Born from the cooling embers of the earth's creation, the Astreans realized their immortality was finite. To preserve the cosmic balance, they instituted the 'Law of the Vessel', decreeing that their power must periodically pass to mortals who prove their worth through trial and blood.

The Astreans dwell in the Empyrean Spire, a realm physically visible as a shimmering aurora. Below them is the Mortal Coil, and between the two lies the Proving Grounds where the Festival of Ascension occurs.

A competitive hierarchy. Deities act as mentors and patrons to specific nations, while Aetheris the Arbiter remains detached to oversee the integrity of the succession tournament.

Deeply symbiotic. Mortals pray not just for favor but for the chance to be 'Touched' by an Astrean. Religious life revolves around the training and glorification of the local champion.

The 'Hall of the Inheritors' houses the souls of failed champions, while the common dead pass into the 'Sea of Stars' to be recycled into raw mana for the next generation of gods.