Immortals (book)
THE IMMORTALS
- Amritam Gweththew and Rowan Windlyric
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Chapter 1: THE GODS ....................... Page 1
- Kertigen ................................ Page 3
- Hodierna ................................ Page 4
- Meraud .................................. Page 5
- Damaris ................................. Page 7
- Everild ................................. Page 9
- Truffenyi ............................... Page 11
- Hav'roth ................................ Page 13
- Eluned .................................. Page 14
- Glythtide ............................... Page 15
- Tamsine ................................. Page 17
- Faenella ................................ Page 19
- Chadatru ................................ Page 21
- Urrem'tier .............................. Page 23
Chapter 2: THE WORLD DRAGON ............... Page 25
Chapter 3: THE FAE AND HERALDS ............ Page 29
Chapter 4: THE ALL GODS ................... Page 34
Chapter 5: THE HUNTRESS AND OTHER AVATARS . Page 35
THE GODS
The Thirteen Immortals are a fickle bunch and as unpredictable and mercurial
as the lands and the form of Elanthia itself. Each Immortal has several
aspects and forms, some benevolent, some wrathful, mischievous or disruptive,
but in all their positive traits predominate.
Some believers consider the positive and negative aspects of the gods and
goddesses to belong to them, that they are just different names for referring
to certain "moods" of the same deities. Others contend that these are indeed
separate, minor deities, who serve the Immortals and do that portion of their
bidding that serves mortals in manner fair or foul. Be that as it may, there
is no doubt that across Elanthia, shrines to the major manifestations of the
Thirteen Immortals exist, as well as shrines to their aspects or demiurges.
The aspects can be either male, female or animal, regardless of the form of
the master Immortal. The Immortals that are either male or female, and the
demiurges, possess certain auspicious or foreboding animals associated with
them, as emblems or totems. The races of Elanthia, as prone as they are to
foreshadows and prognostication, and augurs, observe these correspondences
with great attention.
When mortals or semi-mortals offend a particular god, they are sure to incur
the ire of the negative aspect. Attempts to please the gods may bring out the
positive aspects, but there is no guarantee. Each Immortal is lord over
particular spiritual, natural, magical and astrological domains, for example
each Lord has his/her own corresponding planet.
The Thirteen Immortals
| Name | Positive Aspect | Negative Aspect |
|---|---|---|
| Kertigen (M) | Divyaush (M) | Zachriedek (M) |
| Hodierna (F) | Berengaria (F) | Asketi (F) |
| Meraud (M) | Firulf (M) | Kerenhappuch (F) |
| Damaris (M) | Phelim (M) | Dergati (F) |
| Everild (M) | Kuniyo (M) | Trothfang (M) |
| Truffenyi (M) | Alamhif (M) | Huldah (M) |
| Hav'roth (M) | Peri'el (F) | Ushnish (M) |
| Eluned (F) | Lemicus (F) | Drogor (M) |
| Glythtide (M) | Saemaus (M) | Be'ort (M) |
| Tamsine (F) | Albreda (F) | Harawep (F) |
| Faenella (F) | Murrula (F) | Idon (M) |
| Chadatru (M) | Rutilor (M) | Botolf (M) |
| Urrem'tier (A) | Eylhaar (A) | Aldauth (M/F/A) |
Brief descriptions of attributes of the primary deity, with their characteristics and emblems:
Kertigen
Kertigen - Patron of craft, metal work, precious gems, bestower of wealth
and prosperity; venerated by traders, money changers, petty bourgeois and
tradesmen such as jewelers and blacksmiths; his favor is invoked in protecting
possessions against theft, weapons and armor against damage, etc. Kertigen's
favorite workers are the leprechauns, who guard his treasures with jealous
zeal. The chief deity of Dwarves, his emblem is the raven.
Divyaush - Kertigen's positive side, Divyaush is a merry bearded man with
twinkling blue eyes. He grants enormous good favor, money, and gifts, and
will sometimes send out his personal assistants -- the welkin -- to help out
needy craftsmen. He is beloved by children, who often leave him offerings of
sweets and cream at a special Midwinter festival. Divyaush is paternal and
kind, and will help to guide a crafter who has erred by pointing out -- but
not fixing -- his mistakes. His emblem is a welkin.
