Orea- World of the Steel Dragons: Mythos Part I

I'm pretty sure this kind of thing goes here, right? Gotta start somewhere and we're starting pretty close to the beginning...of everything.

Mythos of Orea (World of the Steel Dragons): Part I

As translated from the writings of Saludavus the Learned, most blessed scribe of Sorilorr, in the Eternalas.
Imperium 1400, year of Dessos 7.
<Selurian calendar 1407 –the year 1400 since the establishment of the Empire, the 7th year of the reign of the Emperor Dessos. Modern Orean calendar 737 B.G.>


The Making of the Elder Gods
In the era following the passing of Ahl and Zho, the primordial sea called Ossa spent much time exploring the world left to Her. She spake with the Children of Ahl and Zho and learned much of their wisdoms and the ways of the creatures of the earth and air. In time, Ossa grew weary of this company and returned to Her depths but never to rest long ere the Children would call for Her for some query or dispute. The creatures of the world had all been named and they too called for Ossa as they needed.* (Saludavus’ note: For in those dawning days all the creatures of the world, from the smallest gnat to the colossal burdulaps could spake as you and I.)

Ossa soon realized She could not, alone, govern the world and all of its ways. Even with the wisdom and power of the Children of Ahl and Zho, who were more than eager to assist, they were not Divine. So, Ossa thought long until She developed a masterful solution for Her quandary. Ossa worked out Her design and took pleasure in it and pleased was Ossa.

Ossa would create Keepers for this world. Beings to keep watch over the various elements of the world. She would use Her power and strength, Her skill and breath to give these watchers the Divine that resided within Her, as it had come from Ahl and Zho.

Ossa accounted for Her task. Three sets of pairs, male and female (as the beast and birds and Children had been created), each with Their realms over which to hold sway and Their domains to govern. For three days and three nights, Ossa prepared Herself, building up Her strength and power and when the two moons shone full, Ossa went to Her beach.
She took the colorful wet sands and surf and foam from Her waves and She sculpted a being. Then She drew forth from Herself the Life and the Divine and imbued them each, in turn, with a gift and a realm and a place in the world.

The first of these, Ossa called Antas. He was given the thunderbolt. The Realm of Air and Sky would be His domain. The Storm, the Day and the Light. He would be Their King.

The next Ossa called Arinane. She was given the greater silver moon (Zho’s gift to Ahl). The Realm of Water and Sea would be Her domain. The Waves, the Night and the Stars. She would be Their Queen.

The next to be formed Ossa called Pehn. He was given the bow. The Realm of Blood and Wilds would be His domain. The Hidden Ways, Physical Skill and the Beasts of earth and air* (Saludavus’ note: Truthfully, the creatures of air were also always happy to heed Antas and Arinane). He would be Their Hunter.

Pehn’s mate on the world was Ossa’s most lovely creation and She called Her, Llyndra. She was given a staff. The Realm of Heart and Woods would be Her domain. The Fields, Nurturing Care and all Green Growing Things. She would be Their Healer.

The First Night of Ossa’s Creation was coming to a close and Ossa, very pleased with Herself and the great beauty of Her sculptures became hasty with the setting moons. In sculpting Her next Keeper, Ossa found She had run out of sand. Convinced that the Divine power would amend Her incomplete form Ossa proceeded. The final product, while having all of the faculties and power of the others was a shorter, more squat, version, slightly bent and not pleasing to the eye.

Ossa, keeping with Her design, called this being Oor. She gave Him a hammer. The Realm of Earth and the Mountains would be His domain. The Stone, the Riches and Secrets beneath the ground. He would be Their Smith.

Out of sand and with the coming dawn, Ossa decided to return to Her depths to replenish Her strength and continue Her design the following evening.

During the day, the created Keepers (who are known to the world as the Elder Gods) went about Their duties and set to putting Their realms in order. So it was that in the afternoon heat, none of the Elders noticed that Amduro, the spiny crab, came upon the beach and buried himself in the fresh cool wet sand.

That evening, Ossa returned to the beach eager to see Her design come to fruition. The created Elders gathered again on the beach to view the forming of Their last sister. She was to be called Karahl and given the Realm of Fire and serve as Oor’s mate and hold the position of Hearth Tender in Their divine halls of Estralannir.

But, when Ossa began to mold the wet sand and imbue the form, She accidentally crushed Amduro and the killed him. The claws and sharp broken bits of hard shell dug into Ossa’s hands and She bled into the sands. Amduro shrieked in agony and surprise and then was no more. The assembled Elders shuddered at the unknown sound and the sensation that would be known as Horror. And so Death and Fear first came into the world.

