Ancient God

The Ancient Gods are powerful beings that once spread chaos throughout the universe in the era before the Transcendents.

History

The Primordial Chaos

In the beginning, the Primordial God made 365 creations - the sun, the moon, the stones, the trees, the wind, the rivers, the seas, and countless others - each adhering to 365 laws that governed the universe. From these 365 creations that made up the world, powerful beings were brought into existence that embodied these natural laws. Over time, these beings were revered as gods by mortals, and ages later, they would be known as the Ancient Gods.

These Ancient Gods were unpredictable and uncontrollable, each with their own independent aims and goals, causing them to come into conflict with each other. Their incredible power and disregard for the natural order created an age of immense chaos that led to devastation and destruction in the mortal world. Unable to abide such chaos, the Primordial God created three beings known as the Overseers in order to restore balance to the universe.

The Ancient War

To defeat the Ancient Gods, the Overseers created a relic known as the World Heart, capable of stripping the gods of their power. The World Heart was given to the elders of Grandis, who used it as a template to mass-produce weaker imitations known as the Godspheres, which responded to the collective determination of the masses in order to channel their power. The elders then fused the Godspheres with certain mortals, which gave them the power to match the Ancient Gods. These mortals became the first Adversaries and fought against the gods in the Ancient War.

Fall of the Ancient Gods

After a fierce struggle, the Adversaries successfully defeated the Ancient Gods. who were cast down from power. To bring absolute order and certainty back to the universe, the Overseers reorganized all of creation such that only three worlds - Maple World, Grandis, and Tynerum - would exist, separated into different dimensions and governed only by the three laws of light, life, and time. In this way, the countless variables that once existed in the era of the Ancient Gods would be removed, creating a fixed and predictable future.

Though the Ancient Gods had been forced into an unnatural slumber, the Overseers feared that they may awaken someday. To prevent this, they created three Transcendents for each world, with each representing one of the three laws of light, life, and time. The Transcendents served as jailors the Ancient Gods and enforcers of order, with their mere existence keeping the gods tethered to dormancy.

End of the Transcendents

Countless centuries later, the White Mage began researching the ultimate light in his quest to bring salvation to humanity. At the end of his research, he discovered that the Overseers had created a fixed future that left the world broken and incomplete. Vowing to defy them, he awakened as the Black Mage - Maple World's Transcendent of Light - and put into motion a plan that would bring about the end of the Transcendents, thus depriving the Overseers of their enforcers of order.

After centuries, the Black Mage succeeded in his plan, which resulted in the elimination of all three Transcendents of Maple World, including himself. With the age of the Transcendents ending, the dimensional barrier between Maple World and Grandis was destroyed, causing the two worlds to merge back into one, just as they had been during the era of the Ancient Gods.

As the Transcendents began falling out of power, the Ancient Gods began reawakening, causing their once-dormant relics to reawaken. With the Ancient Gods returning, the Maple Alliance launched an expedition to find relics of the Ancient Gods, hoping to use the divine power of the relics in their battle against Gerand Darmoor, Grandis' Transcendent of Life.

Soon after the fusion of Maple World and Grandis, Gerand Darmoor led the High Flora on a mission to target and absorb the power of the gods inside special draining crystals. During their quest to stop him, the Adversary recovered the World Heart, which the elders had drained of its power in order to prevent others from misusing it. In order to restore its power to defeat Darmoor, the Adversary began seeking the power of the Ancient Gods and the Transcendents, hoping to absorb that strength and fill the World Heart.

Powers and Weaknesses

Abilities and Properties

Immortality and Invulnerability

As higher beings, the Ancient Gods boast power on a scale that transcends the mortal plane. Because of their nature, the Ancient Gods are incapable of being harmed by any mortal attack. This property led to a popular maxim in ancient times, which stated that only gods had the power to challenge other gods. Like all higher beings, the Ancient Gods were immortal, unable to die unless they were killed by a god or a weapon containing divine power.

Powers and Forms

The Ancient Gods boasted a variety of different powers, with many gods even coming to be associated as the god of a certain domain. One example of this was Mitra, whom many regarded as the Sun God because of her solar powers. During the Ancient War, each god ruled their own domain with their own set of natural laws, which resulted in conflict between the gods quarreling over their laws and beliefs.

