The second type of god are exalted. Exalted occupy a position somewhere above mortals but below gods. They are considered the pinnacle of human accomplishment, and after they die, they persist as powerful spirits which can be understood though a path of complex esoterica left behind after their death known as rites. Studying the rites of a particular exalted is a path to obtaining power by walking the path they first tread. The rites are cumulative, and previous students of the rites add to them, subsequently adding to the power of the exalted. For this reason, the rites of older exalted often are more powerful.
Unlike true gods, the exalted are safe to worship without the risk of going insane and turning into some abomination or having to make blood sacrifices. They exist somewhere between ghosts and schools of thought. They are sleeping, please do not try to wake them up. Just let them nap. The Church of Radiant Light and the Vannaran Circles often worship exalted as a middle ground between the true gods and mortals. This makes worship much safer, and spares the mortals from the requirements and influences True Gods have.
The rites are kept by cults dedicated to each exalted, entry is often restrictive. There is no one list of exalted, and little consensus on which ones qualify and which ones do not. The ones listed here are some of the most significant. This list is incomplete, and it is a very open place to come up with something that feels missing, or that you think would be interesting to interact with. If you have an idea for a god that is not listed, please pitch it to me and I will add it. I also reserve the right to add to this list if I have a neat idea randomly.