The form became awash in bursting flames. It called Itself Karos. It claimed as Its Realm Fire and Chaos would be Its domain. It was born in Fear and Flame and Death and It was…Evil. It would be Their Destruction.

Ossa, horrified at Her mistake, tried to Unmake It, but It was already possessed of the primordial blood and could not be Unmade. Cackling wildly at Its own power, Karos flared out at Ossa and Its siblings with tendrils of immortal, ever burning fire causing all to scatter in chaos. Arinane quickly raised a great wave to consume the Creature of Fire and Karos was afraid of Her power and fled from the beach, setting alight all in Its path across the world.

While Antas and Pehn and Oor sought to capture and subdue Karos, Ossa retreated to Her depths. Distraught at the making of Karos, Ossa quickly set to devise a way to bring the Chaosbringer into submission.

The rest of the night passed and the following day. Karos laid to waste many lands and many creatures. Even the Children of Ahl and Zho who aided the Elders were no match for Its evil and many fell in that single day. Several of the Children of Zho, impressed and intrigued with Karos’ inexhaustible power became enwrapped in it festering yoke and were transformed from the dragons of shining light they were into the darkened and dull chromatic wyrms known to us today. The Children of Ahl who did not fall were driven mad by the Chaosbringer and the Elders were forced to destroy them for the safety and sanity of all. Beasts and birds that Karos did not consume in his undying fire were scorched and twisted into creatures of unimagined horror, some of which still stalk the realms today.

Within a single day, it seemed, Karos would be able to unmake all that had been created.

As the moons rose on the Third Night of Ossa’s Creation, the primordial returned to the shore. She held back the tears at the sight of the burning lands, the approaching night bathed in a horrid bloody red and orange glow. Resolved to Her course, Ossa began to sculpt anew and formed two more beings.

With the presence of Evil brought to the world, a singular evil more powerful than all the Good the young world had to muster, bringing Order over the physical realms would not be enough to subdue the Chaos. Ossa needed to bring Balance into the world. Not through the elemental powers like Air and Water, the physical Body and wild Spirit of Pehn nor even the physical but abstract element of Love held by Llyndra. Balance to those elements within and without the physical that could shackle the unbridled fury of Evil.

The first, Ossa called Sorilorr. He was given a rainbow mirror that could see all things anywhere, including inside a being’s thoughts. The Realm of the Mind and the Lesser Moon (the Green Moon, Ossa’s own gift from Zho) would be His Domain. The Will, Observation and All Knowledge. He would be Their Scribe.

The final, Ossa called Desri. She was given a ball of unending multicolored twine. The Realm of the Soul and the Underworld would be Her domain. The Fate of All, Judgment upon them and Death itself, would be for Her alone to mete out. She would be Their Weaver.

And so, with these two, Sorilorr and Desri, the Balancing qualities of Neutrality were brought to the world. Sorilorr held up His mirror to the horror of Chaos. Karos, having never witnessed Itself before was stunned while Desri wove her colored web to the Fate of the wild Elder god and Its place in the world.

With the added force of Their pull and Desri usurping the domain of Death from Karos, the Elders were able to subdue the Chaosbringer and bring It (which had by now made Itself a Him) into Their ways. Karos recoiled from the Elders and created a stronghold of His own sinister devising, far from Estralaniir, called Nerduuron.

Ossa, unable to forgive Herself for the wrong She had done and unleashed upon the world retired to Her depths and was nary heard of again in the realms of Elves or Men.

The Elders went about Their appointed duties and nurtured Their realms and Order took hold over the world…for a time.

[FONT=&quot]So ends the tale of the Making of the Elder Gods. [/FONT]

The Making of Elves

The Birth Of Elves

In the age after Ahl and Zho left the world and Ossa had created the Elder gods, the realms of Orea were in turmoil. The Elder gods conducted their works but they were often interrupted, corrupted, or brought to ruin by the mechanizations of Karos and his minions.

Answering the cries of His brethren, Antas strode forth in might and glory to bring an end to the dark influences of Karos.

The Chaosbringer met the Lightlord at the center of the sky and there the two made battle to shake the heavens and the earth. For nine days and nine nights the two fought with the great weapons of Their power.

In the final hours of the ninth night, after many wounds had been suffered by both Elders, it seemed Antas would strike down the Demonlord.

Just then, Karos struck Antas a great blow and attempted to make his escape. The celestial blood rained down on the realms of Orea. There, in the dawning of the tenth day, under the brilliance of Antas, rose beings unsurpassed in grace and beauty, skill and wisdom. They would come to be called the ShiStaliiri, “Those of the Blood of the Star.” They would become known as Elves in the realms of Orea.

