| Mythology
In the Beginning
There was The One, the Creator, who was and is before all
things. In the Endless Void he dwelled, and he created first
of all things the Celestial Host, beings of light and beauty, made
of thought alone. And they gathered about his throne and
listened to The One as he spoke to them of Time and Matter.
"Now I will a great creation," he said unto them,
"that shall be within Time, and its fulfillment."
And in the secret heart of each of the Host, he spoke a tiny
portion of his design, for each understood best only that portion
of the thought of The One from which he had sprung. And each
member of the Host saw in his mind that the world of which The One
spoke contained within it that which he loved best, and desired
that it might be made real, that he might go and dwell thither.
"I know your hearts," said The One. "Now
therefore verily will I give thee this thing which thou desirest
for thy dwelling place." And spoke, saying "Let
this thing come to pass," and the world was created.
And then he spoke further to them, of the future and the things
which must come to pass in the created world. He spoke of
the mortal races to come, and of the struggles they would
know. But no word did he tell them of how the world would
end, and this they still cannot see. And because of this news, all
the more did much of the Host desire to enter into the world,
wishing to see beings unlike themselves and to teach what they
knew.
"Know ye now," he said to his Host, "that this world
and all of time shall be bound up in the lives of you
who go to dwell thither. And while time lasts, ye shall be
bound to it, never leaving while the world endures."
Then indeed many quailed and turned back from their desire, but
many still desired to see this place, and among them were many of
the mightiest of the Host.
Of the Shaping of Theeurth and the First War of the Gods
Then the Celestial Host entered into the kingdom of Theeurth,
and became part of it, and it of them. Chiefest among them
were five great lords who stood far above their fellows in might
and knowledge and the understanding of the design of The
One. And the names of these five were Malbor, Thandor,
Roldein, Shorral and Calandra.
Thandor turned his thought and will to the airs of Theeurth,
for he delighted in their tumults and in the beasts of the
air. It was to water that Roldein turned, and the oceans
roared in his voice. Calandra took to the earth, and knew
all things which crawled upon it or underneath it, and secret ways
of mountain, field and valley were hers. Shorral took up
fire, for she saw in it the power of life and
vitality.
But the greatest of the five was Malbor, for he had a portion
of the gifts of each of the others, and he understood more of the
thought of The One than any of his siblings. Of all the
Celestial Host, Malbor alone had wandered far in the Endless Void,
and there he learned much that was hidden from his brethren and,
so he thought in his pride, from The One.
As they who are called The Four sought to create a fitting home
for themselves and the mortal races. But Malbor was filled
with a lust to possess all of Theeurth, and he told his brethren
"I am eldest, and thou knowest that I see farthest of we
five. Therefore I shall be thy king, and order all things as
shall seem fit to me!"
But the Four opposed him, and called to their sides many of the
Host which had come with them. Likewise did Malbor call to
his side many of the greatest of the Host, for they had been
corrupted by his desire and power, and these became the Infernal
Host. There was war, then, in the kingdom of Theeurth at the
start. Malbor and his host were bested, and withdrew.
For a time, the Four and the Celestial Host labored unopposed in
the shaping of Theeurth.
Of the First Gods Born in Theeurth
Now when Theeurth was well-fashioned, and the Celestial Host
rested, gathered about the halls of the Four, which were set on
the hill of Meledrian in the midst of the land, Thandor took to
wife Shorral, and Roldein was wedded to Calandra. Of these
unions came forth those whom the mortal races would worship as the
main gods of the Pantheon. Each union gave rise to twins.
Shorral gave birth to Ilion and Valkrys, while Calandra gave birth
to Artorius and Borlamnos.
Now Ilion took most strongly to the restless nature of her
parents, and delighted in new things, and became ever quickly
impatient with the old. Her sister, gentle Valkrys is said to be
the wisest of the gods, who sees most clearly the will of The
One.
