(no subject)
Been trying to hammer out another campaign setting for a while now. Not just a setting for future D&D games, mind, but a little world of my own to play with. Whenever I want to sit down and write fantasy fiction, I have my own world with its own history and mythology and magic all ready to go, and it's like writing fanfic for myself. Hopefully it'll produce some narratives that don't lose all their steam after two pages.
I'm recycling a few names and concepts from previous attempts, so don't be surprised if you see anything familiar here. Right now I'm focusing on the cosmic stuff and then working my way down. This here's the world's creation story.
The Beginning
The primevals came before. In the dark and the chaos before the multiverse there was only void, and the primevals existed in and were part of the void. Cosmos stretched out its many limbs, and their great span was the boundary of what would be the multiverse. Eon’s lungs expanded like pulsing caverns, and the beat of its black heart measured out the first beats of time. Vitae lay back and breathed into the emptiness as Ego wrapped a spiked tail around its haunches, and their coupling scattered new existences into being.
The existences wandered about, and they broke into pieces, and the pieces became individuals, and these beings looked out at the abyss around them and they were afraid. The abyss looked back at them and recognized them as creatures with their own individuality, and it was afraid. And the primevals tried to stamp out the individuals they had unwillingly called forth, and a great many of them were destroyed.
One of the individuals managed to avoid the primevals, and it sat and thought and explored the depths of its own mind, and it came to know itself, and it gave itself a name, and the individual was Mayve, and she became the first. The primevals became more afraid, because Mayve’s name gave her power, and they tried to kill her, but another individual rose up and attacked them, and it caused destruction and death among the primevals, and it named itself Kail, and he became death.
Mayve and Kail were the first of the gods, and they called themselves the Genesai.
The primevals attacked the Genesai, but Mayve and Kail brought the gods together, and showed them their power, and the gods fought against the primevals and killed many of them. One of the Genesai was clever and skilled at planning battles and directing combat, and he called himself Zahur, and he was the darkness that blinded the enemy and gave the Genesai strength to fight. One of the Genesai was strong, and his power was a blinding light, and he was called Jarn, and he struck down the enemy and gave the Genesai the courage to fight. There was war for many beats of Eon’s heart, but at last the primevals were all slain or driven back and out into the void. The primevals burned with hatred because death had been brought to them and they made revenge on the Genesai by pulling themselves asunder, sundering the void and breaking it into fragments, separating the Genesai from one another.
The Material Plane Established
Adana was not content to languish in her prison- she changed the shape of the world she was in, and carved out great tunnels and caverns for herself to live in, and she decorated them with precious metals and shining jewels. But there was noone to share the wonder of her world with her, and so Adana grew bored and lonely, and began to tunnel in the same direction until she came to a wall, and after much effort, she broke through it, and she came out into another place. Soil poured out from her world behind her, and it became the ground and the mountains and the deep caverns with all of her cunningly hidden stones and metals. Adana looked around at the world beneath her, and decided that she liked it.
Then she found another hole in the bottom of one of the world's deep caverns, and it was making the ground damp, and as she watched a hand thrust itself out. Adana took the hand and pulled, and Nerina was loosed from her prison, and with her all of the waters of the endless ocean that she had made of her world. Nerina's waters filled the hollows of the ground and rose up in vapor and formed clouds in the sky, and the two goddesses played and cavorted in the water, and said that it was good.
Then a hole appeared in the darkness above, and a great wind rushed out of it, and with it came Valmai, and she flew through the air and the gusts from her wings became the winds. The goddess of air descended to the ground and she spoke to Adana and Nerina, and they spoke with her and showed her the world that they had made. They all agreed that it was wonderful, but when they looked up into the sky they saw only darkness, and they feared it, and they greatly desired that it not be so.
At that, the ground began to rumble, and one of the great mountains erupted, and out of the volcano climbed Xareh, and the goddesses feared him because he was wild and his flames burned without distinction. So they lured him into a cave and trapped him there, and through he smote at his new prison with great vigor they would not let him go, until finally he grew tired and seated himself, and he had his flames dance for light within the cave. The goddesses saw the light shining out, and Adana stepped forward and asked what it was, and Xareh replied that it was light and heat and that it made the world more beautiful. Nerina stepped forward and asked that Xareh place his fire in the sky so that it might be light and they would not fear the darkness, but Xareh refused, because he was angry that they had trapped him. At that Valmai stepped forward and said that Xareh might be free if he kept his fire in the sky where it would not burn them, and Xareh agreed. The goddesses released him, and he hurled his fire into the sky, and it became the sun and the stars.
