The Court of Heaven

Following the events as described by "The Destiny of the Twelve," the Mystic Era of Tian Wu Yan began with the gift of magic spreading across the mortal realm. A new realm would be born from this event, the Celestial Plane (known colloquially as 'Heaven'), where all beings of myth and legend reside. Its leaders would be none other than the ones who had given birth to it, the All-King and his Lovers, who were now legendary figures themselves. Together, they formed the Court of Heaven, and oversaw the ebb and flow of magic between the two realms from within the All-King's Palace in Heaven.

Structure

The All-King is the most powerful member of the court and is the thread that binds them all together. Each of the Lovers has their own intimate relationships with the All-King, and sometimes, with one another. They all consider each other equals, but defer to the All-King when making final decisions.
Only ten Lovers remain to rule with All-King. His First Lover, aptly named "the First," was an enigmatic figure who disappeared once magic flooded the world, and his last, "the Ordinary," died prior to the creation of an afterlife that coincided with the appearance of the Celestial Plane.

Culture

The Celestial Plane can be understood as an ecosystem of mythologies interacting with one another in a shared coexistence. As myths and legends evolve through time and are interpreted and reinterpreted by different peoples, the fluid celestial plane shifts in turn. A single creature could be known by several different names, or have many slightly different forms, all dependent on the culture that defines it. The same can be said of the Court of Heaven and how different interpretations of the Destiny of the Twelve affect its members.
Though real people and their adventures were documented in the Destiny of the Twelve, it is how that narrative has been passed down and filtered through various sociocultural lenses which determines the shape of the Court. Each Lover represents not one, but several species and ethnicities all at once. For example, the Passionate is commonly associated with the Orcish and Goblinoid species of Tian Wu Yan. His form reflects those beliefs, and he becomes an ever-shifting amalgamation of those species' defining traits, such as green skin and tusks.
However, the personality of the Lovers tends to be consistent, as they are interpreted similarly by most people. There may be small details that change between different versions of the Destiny of the Twelve, but overall, their character is constant.
With all this being said, the Court of Heaven is built upon a foundation of mutual respect and understanding. Though they are eleven divine individuals total, the members can effectively speak for all of mortalkind. It is not an easy task overseeing the celestial plane and the flow of magic, but it is one done with the utmost care.
Or at least, before the Chaos struck.

Public Agenda

Magic used by mortalkind to shape the world is energy generated from the celestial plane. Faith, belief, and narrative from the mortal realm are absorbed by the inhabitants of heaven and are transformed into pure magic. To prevent the misuse of magic for nefarious purposes within the mortal realm, the Court of Heaven upholds the balance of power in the celestial plane. The deities and legends imagined and worshipped by mortals, both evil and good, are kept under close scrutiny by the All-King and his Lovers.

History

From the Court's inception in Year 1 of the Mystic Era all the way to advent of the apocalyptic Chaos 350 years later, both realms of Tian Wu Yan were more or less stable. When the Chaos struck, mortalkind was nearly wiped out, having been overrun by countless waves of Chaos Monsters. The people of Tian Wu Yan made their final stand in the human city-state of Fengqi, and aided by members of the Court of Heaven, they were able to seal themselves from the ravaged world beyond.
However, it was from that point onward that the entire Court became dormant for almost a century. Though their influence could still be felt amongst their followers in the mortal realm, they practically disappeared from heaven during that time. When they finally returned, each member was but a cold facade of their former selves, devoid of love that was their namesake.

Founding Date

1 Mystic

Type

Religious, Pantheon

Alternative Names

The Twelve, The Divine Harem, The Lovers

Leader

The All-King