Artorius grew quickly into a fine, strong warrior, and he
strove with any who would oppose him, but for the love of valor,
and not of conquest. Though quick to anger and stern in war,
he is ever foremost in opposition to all who would do evil.
Borlamnos grew in mind as his twin grew in body, and came to most
deeply understand the nature of the forces with which The One had
created the world. Knowledge and Magic are his province.
Of the Birth of the Gods of Woe
For a time, all was peaceful. The old gods and the new lived
among the Celestial Host at Meledrian amid the fairest portion of
the world. Their labors of creation were finished, and their
stewardship over the mortal races had yet to begin. Yet all
was not well with the world.
In secret, Malbor had retreated to the dark caverns below the
earth, where the Infernal Host raised up the fortress of Azhran.
In the pits of Azhran Malbor put forth his power into the greatest
of his Infernal Host, until they were well nigh as powerful as
he. And these four he filled most with power: Drauluin, who
is a spirit of hatred and rage, terrible master of violence and
destruction; Caravok, the red maw, the endless all-consuming
hunger; Andobulos, the bringer of plagues and madness; and
Evaless, cunning mistress of evil who is the mother of monsters.
And in the pits of Azhran, Malbor lay with Evaless, and of
their union came many unclean things and evil races which plague
the earth to this day.
Of Erdhon and Selene
The gods lived in radiant splendor, and fiery Shorral burned
with the pure flame of creation, her brow adorned with the gems of
her sister's bounty, and she was beautiful to behold. From
afar, Malbor conceived a lust for her, for he had desired her
always, though she had never returned his regard. Therefore,
Malbor put forth the arts he had learned of the Endless Void, and
assumed the shape of Thandor, and coming to Shorral in the guise
of her husband, freshly returned from wandering Theeurth, he lay
with her, and got her with child.
Now when Thandor returned in truth, he soon learned of the ruse
and perceived that the culprit could be none other than his old
rival, Malbor, and his heart was hot with anger. But before
he could seek out the dread god, The One spoke in his heart, and
cooled it. "Will thou then murder thy brother,
Thandor?" asked The One. "For thou knowest this is
against my express law. Know, rather, that by this evil
stroke has Malbor lain the seed of his own undoing, for the
children born of this union shall be great indeed, but whether
they be for their father or against him lies now in your
hands."
Therefore, Thandor relented, and went not to war against
Malbor, but swore instead that the children born of his beloved
Shorral would be raised as his own. And when the twins
were born, they were a boy and a girl, named Erdhon and Selene.
When they were born, Malbor sent to the gods a herald, saying
"Thou hast sought to deny me my rightful throne. Think
not to despoil me of my progeny, lest ye be destroyed. Give
the twain unto my herald, who shall bear them to me, their
father."
But Thandor sent back this message, bidding the herald
"Speak thus to thy master in his dark halls. 'These
children thou shalt not have. No more claim have thee to
these than thou hast to the throne of Theeurth. For thou got
them falsely in my name and likeness. Therefore will I keep
them, and raise them in my halls as my own. Fear the day
thou shalt see my foster-children, Malbor!"
Of the Death of Shorral
Then Malbor grew terrible in his wroth, and his form turned
black and terrible, and smoke rose from where he trod. He
swore that he would punish the gods for daring to thwart him.
But Malbor feared to assault Meledrian, and instead sent many
spies forth to watch the land. They reported that from time
to time Shorral and Thandor would go a little ways from Meledrian
with the young Erdhon and Selene, where they might have peace and
privacy.
Thus it was that Malbor came upon them in his might, with many
of his greatest servants. Black was his armor, a reflection of the
Endless Void, and his black sword dripped oily smoke as he strode
forth to war. Thandor leapt up to protect his wife and
children, but Drauluin leapt upon him, aided by Caravok, Andobulos
and many of the Infernal Host, and they restrained him, though he
lashed them with the winds and summoned a terrible storm.
