seduction with every word, whispered into my mind. “Mmm. So this is the mortal my servants have been so fascinated with. Yes, I can see why they have enjoyed spending so much time with you. And now, they invoke me so that I can witness this. I must think of something to reward them.”

Gritting my teeth against the pain, I tried to be respectful in my words, though it was difficult when I felt like I was burning alive. “It is my pleasure to amuse you, my Lady. And hail and well met, Malcanthet, Queen of the Succubi. House Faydark speaks often of you, and the glories of your realm.”

“Hah!” Malcanthet’s voice laughed, amusement rippling through my mind. “Even in this state, she knows how to flatter a goddess. Yes, she deserves this.”

Auril’s voice echoed in my mind. “My child, the slaying of a god is not without consequence. The mantle of Torm’s divinity is attempting to pass on to you, and mold you into a new goddess. But there are three problems that must be addressed, before the change can be completed.”

“Let me guess,” I said, tiredly. “Two of them involve me being a mortal, rather than a divinity, and the fact that I am Twice-Born, and my soul is supposed to return to my old world when I pass on into the cycle of rebirth?”

“Yes, along with the fact that Torm’s divine mantle is attempting to mold you into a goddess of Law and Duty, patron of Paladins. Your very nature resists that, as it should.”

“I will sooner die than become like that arrogant ass!”

Malcanthet’s laughter rang in my mind. “Yes! That’s the spirit, girl! And that is why we are here, invoked by yourself and your friends. We are here to help you with your choice, and to guide it.”

“My choice?”

“Yes, my child,” Auril said. “As you did when you came to this world, it is time for you to make another choice, one that will affect your future. Or, rather, a series of choices. Unfortunately, continuing on, as you have until this point, is no longer possible. Your body will not survive the torrent of divinity unless it is changed. So, you must either choose to change, and forsake your old world forever, or let go, and take these memories with you to your old world, as was originally supposed to happen.”

I took a breath, and forced myself to think. I’d always known that, eventually, my soul would go back to my old world. That was the point of transferring souls from one world to the other, so that the experiences of another world could enrich different worlds. But did I really want to do that? Did I owe anything to my old world? And, more importantly, was I ready to give up on everyone I’d met and everything I’d built in this world?

No. No, I wasn’t going to just give up, and let go. Sure, change hurt. Change was frightening. The prospect of becoming a goddess, an actual goddess, was mind-boggling. But I wasn’t going to quit just because a task seemed like it was going to be big, and complicated.

“I choose to change.”

I could feel Auril’s smile upon me, but it was Malcanthet’s laughing voice that spoke first. “Good! I would hate to have my servants think so highly of someone who turned out to be boring enough to just give up. That is not nearly as entertaining.”

Auril’s voice was like a cool winter’s breeze in the face of the heat all around me. “Then let it be so. Since two beings beyond the limit of mere mortals are here as witness, the change can be made, without interference. You cannot take on Torm’s full power, because that comes from the faith of his followers. However, you shall still become a demigoddess, a true divinity, with all the powers, and restrictions, that holds.”

As if making the choice unlocked something inside me, the golden cascade of light no longer burned my flesh and my soul. Now, I could feel it flowing into me and through me, changing me. And I could direct the changes, both on the physical, and with what was to come. And, now, I could see what the Voice of the World was telling me.

You have Leveled Up x11!

You are now Level 50.

1225000 / 1275000 XP to level 51.

+5 Total Epic Attack Bonus

+6 Total Epic Save Bonus

+3 total attribute points (choice overridden by Divinity), +3 WIS

Level 40: Warlock / Marshal

HD: 1d8+10 = Overridden by Divinity

+1 Bluff, +1 Diplomacy, +1 Intimidate, +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Spellcraft, +1 Use Magic Device

Level 41-50: Overridden by Divinity

Druid / Cleric

HD: 10d8+100 = Overridden by Divinity

+10 Diplomacy, +10 Heal, +10 Knowledge (Nature), +10 Listen, +10 Spellcraft, +10 Spot, +10 Survival

New Feats:

Natural Spell – Can complete verbal and somatic components of spells while in a wild shape.

Epic Prowess – Gain +1 on all attacks.

Multiattack – Can attack with secondary natural weapons at a -2 penalty instead of -5.

