Welcome to Gaia! ::

Name: Finar-si
Gender: Female
Goddess of: Change
Powers: She can have a subtle paw almost anywhere. She can prompt the change of things; whether it the change of the seasons or the growth of a flower or creature. However, she is unneeded for any of these things to happen naturally. She can just...nudge them along when she wants to.

Name: Hestia (no image)
Gender: Female
Goddess of: Birds
Powers: She is less a goddess than more of a queen/caretaker of all avian kind. She cannot directly control their actions, but she's held enough in awe by many of them so that direct control is often unnecessary. She was the First avian to be created, and is one of the older goddesses.

Name: Shababu'bwana 'The Storm God' (no image)
Gender: Male
God of: Storms
Powers: It's he who makes the storms...of thunder, lightning, and desert. He has the power to alter the course of a storm, and he generally follows the wind that brings the rain. He has the power to create storms...and dissipate them, too, if need be.

Name: Tanaka
Gender: Male
God of: Conflict
Powers: Conflict, adversity, strife, war, negativity, Tanaka's paws are in these things. Though he may not directly create them, he does guide the path and sows the seeds that lead to them. Because of this, his abilities like in the metal and psychological realm. Tanaka's main power is a form of mind control, but it is not so simple as that. He does not take over, but instead plants emotions and thoughts in the targeted mind. He could make one feel an overwealming sense of fear, hatred, desire, sorrow, even joy if he so chose though he generally focuses on negative emotions. He could also make one think of something they may not have before such a cheating, murder, sleeping with someoen they shouldn't. Though he cannot make them act on those thoughts, he can bring them to the front of the target's mind. The weaker the mind, the stronger the control, and the more of specific emotion, the more amplified it becomes.

Besides this one major power, Tanaka can radiate a dark aura that carries fear, terror, darkness, and the smell of blood, a feeling a being in hell itself as it were. He can also stir up the smell of blood on it's own.

He is an unusually massive lion, far larger than average, his physical strength derived solely from his size. Having no wings, he cannot fly, but he can jump farther and higher than a mortal of his size could.

Name: Kiva
Gender: Female
Goddess of: Unity
Powers:

Primary power: Unity -- With her symbolic alignment Kiva is able to strengthen or weaken the bonds that tie beings together. Like other gods or goddesses with psychological ties she is more specialized in the emotional being of others, rather than the physical. She can strengthen the emotional ties to bring others closer together, or weaken them to push them apart.** This might be useful if a relationship is harmful to someone, and they're too blinded to see that it's hurting them. Last, she can mildly feel bonds from those she meets. For instance, she could tell if one lion felt strongly towards another, but wouldn't be able to tell what type of relationship it was, only that there was a bond there, of some kind.

** [She can only strengthen or weaken certain existing emotions, she can't implant feelings that aren't there. The feelings that she can strengthen or weaken include: Love, infatuation/like/want/lust, loyalty, fear, anger, and hate.]

The second half of this is her ability to "call" to others, no matter the distance. This isn't a direct "power", like the first half, however. It starts off weaker due to her newly reincarnated state/younger age, but at her prime she can call across the continent if she truely concentrates. This "Call" does not gurantee that the recipient will answer, only that they will feel a sudden urge to be someplace in particular, or with someone in particular. She doesn't usually put solid ideas in their head, but rather, the basic and simple urge, and perhaps a vague picture of the place or person. This can be more specific in state of emergency. Likewise she can use this power to call to lesser creatures than lions or the other "Full SOA's". Familiars and insects, and such might be drawn in her direction if she calls them.

Secondary Notes: Kiva is a reverse-empath. When she's around others they'll experience a calming, soothing feeling if they are in any state of extreme distress. When Kiva is feeling extremely happy, angry, or sad this replaces the feeling of soothing/peace/contentment. Creatures with more empathetic natures (Such as Tai, who is extremely empathetic towards others) are the ones most affected by this. Others (such as Mteule, who is somewhat aloof and detached) will be able to feel it, but won't be affected by it. This is more or less her aura, which comes with the territory of "controlling" an abstract concept rather than an actual solid element. When she's in an extremely joyus mood, nearby birds might be compelled to sing. When she is extremely angry or displeased nearby beasts might grow restless. Likewise, when she is extremely sad nearby canines might be compelled to howl, feeling an unexplainable wash of sorrow. Again, the range of this "power" will grow as does Kiva and her strength.