Unlike the Overseers, who were abstract, impersonal gods with no shape or form, the Ancient Gods - like the Transcendents - were personal gods, having physical forms that could directly interact with the physical plane. Many of these gods boasted enormous forms, such as Archelon being a tortoise the size of a city, or Satiras being a large dragon. The immense size of these beings added to their legendary status as gods, for which mortals worshiped them as greater powers.

However, according to Rupamo, not all gods boasted such intimidating forms, as some gods were instead small and weak. Nevertheless, their ability to change the natural laws of the world was what gave them the status of gods. Because of this, Rupamo speculated that it was possible that there may even be gods walking amongst mortals, hiding their powers and disguising themselves as ordinary people.

Some gods, such as Mitra, have different aspects, such as how the various sects of Cernium worshiped Mitra in three different forms: Mitra, Spisa, and Nerota. Despite the fact that these forms have different names and abilities, all of them collectively fall under the domain of Mitra as the Sun God, such as Spisa representing sunset and Nerota representing dawn.

Blessings, Holy Relics, and Demigods

Blessings

Like all higher beings, the Ancient Gods were able to pass on their divine powers to mortals, either through the form of blessings or holy relics. Keira was able to bless the waters of Carcion in order to heal and strengthen the Anima under her protection, while Satiras was able to bless the Black Nova with the power of Malice. These blessings are dependent on the strength of the god who bestows them.

During the age of the Transcendents, the waters of Carcion gradually weakened in power with Keira sealed away, and it was presumed that the power of Malice did as well inside the Black Nova. In the case of Mitra's followers, the followers of Spisa lost their flame powers completely. The criteria that determines whether a divine blessing is erased or simply weakened currently remains unknown.

Despite the fact that divine blessings contain the power of the gods, every known instance of such a blessing has been depicted as a weak manifestation of a god's power. These blessings appear to only strengthen mortal abilities to a finite degree, giving them superior power over other mortals, but not a god. Because of this, mortals blessed with the power of a god do not appear to have enough power to match a god in combat.

The following blessings have been seen from Ancient Gods thus far:

• Mitra: Mitra blessed his followers, who worshiped him in his Spisa form, with the power of flame magic. After the fall of the Ancient Gods, the followers of Spisa lost their flame powers completely, resulting in them using explosives to mimic their old abilities. Although their power has not yet been regained, it is possible that Mitra's full awakening may restore their blessings once again.
• Satiras: Satiras bestowed his followers, the Black Nova, with the power of Malice. This power was used by the Black Nova to subjugate the other races of Grandis, though Satiras' fall resulted in the Black Nova being hunted down by those whom they had subjugated. Nevertheless, the Black Nova retained the power of Malice, which continued manifesting over the ages in their descendants.
• Shinsoo: Unlike the other gods, Shinsoo remained awake during the age of the Transcendents and blessed the Cygnus Knights with divine power, allowing them to use powerful skills in conjunction with elemental spirits. Shinsoo also blessed the Soul Shield, which was wielded by the Knight of Light in order to protect the Empress.
• Keira: Keira blessed the waters of Carcion, infusing them with her divine power. By drinking this water, the Anima of Carcion were able to heal their injuries and gain considerable strength. Over the centuries, these blessings began weakening with Keira sealed away, eventually disappearing altogether when Keira used the last of her strength to restore Carcion after the High Flora invaded and stole most of her power.
• Unknown god of Karuppa: The Ancient God of the Karuppa infused their blessings into a holy tree, which was later fashioned into a holy relic by the Karuppa, capable of healing the sick and guiding the lost.

Holy Relics

Holy relics are artifacts infused with the power of the gods. Unlike blessings, holy relics hold a significant amount of divine power, such that a mortal wielding a holy relic can injure or even kill a god. Many of the holy relics of the gods share a specific property, such that the relics will only respond to one whom the followers of that god believe in. For instance, the holy sword of Mitra only recognizes a Chosen One who has the full support of Mitra's followers. This property was adapted by the elders of Grandis when they created the Godspheres, designing them such that they would only respond to collective desire of the entire world, rather than the followers of any specific deity.

Because the holy relics contained immense divine power, these items shared a similar property with the Ancient Gods themselves, rendering them indestructible to anything except the power of a god. One example of this was the holy sword of Mitra, which was only destroyed by the Adversary wielding the power of the Seal Stone, which held the Overseers' power. Similarly, the relics of Archelon - large mechanical sentinels infused with his divine power - were invulnerable to the Adversary's attacks after the destruction of their Seal Stone.