Zachriedek - Kertigen's negative side, Zachriedek, is nasty and cruel. He
is the weakness in the wagon's axle that causes it to snap in the rain, the
crack in the sword that breaks in the heat of battle, the poor conditions that
cause a merchant's stock to sour. If he is feeling particularly nasty, he
will send out his favored pets, the gremlins, to plague a craftsman. His
emblem is the raccoon.
Hodierna
Hodierna - goddess of life, morning, and light, as well as springtime,
harvest and crops. Farmers, herbalists, healers, and empaths all venerate
her. She is the granter of life and favor, and ultimately must be pleased for
resurrections and healing. Her emblem is the unicorn.
Berengaria - the motherly goddess Berengaria is often envisioned by artists
as a plump and cheerful woman holding a sheaf of grain in the crook of her
right arm. She is wise and kind, a good match for Divyaush. Berengaria is
the finder of lost children and the bringer of dawn; the first light that
shatters the darkness. Where she treads, the earth is renewed. Beneficial
and kind, her emblem is the cow.
Asketi - the "hag"; stealer of children, wild mistress of barren fields and
the midnight hunt. Asketi is the master of the North Wind, and delights in
causing pain and terror in the lands. On the darkest night of the year it is
said she rides on the backs of hideous black unicorns and carves a bloody path
through the city that has failed to venerate her the most. The stealer of
life, she carries a rough burlap sack at her hip in which she carries the
souls of those she has killed. Her emblem is the adder.
Meraud
Meraud - god of magic and foresight, the dark side of the arcane arts.
Meraud rarely shows his face, hiding himself within the folds of a midnight
black cloak and appearing as a dark stranger to those he visits. Meraud does
not believe anything should stand in the way of the quest for knowledge, and
can be quite ruthless in his pursuit of it. However, he is not without honor,
and has turned aside in his quest for knowledge if he has made a promise that
interferes in that quest. This does not, however, mean he will not find a way
around the obstacle -- in fact, he often will. Elotheans admire Meraud for
his aloofness, and also because he is the creator of written language. His
emblem is a jet-black wolf.
Firulf - the god of elemental magic is kinder than Meraud, but still stern.
The extremes he will go to are fewer, but his craftiness is still well known.
His foresight is unerring, which is why many Elothean Moon Mages revere him.
He carries a black staff marbled in silver that shoots forth powerful shards
of lightning upon command. If a mortal should touch the staff without
Firulf's permission, it is said he or she would turn to ash instantly.
However, Firulf has been known to hand out the staff upon occasion to a
favored worshiper to aid them in a quest for knowledge that he finds
particularly intriguing. His emblem is a grey horned owl.
Kerenhappuch - the mad mage is without scruples, and not above blackmail,
extortion, or murder -- not to mention her own attractive feminine wiles -- to
get the information she wants. From time to time her ruthlessness has been so
severe that she has killed others under the notion that if SHE cannot have the
knowledge, NO ONE will. Kerenhappuch is also a seductress and a schemer,
twisting men to her desires as if they were wrapped about her finger, and
turning women against each other. She has a skirt of fabulous colors crafted
for her by Kertigen (who she tricked into making it for her by pretending she
was Hodierna and telling Kertigen she needed it to entertain some Dwarves)
that will cause any man who looks upon her while she wears it dancing to fall
in love with her, and cause any male Dwarf to immediately swear fealty to her.
Unfortunately (for Kerenhappuch), Kertigen, when he learned it was not
Hodierna who had requested the item, also put a curse upon the skirt that
causes any WOMAN who sees her wearing it to become insanely jealous of the
beautiful goddess. A red-lipped and blonde-haired beauty, her emblem is the
shrew.