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Name: Teuli'ukilia; Final Silence
Gender: Female
Goddess of: Sacrifice
Powers: Teuli came to power the same way that her powers work. "I will give you my soul's immortality, and take your broken mortality, if you will take on my responsibilities." The goddess said to her on that early morning, just before the sun rose on the horizon. She did not know why, but she was glad to aide the tired soul, who had grown so weary of reincarnating over the years.

This is Teuli'ukilia's only true gift. Some believe that she works hand in hand with the goddess of Duty (Bathsheba), but this isn't really the case. Bathsheba appears to those dying in the name of their duty. Teuli'ukilia appears to those who make great sacrifices in life. There have been instances when both the keeper of Duty and the bearer of Sacrifice have crossed paths at the same mortal's dying grounds, but it is rare. What makes this sadly ironic, even, is that the two are related by blood. Bathsheba is the niece of Teuli'ukilia.

Teuli's lesser abilities allow her to make mostly short term pacts, taking sacrifices as payment. If one wishes to, they can come directly to her to make a sacrifice in exchange for a wish or favor. (The alternative is to go to whatever god or goddess they believe in/is available and do things the "old fashioned way".) She accepts sacrifices and grants the wishes of the person making the offering, though the wish granted might not always be what the person expected. For instance, if they wish for rain for their lands to flourish, they might get a monsoon season and their lands may just flood. How much rain they recieve is entirely up to the rain goddess, and if the rain goddess will not comply then Teuli may go to the next readily available source, such as the storm god. Should she be unable to compensate for the sacrifice, however, she feels the physical repucussions.

Teuli does not control the domains regarding these wishes, she merely acts as "middle-man/woman/goddess/lioness" by relaying the sacrifices. Like a barter system. They give her something she wants, and in turn she'll try to grant them a favor or wish.

sense someone in a position where they're preparing to sacrifice themselves, or something of high value in their life (love, a cherished posession, freedom, admiration, popularity even). As with all other gods and goddesses she also has the ability to fly without the use of wings. This is particularly important since she does not have wings that can actually carry her weight. Her wings are two disembodied pinions of flame, hovering above swirling points over each shoulder. Her tail is the same. These flames are suceptible to water. When they're wet (such as by rain) she becomes physically weak, nautious, and in severe cases, paralyzed. Should these ever be completely soaked Teuli's life will end, and she'd have to be reincarnated and begin anew.

Primary power: Her ability to sacrifice her, or a body, it's mortal or immortal soul, and any powers, strengths, or weaknesses by switching her own or it's own place with another. When a god or goddess is involved the other creature must be mortal for this to work, though species does not matter. They will take on the current form of whomever they switch with, however. If either party is dying or ill at the time of the switch, that is the condition that the recipient will get when the switch is complete.

Name: Mrost
Gender: Male
God of: War
Powers: Mrost's powers are rarely displayed as they almost all reside in the physical realm. His battle prowess is almost unrivalled and while he still has followers, he would be extremely difficult to kill in a mass battle. On his own however, or with few followers, he is very vulnerable. His large size does not hinder his movement, nor does his armour and he can still move with surprising speed when he has to.

Mentally his powers consist of being able to "feel" other people nearby. The stronger their ambition, the more he can feel their minds. In the case of someone who is extremely ambitious he can sometimes pick up on their desires and things that would drive them to fight. Primarily however it's a mental GPS to find his followers.

He can also sense memories of battles gone by, seeing snapshots of the battles that raged there, be they between two family members or between and entire civilisation of humans.