The following holy relics of the Ancient Gods have been seen thus far:

• Mitra: Mitra created the holy sword Azor, which was historically wielded by Celestials. The holy sword was broken during the battle between the Adversary and Seren, who was possessed by Mitra as a result of Gerand Darmoor. Following this, Seren underwent a quest to restore the holy sword, which led her to find a way to repair Azor when she encountered Primacy, a resistance movement against the High Flora.
• Archelon: The holy relics of Archelon were the machines around Hotel Arcus. These robots had immensely complex internal mechanisms, and the largest - sentinels created to protect Archelon's physical body - were infused with his divine power in order to give them immense strength against mortals and gods alike. Though these robots were described as holy relics, it is more likely that they are simply infused with an inordinate amount of divine power, as they do not appear to awaken in response to a worthy wielder.
• Unknown god of the Karuppa: The ancient Karuppa created a compass relic from the holy tree of the god of the Karuppa, capable of healing the sick and guiding the lost. Similar to the relics of Archelon, it is likely that this relic is not a true holy relic, as it was made by mortals from a tree that merely held the blessings of a god. This is supported by the fact that the Pathfinder was chosen by the relic to wield its power, despite the fact that she was held in deep contempt by the Karuppa - the follower of the relic's god - for a long time until the misunderstanding between herself and the Karuppa was cleared up.
• Unknown Gods of the Nova: The Ancient Gods of the Nova created a holy relic known as the Outrigger, which was given to the Nova for their protection. The Outrigger was installed in the throne room of Heliseum, though some of its power was transferred into four sacred stones during the fall of Heliseum, which were later used by the Nova to create the Protective Shield of Pantheon. Despite Magnus' constant attempts, the Outrigger continued rejecting his attempts to seize its power, which Magnus speculated was because the Ancient Gods of the Nova recognized that Magnus had betrayed his people. The Outrigger was later teleported alongside Magnus to an unknown place by an unknown force. The Outrigger also contained the spirit of a dragon named Eskalade, who was moved into one of the sacred stones later claimed by Angelic Buster. The conditions to use Eskalade's power were that the user must be a being of high prestige and reputation, for which Angelic Buster became a magical idol. These conditions are similar to the conditions of most holy relics, in which the relic's power is given to one whom the people believe in.

Demigods

Demigods are beings descended from the gods, wielding a portion of their divine power. The Celestials of Mitra, for instance, were heavenly beings with feathery wings, said to have descended from the heavens when Mitra first appeared in the world. Similar to holy blessings and relics, the source of demigods' powers are their godly ancestor. Because of this, demigods will lose their power if their connection to their god is severed, such as when the Celestials lost their solar abilities when Mitra was sealed away.

In certain writings, the Adversaries were said to have attained the comparative status of demigod after fusing with the Godspheres, although the Adversaries do not trace their ancestry directly the the Overseers, unlike true demigods.

The following demigods have been seen thus far:

• Mitra: The Celestials of Mitra were demigods descended from the heavens. After Mitra was sealed away, the Celestials lost their powers and remained stranded on High Mountain in Grandis, where they continued protecting the holy sword Azor over the ages. Historically, all the Chosen Ones of Mitra have been Celestials, possibly because their status as demigods led to the followers of Mitra regarding them as the most worthy to wield the holy sword.
• Shinsoo (possibly): As an Ancient God, Shinsoo created the Piyos and Mimis in order to carry out her will. Although it is unknown whether these beings can be considered demigods, their status as the executors of Shinsoo's will makes it possible that they can be classified as such. As Shinsoo had lost most of her divine power during the Ancient War, it is possible that the Piyos and the Mimis are weaker than typical demigods as a result of this.
• Guardian Angel Slime (possibly): Although it remains unknown whether the Slime God is truly an Ancient God, if their status as a god is confirmed, it may be possible that their Guardian Angel Slimes may be considered demigods, as they were created by the Slime God and sent down to the world in order to judge the cutest Slime, highly reminiscent of the Celestials descending from the heavens to carry out Mitra's will.
• Sino (possibly): Although it remains unknown whether Sino is truly an Ancient God, if her status as a god is confirmed, it may be possible that her Sky, Cloud, and Wind Guardians are demigods, as they dwell high above the clouds in the Fox God's domain in order to carry out her will, similar to the Celestials and the Guardian Angel Slimes.

