| The Rise of the Gods |
Stop the Press! This Isn't Right! |
The Earliest Times
Well before the beginning of recorded history there was a time when the only witnesses to the world are the gods. While they do on occasion speak of this era they aren’t particularly forthcoming with details. What scholars have pieced together is largely supposition from the snippets the Sept and even the Dark Three have allowed mortals to know. There is no possible verification of this information, it simply must be taken on faith, which some are not willing to do. Details regarding Illumitas in particular are full of conjecture. That Illumitas is referred to as a male is guesswork and potentially very biased. Myth holds that a god by the name of Illumitas grew weary of his prior existence (whatever that may have been) and stepped forth from beyond to explore the void. Illumitas was delighted by the potential of a new canvas. He slept and began to dream. In his dream he saw a new world hanging in the void, populated by many lesser beings. Illumitas was amused and intrigued by these beings. He watched their struggles for some time, always from a distance. When he woke Illumitas was pleased to see that during his rest he had already begun to form the world of this dream from the only material available - his own body. Illumitas decided to complete this world. And so his bones became mountains, his flesh formed the stretching plains, and the riverbeds and deeps were filled with his blood. The deity plucked his right eye and set it a fire so that it would provide heat and light for his creation. Illumitas marveled at the world he had fashioned, for it was a wondrous accomplishment indeed. The beautiful idea from his dreams now hung in the void before him, a perfect paradise that practically begged to be occupied by the many creatures he had envisioned. The work had proven quite taxing, however, so first Illumitas decided to rest. He fell into a deep slumber.
The Dark Powers
Another had been watching the mighty god at work. This being who’s true name few know and none dare speak coveted this creation for its own purposes. Known to modern people as Darkness or That Which Is Made Of And Dwells In Darkness, this being has made claims that it is in fact made up of the void itself. It’s hard to trust such information from a being so well known for lying. Darkness is a god of mental and spiritual corruption, it can spot weaknesses with ease and offers temptation to those who can’t resist. At this time it desired Illumitas’ creation for itself to twist into the image it desired. It enlisted the aid of two others to execute its foul designs. Where exactly it found these two others is a subject of a great deal of speculation. Did these others come from the same place Illumitas did? Perhaps Darkness created them? Are there other worlds out there? None know the answer for sure. What is known is that Nox, the Putrescent, a god of suffering, poisons and physical corruption, came to answer Darkness’ call. As did Grak, the Iron Father, a brutal warrior god who seeks to prove his superiority against all others over and over again. Together the three fell upon the sleeping form of Illumitas and tore him apart. Some would ask how this is possible if Illumitas had turned his body into the world already. Scholars have different answers to this question. There is speculation from some that maybe they tore the land apart creating the continents. Perhaps the story is purely metaphorical. Some speculate that the slow but noticeable degradation of magic in the world is Illumitas slowly dying over the course of millenia. No one has a clear answer to this part, all the more reason to regard the entire tale as a myth.
The Birth of the Sept
Regardless of how the death of Illumitas took place, something followed that Darkness had not anticipated. Illumitas had been dreaming of new life and simultaneously creating it at the same time. In his dreams he had been thinking of new deities to share his creation with. Seven new gods (later named the Sept) sprung up fully formed out of his corpse to challenge the evil trio. Once more it is unclear how much of this is literal and how much is metaphor. Each of the seven gods knew that everything that Illumitas had created was in danger and they acted. The Craftsman made weapons of war, the Scholar devised a plan of battle, the Soldier executed that plan, the Knight made sure they didn’t compromise their ideals, the Mother healed their wounds in battle, the Elemental made sure the battlefield had ideal conditions, and the Stranger dealt the final blow. With the combined strength and harmony of the Sept, the Dark Three stood no chance. At least that is what the faithful say when telling this tale. For reasons known only to the Sept they built a prison out of the land and sealed their foes away. Some ask why not kill them, for if Illumitas can die surely the same must be possible for the Three. If there is an answer to that question the Sept have never answered it.
The Rise of Draconus
As the Sept battled the dark powers, one last creation of Illumitas awakened. In a cavern deep in the mountains the spine of Illumitas’ slain body rose again as the dragon god, Draconus. He was huge, magnificent and powerful beyond mortal knowledge. Battle raged but he took no part in it, instead he turned his powers to coaxing his first children into the world. Using magical arts known only to him he transformed the last fragments of Illumitas’ bones into the first dragons who became his loyal followers. Even from the beginning Draconus has always charted his own path.
