Deities (Dwarf Fortress)

Full Name	Deities (collectively) Randomly-generated name (individually)
Alias	Randomly generated
Origin	Dwarf Fortress
Homeworld	Unknown
Abilities	Possession (highly possible) Creating the world Influencing mortals Creating creatures Cursing mortals Various unknown powers Giving others supernatural powers
Members	Many procedurally-generated deities
Hobby	Having mortals create artifacts. Having mortals pray and meditate to them.
Goals	Creating the world. (successful) Influencing mortals.
Type of Heroic Species	Unseen Supreme Beings

Prismra Heartwing is a deity of The Golden Towers. Prismra most often takes the form of a female elf and is associated with healing, creation and friendship.A description of a randomly generated deity, connected to positive spheres.

Deities are - depending on the point of view - the overarching protagonists or overarching antagonist heroes in the indie construction and management simulation video game Dwarf Fortress. They are procedurally-generated gods that influence the game's world.

Deities are unseen supreme beings that have not only created the world, but have many spheres of influence, creatures and many others factors in the world. Not all deities are benevolent, as some can be purely evil to neutral, but there will always be some good deities generated in a game.

When a world is being procedurally generated, deities are being randomly generated along with it, including their forms, spheres of influence and anything else connected to these spheres. Elven civilizations worship nature-related "forces" instead of deities.

Regardless of what gamemode the player selects - being "Fortress Mode" and "Adventure Mode" - some creations by evil deities can be found in both, while others can be found in solely one gamemode and not the other. In Adventure Mode, if the player decides to play as a "chosen" hero, a deity may involve themselves in that character's journey.

History

Although eternally existing outside the concept of time, reported lore and history of deities are somewhat limited, but still play an extremely pivotal role in the game's procedurally-generated history and land development, which creates the very world the player interacts with, even to the point where good or evil surroundings are spread amongst the world, with one possibly being larger than the other.

Before the events of every game, deities might collaborate with a demon with a ritual conducted with an artifact slab. This is how demons escape the Underworld and interact with the mortal world. The demon chosen by a deity relates to said deity's sphere, or one of them out of many. This is one of the more direct ways a deity can ruin or preserve areas in the world, where they may construct vaults with supernaturally good treasure.

For example, if a demon is summoned with the connection of a sphere of "war", that demon will attempt to keep war going on in the world. If the sphere is "thunder", the demon may bring violent storms upon the world. Note that a demon could do something helpful if the sphere is something benevolent.

Deities will summon unfathomably strong angels to guard the vaults. Despite being called "angels", they are aligned with the demons that constructed the vaults they guard, and will immediately attack invaders. These angels guard divine materials that have supernatural strength and qualities.

Gameplay

Dwarves praying in a temple.

Deities do not make a visual appearance in the game, but still make a colossal impact on the game's environment, as well as the types of creatures that exist and processes of thought intelligent creatures have. There is only one way the player can see the possible appearance of a deity, and that's to command dwarves to construct statues, figurines or wall/floor engravings of deities, which will take on the form of their last known supposed image, most common form, or an act that involves an event related to that deity.

If the deity has a form, this form could be any type of creature, though these forms are generally limited to only the creatures existing in the game that can be encountered during normal play. One of the main priorities of the game is for the player to keep their dwarves (and outside visitors) happy, and one of the ways to do that is to allow dwarves to pray to their preferred god. This is done by dwarves constructing a temple, followed by the player designating an area that is meant to be the temple. If there is an altar in the temple, visitors will pay tribute once in a while. Some dwarves will feel enraptured when praying at a temple, although it is unknown if the deities themselves are bestowing this feeling to the worshipper.

Individuals in a temple will either pray directly to their respective deity, or meditate on a subject that's part of the deity's sphere of influence. If the worshiping individual meditates on a positive factor, it could strengthen the individual's morality. Dwarves can suffer random "strange moods", in which they are completely hypnotized in constructing an artifact. If the dwarf under said mood is unable to make an artifact, he/she will go insane. It is heavily implied that deities are the ones causing the strange moods.