Primordial Chaos

One property shared by the Ancient Gods is that their mere existence is a harbinger of chaos. This is largely because of the fact that the gods, as beings with extraordinary power, have the ability to impact the world in a much stronger way than mortals, which gives them higher influence over the course of the future.

As a result of countless gods fighting over their domains, disregarding the natural order and the mortals inhabiting their worlds, chaos naturally manifested in the universe - not only in terms of war, but also in terms of making the future indeterministic, as the gods were unpredictable variables that made the future impossible to predict.

After the Ancient Gods were defeated and sealed away, the Overseers remade the universe to operate on just three universal laws - light, life, and time - enforced in three worlds by three Transcendents each. Because of this, chaos was eradicated and destiny could be manipulated, which the Overseers leveraged in order to prevent the chaos of the gods from reemerging.

Following the end of the Transcendents on Maple World, the Ancient Gods have begun reawakening one by one, with their influence likely resulting in the primordial chaos returning to the universe. However, it is also possible that Darmoor taking the power of the gods from them may result in the future remaining predictable, as the gods cannot create chaos without their power.

Weaknesses

Despite their immense strength, the Ancient Gods have several known weaknesses.

The Transcendents

Arguably, the greatest threat to the Ancient God is the Transcendents. Despite the fact that the Transcendents have never directly fought the gods before, the mere existence of the Transcendents was powerful enough to force the gods into an unnatural slumber, from which they only awakened when the Transcendents disappeared from Maple World. Furthermore, the Transcendents - as higher beings - have the power to match the gods in combat, making them one of the few known beings capable of killing the Ancient Gods.

Adversaries

The Adversaries are the ancient enemies of the gods, created by the elders of Grandis in order to quell the chaos of the world. Stripped of their egos and humanity, the Adversaries were turned into living weapons, existing solely for the purpose of killing the gods. Due to the tenacity of the Adversaries, the gods were defeated and sealed away, after which the Adversaries met their preordained ends. In the present day, the player - after losing their Seal Stone - has lost their status as an Adversary, though they continue posing a threat to the gods with the World Heart, while Darmoor plans to create a new Adversary for his own purposes.

Holy Relics

The holy relics of the gods are powerful enough to kill higher beings, and as such, those who wield these relics can match the Ancient Gods in combat. Although unconfirmed, it is possible that the holy relics were created by the gods so that their champions could defeat enemy gods. In addition to the relics of the gods, the Overseers' relic - the World Heart - has the power to strip a god of their power, and to even absorb such power. Furthermore, draining crystals - offshoots of the Godspheres - have the power to steal the power of the gods as well.

Known Gods

Mitra

<Mitra's Enigma>
The goddess Mitra has many facets.[1]
Though tranquil and quiet in demeanor, Mitra is righteous and benevolent.
But in the face of injustice, her wrath is unparalleled.

Mitra the Sun God is worshipped by Cernium's Royal Family and Mitra's order. Mitra had many facets based on the sun's location throughout the day. Worshipers of old believed that the Sun brought hope at Dawn, justice at Noon, and flaming passion at Sunset. Many of Mitra's followers consisted of Celestials, a race of demigods with wings on their backs and in place of ears. After the Ancient Gods were sealed away, the Sun God's followers split into three different factions that worshipped the sun's different forms. Over the centuries, the origins of the sun's different forms were forgotten and the worshipers would forget that these gods were one and the same. As a result, the worshipers of Dawn would eventually become Dawn Priests that worshipped Nerota, and the worshippers of Sunset would eventually become Flame Priests that worshipped Spisa.

The disappearance of the Ancient Gods also resulted in the Celestials losing their powers and becoming trapped in Grandis, forcing them to settle in a location nearby named High Mountain and form an order dedicated to Mitra. After High Mountain was ravaged by the Apostle of Lightning Havoc, the Celestials spread out, with one of the Celestials named Seren staying dedicated to Mitra's order.

