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Divine Countenance is an extension of the Godborn Page, where it explains a process by which specific Gods create offspring. While most Gods engage in conventional relations with mortals which sometimes result in someone conceiving a child, some Gods specifically do not have direct contact with mortals, instead using ritual proxies. Divine Countenance is simply put, the idea that a specific object used ritually can take on qualities of a God, and thus impose a God's will and presence onto a mortal body, thus allowing indirect intimate contact that can result in offspring. This differs from relations with Gods and Mortals conventionally, in that those do not always result in offspring, while Divine Countenance does, that is its purpose.
Function
Divine Countenance works through so-called pseudo-Proxy-Artifacts, objects which have either been blessed by the God (or Demon) in question to act like a conduit to their soul, or been blessed by the priests to achieve the same outcome. For each God, such an Artifact might appear different or function differently but generally speaking, it is something you put on, after which that God's soul takes control of your body, and acts through you. This can sometimes result in you experiencing heightened states of divine power or capability, albeit with you being unaware, or unable to act. After the deed of conceiving a child is done, the spirit of the God departs, and the Artifact becomes inert, having completed the ritual. It should be stated that this strictly works through the act of consent, a God's spirit cannot be forced on someone who does not fully understand what is happening, and consent to every aspect of what is happening with full capability to reason. These Artifacts are usually stored in Temples for wider usage. When a person is essentially possessed by the God who resides in the Artifact by proxy, their personality and demeanor change, and they speak with two voices, the mortal and the divine. Whether or not the person wearing the Artifact fully remembers everything that happened differs per encounter and the intention of the encounter. The more likely the God is doing it out of charity or pity, the less likely it is that the person carrying the Artifact will remember, and vice versa.
Variants
Belialus's Divine Countenance
Belialus's Divine Countenance is called the Mask of Amandaros, which is a divine blessed mask created by Belialus and preserved by the Evintarian priests. For Belialus, the idea that all inhabitants of the world of Aloria should be allowed to experience the full complexities of life extends itself to the thought that Demons should also be allowed to feel the joy of intimate encounters, and child-birth. It furthermore extends onto the idea that even the world of Aloria itself inflicts this cruelty of denying the joys of childbirth onto random couples who are unable to conceive, or unwilling to perform the act for whatever reason. Belialus believes that everyone should be able to enjoy this aspect of life, and so the Mask of Amandaros is worn to invoke his Spirit and use him as a proxy to conceive. Such a child will always be a Belialus Godborn.
Gilan's Divine Countenance
Gilan's Divine Countenance is the Crown of Summerheat, which is a divinely blessed antlered crown created by Gilan and preserved by the Selvath ritualists in their forest communes. Gilan's ideals of sharing intimacy with mortals are far more selfish than for example Belialus's. Unlike Belialus, Gilan is not interested in sweeping gestures of charity, but purely in the act of carnal intimacy. To Gilan, there is no greater form of spiritual adoration than to surrender one's intimate body to him, and he greatly cherishes this act and the intention behind it. The by-product of there being Gilan Godborn that comes into existence through what his worshipers call the Wyld Love is considered a happy accident. Unlike Belialus also, Gilan is a frequent return visitor for those who like using the Crown of Summerheat, so much so that frequent users are called Wyld Paramours (which is seen as a compliment).
Khannar's Divine Countenance
Khannar's Divine Countenance is the Spear of Malice, which is a divinely blessed glowing green spear of which the origin is unclear. It is said that each spear is one of the original spears used to hurt Khannar during the Dewamenet-Allorn war, but this cannot be ascertained. These spears are usually kept in the basements of all the largest Khama Temples across the world, meaning that the faithful have access to these Countenances widely. Few mortals are brave enough to pick up the spear, but some are driven by such melancholy, hatred, or misery from the history of the Asha people, that they enter the Khama temple, and request access to Khannar's sanctuary. Priests usually talk to the person to ensure they know what they are getting into and are suitable, and if that judgement is deemed correct, then this person is permitted in. Once inside, the act is as simple as lifting one of the spears from their pedestals, and raising it to the sky while promising vengeance. In that act, Khannar imbues that person with Godborn status to himself, and binds them to vengeance, thus becoming Khannar Godborn and taking the spear with them. Khannar Godborn status is the only type of Godborn that is reversible, as Khannar can retrieve the spear either if the Godborn has become tired or defeated, or betrayed vengeance.