[johan osterman]

It is not currently on the table, but I guess it is not inconceivable it might be resurrected.

It wasn't cut as much as that it never got enough wind under it's wings. Part of what we thought was good about it was that the subservient god could incur some sort of penalties like tribute etc, and perhaps a slightly humiliating covictory end of game text. The idea was that this would keep people from making alliances unless forced into it by more powerfull players during the game, thus keeping as you suggested some of the there can only be one spirit. Another percieved advantage was that it might serve to iron out a few questions concerning how allied armies etc handled moving out and into each others provinces. It never got past the idea stage though.