Deities can also curse mortals by changing their very form, with two of the most prominent curse types being vamparism and werebeast transformations. In Adventure Mode, during character creation, the player has the option of choosing a deity to believe in, and can customize how strongly the character's beliefs are. This can also be done for any companions created before the game starts. If a player's character has the same beliefs as an NPC, they can be on friendly terms.

Religion

Despite the large impact that deities have on the world, only a few types of beings are religious, as only dwarves and humans worship deities. Elves do not worship specific deities, but instead believe in "forces", which carry similar factors that deities have, such as having spheres of influences (with them obviously being nature related). There is one assigned force for each elven civilization.

Goblin civilizations, according to the ruler of each civilization, will have a monopoly on who goblins show loyalty to.

During world generation, historical figures are also generated, with some figures becoming prophets that are attached to a deity. Religions can be either monastic or non-monastic. Some religions can branch into multiple different religion. Religions that are monastic will have an abbot, with followers building a monastery. After this, followers will then seek sponsorship.

If the religion is non-monastic, a shrine will be constructed dedicated to the religion, as well as having a priest appointed. The priest will convert the local population to their respective religion. When two temples are constructed, a holy city will be selected - based on pre-existing towns with a temple already in it - with the highest priest appointed with the holy city. The highest priest will be given a title based on the followed deity's sphere of influence. For example, if "nature" and/or "fruit" is part of a deity's sphere, the highest priest will be given a title such as "The Great Apple" or "The Rigid Tree".

Depending on any villains within the generated world, that villain may plot to bring down any sacred sites connected to a certain religion, especially if it hurts the interest of said villain. In Adventure Mode, if the player enters a tomb, they can be greeted with a slab that reads, "Woe unto any that disturb the resting place of <name> / The <Law-giver/General> is with <deity> but watches still." This heavily implies that an afterlife exists, at least for the mummies.

Spheres of influence

A dwarf meditating on a positive sphere.

A sphere is an aspect where the deity has power and influence. They affect the true nature, creations and possible appearance of a deity. In the game, the mechanics of every sphere have a parent sphere, connected "child" spheres, loosely connected "friend" spheres and precluded spheres that are the antithesis of the aforementioned spheres.

For example, a deity that with a sphere of "beauty" will have a friend sphere of "art", with the precluded spheres being "blight", "disease", "deformity" and "muck". Obviously because the precluded spheres have no connection to beauty usually art as well. It is through these spheres that can make a deity benevolent, loving, helpful and positively influential. Even neutral or only slightly positive deities can provide beautiful things to the mortal world, and by extension, add good and helpful things to the game.

All the spheres in the game can be seen here:

