Apotheosis
Apotheosis - the ascension of a being or entity to divine status.
God of the River; Illustrator: Tommy Graven
You are a spirit, and the world is young. It is for you to manifest the wishes of the people, carving the landscape out of their dreams, and expressing your might through acts of divinity. As your following of worshipers grows, so too will your power. But you are not the only spirit at work in the world. Others vie for the deific elevation you seek: the ascension to godhood, and an eternal place in the halls of the heavens.
God of Fire; Illustrator: Yagiz Erturk
Sculpt the earth. Seed populations upon it. Inspire them into your service. Awe them with your power. Build shrines and temples to your glory. And should the worshipers of rival spirits contend with you, show them the fervor of your people in battle. Ascend, and claim the throne in the heavens for your own.
The Game:
Apotheosis is a strategy game for 2-4 players. Played over the course of five to ten centuries (rounds), players use tile-laying mechanics to build the world together, creating populations to inhabit those varied land tiles. Building shrines allows you to convert people to worship you, and increases your divine Influence, granting you the ability to play powerful divinity cards to express your might or benevolence; make the harvests plentiful or smite your foes with lightning, protect your worshipers from calamities or compel them to bloody battle with one another.
Once you have achieved a certain level of status, you will accordingly be able to claim titles and ascend to godhood, becoming the god of the forest or the sea, fire or the storm, knowledge or death, and so on. After several centuries, you may be the god of several places, powers, or concepts, and you will exercise the abilities those titles grant you to further increase your Renown.
At the end of the established number of centuries, a final clash of the gods will have players rapidly competing to seize the remaining unclaimed titles and tip the scales in their favor, with the winner claiming their seat on the throne in the Heavens.