Seren is later appointed guardian of the Holy Sword Azor, Mitra's special sword which can only be wielded by an unknown Chosen One. Cernium's prince Carlisle shows the sword to the Adversary (the player character) and Edea, and suggests that the Adversary attempt to the sword. The Adversary holds the sword, but suddenly faints after sensing overwhelming hostility and resentment from the sword (due to the Adversary wielding the power of the Seal Stone, which was used to seal away the Ancient Gods). An inscription on the sword states that "Salvation is in your own hands", albeit written in a language unknown to many except Aaron, Cernium's High Flora librarian. After Aaron informs the Alliance about the inscription and the truth about Cernium's three gods Mitra, Nerota, and Spisa, Seren takes it upon herself to wield Azor and save Cernium.

During a ceremony where Seren is being appointed the Chosen One, Aaron offers Seren the opportunity to hear the Mitra's voice and whispers an incantation into her ear, imbuing her with Mitra's spirit and powers. Now under Mitra's control, Seren turns to the Adversary and shouts The wrath of the sun is upon you, and battles with the Adversary, injuring everyone in the vicinity. Seren eventually comes to her senses, but not before the Holy Sword Azor is destroyed by the Adversary during their fight. After the battle, Aaron extracts the Adversary's Seal Stone and destroys it, revealing himself as Gerand Darmoor. Afterward, the Maple Alliance is banished from Cernium due to Azor's destruction, despite Carlisle's attempts to defend them. Seren leaves Cernium in search of a way to restore Azor and thanks the Adversary for restoring her faith, despite their battle.

Nerota

Nerota is one of Mitra's lesser forms based on Dawn, manifesting in the form of a majestic blue deer based on. It is said that Nerota only appears to those who possess a tranquil heart, and staring at it will allow one to witness the sun rise between its antlers; however, Nerota would disappear if the person blinks, so the Dawn Priests would train themselves to go long periods of time without blinking. The Dawn Priests, who focused on meditation and tranquility, were at constant odds with the Flame Priests, who focused on creating loud explosions.

During the Chosen Seren boss battle, Seren's Dawn form is based on Nerota. Seren takes on a defensive approach during this form, using Nerota's powers to recover HP as she summons minions to defend her. One of these summons is Nerota's Avatar, which appears in the form of a blue deer that follows and attacks the player (with up to 3 appearing based on how much HP Seren has).

Spisa

Spisa is one of Mitra's lesser forms based on Sunset, focusing on the power of fire. It is said that the priests of old could handle the power of flame-based magic as well, but the disappearance of the gods led to them losing their fire powers. As a result, the remaining Flame Priests chose to honor their god by creating loud explosions with gunpowder, with louder explosions proving one more devoted to Spisa. The Flame Priests were at constant odds with the Dawn Priests as a result of all the loud explosions, which would disrupt the meditation of the Dawn Priests.

During the Chosen Seren boss battle, Seren's Sunset form is based on Spisa, with Seren using various fire-based attacks that deal Damage Over Time while reducing the player's potion recovery by 80%.

Satiras

Satiras the Devil Dragon once ruled Grandis through fear. His followers were known as the Black Nova and gained the power of Malice from worshipping him. After the fall of the Ancient Gods, his followers were mercilessly hunted down by the other races of Grandis. In the present day, Kain and his sister Luska are only two known Black Nova who possess the ability to create Malice Stones. This ability was exploited by the Drakas, an organization in Toolen City, which held its members' memories as collateral in order to exploit their talents.

Archelon

Archelon is a massive turtle-like god that dwells underneath Hotel Arcus. Before the fall of the Ancient Gods, his consciousness was tethered to a robot by an unknown person who claimed to be an acquaintance of the Ancient God in order to ensure that he would remain awake even after his physical body fell into a deep slumber. Even in his robot form, Archelon has the ability to command an army of destructive automatons. He currently works at Hotel Arcus as a bartender for his owner Rusty.

Shinsoo

Shinsoo is the Divine Bird of Ereve who protects the Empress. After the end of the Ancient War, Shinsoo - unlike the other gods - remained awake and was tasked with protecting the bloodline of the Empress, which would one day give rise to a replacement Transcendent, should the need arise. For this reason, Shinsoo created Ereve and the Piyos to protect the Empress, at the cost of expending most of her power. After Damien brought Shinsoo to the verge of death, Cygnus prematurely awakened as a Transcendent-in-reserve, causing Shinsoo to leave Ereve in order to find a way to help Cygnus control her new powers.