The sun gave light to the world, and out from the sun came Jarn, and he rejoiced at being among his brothers and sisters again. The light of the sun gave way to shadows, and out of the shadows came Zahur, and he was delighted that he would no longer be trapped alone with his darkness. And the gods continued to escape from their prisons until they all stood amongst each other and they were glad because the primevals' revenge had been thwarted.
The First Attempt to Create Life
Within this new world that they shared the gods and goddesses desired to create new things, and they decided to give the gift of life and thought to a new generation of beings. So they gave shape to new creatures and set them loose upon the world, but to their surprise the creatures remained cold and still, and there was no life in them. The gods saw this and they realized that they had not the power to freely shape this place that was created from each of them, and so they sought out Mayve and asked her what they should do. Now Mayve was the oldest and wisest among them, and her power was a living thing that bounded and leapt about her. When she saw that this world was not subject to her whim and gesture, she was most pleased and called it Arthanelas, for in the old tongue this word meant a place where great things became less and lesser things became great. Mayve let her hair down and shook it, and her power was released to go to and fro within the world, and it brought life to the creations of the gods, and these became the angels and the demons, the inevitables and the slaadi, and the elementals, and the gods were pleased and took their favorites to their homes and made of them great multitudes.
Accordingly Arthanelas was filled with life, and as time passed that life grew as more and more creatures were born, and soon there was too many for the vaults of the sky to contain, and the gods were surprised and distressed, and they did not know what to do.
Then Kail sharpened his axe, and he unleashed his power into the world, and by multitudes the creature within Arthanelas began to die, until there was naught left. When she saw this, Mayve was stricken with horror, and she fled to her home and hid there, so great was her grief that the world had been sullied. The other gods were vexed at this, and they drove Kail back to his home and sealed it, and they went back to their own and left the world barren and silent.
The War of the Gods
So it came to pass that Zahur, who had led the Genesai against their foes in the distant past, carved a great throne for himself in the mountains of Arthanelas. The other gods saw what he was doing, and they asked him why, and he replied that because he was the mightiest and the most cunning among them, that he should be the ruler of the gods and the rest of them his vassals. The other gods were greatly offended at this, and they demanded Zahur tell them why they should submit to his rule. Jarn spoke up the loudest, and swore that he would obey no law save his own, and in his wrath Zahur slew him, and scattered pieces of his body across the multiverse, and he said that was why.
Gorath, who blotted out light with his shadow, laughed when he saw Zahur tear Jarn apart, for he loved things that were new and surprised him, and he chose to side with the god of darkness. Baine saw the logic in choosing the strongest of the Genesai to be their king, and he too stood beside Zahur’s throne against his brethren. The other Genesai were grieved at the death of one of their own when there was so few of them left, but they saw the void within the countenance of Zahur, and they resolved to fight against him and his allies.
And there was war among the gods; the Genesai and their angels fought against Zahur, and Zahur and his demons fought back. Zahur and his vassals were outnumbered, but he was yet a god of great cunning and martial skill, and none could match Gorath for strength of arm, and Baine had many cruel and powerful magics, and they made such a war against the Genesai that made the defeat of the primevals seem an easy thing. Despite this hardship Xareh would not submit, and Hadassah and Sharaga refused to bow their knees to anyone, and their brothers and sisters were likewise resolved. So the gods' armies clashed and were locked in combat unending, and they could not decide a victor.
Finally, Gorath grew bored with naught but war, and Baine saw that this way their conflict would not end soon, so he whispered to Zahur, and Zahur declared that he would stake his kingship on single combat. He invited any of the Genesai to come forth and face him, and if he lost, he would lay aside his claim of kingship, but if he won, then the Genesai would surrender to him. The other Genesai became troubled and silent, for not a one of them fancied themselves a match for Zahur in battle.