Damaris
Damaris - the intriguing god of night and dreams, he is also the patron of
thieves, cutthroats, assassins and spies. Damaris is the assassin of the
gods, sometimes even killing someone without being paid, simply because he
felt that their presence was no longer "necessary". Rarely seen except as a
voice in the shadows, Damaris is envisioned as having black hair that is
strewn with silver and large black eyes without pupils or whites and ebon
skin, but can actually (as can all the gods) appear in any form he chooses;
because of his chosen profession, however, he is more proficient at it than
the other gods. Oddly, Damaris has a soft spot for small children, the only
people exempt from his blade, and parents will call upon him as a last resort
if all other gods have deserted them to protect their child. He will lull
them to sleep with a kiss they never remember, and then go back about his
business. His emblem is the panther.
Phelim - the god of sweet dreams, Moon Mages worship Phelim and often beg
favors of him. Phelim strew the stars in the sky by gathering some of
Tamsine's tears and setting them against the velvet black of the heavens, then
bid Kertigen hammer for him four moons, which he then nestled along with the
stars in the heavens, and set to turning. When the fourth moon hatched the
World Dragon, it was Phelim who ambushed the creature and -- while he did not
destroy it -- set it to sleeping deep within the heart of Elanthia. Phelim is
the god of rightful vengeance; those who seek retribution for a worthy reason
may receive assistance from him. Phelim is also the god of honorable thieves
and assassins; if such a thing exists. He upholds his word above all other
things; a promise from Phelim is a promise unbroken. His symbol is the
nightingale.
Dergati - Unlike her sister, Kerenhappuch (who Dergati does not resemble but
does help frequently), the goddess of nightmares is virtually unseen, but is
assumed to be a black-haired and exotic beauty whose only flaw is a third eye
in the center of her forehead. She never walks during the day, and it is
rumored that if anyone created the creatures known as vampires and werewolves,
it was her. She hates the sun, and often is involved in plotting ways to
destroy it; some believe she had a hand in the creation of the World Dragon.
Her vengeance is savage, and terrible to behold. The unraveler of souls, she
kills with slow efficiency, sometimes entire villages. Death by her hand
means no resurrection, as many a fool hero who has spoken her name in vain has
learned. Since it is impossible to know when she is watching, many fear
speaking of her, even at high noon. She is the "all-seeing"; her dark eyes
miss nothing. Dergati will do anything for Kerenhappuch, who she considers
her equal mentally, and who she admires greatly for her schemes and motives.
Dergati is impatient with incompetence, and will, without warning, kill
someone who acts foolishly in front of her. Her symbol is the shrike.
Everild
Everild - the wild lord of warriors, amazons, barbarians, berserkers and
those who die in battle, he is attended by several equally wild youths and
maidens who are the cream of the fighting crop. From time to time, he sends
them down to Elanthia to aid in battle a warrior or army that he favors. If a
warrior has served him exceptionally well, he will request them to join him as
one of his attendants. If he sees a warrior given an improper burial, he will
send one of his attendants down to see that the subject of Everild's
attentions is given proper homage. Emblem is the wild boar.
Kuniyo - gentler than Everild, Kuniyo still retains a deep wildness within
him, and does not like to wander far from the sound of battle. However, he
also enjoys the wilderness, and is therefore a favorite of rangers; especially
the rangers who use their sword on a frequent basis. Kuniyo is served by
several noble youths and maidens who he may send out to help train a promising
young warrior. Kuniyo is stubborn and vicious in battle. Emblem is the
wolverine.
Trothfang - Wild and untamed, Trothfang's bloody wars have killed thousands.
He delights in torture and slow, messy deaths (his favorite weapon is the
barb-tipped spear), and thrives on drinking the fresh blood of those who have
fallen. If he truly hates someone, he will devour their flesh in front of
them as they die, and then rip their heart out and eat it with much relish. A
god of cannibalism, his servants are an entourage of the world's foulest and
most savage killers, and those who dare challenge Trothfang are often faced
with slow dismemberment and left to bleed to death. Trothfang's parties are
often quite chaotic, involving much wine and debauchery and still more
destruction; the results of his parties usually involve several dead.
Trothfang has no honor in combat; for him, anything goes (this is why many
suspect he is the inventor of the technique of two-handed beer mug brawling).
He also is the god of primitive life and despises civilization; he loves to
see cities fall, and will dance over the bones of a ruined city with much
glee. Centaurs worship Trothfang, delighting in his cruelty and taking on the
effects of an untamed life. Emblem is the wild centaur.