During the events of Tenebris, Shinsoo bestowed her power upon Cygnus in order to help her protect the Alliance during the fight against the Black Mage. When the High Flora invaded Maple World, Shinsoo surrendered most of her power to the Adversary, which was absorbed into the World Heart. After Cygnus' Transcendent powers were drained by Reina, Shinsoo gave the remainder of her powers to the Adversary and fell into a deep slumber alongside Cygnus, who had fallen into a coma.

Abraxas

Abraxas, also known as the Abraxas the Watchful God, is a god whose power exists within the Ruins of Memory in the Nihal Desert, where Abraxas observes and records the history of Maple World. Unlike the other Ancient Gods, Abraxas has no physical body, as their true form is the ruins themselves, as well as an immense airship connected to the sanctum. Even after being sealed away, Abraxas continued recording the history of Maple World within magical stone tablets and murals etched upon the walls of the ruins. The airship within the ruins was used by the Heroes to find the Abyss Crystal, though the airship was damaged by Damien and the demon army, causing it to crash in the city of Seoul in Friend World.

Keira

Keira is a river goddess and the guardian of Carcion. A staunch opponent of the Ancient War, Keira retreated to Carcion, a source of immensely pure water, and took in those who were fleeing the chaos of the gods. Keira came to be worshiped by the snake and turtle Anima of Carcion, whom she blessed by infusing the waters with her divine power. Keira was close friends with Gaon, a black tortoise Anima who was chosen by the Overseers to guard the elders of Grandis as one of the Four Symbols. Even before the end of the Ancient War, Keira chose to seal herself away in order to help bring order to the world. After the fusion of Maple World and Grandis, Keira was targeted by the High Flora, who sought to take her powers. Although Keira's powers were stolen, her physical form was saved by the Alliance. Following the battle, Keira and Gaon left on a mission to save two of the Four Symbols kidnapped by the High Flora.

Brihini

Brihini is an Ancient God in the shape of an enormous sea serpent. Brihini is able to create whirlpools the size of an entire mountain range, which were regarded by mortals as natural disasters in themselves. During the Ancient War, Brihini held a deep hatred for the Overseers and grew enraged at Keira because of her refusal to oppose the Overseers. Brihini attacked Carcion in order to kill Keira, but their attack was repelled thanks to the combined efforts of Keira and the Anima of Carcion, though many Anima were killed in the battle.

Enki

Enki is Ancient God of Identisk Island. During the age of the Ancient Gods, Enki blessed the otters of Identisk until the gods fell dormant, after which Identisk split into two islands - Iden in Maple World and Tisk in Grandis. Over the ages, the residents of both islands inadvertently created man-made blessings, which they mistakenly believed had come from their god. After the convergence of the two worlds, Identisk fused back into one island. After Gerand Darmoor began targeting the power of the gods, Enki allowed Avril - who had infiltrated Identisk to steal their divine blessing - to take the man-made blessings in order to make her believe that Identisk had no traces of the gods. Following this, Enki restored the divine blessing of Identisk before leaving the island for the safety of its residents.^[2]

Unknown God of the Karuppa

An unknown god was once worshipped by the Karuppa of Maple World. This Ancient God had a relic carved out a sacred tree and fashioned into a compass, which had the power to heal the sick and help the lost. After the fall of the Ancient Gods, the relic lost its power and fell into dormancy. Eventually, Kirston discovered the relic and attempted to turn back time on it in order to restore its powers. However, because of the Barrier of Time created by Freud, it was impossible to turn back time any further than the point that the the Black Mage had been sealed. The resulting failure placed a curse on the relic. Eventually, the relic was discovered by the Pathfinder, who became cursed by the relic. She learned that the divine power and cursed energy coexisted in the relic, and that she could remove the ancient curse by becoming the true owner of the relic.

Unknown God of Ristonia

An unknown god lies dormant beneath Ristonia. At the High Flora's request, Count Cedric of Ristonia attempted to find the key to awakening this Ancient God. Through the efforts of Adele and Jerome, Cedric was stopped and the key was kept out of the hands of the High Flora. Jerome later undertook a mission alone to hide the key somewhere safe.

