Sigil
Due to the restrictions the Compact places on direct divine intervention, gods must primarily act through mortals (or once-mortals) to enact their designs. This is done by placing a sigil upon a mortal, which appears in the branded slot.
Sigils are marks invested with divine power, granting their bearers longevity and an array of powers appropriate to the purview of their god. In return for these boons, they are typically tasked with furthering the values of their god in some way; this can be in capacities as mundane as a court clerk bearing an iron crown sigil to the famous Champion leader Akraelyn, the Son of Jolinn. It is also possible for a sigiled individual to convert to a different god; this is more common within the trinities of the various lineages. When this happens, their sigil will change to reflect their new deity, though often some trace of the old will be left and will continue to shape their new powers in some way. Finally, it is possible for a person to be stripped of their sigil entirely if they have displeased their deity in some fashion. If this happens outside of a mortal's normal lifespan, and no other deity intervenes on their behalf, they will typically die instantly.
Sigils
Sigils superficially resemble tattoos in the form of iconography associated with the god but are distinctly supernatural in appearance, often moving on their own, glowing, or possessing a sense of indescribable immanence in observers. There is no mistaking a sigil for anything but what it is, and forgery would be beyond the ability of any mortal.
Upon being sigiled, a person may age more slowly, stop aging entirely, or even revert to a younger body. They are immune to the maladies of senescence and are granted resiliency against final death. Sigils often allow their bearers to perform minor miracles, granting boons or performing other seemingly impossible actions. The greater the god's regard, the more power will be invested in the sigil, and the greater the miracles they are able to perform. Sigils are therefore very powerful, and are only given to the most sincerely devoted of a god's followers.
Player characters may pursue and receive sigils of varying levels of power upon reaching level 51. Please send an in-character note to immortal and include the name of the god you are interested in. Please be aware that sigils are not guaranteed, and will require the completion of a storyline or a long-term pattern of excellent roleplay.
Non-god sigils
The School of Heroes employs its own brand of uncertain provenance for graduates. It is not connected to a god and has no divine power.
Some demons, namely the Thirteen Saints of the Void, are known to sigil mortals, but very little is known about the blasphemous rites involved or the benefits of such a thing.
Immortal Divines
Individuals with powerful sigils are broadly referred to as immortal divines, saints, or even demigods, depending on their degree of divine investment and the kind of religious following they attract. The lifespan of any sigiled follower is generally at least a few centuries, but most will eventually begin to age and die. A rare few are made truly immortal, transforming over time into living avatars of a divinity's will, capable of performing true miracles. These individuals tend to be leaders or founders of significant followings or religious sects of a god, performers of great services or deeds in a god's name, or are otherwise exceptional in some way.
Player characters may not be immortal divines, but may become one once the character leaves play.