Sphere	Parent spheres	Child spheres	Friend spheres	Precluded spheres	Associated string and properties
AGRICULTURE			FOOD, FERTILITY, RAIN		it looks constantly to the sky for rain
ANIMALS	NATURE	FISH	PLANTS		it growls, buzzes, clicks and generally makes a varied racket
ART		DANCE, MUSIC, PAINTING, POETRY, SONG	INSPIRATION, BEAUTY		it is decorated with intricate patterns
BALANCE					it is perfectly symmetric
BEAUTY			ART	BLIGHT, DEFORMITY, DISEASE, MUCK	it is strikingly beautiful
BIRTH			CHILDREN, CREATION, FAMILY, MARRIAGE, PREGNANCY, REBIRTH, YOUTH		it is covered with a filmy sac
BLIGHT			DISEASE, DEATH	BEAUTY, FOOD, FERTILITY, HEALING	nearby vegetation seem(sic) to shrink away from it
BOUNDARIES		COASTS			the pieces of its body are carefully separated by markings
CAVERNS			MOUNTAINS, EARTH		its moans seem to echo no matter where it resides
CHAOS			WAR	DISCIPLINE, ORDER, LAWS	it spins wildly, lurching and howling
CHARITY			GENEROSITY, SACRIFICE	JEALOUSY	it seems very pleasant
CHILDREN			BIRTH, FAMILY, YOUTH, PREGNANCY		it never misses an opportunity to jump in puddles
COASTS	BOUNDARIES		LAKES, OCEANS		it appears to be covered with rocky crags
CONSOLATION				MISERY	it radiates a sad kindness
COURAGE		VALOR			it makes those around it feel brave
CRAFTS			CREATION, LABOR, METALS		it appears constructed
CREATION			CRAFTS, BIRTH, PREGNANCY, REBIRTH		small objects seem to pop into existence around it
DANCE	ART		FESTIVALS, MUSIC, REVELRY		it whirls, skips and jumps whenever it moves
DARKNESS			NIGHT	DAWN, DAY, LIGHT, TWILIGHT, SUN	it is difficult to see clearly even in bright light
DAWN			SUN, TWILIGHT	NIGHT, DAY, DARKNESS	it always turns to welcome the rise of the sun
DAY			LIGHT, SUN	DARKNESS, NIGHT, DAWN, DUSK DREAMS, NIGHTMARES, TWILIGHT	it hums pleasantly when the sun is high in the sky
DEATH			BLIGHT, DISEASE, MURDER, REBIRTH, SUICIDE, WAR	HEALING, LONGEVITY, YOUTH	it has a rattling exhale
DEFORMITY			DISEASE	BEAUTY	its body is bent and misshapen
DEPRAVITY			LUST	LAWS	it slavers uncontrollably
DISCIPLINE			LAWS, ORDER	CHAOS	it moves with great focus
DISEASE			BLIGHT, DEATH, DEFORMITY	BEAUTY, HEALING	it bears malodorous pustules [ODOR_STRING:death][ODOR_LEVEL:100]
DREAMS			NIGHT, NIGHTMARES	DAY	the details of its form are easily forgotten without deliberate concentration
DUSK			TWILIGHT	NIGHT, DAY	it never looks toward the sun
DUTY			ORDER		it is utterly still when not taking deliberate action
EARTH		METALS, MINERALS, SALT	CAVERNS, MOUNTAINS, VOLCANOS		it looks very solid and stocky
FAMILY			BIRTH, CHILDREN, MARRIAGE, PREGNANCY		it appears to be closely related to every other of its kind
FAME			RUMORS	SILENCE	fanfare follows it wherever it goes
FATE				LUCK	it never appears to be perturbed or surprised by any happening
FERTILITY			AGRICULTURE, FOOD, RAIN	BLIGHT	it appears to be very healthy
FESTIVALS			DANCE, MUSIC, REVELRY, SONG	MISERY	it skips and twirls as it moves
FIRE			METALS, SUN, VOLCANOS	WATER, OCEANS, LAKES, RIVERS	a sheen around it always seems to rise upward
FISH	ANIMALS		OCEANS, LAKES, RIVERS, WATER, FISHING		it only looks comfortable when it is in the water
FISHING			FISH, HUNTING		it always moves carefully around water
FOOD			AGRICULTURE, FERTILITY	BLIGHT	it has the delicious smell of freshly-baked goods [ODOR_STRING:freshly-baked goods][ODOR_LEVEL:100]
FORGIVENESS			MERCY	REVENGE	it is impossible to hold a grudge near it