Unknown Gods of the Nova

The Ancient Gods of the Nova were responsible for creating the Outrigger, a holy relic given to the Nova for their protection. Despite being sealed away, their will appears to manifest within the Outrigger, which continually rejects Magnus upon recognizing that he had betrayed his people. Although Satiras the Devil Dragon was the patron god of the Black Nova, it is unlikely that Satiras is one of the Ancient Gods of the Nova, who appear to have a benevolent will.

Unknown Absorbed Gods

During the High Flora's attacks throughout Maple World and Grandis, many different Ancient Gods were targeted by the Apostles of Darmoor, who used special red crystals capable of absorbing the power of higher beings, similar to the World Heart. The power of the gods within these crystals would be used by the Apostles throughout the war, though forcibly channeling this power came at a great cost to the user. Known crystals include:

• A crystal used by an unknown Apostle to attack Fox Valley. This crystal was later recovered by Sino, who used it to determine the identity of the Apostle for herself. It is unknown whether this crystal already contained the power of a god, or whether it was empty.
• A crystal used by Reina to invade Ereve. This crystal contained the power of an unknown god, and was later used to absorb the Transcendent powers within Cygnus.
• A crystal was used by Havoc in order to absorb the divine power of Keira.

Possible Gods

There are several other deities in the game that are referred to as Gods/Goddesses, though it is unknown whether it is simply an honorific title or whether these are truly Ancient Gods.

Primordial God

The Primordial God, also known as the Primal God, is the progenitor of all creation, having created the Ancient Gods, the Overseers, and the universe itself. The Primordial God is responsible for the original 365 creations and everything in it. Though little is known about this god, it seems that they have a strong fixation on order, having created the Overseers to quell the chaos caused by the Ancient Gods.

Though they are referred to as a god, it is unknown whether they are classified as an Ancient God, as they predate the existence of the Ancient Gods and actively worked against them.

Sino the Fox God

Sino is the Fox God and the patron deity of Pointy-Ear Foxes of Vulpes. She bestows the power of spirits upon the Pointy-Ear Foxes so that they can hunt and protect themselves. Due to the actions of an unknown Apostle of Darmoor, her vision was blocked, preventing her from seeing the Apostle's plan to drown the Anima in a large flood. Thanks to the efforts of Maru and the player character, she was woken from her slumber and used her powers to save the village. After discovering that her blocked vision and the flood were the result of the Apostle, she decided to visit the elders in the realm of the sages.

Though Sino is referred to as a god, it is unlikely that she is an Ancient God, as she is shown to be active and awake while the Transcendents are still in power, which directly contradicts what is known about the Ancient Gods. Due to her affinity with spirits, it is possible that Sino is actually a powerful spirit who protects the Anima.

The Slime God

The Slime God, also known as the God of Slimes, is said to be the patron deity of the Slimes. Long ago, Slimes were said to have been one being that admired its cuteness by contorting its body until it twisted too far and exploded, raining goo down upon the world that took form as smaller Slime monsters. Since then, the God of Slimes has tasked the Slimes with cherishing their cuteness. The Slime God is said to immortalize the cutest Slime by turning them to stone in their cutest moment, thus making them into a monument that towers over Ramuramu Village. It is also a legend of the village that the Guardian Angel Slime in service of the Slime God would descend from the sky to crown the cutest Slime and deliver them to paradise.

It is unknown whether this god is an Ancient God or whether it might be a powerful spirit, similar to Sino. That its Guardian Angel Slime still retains its power during the time of the Transcendents when Mitra's Celestials have lost their power may suggest that the Slime God is not an Ancient God.

Goddess of Maple World

This Goddess is the spirit and protector of Maple World. Her spirit dwells in a large Maple Tree on Maple Island. During the Ancient War, the Goddess of Maple World incarnated as a human girl named Sugar in order to help guide the First Explorer in his destiny as an Adversary. In the present day, the Goddess once again incarnated as Sugar in order to help the Explorer. She is also one of the three Goddesses that the player character must visit in order to complete their 5th Job Advancement and can be found in the Horizon Portal in the Bowman Instructional School. In order to obtain her Arcane Stone, she simply asks the player a question about what they value most.

Similar to Sino, it is unlikely that the Goddess is an Ancient God, as she is active during the time of the Transcendents. As she is also known as the Spirit of Maple World, it may be possible that she is a spirit manifestation of the world itself.