Warlock Abilities:

Eldritch Blast improves to 21d6 (23d6 with items).

Marshal Abilities:

Grant Move Action 5/day

Major Aura bonus increases to +4

New Major Aura:

Motivate Attack – Add bonus to Melee Attack rolls.

Cleric Abilities:

Rebuke Undead – Can rebuke undead a number of times per day equal to 3+CHA. A cleric with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) gets a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead.

Domains – Overridden by Divinity

Spellcasting – Can cast spells from the Cleric spell list. Wisdom determines the strength of your spells, and the number of spells per day you can cast at each level.

Druid Abilities:

Alignment requirement overridden by Divinity

Spellcasting – Can cast spells from the Druid spell list. Wisdom determines the strength of your spells, and the number of spells per day you can cast at each level.

Animal Companion (Ex) – Can gain an animal companion, who receives some bonuses based on the druid’s level.

Nature Sense (Ex) – +2 on Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks.

Wild Empathy (Ex) – Can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions like Diplomacy check made to influence the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20+Druid Level+CHA for this check. Can be used on Magical Beasts with an INT of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.

Woodland Stride (Ex) – Moves through undergrowth at normal speed. However, undergrowth magically manipulated to impede motion still affect her.

Trackless Step (Ex) – Leaves no trail in natural surroundings, and cannot be tracked. May choose to leave a trail if desired.

Resist Nature’s Lure – +4 on saving throws against spell-like abilities of the fey.

Wild Shape (Su) – Can change into a Small, Medium, or Large animal for up to 1 hour per druid level, four times per day. Can turn into any animal she is familiar with. Changing form is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Each time you use wild shape, you regain HP as if you rested for a night.

Venom Immunity (Ex) – Immunity to all poisons.

Divine Rank 1

HD: All HD (Current and future) MAX value.

Speed: Base Speed set to 60 feet (80 feet with class bonus, 160 feet after items), Fly speed becomes 200 feet (400 feet with items)

AC: +1 Divine bonus to AC, +1 Natural Armor bonus to AC, Deflection Bonus to AC equal to CHA (+20)

Attacks: +1 Divine bonus on all attacks. Attack rolls of natural 1 no longer automatically fail. All natural attacks, and attacks by any weapons you wield, bypass damage reduction as if they were Chaotic and Evil.

Saves: +1 Divine bonus to saves. No longer automatically fail saves on natural 1.

Skills: +1 Divine bonus to all skill checks, caster level checks, ability checks, and turning checks. For every 20 ranks in a skill, synergy bonuses related to that skill (if any) increase by +2.

Immunities: (Unless indicated, immunities do not apply to deities of an equal or higher ranking)

Immune to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters its form. Shape-altering powers the deity might have work normally on itself

A deity is not subject to Energy Drain, Ability Drain, or Ability Damage

A deity is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Immunity to Electricity, Cold, and Acid, even if attacker is a deity of higher rank.

Immune to disease, poison, stunning, sleap, paralysis, death effects, and disintegration.

Damage Reduction: DR 15/epic

Resistances: Fire Resistance 6. Spell Resitance 33.

Immortality: Naturally immortal, and cannot die from natural causes. Deities do not age, and do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for a deity to die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in physical or magical combat. Deities of Rank 1 or higher are not subject to death from massive damage.

Senses: Deities have increased senses. All senses extend to a radius of one mile per divine rank. A deity cannot see through solid objects without using remote sensing or some sort of x-ray vision power.

Remote Sensing: As a standard action, a deity of rank 1 or higher can perceive everything within a radius of one mile per rank around any of its worshipers, holy sites, or other objects or locales sacred to the deity. This supernatural effect can also be centered on any place where someone speaks the deity’s name or title for up to 1 hour after the name is spoken, and at any location when an event related to the deity’s portfolio occurs. This ability can cross planes and penetrate any barrier except a divine shield or an area otherwise blocked by a deity of equal or higher rank. Remote sensing is not fooled by Misdirection or Nondetection or similar spells, and does not create a magical sensor that other creatures can detect. At rank 1, a deity can extend its senses to 2 remote locations at once and still sense what’s going on nearby. Once a deity chooses a remote location to sense, it automatically receives sensory information from that location until it chooses a new location to sense, or until it can’t sense the location.