Then one of their servants, a tall, fine-looking man named Darion whose hair flowed behind him like the red tail of a comet, stood up and declared that he would face Zahur. The other Genesai laughed, but when they saw he was in earnest they pleaded with him not to throw away his life and their freedom on a whim, for surely he stood no chance against the darkness. Darion simply declared that he had faith in himself and the courage to do what was right, and that he would snatch victory from despair with his own two fists.
Orren, who was a vassal of Jarn, saw the spark of battle that was ignited in Darion, and he forged for him a suit of armor from the hardest black adamantine and the richest gold and emeralds, and he strengthened it with secret arts and magic. When Darion buckled that armor on, he seemed taller, and his shoulders more broad, and the light of the sun glinted off his armor and his red hair streamed out behind him like a banner, and his eyes flashed behind the visor of his helmet. The Genesai beheld him, and they saw a warrior of great power, and they bade him fight on their behalf. Zahur saw him coming forward to give battle, and at the bottom of his black heart, he was afraid.
They fought for seven days and seven nights, and Darion struck Zahur mortal blows with his great fists, and Zahur smote Darion with his sword. Seven times Darion was wounded and fell, and Zahur declared himself the victor, but Darion got back up, and they fought again. At last Zahur smote Darion upon the crest of his helm so that he fell to one knee, and Zahur raised his sword to kill him, but Darion caught the blade in his hand, and broke it.
Zahur was cast down, and his demons were cast down alongside him. Gorath was filled with lust for battle and leapt upon Darion to slay him in his weariness, but Mayve saw this, and she felt great pity for the courageous warrior, and from her white tower she hurled a spear. Gorath was struck and killed, and his body became a place of madness and torment for the enemies of the Genesai.
So the gods gathered around Darion, and they lifted him up, and they made him their king, and Darion was rather surprised, because he had thought that they were trying to avoid that sort of thing. Baine replied that a king need not be a tyrant who demanded obedience, but also a protector who inspired loyalty and respect. Seeing that it was the true desire of their gods, Darion accepted their alegience on the condition that it should be of Mayve's consent. So at long last the goddess came down from her tower, and she put a ring on Darion's finger, and he became their king, and she became his queen, and Arthanelas flourished once more.
The Creation of Life
And so the Genesai once again filled the world with the creatures of their fancy, and Kail made peace with Mayve. Baine suggested that Kail be allowed to come froth from his domain every year that some creatures should die so that others might live, and the gods agreed. Hadassah proposed that the each year Maybe should loosen the reigns of her power to ensure that there be enough creatures left after Kail had been among them, and the gods agreed to this also. So Baine became the steward of the time of death, and he called it the fall of winter, and Hadassah was made steward of the time of life, and she named it the springing summer.
This done, the gods decided to created mortal of a likeness to them in thought and deed, so that Arthanelas might give rise to its own powers and kingdoms. The first of these were called dragons, and they were great and fierce and powerful, with skin like armor and magical breath, so the gods were afraid of them and thinned their numbers. Then they created more mortals, and soon elves lived among the trees while dwarves carved tunnels in the mountains, and gnomes hid themselves in the meadows while halflings built roads. Goblins squabbled and fought with each other, and gnolls hunted in packs. Kobolds built cunning traps for their enemies, while orcs fought and feasted and carved their likenesses in stone. Along the rivers men built houses for themselves, and they learned from the other races and taught the other races to live in harmony and to go to war. The gods decided that this was good enough, and they granted a measure of their power to the mortals in return for their reverence. But the power of the gods was already in their children, and sometimes it became birthed in mortals with strange powers, and their minds could shape the world around them, and they were called psions. And sometimes mortals were born with other powers, and they were called sorcerers, and it is said that Baine taught many mortals to harness such power for themselves through sheer force of will, and they were called wizards.
Soon mortals began to grow so powerful that some of them became gods themselves, and they breached the barriers between the planes, and outsiders began to travel back and forth, and the balance of the multiverse was set on the edge of a knife. The gods turned to Darion and asked him what he intended to do about this. For long moments he sat upon his throne, and held his daughter in his lap, and then he looked around at the creatures that lived and died within the multiverse, and he saw that they both hated and loved and both created and destroyed, and that they were in many ways their parents' children. Then the sky king smiled, and said it was all very good.