FORTRESSES			WAR		it is very sturdy-looking
FREEDOM				ORDER	it eagerly moves from place to place
GAMBLING			GAMES, LUCK		it changes between two colors intermittently
GAMES			GAMBLING, LUCK		it giggles at random
GENEROSITY			CHARITY, SACRIFICE		it makes those around it want to give up their possessions
HAPPINESS			REVELRY	MISERY	it seems to smile constantly
HEALING				DISEASE, BLIGHT, DEATH	it is surrounded by a gentle atmosphere
HOSPITALITY					it radiates an aura of welcoming
HUNTING			FISHING		it inspects the ground intently as it moves
INSPIRATION			ART, PAINTING, POETRY		flashes of energy pulse across its surface intermittently
JEALOUSY				CHARITY	it appears to be a very bitter creature
JEWELS			MINERALS, WEALTH		its whole body appears to be faceted in a symmetric fashion
JUSTICE			LAWS		it seems eager to pronounce judgment on others
LABOR			CRAFTS		it appears very deliberate in its actions
LAKES	WATER		COASTS, FISH, OCEANS, RIVERS	FIRE	it moves ponderously
LAWS			DISCIPLINE, JUSTICE, OATHS, ORDER	CHAOS, DEPRAVITY, MURDER, THEFT	it has a very stark look about it
LIES			TREACHERY, TRICKERY	TRUTH	it seems unerringly honest if one does not concentrate
LIGHT			DAY, RAINBOWS, SUN	DARKNESS, TWILIGHT	it returns surrounding light with a new vibrance and intensity
LIGHTNING	WEATHER		RAIN, STORMS, THUNDER		it crackles with energy
LONGEVITY			YOUTH	DEATH	it always seems to be looking far into the distance
LOVE					it stares longingly at those nearby
LOYALTY			OATHS	TREACHERY	it never abandons its companions
LUCK			GAMBLING, GAMES	FATE	it changes direction suddenly at times
LUST			DEPRAVITY		it has an unnerving stare
MARRIAGE			BIRTH, FAMILY, OATHS, PREGNANCY		it heckles those it meets that are not married
MERCY			FORGIVENESS	REVENGE	it always seems like it is on the verge of crying
METALS	EARTH		CRAFTS, FIRE, MINERALS		it appears to have sharp shimmering edges on many parts of its body
MINERALS	EARTH		JEWELS, METALS		it has an angular appearance
MISERY			TORTURE	CONSOLATION, FESTIVALS, REVELRY, HAPPINESS	it has a distinctly depressing moan
MIST					it is difficult to see clearly
MOON			NIGHT, SKY		it changes color with the phases of the moon
MOUNTAINS			CAVERNS, EARTH, VOLCANOS		it is very solidly built
MUCK				BEAUTY	there is a foul reek about it
MURDER			DEATH	LAWS	it cannot abide anything that lives
MUSIC	ART		DANCE, FESTIVALS, REVELRY, SONG	SILENCE	it sounds clear tones as its body moves in time
NATURE		ANIMALS, PLANTS	RAIN, SUN, WATER, WEATHER		it seems most at ease when it is outdoors
NIGHT			DARKNESS, DREAMS, MOON, NIGHTMARES, STARS	DAY, DAWN, DUSK, TWILIGHT	it eerily reflects the light of the stars and moon
NIGHTMARES			DREAMS, NIGHT	DAY	it reminds those that look upon it of their most unpleasant memories
OATHS			LAWS, LOYALTY, MARRIAGE	TREACHERY	it cannot look directly at somebody that has broken an oath
OCEANS	WATER		COASTS, FISH, LAKES, RIVERS, SALT	FIRE	it always raises a part of its body toward the moon
ORDER			DISCIPLINE, DUTY, LAWS	CHAOS, FREEDOM	it moves very stiffly
PAINTING	ART		INSPIRATION		its surface is always enlivened with a refreshing play of color
PEACE					it has an incredibly calm demeanor
PERSUASION			POETRY, SPEECH		it rocks back and forth whenever somebody changes their mind in its presence
PLANTS	NATURE	TREES	ANIMALS, RAIN		it always seems to point toward the sun when it is in the sky