The Golden Age
It’s at this point that recorded history starts. Documentation is difficult to find at best, much of it destroyed in the many thousands of years that have passed, but from time to time records do turn up. With the evil gods sealed away in their prison, the seven gods of Illumitas surveyed the damage and began to repair the ravages inflicted upon Illumitas’ masterpiece. It was with this focus that they discovered something new. While they had been fighting the Three the dying Illumitas had continued his final dream. More life had sprung up: complex plants, animals, humans, and elves now lived upon the land Illumitas had created. They each had a spark of Illumitas’ greatness in them and the gods found a new purpose. The seven gods would act as sheppards to these beings, helping to guide and protect them. The people dubbed the seven gods the Sept and the name remains to this day. They came to call the lush green continent they lived on Vargainen. In those early days the gods lived among the mortals. They taught them directly. The Scholar taught language and philosophy so that they might communicate with the gods and each other. The Mother made them fertile so their species might continue on even after individuals have perished. The Elemental gave the gift of agriculture so that they might feed themselves and always respect the power of nature. The Soldier taught humans and elves the ways of battle so that they would have the means to defend themselves in a world that was wild and untamed. The Knight taught them the concepts of law and honor so that they would know when and why to use the gifts of the Soldier. The Craftsman instructed them in many different trade skills. Finally the Stranger gave mortals the Well a final resting place for their sparks after their mortal forms perished. Illumitas’ final creations were the Fae and the Elementals. The Fae were truly creatures of dreams. Whereas the humans and elves were created by dreams, they had mortality to contend with. A finite limitation on what they could accomplish. The fae had neither mortality nor limitations upon them. Though they were of Illumitas they did not understand his creation. They weren’t hostile, but unlike the Sept they saw no need to assist only to explore. To the Fae the world is a strange realm for them to play in, different from the realms they inhabited. In these days all fae were what would come to be called light fae, their play was cheerful and bright, only bringing harm by accident. The Elementals were very different. These creatures were mostly simplistic; only the most advanced had any significant intelligence. They resided on planes of pure elements and came to the world to maintain the order Illumitas had created. Each oversaw one aspect of the natural order. Air elementals make sure that winds blow, bringing clouds and cold air where they are needed. Earth elementals oversee the earth, they build mountains, caves, and valleys, sometimes they create precious metals and stones as well. Fauna elementals watch over the little animals that are too basic to warrant having a spark, they oversee the field mice, frogs, crickets and anything else that keeps nature functioning. Fire elementals burn that which is no longer needed, they bring the warm weather of summer and help the crops grow. Flora elementals oversee the simple plant life of the world, growing the grass and flowers and everything too small to warrant a spark. Water elementals watch over the bodies of water, the rain, and underground reserves plants need to grow. Over time the humans and elves grew from nomadic hunter-gatherers to village dwellers. As they learned more and more from the gods some villages grew into cities and civilization flourished. Three great countries and a dozen city-states sprung up in this age, pushing the wilds further and further north. The nation of Andar is the most well known of these nations, being particularly wealthy and influential it has been the civilization where by far the most records have survived. In their capital city, Andarsin, they boasted the largest library and the greatest university in the world. Its markets were so vast that anything one might want could easily be found there. The Craftsman brought the best of the artisans he found to his underground stronghold forge known as Voltanicus. It isn’t known today what happened. Either close proximity to the Craftsman, the forge, the depth underground, or possibly a combination of all these factors changed these artisans. Both human and elf transformed. These people became the first earthkin, a species known to be at home underground that have a fierce love for crafting only the best. With the help of the Knight and the Craftsman the Andarans built the fortress of Wahkarn over the prison of the Dark Three. Upon its completion the virtuous and mighty Kalbis the Bold founded the Templars of Wahkarn. This knightly order took up the task of guarding the sealed portal that enclosed the triumvirate of evil deities, ensuring none would dare disturb their prison. The gods were satisfied with how they had guided mortals, together they departed Vargainen and settled another continent to rest. Unknown numbers of centuries passed and peace reigned.
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