https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/a ... 2020-12-14

- Apparently more combative than elves elsewhere.

- Used to be gods(!), but were replaced by the Skoti, which became the modern pantheon. Love this tidbit, not everyone remembers that elves were originally a type of deity in Norse religion.

- Divided into wood and dark elves.

Notably, these two factions were recently united under a new wood elf king. (Well, I'm assuming he's a wood elf, given that his brother Tyvar is.)

I wonder how divinity works on Kaldheim if the elves lost being gods.

I just wrote out my thoughts on this elsewhere:

Possibilities seem to be:

• Divinity is not a real thing on Kaldheim in the way it is on Theros or Amonkhet. "Gods" are more like the rulers of the realms than an inherent power. The Skoti are powerful magical beings but not inherently divine, and the elves are similarly powerful long-lived beings but were not divine when they were the gods. (I think this is most similar to MCU's take on the Norse gods. They're just super powerful aliens.)
  
• Divinity is a real thing but it's not inherent to a 'species' like how the Theros gods are myths believed into existence from the psychoactive night sky or the Amonkhet gods are living leylines. It's part of the nature of Kaldheim that heroic and valorous deeds in war elevate you so the Skoti may be truly divine beings but were previously non-divine. They were elevated to divinity by their actions, and on the flip side, elves were 'demoted' by being defeated.
  
• Divinity is real and inherent to species including the elves but "gods" refer to such beings who are currently in power. Elves are still inherently divine but just not in power. This seems least likely.

I would also note that the idea that divinity is inherently different supernatural power than other magic is more of a modern fantasy thing. Many historical cultures or faiths would equate all supernatural power as divine, just different scales.

I'm assuming whoever wins gets to be the gods. Its kind of like in the Christianity-filtered reccords of Norse mythology the Aesir are really just a bunch of dudes who got famous.

Also, Skoti is a pretty inspired name choice. Its basically what the Scythians called themselves, and their story pretty much mirrors how indo-europeans and their pantheons replaced the locals in north Europe.

Harald is a pretty uninspired name

Tyvar is an impressive slab of elf.
I'm digging him waaaaày more than our other knife ear.

One of the interesting facets of the entire God debate is how it not only mirrors the Aesir, but potentially the Tuatha de Danaan as well. Which, given the history between the celts and saxons, has some interesting layers there as well.

Certainly. Replacement by newer generations of gods seems to be a common motif in the european branch of the indo-european cultures.

Although the Norse are different in that the Aesir and Vanir seem to be contemporaries (rather than one older than the other) and they warred but then made peace and intermarried.

Thinking more, I think this option makes a lot of sense with Norse gods since the Norse gods themselves were killable and derived a lot of their power externally. Odin knew magic because he sacrificed for it, Loki could transform into a bird because he used Freyja's feathered cloak, Idunn grew the apples that kept the gods young, and many weapons were forged for them by dwarves. It would make sense if the Skoti were simply not inherently deities but relatively mortal beings that defeated the elves and got access to tools and powers that made them like gods.

All in all, this would be an amazing time for the auspicious return of divinity counters.

To ascend to godhood in Kaldheim you must prove you're metal.

I dunno maybe you beat up the god of warfare and become the new god of warfare? Maybe you beat up the god of music and get told that you're ataking the wrong approach? Or just have a plurality of the grand council of skalds proclaim you're the one?
Mechanically I could see something like quests or sagas granting divinity counters that activate your god cards or turn regular dudes into gods for I dunno, dealing at least X damage? Maybe gods could resemble Lorwynn's champion mechanic?