POETRY	ART		INSPIRATION, PERSUASION, SONG, WRITING		it recites verses in a strange language on occasion
PREGNANCY			BIRTH, CHILDREN, CREATION, FAMILY, MARRIAGE		it appears to be expecting
RAIN	WATER, WEATHER		AGRICULTURE, FERTILITY, LIGHTNING, NATURE, PLANTS, RAINBOWS, STORMS, THUNDER, TREES		it leaves water wherever it goes
RAINBOWS	WEATHER		LIGHT, RAIN, SKY		it is strikingly colored
REBIRTH			BIRTH, CREATION, DEATH		it alternates from instant to instant between sluggishness and extreme vibrancy
REVELRY			DANCE, FESTIVALS, HAPPINESS, MUSIC, SONG	MISERY	it moves with a bouncing rhythm
REVENGE				FORGIVENESS, MERCY	it has a fixed and unblinking gaze when interacting
RIVERS	WATER		FISH, LAKES, OCEANS	FIRE	its outer surface seems to flow about its body
RULERSHIP					it is hard to disobey
RUMORS			FAME		it always nods eagerly when somebody is speaking
SACRIFICE			CHARITY, GENEROSITY	WEALTH	it inspires those around it to acts of great sacrifice
SALT	EARTH		OCEANS		it makes nearby water undrinkable
SCHOLARSHIP			WISDOM, WRITING		it always seems to be deep in thought
SEASONS					its form is ever-changing
SILENCE				FAME, MUSIC	it makes absolutely no sound
SKY			MOON, RAINBOWS, SUN, STARS, WEATHER, WIND		it has a slowly shifting pattern on its surface
SONG	ART		FESTIVALS, MUSIC, POETRY, REVELRY		it sings beautiful songs endlessly
SPEECH			PERSUASION		it pays attention carefully to anybody that is speaking
STARS			NIGHT, SKY		it appears to sparkle after night falls
STORMS	WEATHER		LIGHTNING, RAIN, THUNDER		its movement is the sound of wind and rain
STRENGTH					it looks solidly built
SUICIDE			DEATH		it mutters to itself about death
SUN			DAWN, DAY, FIRE, LIGHT, NATURE, SKY	DARKNESS	it is difficult to look at directly
THEFT				LAWS, TRADE	it always seems to have its attention on the most valuable object in the area
THRALLDOM					its movements sound like the rattling of chains
THUNDER	WEATHER		LIGHTNING, RAIN, STORMS		it is incredibly noisy
TORTURE			MISERY		it appears to be covered with sharp hooks and barbs
TRADE			WEALTH	THEFT	it seems most content when a fair wind is blowing
TRAVELERS					it never stops moving completely
TREACHERY			LIES, TRICKERY	LOYALTY, OATHS	it is unsettling to be around
TREES	PLANTS		RAIN		it is top-heavy
TRICKERY			LIES, TREACHERY	TRUTH	it has a tendency to laugh quietly to itself every so often
TRUTH				LIES, TRICKERY	it tenses up throughout its entire body whenever somebody tells a falsehood in its presence
TWILIGHT			DAWN, DUSK	LIGHT, DARKNESS, DAY, NIGHT	it chitters briefly before sunrise and just after nightfall
VALOR	COURAGE		WAR		it always tries to embolden any fighting in its presence with exhortations of bravery, even its foes
VICTORY			WAR		it looks very proud of itself
VOLCANOS			EARTH, FIRE, MOUNTAINS		it seems to glow brightly from within
WAR			CHAOS, DEATH, FORTRESSES, VALOR, VICTORY		it bellows and cheers without pause
WATER		LAKES, OCEANS, RIVERS, RAIN	FISH, NATURE	FIRE	it seems to flow as it moves
WEALTH			JEWELS, TRADE	SACRIFICE	it always seems to be counting something
WEATHER		LIGHTNING, RAIN, RAINBOWS, STORMS, THUNDER, WIND	NATURE, SKY		it changes appearance based on the clouds and precipitation above
WIND	WEATHER		SKY		it is surrounded by an everpresent rush of wind
WISDOM			SCHOLARSHIP		it acts with unwavering calm
WRITING			POETRY, SCHOLARSHIP		it is covered with divine writing
YOUTH			BIRTH, CHILDREN, LONGEVITY	DEATH	it appears spry and vigorous