Then Malbor strode to where Shorral hid her babes behind her
back and in a loud voice demanded that she surrender to him his
children. "Thou hast served me well," he told
her. "But see now who is master!"
When he reached for the arm of Erdhon, Shorral cut at him with
a sword which was made of her own fire, and it pierced his armor,
and cut off his right hand. Crying in anguish, the winds of
Thandor howling around him, Malbor drove his sword through the
breast of she who had fathered his own children. There ended
Shorral, first of the immortals to die.
Malbor then took Erdhon and Selene with him, leaving Thandor
senseless upon the ground by the remains of his wife.
Of the Shards of Shorral
The death of one of the Celestial Host is not as the death of a
mortal. Still less when it is one of the greatest of the
gods who has died. For at her death, Shorral's spirit could
not leave Theeurth. She was bound to it, as The One had
said. Rather, her body burst forth in a multitude of
brilliant shards, which flew across the firmament. Many hang
there still, and are the stars.
Many other shards fell to earth. The greatest and
brightest of these became the immortal Fey. The lesser
sparks became hidden in mountain, field and sea, and it seemed to
the Celestial Host that they burned out.
Of the Second War and the Exile of Malbor
Now the gods and all the Celestial Host were in their wroth,
and Thandor not the least. And they went to war against
Malbor in all their strength. In the deep places of the
earth, the burnished spears of the Celestial Host battled the
blood-soaked scythes and swords of their Infernal kin. At
last the gods stormed the deepest pit of Azhran and Artorius
dragged forth Malbor in chains and led him before Thandor.
Mindful of the warning of The One, Thandor did not slay his
enemy, but with the aid of all the gods, cast him and all his host
into the Abyss, where Borlamnos sealed him with many arcane locks
of unbreakable strength. Then Thandor recovered his
foster-children and returned with them to Meledrian.
Of the Origins of the First Races
The hours of the gods are not like the hours of mortal
creatures, and though the Second War lasted but a little time as
the gods counted it, the Fey had grown strong upon the
earth. But the ruin of the Second War unleashed upon the Fey
terrible energies from which they could not escape. Their
bodies and minds were forever changed. Some became the first
dragons, who breathed the fire of Shorral. Others became the
giants and the treants of the wood. Still others became
spirits, and were fused with the rocks, trees, lakes and valleys,
and live there still.
The least of the Fey were unable to change, and many
perished. Those that did not at first perish cried out, and
were heard by gentle Valkrys, who had pity on them, and gave them
bodies of flesh and blood. Thus were born the elves, undying
yet mortal, youngest of the first races.
Of the Birth of the Young Gods
In the peace that followed the Exile of Malbor, there was much
sorrow for the loss of Shorral, and the gods mourned for long
years. This sorrow was broken at last by the birth of new
gods. For Valkrys had wed Artorius, and of their union were
born Agaleus, Omara and Mordhal. Likewise, Ilion wed
Borlamnos and bore him the twins Eristemus and Valendria.
Agaleus was stern and serious, and grew into the lawgiver of
the gods, and the judge of the dead. Omara was kind and
playful and worked ever to the betterment of her fellow
gods. She became the matron of home and hearth, patron of
servants and service. Mordhal delighted in the works of
craft, and became the mightiest smith of Theeurth.
The children of Ilion were less serious than those of her
sister. Eristemus was filled with wanderlust like his
mother. He is the cleverest of the gods, and is the patron
of travelers and merchants. Golden Valendria is the most
beautiful of all the dwellers in Theeurth, and is said to possess
the radiance her grandmother Shorral had. Valendria delights
in all things creative and beautiful, and is the patron of beauty
and the arts.
Likewise, young Erdhon and Selene were come into their own
power. Under the rough treatment at the hands of their
father, and the wise counsel of Thandor, they had grown to be firm
foes of the power and hatred of Malbor. Erdhon blazed with
the fiery power of his mother, and with the consent of Thandor
mounted into the sky as the sun, and all the host of Malbor who
saw his radiant face fled beneath the earth.