Truffenyi
Truffenyi - god of mortal man, god of mercy and forgiveness, his blessings
are invaluable in resurrections and in the granting of health, stamina,
strength and magical power, he is like an indulgent father to the inhabitants
of Elanthia. He can be stern as well, and thus is also a difficult master to
serve. Chief deity of humans and Halflings; his emblem is the ox.
Alamhif - the kind father, Alamhif is sometimes mistaken for Divyaush, but
the two are not the same. Alamhif is more the stern guidance that is the role
of fatherhood, while Divyaush is the indulgent grandfather. Alamhif loves
children and will take pains to pay them especial care if he perceives they
are in danger or being misled/mistreated. It is him -- along with Berengaria
-- who created the bridge between death and life that allows mortals to reach
through Urrem'tier's barrier to bring those who have fallen back to life. His
symbol is the magpie.
Huldah - trickster, imp, bedeviler, fouler up of best laid plans, Huldah's schemes can often appear very appealing at first, but quickly sour. Reasoning with him is dangerous, and few have ever gotten out of a deal with him ahead. He despises mortals, and delights in seeing that which is pure become despoiled, especially by some act of his. Huldah can also cause terrible storms that resembles lightning storms, but are composed of magic instead of electricity. His emblem is the weasel.
Hav'roth
Hav'roth - god of the spirits of rock and stone, and of the earth -- deserts are his domain. Hav'roth is the creator of precious metals and gems. Chief deity of the S'Kra Mur, animal is the cobra.
Peri'el - goddess of the inner earth, it is Peri'el who watches over the
World Dragon to make sure it does not rise up and destroy Elanthia. For this
reason, Peri'el is often not seen as she spends much of her time lulling the
Dragon to sleep with her sibilant singing -- a sound that can be heard by
listening to sea shells or visiting the ocean. Peri'el also stills
earthquakes and stops the flow of lava. Animal is the king snake.
Ushnish - the "serpent of discord", Ushnish brings disease, old age, ice
ages, floods, and famines. Ushnish's anger is what causes lava to flow and
the fires of the World Dragon to explode up and out. His tantrums are well
known for causing earthquakes. His animal is the viper.
Eluned
Eluned - goddess of the seas and water, master of arcane and ancient wisdom,
patron of learning and knowledge; chief deity of the Elotheans. She, along
with her sister Peri'el, keeps the oceans moving and singing. Eluned is the
creator of speech, as Meraud is the creator of written language (the Elothean
language is his greatest achievement). Eluned and Meraud sometimes coexist,
but mostly do not see eye-to-eye enough in their motives to do so. It is
Eluned's infinite wisdom that guides sailors at night. Her emblem is the
dolphin.
Lemicus - goddess of the inner (fresh) waters, Lemicus is also the protector
of lost sailors and the creator of the lodestone. Lemicus is patron of
libraries and the life of the ocean. She is an excellent dancer, and her
laughter is what causes the winds to turn favorable for sea-bound merchants.
Lemicus is often attended by several merfolk -- half fish, half human -- who
spend hours combing her long hair and creating sea foam. She is the patron of
dancers, librarians, Elves, and the wives of sailors. Her symbol is the
albatross.
Drogor - god of the angry oceans, creator of hurricanes and tsunamis.
Drogor's anger is readily apparent as the sky turns grey and the children of
the ocean scatter, and he often takes it out on hapless mortals who dare to
set foot on his water. Drogor is the drowner of children and the destroyer of
knowledge; if he feels a librarian has slighted him, he will ruin his or her
books by seeing they are soaked with water or -- if a large body of water is
nearby -- set a tidal wave upon the establishment to destroy it. His symbol
is the shark.
Glythtide
Glythtide - god of joy, mirth and merriment, of wine and song and good
fellowship; a very happy figure, he is the patron of bards, poets,
troubadours, and musicians -- as well as of loafers, gourmands and drunks.
Glythtide's mere presence is abhorrent to some of the darker gods due to his
unstoppable happiness. It is said amongst the Halflings that the one time he
frowned and cried, night was created. Arthe Dale is favored by Glythtide, and
he has been suspected of making a few visits upon occasions (usually denoted
by the sudden lack of liquor and tarts within the town). Chief deity of the
Halflings; his emblem is the ram.
