Co-op Character Generation Game

You could do it in a like lets make a "band of heroes" game where each player is trying to mould an average person into a hero. It could still be cooperative in that you want the collective team to be the best possible. You could also make it a versus game by having individuals or teams and whoever makes the best team of heroes wins.

I could see a game being based around limited time and limited ability of the "hero." Like you give them a physical trial that makes them stronger but that will temporarily make them more tired. I can see it working.

That said, it might make me wish I was going to be able to do something awesome with this hero I've invested time in building but you don't need to go that way just because I suggested it. :)

I really like that idea of macro character development - creating a character by influencing his achievements and failures. It really fits with that setting of gods playing games with their avatars on the mortal plane. (I always liked Pratchett's version of this.)

There's a number of ways you could handle such a theme.

The obvious idea is to have every player responsible for their own avatar/hero/unwitting plaything. Each player gets the chance to alter circumstances happening in the world that directly affect their avatar, or the avatar of another player, all in the name of creating the greatest champion. I can imagine players bestowing quests and boons on their hero, while throwing plagues and wars and unlucky mishaps at the other players' avatars.

Another way to go about it is the co-operative scenario of all players helping one mortal to become a greater person than if they hadn't been the target of holy intervention. Help him fight a battle. Let her outrun the diseased pilgrims. Help him win (or lose) a very important dice game.

I'd potentially even go so far as to take either game a step further and incorporate the idea of playing with the character's timeline. Initiating or influencing significant events at certain points in the character's life (not necessarily the events that are happening to them right now). Perhaps you decide you want your hero to have a really difficult year when they leave home, so you play a curse that activates in three year's (turns) time. Perhaps nothing will alter this timeline and the curse kicks off in three turns, or maybe someone else gets in the way and moves, alters or quashes the curse before it can happen.

I do like the idea of playing with a mortal's timeline. Fits in with the notion of hubris/longevity of gods.