Goddess of Grandis

This Goddess is the spirit and protector of Grandis. She is one of the three Goddesses that the player character must visit in order to complete their 5th Job Advancement and can be found in the Horizon Portal in the Great Temple of Pantheon. Unlike the other Goddesses, her appearance varies depending on the player character. For the Nova and the people of Maple World, she appears in her Nova form. Otherwise, she appears as a Verdant Flora to all Flora characters and a Rabbit Anima to the Anima characters. She asks the player to defeat Magnus in order to obtain her Arcane Stone.

Like the other Goddesses, it is likely that she is merely a spirit manifestation of Grandis, rather than an Ancient God.

Goddess of Tynerum

This Goddess is the spirit and protector of Tynerum. She is one of the three Goddesses that the player character must visit in order to complete their 5th Job Advancement. Though she is the Goddess of Tynerum, she appears the Horizon Portal at the Dark World Tree, located in Maple World.

Like the other Goddesses, it is likely that she is merely a spirit manifestation of Tynerum, rather than an Ancient God.

The Goddess (Minerva)

Minerva, known simply as 'the Goddess' to most, is a deity well-known throughout Maple World. Orbis Tower was built with a statue of the Goddess at the top. Eliza was known to the people of Orbis as the Goddess' pet. If an Explorer reaches level 200, they receive a blessing from the Goddess by visiting her statue, granting them the skill Hero's Echo.

The Twilight of Gods Statues

In Zero's storyline, it is revealed that the Dusk Temple is said to be a place filled with the remnants of old gods that predate Rhinne. The Monster Book description of Pink Bean also states that he is able to bring back the power of the old gods by causing the five statues of Solomon the Wise, Rex the Wise, Hugin, Munin, and Ariel to move again. Although Zero's storyline predates the lore about the Ancient Gods, the information described in the story is consistent with the Ancient Gods, making it possible that these gods - who dwell in the Twilight of Gods, before the era of the Transcendents - are actually Ancient Gods who've fallen dormant.

Unknown Attacker of the Black Tortoise Anima

A large golem-like creature attacked and wiped out the black tortoise Anima at the beginning of the Ancient War, leaving Gaon as the last survivor. Given that Gaon expressed a hatred of the gods for their wanton chaos following this incident, it is likely that this creature was an Ancient God.

Unknown Anglerfish Monster

An enormous anglerfish was encountered by Alter after he sank into the sea. The light of this anglerfish helped Alter create Karote in order to escape the ocean. Given the size and power of this creature, it is possible that the anglerfish was an Ancient God.

Eskalade

The spirit of Eskalade dwelled within the Outrigger until he - along with a portion of the Outrigger's power - was transferred into the four sacred stones of Pantheon. When Tear first met Eskalade, she asked him whether he was a god who dwelled within the sacred stone, to which Eskalade told her that she she could consider him to be akin to one. However, Eskalade claimed that much of his memory and power had been lost during his time within the sacred stone.

Eskalade revealed that in order to claim his power - and the power of the sacred stone - Tear would need to become one who held great standing and fame amongst the people. Though Eskalade claims that this is a remnant of his own desire to be famed, this condition to use the power of the sacred stone - stemming from a holy relic of the Ancient Gods - is highly similar to the activation requirements of most holy relics, which is that their power seeks out one whom the people believe in. Because of this, it is highly likely that Eskalade is an Ancient God, or a being who wields their power.

Trivia

• Despite being known as the Goddess of Time, is is certain that Rhinne is not an Ancient God, as her existence as the Transcendent of Time is directly opposed to the nature of the Ancient Gods, existing as their fundamental opposite.
• Many of the known Ancient Gods derive their names from real-world inspiration:
  • Mitra is both another name and an aspect of Surya, the Hindu god of the sun. Surya has several different aspects, which likely served as the inspiration of Mitra having Nerota and Spisa as her own aspects.
  • Archelon is an extinct marine turtle and the largest turtle ever to be document, which was likely meant to allude to Archelon's physical body being an enormous, fortress-like turtle.
  • Abraxas, in Gnostic practices, is considered the supreme God who rules over the 365 spheres. This is likely the inspiration for the concept of the 365 Ancient Gods, as well as Abraxas' significance in the original Heroes of Maple storyline as the only god permitted to remain awake in the era of the Transcendents.

References