Saemaus - the gentle god of Love is also the god of festivities and a toast
is always made in his name at most wedding ceremonies or festivals if one
wishes to ensure a marriage filled with love or a grand party. A god of
happiness, Saemaus' anger is hard to come by, but terrible to behold.
He has been known to curse his enemies with a malaise of love-sickness --
usually by making them fall in love with another enemy of his (or theirs).
The patron of lovers, pregnant mothers (and expecting fathers), maids of
honor as well as their male counterparts, Saemaus is also known for his
tendency toward being tipsy as well as an unmatchable chef; Saemaus is the
inventor of the tart. His emblem is the donkey.
Be'ort - the god of bitter partings, love lost, opportunities wasted, and
insanity, Be'ort is the rain on a wedding day, the wine that turns to vinegar
before a party. Be'ort is a great, sulking figure who despises revelry and
wallows in melancholy. Wars of attrition (such as the Elven-Human war) are
his specialty. Be'ort always appears as a wild-eyed and mussed-hair man who
is usually giggling a bit oddly. If Be'ort truly wishes to destroy someone,
he will first make sure their relationship sours, then destroy their status in
their profession, and then, when his miserable prey has sunk to their lowest,
he makes sure their mind snaps. His emblem is the coyote.
Tamsine
Tamsine - goddess of hearth, home, habitations, settlements, civilization.
Patron of the hearth, and of the town of Fostra's Haven. Before construction
on temples, public buildings and houses is begun, her blessings and favor must
be sought. Tamsine is also the goddess of beneficial fire and blessings. If
a priest would have blessings, he or she must first learn from the shrine of
Tamsine first. Tamsine is also a domestic; she is a great weaver, cooker,
dyer, brewer, and any number of things that can be done in or around the home.
Her emblem is a great tabby cat.
Albreda - bringer of peace, cementer of alliances and marriages, patroness
of orphans and fosterlings; Albreda is a kind and beneficial goddess who
despises war and bloodshed. A few warriors (paladins usually) have, however,
worshiped her, and she does not disdain this worship. It is said that
Albreda's blessing is what brought the lasting peace of the Seven Pointed Star
Empire, and that she wept so deeply during the Elven-Human war it created an
entire new ocean in far off lands. Albreda is motherly, a companion to
Alamhif. She succors and protects mothers who have trouble in childbirth, or
fathers who have been widowed because their wife has died in childbirth.
Healers often find her the easiest to worship. Her animal is the dove.
Harawep - disrupter of peace, treaties among races and nations, destroyer of
families, augur of disloyalty, turner of children against parents, clan
against clan. Harawep is a vicious warrior who fights with twin swords.
Hideously ugly, Harawep resembles a hag who moves quicker than the eye can
follow, which is perhaps why she is also the goddess of lightning, and
lightning strikes that start up unstoppable forest fires. Harawep is also a
weaver, and her plots and schemes are sometimes as intricate as the webs her
favorite creatures (the spider) spins. Harawep is the widowmaker, and the
patron of murderers and some assassins. Her emblem is the black widow spider.
Faenella
Faenella - "the fair bard", Faenella is a performer extraordinaire and a
muse of poetry and wanderlust, she is also an inventor of creatures. Faenella
is the creator of the Faerie, who are considered her "progeny". Dryads,
sprites, nyads, and angels (who are not Faerie but are of her domain) are all
her "children". She is the patron of bards and youths who runaway from home
to seek adventure, as well as adventurers themselves. Her gift to mortals was
inspiration, and she created the harp and stringed instruments. Caravans are
often under her protection. Despite the fact that her emblem is the wren, she
loves felines (as well as birds), and keeps one close at hand as she plays her
music. She is, like her other aspects, highly visible and often portrayed
with glowing brown hair and bright green eyes, slender and Elven. Faenella
despises undead, and will destroy them as often as possible. Her emblem is
the wren.
Murrula - the goddess of beauty and gifted youngsters, Murrula sings mostly
a capella and is virtually indestructable -- her creation is the phoenix.