But the elves too were dismayed, for they desired still to see
the stars, which were the monuments to their lost ancestor,
Shorral. So Thandor convinced Erdhon to draw beneath the
earth each day, and so proceed through the numberless caverns at
the root of the world and then proceed again from the east.
Not willing that there should be a time when the servants of
her dread father could walk upon the earth unnoticed, Selene too
mounted into the sky, and became the Moon. Her silver gear
of war and the twenty-one white swans that draw her chariot over
the night sky sheds a quiet, steady glow by which the mortal races
might still see their way at night, but still see the stars, her
mother.
Of the Origins of the Young Mortal Races
Those shards of Shorral that had fallen on Theeurth and not
awakened into the Fey seemed to the Celestial Host to have been
snuffed out, too weak to endure. But this was not the case,
for by the will of The One, they slept only. And now, ages
after the passing of the goddess of fire, they awoke in many
secret places. Those that struck the mountains and the deep
places became the fathers of the dwarves. Those which landed
in hills and wooded places became the gnomes. Those which
landed in pleasant pastures became the halflings. Yet there
were those scattered throughout Theeurth, in desert, field and
meadow, in wood and on hill, which became the humans. And
these were by far, and are still, the most numerous.
Of the Wrath of the Gods
More than ten thousand years ago, the legendary civilizations
of Numanthaur and Iridian had risen to heights of power undreamed
of today. They had plumbed the depths of mortal knowledge,
and traveled to realms far beyond Theeurth. But their pride
grew with their power until they considered themselves the equals
of the gods. Despite the warnings and prophecies of the gods, one
or both of these nations sought to challenge the very power of
Heaven.
In one fragmentary legend, the Priest-King of Iridian used
forbidden knowledge to unleash Malbor and the Infernal Host from
the Abyss. In response, the mages of Numanthaur launched an
invasion of Heaven, and sought by means of powerful rituals to
seize control of the gods themselves. Another ancient tale
says that priests of Malbor goaded the two nations into both
trying to seize the power of the gods so that the other should not
have it.
Whatever the truth of these legends, the result was a disaster
that engulfed all of Theeurth, and nearly wiped out the mortal
races altogether. The gods were far more powerful than even the
wisest had imagined, and they threw down great mountains of fire
which destroyed the cities of the ancient world, and cracked the
very earth itself, causing great seas to swallow up the
blaspheming mortals, and new lands to emerge from amidst the
sea. This, it is believed, is the origin of both the
Hammersea (from the Hammer of the Gods which fell there) and the
great Valesian Sea, as well as many other changes.
Another legend tells that all the gods and Celestial Host
battled Malbor and his minions across the breadth of Theeurth, and
that the Evil One was at last returned to the Abyss in chains,
cursing his brethren for once again betraying their true lord.
The Ban of the Gods
After the destruction of the ancient world, it was decided by
the gods that they themselves bore some responsibility for the
hubris of their mortal charges. They therefore agreed to
remove themselves from the mortal world, and to cause Heaven to
become a place apart. Nevermore, save under the most serious
of conditions and by mutual agreement, would the gods walk the
earth in their own forms.
Henceforth, the gods would act only through their mortal
servants and divine messengers, and would take no direct action in
the affairs of living mortals.
Of the Latter Gods
Daria is the daughter of Eristemus and Selene. She was
born to heal the mortal lands after the Wrath of the Gods, and she
alone wanders the mortal plane unhindered by the ban, a wild
hunter in the wild places.
Though the gods have, through the long millennia, parented many
children with mortals, only one has ever risen to the status of a
god in his own right. The great Iridian soldier-hero
Fargalann was the son of Artorius and the mortal woman Velenė.
Through many battles and labors of skill and courage, he proved
himself the greatest general of all time. When he died, this
demi-god was given an official place within the pantheon as the
Marshall of the Celestial Host.
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