Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-73.169.211.55-20150419010642/@comment-121511-20150419013527

Most mortals that become Gods apotheosize after death, leave Nirn, or abandon their physical bodies when they ascend. The Tribunal instead stayed in Morrowind, and actively led their people: hence the term Living Gods, as they were Gods that you could quite literally walk up to and speak with.