Murrula cannot stand bad singing, and will silence those who sing badly or
else gift them with a beautiful voice. Murrula also seeks out young bards and
will train them incognito (or one of her servants will) and make sure their
wandering feet do not stray them into trouble. She is the protector of
travelers and her kiss remedies hangovers, she is the creator of the flute and
woodwinds. She is often pictured as a beautiful, slender young woman who
appears Elven, with flowing fiery red hair and bright amber eyes. Her emblem
is a phoenix.
Idon - the "reaver" is a god of roving bands of thieves; as well as rakish
rogues who love and leave women, and mothers who abandon their children to
continue their life "unburdened". Idon is obsessed with his own good looks;
if he sees a man or woman who he feels "outshines" him, he may turn them into
a pig. While Idon is very vain, he is also charismatic. Idon is extremely
lusty, and once when a member of a clan exclaimed, "By Idon!" and a visitor
asked, "Why do you say that?", the clan member responded, "Because half of us
are!" Idon is the god of lust and wild music usually unfavored by others --
his creation is the drum and other percussion. Idon's music is often too
outrageous to listen to, but no one will ever say so to his face without
risking his wrath, which can be dangerous. Idon appears as a black-haired and
blue-eyed youth who is lean and well-muscled. While not a good fighter, Idon
is an excellent backstabber, and he is second only to Damaris in planning a
good ambush. His emblem is the heron.
Chadatru
Chadatru - next to Urrem'tier, Chadatru is the most faceless of the gods.
Lord of justice, he is the fairest of all the gods, holding a sword in his
right hand and an olive laurel in his left. Chadatru is blind, but he fights
as if he were gifted with sight. Fierce in a battle, Chadatru is the great
arbitrator. He is the patron of kings, rulers, and judges. His word is his
bond, and he tells the truth always. His emblem is the lion.
Rutilor - Rutilor is kind in his job as the defender of the gods. He judges
with kindness and even-handedness, and is ferocious in what he defends. A
patron of paladins, Rutilor will stalwartly defend anyone who he feels is
getting a raw deal. A god of truth, he cannot lie. He is a collector of
swords, especially extraordinary ones, and has enchanted a few in his time.
He has a small kennel of hounds that he unleashes when someone has escaped his
judgment; they cannot stop once they are on a trail, and they never lose their
prey. Without fear, Rutilor is much the same way, and -- though short by
comparison to other gods (it is the form he chose) -- has taken on opponents
twice his size. His emblem is the mongoose.
Botolf - the god of dishonesty and deceit, Botolf is the symbol of
corruptness and bribery. His actions have caused murderers to go free and
thieves to get off with damages paid by the person who prosecuted them.
Botolf loves to visit Dirge (his favorite city), and is the patron of Knife
Clan and thieves guilds. Botolf is also the god of fallen paladins, and often
appears in tarnished armor in need of a polish. His emblem is the goshawk.
Urrem'tier
Urrem'tier - not really so much a god, or Immortal, or even demon,
Urrem'tier is Death Incarnate, the last of the Immortals to be infused with a
part of the One Creator, and therefore endowed with the smallest portion of
Substance and the largest proportion of the Void within. It is to
Urrem'tier's embrace we go when we die, and his fetid grasp would hold us for
an eternity were it not for the efforts of the other Immortals on our
behalf. Thus when we return from the caress of Urrem'tier, we must be
ritually cleansed from his foul stench before we can rejoin the living.
Although he has positive and negative aspects about the best you can say of
his positive one is that it will be more polite than the negative one to you,
while attempting just the same to drag your spirit to the very depths of the
cruel, senseless terrible void he presides over, constantly seeking to fill
with the souls of the dead. While never really characterized as man, female
or animal, death can take many forms. His emblem is the scorpion.
Eylhaar - referred to as "she" since that is the form she usually takes; a
somber, slender female with pearl-white skin and black hair. Eylhaar is the
beckoner, the promise of peace from a world of pain. Eylhaar's deaths are
always the softest, and her allure is almost insurmountable. She is very
patient, and will never try to cheat a death. Still, her emblem is the
jackal.