Name: Anansi
Gender: Male
God of: Trickery
Powers:
-Anansi, mytholicicly, is the 'wise fool'. His most notable power is the ability to shapeshift, taking several forms, usualy that of an Spider, an Old man with six arms (and two legs, ending in the eight limbs of a spider), and the great grey maned Lion he's known as. In each of these forms he becomes the actual animal (or god-lion) that he resembles, and can speak normaly in Human form, often trying to use this against Humans.
-Anansi's second gift, or perhaps downfall...or could it be both? Is his greed and vorasious appetite, which in many "Spider Stories" has gotten him into a lot of trouble. Anansi can eat amounts utterly unproportional to his size, though it makes him rather fat in the belly, and if he's someplace he's not supposed to be, this has in the past made it sort of hard to get out again should he forget that he can just shapeshift and skitter away. Otherwise he's very thin and perhaps a little starved looking, though like an insect he's more powerful than he appears.
-A Story! A Story!: This cry often precedes Anansi's favorate occupation, regailing the stories of his escapades. Weather he weaves the tale to a living audience (usualy in exchange for food) or strings his webs out in delicate thread thin dreams to his followers, Anansi can spin an beautiful tale as bright as dew glittering on spider webs, and considers all stories 'Spider Stories', claiming to have stolen them from the Sky God. What the Sky God may have to say on this is another question. Anansi IS the God of Trickery after all, and a little too proud sometimes. This is less a power than clever story telling, and one of the things he's very proud of in himself. Actually....Anansi is just generaly proud of himself....
-Trickery: Anansi's favorate take on the illusionary gift is his silvery tounge, which he uses to try and subtly convince people to do things they otherwise might not. This strange tendensy to make people take strange risks tends to work more often than not (though there is a chanse that someone snap out of it...), tricking snakes into being tied to a stick, Wasps into gourds....and his favorate trick....getting people stuck to Tar-babies, which me may use the Gods basic illusions to make look more real.
USUALY these tricks are harmless but enormously humiliating, but there are stories of Anansi -eating- fellow avatars, slightly hair raising tales that may cause some sense of caution around the 'old man'. But then again...this is also the god who's followers regail as being nearly cooked in a Yam pot.....

Name: Bahari'nswi
Gender: Male
God of: Fish
Powers: Bahari'nswi has been around in some form since around dawn of time, when the very first fish came into existance. Over the millions of years, and over many lifetimes, he has evolved and changed in appearence. His powers aren't exactly astonishing, but he's never thought anything of it.

He can breathe and talk underwater, and is a brilliant swimmer. In and out of the water, he can blow bubbles, mostly for his own amusement. He can also create rainbows by splashing the water with his paws or his tail. He also has the default ability of flight, or as he likes to think of it, the ability to swim through the sky.

In regards to fish, since he is responsible for their creation, he can talk to them and alter them in any way he sees fit.

In regards to lions, as well as the default ability to mask his true form as well as the form of another, he can give a lion temporary gills and webbed paws, so that they're able to breathe and swim easily under water.

Name: Mtima'safi
Gender: Female
Goddess of: Souls
Powers: Karma reading; Karma is considered to be a distinctive aura or feeling about a person, or it could be considered destiny. Mtima has the ability to read one's aura: She can tell the basics of personality, mainly if a creature is good/bad or friendly/unfriendly.

Soul recognition; Mtima'safi never forgets someone she meets, or so she says. Just as one can recognize someone they've seen or met before, Mtima can recognize souls that she has encountered before. This refers mainly to reincarnation, where the soul simply moves on to another body, but may also refer to those who have changed, or are hiding, their appearance (as with illusion.)

Random; If ever the goddess comes into contact with a creature who is pregnant, she would immediately be able to tell that she is in the presence of one who is expecting. Not only that, but with each little life having a soul of it's own, she'd be able to tell how many babies are being expected.

Those are just specific abilities she has. Her connection to the soul lies in the soul's connection to life, the non-physical qualities that make up one's personality and being. It is her who guards this state of being, in a sense- guides the souls to life. She cannot affect the souls, as in change qualities.

(( I find it helps explain:

The soul is not a physical entity, but instead refers to everything about us that is not physical - our values, memories, identity, sense of humor. Since the soul represents the parts of the human being that are not physical, it cannot get sick, it cannot die, it cannot disappear. In short, the soul is immortal. --- Harold Kushner ))