I'm recycling a few names and concepts from previous attempts, so don't be surprised if you see anything familiar here. Right now I'm focusing on the cosmic stuff and then working my way down. This here's the world's creation story.
The Beginning
The primevals came before. In the dark and the chaos before the multiverse there was only void, and the primevals existed in and were part of the void. Cosmos stretched out its many limbs, and their great span was the boundary of what would be the multiverse. Eon’s lungs expanded like pulsing caverns, and the beat of its black heart measured out the first beats of time. Vitae lay back and breathed into the emptiness as Ego wrapped a spiked tail around its haunches, and their coupling scattered new existences into being.
The existences wandered about, and they broke into pieces, and the pieces became individuals, and these beings looked out at the abyss around them and they were afraid. The abyss looked back at them and recognized them as creatures with their own individuality, and it was afraid. And the primevals tried to stamp out the individuals they had unwillingly called forth, and a great many of them were destroyed.
One of the individuals managed to avoid the primevals, and it sat and thought and explored the depths of its own mind, and it came to know itself, and it gave itself a name, and the individual was Mayve, and she became the first. The primevals became more afraid, because Mayve’s name gave her power, and they tried to kill her, but another individual rose up and attacked them, and it caused destruction and death among the primevals, and it named itself Kail, and he became death.
Mayve and Kail were the first of the gods, and they called themselves the Genesai.
The primevals attacked the Genesai, but Mayve and Kail brought the gods together, and showed them their power, and the gods fought against the primevals and killed many of them. One of the Genesai was clever and skilled at planning battles and directing combat, and he called himself Zahur, and he was the darkness that blinded the enemy and gave the Genesai strength to fight. One of the Genesai was strong, and his power was a blinding light, and he was called Jarn, and he struck down the enemy and gave the Genesai the courage to fight. There was war for many beats of Eon’s heart, but at last the primevals were all slain or driven back and out into the void. The primevals burned with hatred because death had been brought to them and they made revenge on the Genesai by pulling themselves asunder, sundering the void and breaking it into fragments, separating the Genesai from one another.
The Material Plane Established
Adana was not content to languish in her prison- she changed the shape of the world she was in, and carved out great tunnels and caverns for herself to live in, and she decorated them with precious metals and shining jewels. But there was noone to share the wonder of her world with her, and so Adana grew bored and lonely, and began to tunnel in the same direction until she came to a wall, and after much effort, she broke through it, and she came out into another place. Soil poured out from her world behind her, and it became the ground and the mountains and the deep caverns with all of her cunningly hidden stones and metals. Adana looked around at the world beneath her, and decided that she liked it.
Then she found another hole in the bottom of one of the world's deep caverns, and it was making the ground damp, and as she watched a hand thrust itself out. Adana took the hand and pulled, and Nerina was loosed from her prison, and with her all of the waters of the endless ocean that she had made of her world. Nerina's waters filled the hollows of the ground and rose up in vapor and formed clouds in the sky, and the two goddesses played and cavorted in the water, and said that it was good.
Then a hole appeared in the darkness above, and a great wind rushed out of it, and with it came Valmai, and she flew through the air and the gusts from her wings became the winds. The goddess of air descended to the ground and she spoke to Adana and Nerina, and they spoke with her and showed her the world that they had made. They all agreed that it was wonderful, but when they looked up into the sky they saw only darkness, and they feared it, and they greatly desired that it not be so.
At that, the ground began to rumble, and one of the great mountains erupted, and out of the volcano climbed Xareh, and the goddesses feared him because he was wild and his flames burned without distinction. So they lured him into a cave and trapped him there, and through he smote at his new prison with great vigor they would not let him go, until finally he grew tired and seated himself, and he had his flames dance for light within the cave. The goddesses saw the light shining out, and Adana stepped forward and asked what it was, and Xareh replied that it was light and heat and that it made the world more beautiful. Nerina stepped forward and asked that Xareh place his fire in the sky so that it might be light and they would not fear the darkness, but Xareh refused, because he was angry that they had trapped him. At that Valmai stepped forward and said that Xareh might be free if he kept his fire in the sky where it would not burn them, and Xareh agreed. The goddesses released him, and he hurled his fire into the sky, and it became the sun and the stars.