However, due to some spheres being aligned with evil, dark and negative things, many hostile creatures and followers of deities connected to these spheres have a twisted and warped sense of morality. Many hostile and powerful creatures are connected to the same spheres that do not change between new games and different save files. These creatures (along with the spheres they're connected to) are the following:

• Bogeyman: Misery, night, nightmares
• Bronze colossus: Metals, strength, war
• Cyclops: Light, longevity, minerals, strength, thunder
• Dragon: Fire, wealth
• Ettin: Speech, strength
• Experiment: Deformity, night
• Giant: Food, strength
• Hydra: Muck, rebirth, strength
• Minotaur: Caverns, chaos, darkness, deformity, strength
• Nightmare: Misery, night, nightmares
• Roc: Hunting, sky, wind
• Werebeast: Animals, chaos, moon, night

Strange moods

A possessed dwarf hinting at what he intends to create.

At random times, dwarves will enter a "strange mood", which is an unknown force possessing the mind of a randomly chosen dwarf. It is almost certain that deities are the ones behind the strange moods, or at the very least, connected to the forces that cause them. There are a few conjectural clues that point to deities being the cause of strange moods. Not only is the cause of these moods unknown, but the true reasons for them as well. When a dwarf enters a strange mood, they will immediately stop what they were doing and undergo a complete mindless personality change, withdraw from society, and forcefully claim a workshop to construct an artifact.

These artifacts are random objects made from random materials, which all depend on the mood that captured a dwarf. All artifacts are very expensive, given a unique procedurally-generated name, and fetch a very high price in trading. Artifacts can also be stolen from others via missions, and also stolen from the player if a dwarf accidentally reveals that one is in the player's fortress. Once an artifact is made, the dwarf is then completely freed of the mood, returning to normal, having no memory of what they were doing during the strange mood. If a dwarf is unable to find the necessary building materials within a few months while in a strange mood, they will go insane, and eventually be killed in self-defense or starve, as insanity is permanent in the game. The game does not tell the player what materials are needed during a strange mood.

Deities are the only known beings that would be able to completely possess someone, as there is no creature in the game that is capable of doing this. The single most telling piece of evidence that link strange moods to deities, would be the fact that other types of artifacts exist that are connected to deities, such as slabs containing secrets for necromancers, or being able to banish a demon back to the underworld or bind it to your will. When the game generates history, it can be seen that others were possessed into making artifacts before the events of the game.

Creations

Creatures

There are three types of surroundings/biome in the game's world: good, neutral and evil. The creatures that are connected to a certain deity's spheres will appear in a respective biome. This means a creature connected to positive spheres such as "love", "beauty" and "happiness" would spawn in a good biome. In another example, a bogeyman, which is always connected to the malevolent spheres of "misery", "night" and "nightmares", means that such a creature will spawn in an evil biome.

Demons, angels and megabeasts (specifically titans and forgotten beasts, since they are completely random in appearance) will have their appearance almost completely dictated by what deities and spheres the game assigns to them. For example, a titan connected to the spheres "blight", "balance" and "mist may take the appearance of a rotten flesh-made beast that has a perfectly symmetrical body, with pores that emit mist, making it hard for its predators to see. A megabeast could also be connected to more neutral or positive spheres, but will still be hostile.

Divine materials

There are otherworldly, supernatural materials in the game created by the deities, or other figures connected to them. Either way, these are materials that are not found in the earthly world, and anything created with divine materials are substantially more valuable and/or powerful than their standard counterparts. There are only two types of divine materials: divine metal and divine fabric.

Much like anything else related to deities, their materials are connected to their spheres. The name of the material will be named after and have the properties of its connected sphere. For example, fabric connected to the sphere of "blight" will be called "rotted fabric". Metal connected to "music" will be "singing metal". Finding the materials is extremely challenging, as it can only be found in special vaults.

Before the events of the game, demons constructed these vaults, and deities summoned powerful angels to guard these vaults with the divine materials inside them (and these angels are named with a unique game mechanic known as "divine language"). There are "soldier" variants of these angels, who will wear divine metal as their armor. In the final chamber of a vault, a being known as an "archangel" must be faced, which is the closest thing to a final boss in the game.

Trivia

• Demons summoned under a neutral or positive sphere may appear as morally-balanced visitors to a player's fortress.
• If the game is modified in a way where the world has no deities, sacred vaults won't be guarded by angels like they're supposed to be, since angels must be summoned by deities. Also, vampires, werebeasts and necromancers will not exist, since deities are the beings responsible for giving them their powers in the first place. The lack of spheres associated with the deities also plays a part in that, as spheres will determine the powers and nature of those three creatures.