Veles spoke the Words of Peace, which compelled the gods to no longer make war openly, and induced them to wear masks, that they might not know one another. The Great Serpent warned Aten that the sun need no longer shine from the South if the slaughter of mortals, demigods, and gods did not end. And so the open war of god against god evolved into a quieter struggle, so as not to rouse the Great Serpent to further action.
- Oral History of the World
The gods seem eager to hide their true identity from worshippers, and sometimes pretend to be other gods entirely. This deception is common: Wotan might also be Horus, and Khors might also be Aten as well, and any fool can see that Perun, Mavros, and Thor are clearly brothers if not entirely the same divine wellspring with slightly different avatars.
All this mayhem explains why so many things about the gods remain a mystery. Their names are various and shifting. They wear masks, the better to show themselves as they prefer to be seen, and to avoid being replaced entirely. Sages of the divine order claim that only 30 true gods can exist at any time, and only five within any great city, six in a great kingdom. More than this, and some fall into the ranks of the demons and angels—still powerful, but no longer able to rise to the Heavens or rule in the Eleven Hells. Those who fall from the divine ranks into the realms of demons and devils will do anything to regain their lost standing. Their most common ploys involve much more than animal blood sacrifices—they demand the sacrifice of their followers’ souls and children. These are the dark gods, full of promises, bringing terror to the righteous.
Why so few true gods, and why so many masks? No one is sure. Despite entreaties and the investigations of generations of mortals, the gods of Midgard keep their secrets close. They are a changing family of alliances and betrayals, who regard humans and other mortals as useful tools. All the gods hold tightly to the secrets of how they came to godhood, and they cling to their divinity with all the strength they have—for even gods fade, wither, and die. The gods of Midgard are friendless, and yet the greatest allies of mortals, as well as their greatest foes and betrayers. But above all other concerns, they are turned to face one another, and to most of them the voices of mortals are faint. Their wars and loves are among their own kind. All mortals should know this and be wise, before they choose to walk the path of the priest and the petitioner.