The sun gave light to the world, and out from the sun came Jarn, and he rejoiced at being among his brothers and sisters again. The light of the sun gave way to shadows, and out of the shadows came Zahur, and he was delighted that he would no longer be trapped alone with his darkness. And the gods continued to escape from their prisons until they all stood amongst each other and they were glad because the primevals' revenge had been thwarted.
The First Attempt to Create Life
Within this new world that they shared the gods and goddesses desired to create new things, and they decided to give the gift of life and thought to a new generation of beings. So they gave shape to new creatures and set them loose upon the world, but to their surprise the creatures remained cold and still, and there was no life in them. The gods saw this and they realized that they had not the power to freely shape this place that was created from each of them, and so they sought out Mayve and asked her what they should do. Now Mayve was the oldest and wisest among them, and her power was a living thing that bounded and leapt about her. When she saw that this world was not subject to her whim and gesture, she was most pleased and called it Arthanelas, for in the old tongue this word meant a place where great things became less and lesser things became great. Mayve let her hair down and shook it, and her power was released to go to and fro within the world, and it brought life to the creations of the gods, and these became the angels and the demons, the inevitables and the slaadi, and the elementals, and the gods were pleased and took their favorites to their homes and made of them great multitudes.
Accordingly Arthanelas was filled with life, and as time passed that life grew as more and more creatures were born, and soon there was too many for the vaults of the sky to contain, and the gods were surprised and distressed, and they did not know what to do.
Then Kail sharpened his axe, and he unleashed his power into the world, and by multitudes the creature within Arthanelas began to die, until there was naught left. When she saw this, Mayve was stricken with horror, and she fled to her home and hid there, so great was her grief that the world had been sullied. The other gods were vexed at this, and they drove Kail back to his home and sealed it, and they went back to their own and left the world barren and silent.
The War of the Gods
So it came to pass that Zahur, who had led the Genesai against their foes in the distant past, carved a great throne for himself in the mountains of Arthanelas. The other gods saw what he was doing, and they asked him why, and he replied that because he was the mightiest and the most cunning among them, that he should be the ruler of the gods and the rest of them his vassals. The other gods were greatly offended at this, and they demanded Zahur tell them why they should submit to his rule. Jarn spoke up the loudest, and swore that he would obey no law save his own, and in his wrath Zahur slew him, and scattered pieces of his body across the multiverse, and he said that was why.
Gorath, who blotted out light with his shadow, laughed when he saw Zahur tear Jarn apart, for he loved things that were new and surprised him, and he chose to side with the god of darkness. Baine saw the logic in choosing the strongest of the Genesai to be their king, and he too stood beside Zahur’s throne against his brethren. The other Genesai were grieved at the death of one of their own when there was so few of them left, but they saw the void within the countenance of Zahur, and they resolved to fight against him and his allies.
And there was war among the gods; the Genesai and their angels fought against Zahur, and Zahur and his demons fought back. Zahur and his vassals were outnumbered, but he was yet a god of great cunning and martial skill, and none could match Gorath for strength of arm, and Baine had many cruel and powerful magics, and they made such a war against the Genesai that made the defeat of the primevals seem an easy thing. Despite this hardship Xareh would not submit, and Hadassah and Sharaga refused to bow their knees to anyone, and their brothers and sisters were likewise resolved. So the gods' armies clashed and were locked in combat unending, and they could not decide a victor.
Finally, Gorath grew bored with naught but war, and Baine saw that this way their conflict would not end soon, so he whispered to Zahur, and Zahur declared that he would stake his kingship on single combat. He invited any of the Genesai to come forth and face him, and if he lost, he would lay aside his claim of kingship, but if he won, then the Genesai would surrender to him. The other Genesai became troubled and silent, for not a one of them fancied themselves a match for Zahur in battle.