Block Sensing: As a standard action, a deity of rank 1 or higher can block the sensing ability of other deities of its rank or lower. This power extends for a radius of one mile per rank of the deity, or within the same distance around a temple or other locale sacred to the deity, or the same distance around a portfolio-related event. The deity can block two remote locations at once, plus the area within one mile of itself. The blockage lasts 1 hour per divine rank.

Divine Aura: The mere presence of a deity of rank 1 or higher can deeply affect mortals and beings of lower divine rank. All divine aura effects are mind-affecting, extraordinary abilities. Mortals and other deities of lower rank can resist with successful Will saves (DC 10+Deity’s rank+Deity’s CHA). Deities are immune to auras of deities of equal or lower rank. Any being who makes a successful saving throw against a deity’s aura power becomes immune to that deity’s aura power for one day. Can make its own worshippers, beings of its alignment, or both types of individuals immune to the effect as a free action. Immunity lasts for one day or until the deity dismisses it. Once affected, creatures remain affected while in the aura’s radius. Current Divine Aura size: 10 ft.

Grant Spells: A deity automatically grants spells and domain powers to mortal divine spellcasters who pray to it. Most deities grant spells from the cleric spell list, the ranger spell list, and from three or more domains. Deities with levels in the druid class can grant spells from the druid spell list, and deities with paladin levels can grant spells from the paladin spell list. A deity can withhold spells from any particular mortal as a free action. Once a spell has been granted, it remains in the mortal’s mind until expended.

Spontaneous Casting: A deity of rank 1 or higher who has levels in a divine spellcasting class can spontaneously cast any spell it can grant.

Spell-like Abilities: A deity can use any domain spell it can grant as a spell-like ability at will. Effective caster level for such abilities is 10+Divine Rank. Saving throw for these abilities is 10+Spell Level+CHA+Divine Rank.

Communication: A deity of rank 1 or higher can understand, speak, and read any language, including nonverbal languages. Can speak directly to any beings within one mile of itself per divine rank.

Remote Communication: As a standard action, a deity of rank 1 or higher can send a communication to a remote location. The deity can speak to any of its own worshipers, and to anyone within one mile per rank away from a site dedicated to the deity, or within one mile per rank away from a statue or other likeness of the deity. The creature being contacted can receive a telepathic message that only it can hear. Alternatively, the deity’s voice can seem to issue from the air, the ground, or from some object of the deity’s choosing (but not an object dedicated to another deity of equal or higher rank). In the latter case, anyone within earshot of the sound can hear it. The deity can send a manifestation or omen instead of a spoken or telepathic message. The exact nature of this communication varies with the deity, but it usually is some visible phenomenon. A deity’s communication power can cross planes and penetrate any barrier. Once communication is initiated, the deity can continue communicating as a free action until it decides to end the communication. A deity can carry on as many remote communications at one time as it can remote sense at one time.

Travel: Can use Greater Teleport as a spell-like ability at will, as the spell cast by a 20th-level caster, except that the deity can only transport itself and 100lbs per divine rank. Other travel abilities unlock at higher ranks. If the deity has a familiar, personal mount, or personal intelligent weapon, the creature can accompany the deity in any mode of travel if the deity touches it. The creature’s weight counts against the deity’s weight limit.

Choices Remaining:

Salient Divine Abilities: Deities have at least 1 Salient Divine Ability per rank. Bonus ability awarded for achieving godhood by your own hands. Please pick 2 abilities.

Domain Powers: A deity of rank 1 or higher can use any domain power it can grant a number of times equal to its divine rank (if it can normally be used more than that, use the higher number). If a domain power is based on a cleric’s level (or one-half the cleric’s level), a deity with no cleric levels has an effective level equal to the deity’s divine rank (or one-half their divine rank) for this purpose. Choose 3 Domains to grant spells from.

Portfolio: Deities of rank 1 or higher have at least limited knowledge and control over some aspect of mortal existence. Choose your portfolio.

Godly Realm: Choose a godly realm. Current radius of direct control: 100 ft.

My mind reeled with all the information that the Voice of the World gave me. Not just the screens. I suddenly knew so much more! Things that I shouldn’t know, as a ‘mere mortal’. Like how I wasn’t actually taking much time to decide things, but rather I was frozen in a moment of time, while the world’s system remade me in my new image, whatever I chose to make it. And my new form was only one of many choices I still had to make!