Aldauth - the faceless god of agony, torturers fear and worship Aldauth.
Aldauth's deaths are always painful, perhaps the worst of all, and his victims
kick and scream their way to his void. Aldauth will taunt and trick people
out of their lives, and he delights in seeing people die foolishly. He is a
scavenger, often ghosting about the battlefield at the end of long campaigns
to wring the last ounce of pain from the dying. Emblem is the vulture.
The World Dragon
The World Dragon was born from the fourth moon when it hatched. No one is
quite sure how it came to be, but many are certain that one of the gods' dark
aspects got loose and planted the creature to bring about the end of Elanthia
(some suspect it was Huldah, who -- unlike Truffenyi -- despises mankind and
Elanthia).
The World Dragon is terrible and yet beautiful to behold. Its scales
glitter like black metal, and its claws are thick and razor sharp. It is all
but indestructible, its maw as wide as some mountain ranges and its tail
stretching from horizon to horizon. Its eyes were a glowing pool of red, its
pupils slit horizontal, and its wings were leathery and long, blotting out the
sun at times.
When the World Dragon hatched, shards of its egg hit Elanthia and caused
massive changes. Some civilizations died, cities were crushed, when one hit
an ocean it caused a massive tidal wave that drowned the entire western side
of the continent upon which The Crossing resides and killed many of its
inhabitants. Since the waters there have now receded, much of that area as
yet still remains wild and untamed, although the ruins of that shattered land
are rumored to still exist.
The Dragon's first attack was upon Elanthia itself, which it was drawn to
because of its inner fire. The creature landed upon Truffenyi's domain and
began to drink the fire from its depths. In terror -- for Truffenyi was
certain that his world would die if the World Dragon continued -- the god of
Elanthia called upon the others to aid him. He was ignored mostly, until he
pointed out that if the Dragon drained his world, it would move onto the next
closest source of fire -- the sun.
A great battle ensued between the Immortals and the World Dragon as it, in
turn, spat its own fires across the world, scorching some of the lands. One
of the moons set on fire as it blew its flames across the sky. Eluned
quenched it with her waters, but the moon would be black forever after.
As the great war continued, the Immortals despaired, for the Dragon seemed
unbeatable. Truffenyi rallied all the Immortals for a final, great battle
against the World Dragon. The battle was so awful, that the sun hid itself
for seven days behind a veil of clouds, and mountains trembled before the
wrath of the Immortals.
When the battle ended, the World Dragon was weakened, but not dead. It was
then that Phelim decided that it could not be destroyed, and so waited until
it had slunk away and ambushed it, casting his sands of sleep in its face.
The Dragon, feeble from the struggle, succumbed to the sleep and fell into a
slumber as deep as Urrem'tier's void.
Truffenyi, now free to think of something else, realized that his world was
dying because the World Dragon had all but drained it of its marrow. It was
Peri'el who stepped forward and, in her soft and sibilant voice, put forth the
idea of housing the Dragon in the place it had desired the most -- the inner
earth of Elanthia. Many of the Immortals thought this idea was disastrous,
but then Peri'el -- who was one of the greatest of the Immortal warriors --
pointed out that the Dragon's very skin was certainly hot enough to heat all
of Elanthia, and, so long as she watched it and sang to it, it would remain
sleeping.
Peri'el had been crippled during the combat with the Dragon. Her right leg
was lame and her left eye had been torn out; as the Dragon was undefeatable,
so were the wounds it had dealt unhealable. Peri'el had been wounded the most
and was nearly useless now as a warrior, but her voice was still clear and
beautiful -- and very lulling, even for vain Idon. With the Dragon and a full
sack of Phelim's sands on her hip, she descended into Elanthia's inner earth,
where she remains with the Dragon in its lair, playing her gold-stringed harp
and singing in her soft, reptilian voice that the Dragon -- reptilian itself
-- apparently finds very lulling.
It was during this war that the Immortals learned how much they needed
Elanthia. While all the gods have their own worlds, only Elanthia is
inhabited with the creatures they find the most amusing and inspiring:
mortals.
The Fae and Heralds
After the primary races had been created Faenella, who had been interested
but not captivated in the process of the creation, turned her eyes back to the
species she had been the most fascinated with: Elves.
