[Note: This story first appeared in the
Volume 3, Issue 8 DFC on on the 15th day, 2th month of the 96th
year in Spur (Oct 11th, 1993), titled: Tavern Tales: The Time
That Land Forgot, as told by an anonymous storyteller.]
As night fell and the Rose Eternal's common
room filled with weary travelers and locals in for a cold mug
of ale, an unusual quiet fell over the room as a voice issued
from a darkened corner...
"I would tell you a story..." the
gentleman, clad from head to toe in a cloak of darkest silk,
said, "A story of gods and men and the time before the
gods."
"Blasphemy!" came the shout from a
brother of Odarous, already deep in his cups.
"Nay, brother. Tis but a harmless tale
gathered across the lands from legends of old and the
libraries of my homeland." the voice responded, "But
I have found that even in the most fictitious lie there lies
a kernel of truth on which all is built. So listen closely
and you shall learn of the gods and the Great War."
With that, he settled deeper into the
shadows, dark eyes flashing in the firelight, and began...
"In days long past, before the Great
Change and even before the gods themselves, save the Elder
God, when the world was young and barren, there walked but
three races across the land: the Lords of Order, the Lords of
Chaos, and the Dragon Lords. All possessed great power as
magick was more powerful and plentiful in the new lands.
However, from each there was one greater than his brethren
and possessing powers unique to each...
The Lords of Order represented devotion to
all things Light and True. Orat'darius the Mighty, Champion
of Order, had strength unbound and a shining blade of purest
light.
As Order served Light and Life, the
Chaos Lords reveled in all things Dark and Unholy. T'aril
Xrath rose to serve as the first High Lord of Chaos. It is
said that his very gaze could strike fear and doubt into even
the strongest of hearts.
Lastly, from the Dragon Lords came a being
with magick unrivaled among all the Lords. He was known only
as Sa'ril'lon and he, as all the Dragon Lords did, sought to
bring balance and harmony into the world.
Only five score of each roamed the untamed
world shaping the lands we now walk. Yet each sought to
banish the others, so they might fully bring their element to
the lands. For eons they battled with none gaining advantage
in the evenly matched struggle. The Elder God's summons
claimed many a warrior through time until scarcely two hands
of each remained. Fearing the end of their being, the Three,
Orat'darius, T'aril Xrath, and Sa'ril'lon, under terms of
truce, decided that the battle was no longer theirs to fight.
Each agreed to pool their remaining magicks to create a race
to carry the fight into the next generation.
Order created tiny, winged beings with great
healing magick and greater heart and compassion. Secian, a
word meaning 'peace', was given to these creations of Light.
Chaos brought forth a race of darkness.
Possessing great strength and a lust for destruction, those
now known as the Sanene would battle on the side of Chaos.
After careful consideration, the Dragon
Lords decided to bring into being a new race not unlike
themselves. Though smaller and less powerful than the
original Dragon Lords, the new Dragons were still creatures
of great will and magick.
Together with their creators, these new races
continued the conflict of old. Still, little changed in the
never-ending struggle for dominance. For the second, and the
last, time in history, the Three gathered and agreed that the
endless bloodshed had gone on for too long. All involved
would meet on the vast plains to decide, once and for all,
who would rule.
With forces gathered, Order, Chaos, and the
Dragons battled one last time. During the titanic encounter,
many fell to the Elder God's call. Also unleashed were
powerful magicks that ripped the land asunder. carving a vast
hole in the ground and flinging the mass into the night sky.
As the forces regrouped for one last assault, the Elder God
interceded. All were frozen in time and the Three, along with
one from each of the Secian and Sanae, were taken to his
Realm and counseled. No longer would they battle endlessly
for control; all factions would have their place in the lands
and no One would be placed above the others. And to ensure
the fragile peace, the Three, now five, would serve as
advisors and councilors to the lands and its' people for all
eternity. Given to each was great power so they might better
guide their would-be followers through life.
Orat'darius the Mighty, T'aril Xrath, and
Sa'ril'lon remained greatly unchanged in all but power, as
their singular abilities set them aside from all others.
To Rian ni'Aliron the Secian was given the
wisdom to see the folly of battle and the truth in peace.
Xavan Il'set'h, from the Sanene, now
possessed superior cunning and guile. The shadows would be
his home and the night his companion.
Aside from these, there rose one more from
the torn battlefield. From the great crater, came the spirit
of the land to serve as protector to all manner of creatures
and plants. Given the name Elndail, she joined the others as
guardians of the new world.
As a final act, the Elder God, with a pass of
his hand, created others to walk the lands with the Secian
and Sanae. Some bore resemblance to those that came before,
while others were new and strange, with some resembling the
great cats of the jungle, the deadly spider, or even the very
rock from the heart of the earth. And to all was given the
freedom to choose their path in life, though some still felt
strong ties to Order, Chaos, or Entropy.
Stripped of their leadership, the Secians and
the Sanae quickly lost their thirst for battle. And with
these new races to contend with, simple survival became the
first priority and differences were set aside as all departed
to find their place in the world."
"And what of the Lords, you ask..."
questioned the voice before any present could ask...
"The Dragon Lords, weary of battle,
retreated to the distant mountains to contemplate and finish
their existence in peace. Their time past, these mighty
beings are rumored to still sleep, awaiting the day of
Neutrality's triumph.
The Lords of Order and Chaos are believed to
roam the lands to this day. Under the guise of other races,
they hide their true selves, grant great power to those who
discover them, and seek to continue the struggles of old."
"All save one that is..." spoke the
voice, a faint smile creeping onto his shadowed face.
"One Chaos Lord, Van'los the Wanderer,
departed the battlefield with a small group of Sanae to
travel deep into the bowels of the earth, into the very heart
of darkness..."
Then suddenly with a rustle of silk and an
arcane gesture, the mysterious gentleman faded from view,
leaving many a confused face to ponder what had transpired
just moments before, as the melodic, hypnotic voice echoed
through the still air...
"But that, my friends, is another story..."
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