Then one of their servants, a tall, fine-looking man named Darion whose hair flowed behind him like the red tail of a comet, stood up and declared that he would face Zahur. The other Genesai laughed, but when they saw he was in earnest they pleaded with him not to throw away his life and their freedom on a whim, for surely he stood no chance against the darkness. Darion simply declared that he had faith in himself and the courage to do what was right, and that he would snatch victory from despair with his own two fists.
Orren, who was a vassal of Jarn, saw the spark of battle that was ignited in Darion, and he forged for him a suit of armor from the hardest black adamantine and the richest gold and emeralds, and he strengthened it with secret arts and magic. When Darion buckled that armor on, he seemed taller, and his shoulders more broad, and the light of the sun glinted off his armor and his red hair streamed out behind him like a banner, and his eyes flashed behind the visor of his helmet. The Genesai beheld him, and they saw a warrior of great power, and they bade him fight on their behalf. Zahur saw him coming forward to give battle, and at the bottom of his black heart, he was afraid.
They fought for seven days and seven nights, and Darion struck Zahur mortal blows with his great fists, and Zahur smote Darion with his sword. Seven times Darion was wounded and fell, and Zahur declared himself the victor, but Darion got back up, and they fought again. At last Zahur smote Darion upon the crest of his helm so that he fell to one knee, and Zahur raised his sword to kill him, but Darion caught the blade in his hand, and broke it.
Zahur was cast down, and his demons were cast down alongside him. Gorath was filled with lust for battle and leapt upon Darion to slay him in his weariness, but Mayve saw this, and she felt great pity for the courageous warrior, and from her white tower she hurled a spear. Gorath was struck and killed, and his body became a place of madness and torment for the enemies of the Genesai.
So the gods gathered around Darion, and they lifted him up, and they made him their king, and Darion was rather surprised, because he had thought that they were trying to avoid that sort of thing. Baine replied that a king need not be a tyrant who demanded obedience, but also a protector who inspired loyalty and respect. Seeing that it was the true desire of their gods, Darion accepted their alegience on the condition that it should be of Mayve's consent. So at long last the goddess came down from her tower, and she put a ring on Darion's finger, and he became their king, and she became his queen, and Arthanelas flourished once more.
The Creation of Life
And so the Genesai once again filled the world with the creatures of their fancy, and Kail made peace with Mayve. Baine suggested that Kail be allowed to come froth from his domain every year that some creatures should die so that others might live, and the gods agreed. Hadassah proposed that the each year Maybe should loosen the reigns of her power to ensure that there be enough creatures left after Kail had been among them, and the gods agreed to this also. So Baine became the steward of the time of death, and he called it the fall of winter, and Hadassah was made steward of the time of life, and she named it the springing summer.
This done, the gods decided to created mortal of a likeness to them in thought and deed, so that Arthanelas might give rise to its own powers and kingdoms. The first of these were called dragons, and they were great and fierce and powerful, with skin like armor and magical breath, so the gods were afraid of them and thinned their numbers. Then they created more mortals, and soon elves lived among the trees while dwarves carved tunnels in the mountains, and gnomes hid themselves in the meadows while halflings built roads. Goblins squabbled and fought with each other, and gnolls hunted in packs. Kobolds built cunning traps for their enemies, while orcs fought and feasted and carved their likenesses in stone. Along the rivers men built houses for themselves, and they learned from the other races and taught the other races to live in harmony and to go to war. The gods decided that this was good enough, and they granted a measure of their power to the mortals in return for their reverence. But the power of the gods was already in their children, and sometimes it became birthed in mortals with strange powers, and their minds could shape the world around them, and they were called psions. And sometimes mortals were born with other powers, and they were called sorcerers, and it is said that Baine taught many mortals to harness such power for themselves through sheer force of will, and they were called wizards.
Soon mortals began to grow so powerful that some of them became gods themselves, and they breached the barriers between the planes, and outsiders began to travel back and forth, and the balance of the multiverse was set on the edge of a knife. The gods turned to Darion and asked him what he intended to do about this. For long moments he sat upon his throne, and held his daughter in his lap, and then he looked around at the creatures that lived and died within the multiverse, and he saw that they both hated and loved and both created and destroyed, and that they were in many ways their parents' children. Then the sky king smiled, and said it was all very good.