From the base of the Elven kind, Faenella developed another, more wild
species for Elanthia; the Fae.
The Fae -- created by Faenella -- are beautiful (but mischievous) tiny folk
who inhabit some parts of Elanthia. Similar to Elves in shape and figure, the
Fae rarely exceed one foot. They come in a variety of shapes and colors,
listed below.
Types of Fae:
- o Sprites - the tiniest (three to five inches) of the Fae, Sprites have long wings of several vivid jewel colors and come in a variety of shapes (fat, thin, slender, scrawny, muscular). All possess magic, and are excellent crafters of wine and candy. Sprites love milk, bread and sugar. They hate salt and garlic, and often run away at the sight of it. A few rare Sprites exceed the normal height and reach upwards to the size of Halflings. These are usually "outcasts" from the Fae community, and tend to be bent on destruction.
- o Welkin - about two feet high, the welkin are, from one source, covered in brown fur and have bright brown eyes, or, from another source, dressed in dapper suits and carry polished walnut canes, or, from still another source, are just foot-tall Sprites. Due to their clandestine and nocturnal habits, no one has really ever seen a welkin, and those who have have never seen one again. Welkin -- whatever they look like -- are very helpful creatures who like to aid those who are in need. They, too, love bread and milk.
- o Alfar - Fair and pale, almost angelic, the alfar are tall and willowy creatures that greatly resemble nyads and dryads. The alfar are as mischievous as the rest of their ilk, and alternately aid and hurt mortals, as pleases their current mood. A few alfar are servants to the gods, although these are few and far between from the others of their crafty race.
- o Nyads and Dryads - Dryads are spirits of the trees, while nyads are the spirits of the water. Depending on how well the tree or stream they dwell in currently depends on what they look like. If their tree is a healthy aspen, the dryad's skin will be a pale silvery color and her hair and eyes light green. If his stream has been polluted, the nyad will be a weeping, wrecked construction and most probably in a foul mood. Untrue to common belief, nyads and dryads can be of either gender.
- o Will o' Wisps - Small balls of glowing light that float on air, the will o' wisps are mysterious creatures that do not seem to have a language or need for food -- as far as anyone knows, their only purpose is to multiply by dividing into new versions of themselves.
- o Gremlins, Changelings, Faenrae Reavers, and Banesidhes - These black-hearted creatures -- with the exception of the Faenrae Reavers -- are the offspring of Idon's work, and are frequently involved in evil schemes. While all the Fae are mischievous, they can also do good -- not true with these creatures. Their presence can only mean ill. Created by Huldah, the Faenrae Reavers do fall under the classification of Fae due to their ethereal and other-worldly nature.
Heralds -- Strange, unearthly creatures, even the gods bow down when a Herald commands. Varying from indescribably beautiful to hideously dreadful in visage, the Heralds most commonly appear as a tall (seven to eight foot) humanoid who falls somewhere between Elf and Human in appearance. Wielding great swords and awesome power, their main purpose is to curtail the use of magic. No one is quite sure why they do this, although many scholars have theorized that it is because of magic's unstable tendencies, and the chance that too much spellcraft in one place could dangerously drain that area of life and power, leaving it blasted and ruined. Or perhaps too much magical use by a mortal would alter them or harm them in ways mortal ken cannot even begin to imagine.... Many believe that the Heralds fled from a world where magic had become used too much, destroying the dimension the Heralds dwelled on. Others think that the Heralds are the creator of the gods themselves, and still more think the gods created the Heralds to keep themselves in check.
The All Gods
It is believed by some priests that all the gods are but one face
of a greater god. This greater god is worshiped by some priests
who feel choosing sides is unwise or who feel that worship of one
god is better for their personal faith. A few religions have
risen up around the belief in the One God, and it is very popular
in some regions of Elanthia.
The Huntress and Other Avatars
The tale of the Huntress is an old one of love, murder, and
betrayal. It is often recounted before firesides, in one,
two, or three parts. The Huntress is worshiped by a few
adventurers for her unswervable dedication in the gods, her
personal ascension to godhood, and her passion for vengeance.