Divine War

For a short time near the beginning of all things, the Aviri and the Shali were in harmony. But every week they would stage a battle of cosmic proportions in arenas and environs set high in the skies or in the deepest depths, where the mortal world would not be affected by the mock battle. Even still, when the ground shakes for no apparent reason, depending on the day, it is assumed to be a side effect of divine sport. When the arcanists--mortals brought into the heavenly realm and its associated roles and duties--arrived, they were added to the games.
Early humans knew of the existence of the games because they were in communion with the beings who played them, and it was only a matter of time after strong human settlements were established before someone had the idea to make their own game based on the heavenly beings who had blessed them with conditions allowing for such luxuries.

Components

The pieces for the game range from simple pebbles designated as the different divines, to intricate carvings and statues of exquisite craftsmanship based on the culture's experiential or imagined likeness for that divine. Likewise the environments and arenas range from a flat plot of ground with stones and debri placed strategically, to intricate parks, tables, and even palace floors designed for the game, with components crafted for stone, foliage, and tree elements on the game board or map. There are even transportable versions of the game with special coins depicting each divine, and wooden chips depicting obstacles and elements of the map.

Setup

Players take turns choosing the Aviri for their team, and gathering the associated Shali and Arcanists, as each Shali and Arcanist is associated with one or two Aviri. There can be a range from two to twelve players, with fewer Aviri in play or on each team when there are more players. One player takes the role of providence, or fate, and arranges the board to allow for an interesting battle. When the arena has been accepted by at least two thirds of the players, the battle commences. Players place their divines within selected starting boundaries, then decide turn order based on the traditional birth order of the deities in play.

Gameplay

Note: This is intentionally vague because I haven't settled all the details yet (I want to bring in inspiration from ancient games, at least for the older versions of this game). This is just to preserve the idea I'm working with. Suggestions are welcome.
In standard versions of the game, measuring rods are used to determine how far a piece can move, and whether it is close enough to attack or support another. Tabletop/board versions of the game have movement units marked on the board. Combat takes into account the domain(s) involved and proximity to supporting units to determine the strength of the attacker and defender. If they are equal, both are locked in combat until the odds change. Otherwise, each side takes casualties accordingly.

History

The first iteration of the game originated in Trispir and became popular overnight as the Nokarians were very close to Nokari, whom the Lord of all had used to bring them to the land of their flourishing. As its popularity continued and grew, the game got more complex, supporting more approaches and strategic options. Whenever the game was introduced to a new culture, it quickly was adapted to that culture's preferences and views of the Divines portrayed in the game, while the core principle remained largely the same.