Karos, despising all things beautiful and good, saw these beings rise and was afraid. The Demonlord could not abide the light of good that shone from these new creatures.

So, being as devious as He is despicable, Karos feigned to fall, and allowed Himself to be struck by Antas. A great gash opened in His side and from the wound fell the festering black ichor of the Great Corruptor. Where it fell in the realms of Orea in the final shadows of the night, rose the ShiDaeiri, “Those of the Blood of Darkness.” They would become known among the realms of Orea as Dark Elves or Drow.

Seeing the light of those made by Antas, the ShiDaeiri immediately leapt to battle, seeking to expunge the light of good from the world so abhorrent to their kind and their creator. The ShiStaliiri leapt to meet the assault, seeking always to eliminate the shadows of evil and hatred trying to mar the beauty and light of the world.

As the celestial battle continued, some of the Divine blood and ichor were mixed in their decent to the realms. Where these crossed fluids fell, rose the third of the “true” original Elven races (according to the historians of ShiStaliir), the ShiCynalla, “Those of the Blood of the Clouds” (or Clouded Blood) arose. The ShiCynalla tried to remain outside of the fighting between the ShiStaliiri and the ShiDaeiri, perferring to take delight in the wonders of the world they found themselves in. So many of the ShiCynalla hid themselves away in the secret natural places of Orea, while others roamed the realms in search of whatever pleasures they could find.

Of the other elvish races, none can say. It is believed by some sages that the Kantiiri and Karolosta were brought to Orea by others of the Elder gods, in much the same way. The ShiStaliiri believe the Kantiiri were born from a mixing of elvish blood with that of one of the stout races, though noone knows for sure.

For millenia, before the coming of the Five Tribes of Men, the Children of the Blood of Light and the Children of the Blood of Darkness warred across the realms. Until the coming of the hero-king, Drythantalir, greatest lord of Elves.

The Making of Men

The Five Tribes of Man.

After the Elder Gods had completed there creation of the Other races, They returned to the working of Their spheres and were pleased for a time with the adorations of Their newly created children. But eventually, They became bored again with Their spheres and sought for the exhilaration of again working Creation as Their maker, Ossa, had done. So it was Oor, who was always thinking of new things to make in His deep halls beneath the earth, who came up with the thought that the Elders would collectively make another new race of beings.

But this race would be a combination of all of Their collective spheres and so be the Children of Them all. Antas and the other Elder gods were greatly pleased by this idea but were confused then as to which of Them would hold sway if the beings possessed portions of them all. For it was the way of the world that all creatures and creations that were held to be ruled by one of the Elders. Oor thought on this for a time and then made a suggestion. Once these beings were made, collectively, each of the Elder Gods and Goddesses could have a tribe of these beings that would be Theirs to oversee.

This greatly pleased Antas and the Elders and so They bade Oor to work right away on these new Collective beings.

Oor forged their vessels with great beauty and skill, as He did all of His work, and called these vessels “Man.” Then he glazed each with a color so that the Elder gods could see easily the different tribes. So the tribes were painted. One white. One black. One gold. One green. One red. Oor brought them to the Elders and each, in turn, imbued them all with Life. Each Elders instilling Their own powers , talents, and gifts. Antas looked over the new Collective beings and was greatly pleased and the heavens shone with his countenance.

When this was complete, Sorilorr looked over the new creatures and said, ”Oor, you have made an error. There are but five tribes of Men here. And We are six.” For Desri had no desire nor need for one of the Mortal Creations, gathering the souls of all things to Herself in Her time, and.at this time Karos was still locked deep away for His crimes against Creation, or so it was believed.

Oor replied, “Nay my brother, I have not erred. For you see, I have the dwarves that are mine as children. I have the whole of the deeps of the earth as mine to work as I please. And I have made the vessels of Man and given them my talents. It is enough for me to see my work complete and bringing pleasure for you. I need hold no sway over these beings more than that.”

So the Elder gods thanked Oor for His wonderful works and skills and chose one each of the tribes of Men to be Theirs to hold sway.

Antas chose the tribe of White, bright like the light in His sky. They who would grow in knowledge and wisdom to become the Selurians.
Arinane chose the tribe of Black, dark like the deep mystery of Her night. They who would grow in knowledge and wisdom, equal to that of the tribe of White, to become the Tanku.

Sorilorr chose the tribe of Gold, who shone with a beauty of mind and spirit to rival the beauty of their bodies. They who would grow in knowledge and wisdom above all others. None know what became of the Tribe of Gold.

Llyndra chose the tribe of Green, who moved with the land as it were their own bodies. They who would grow in knowledge and wisdom to become the Druids and establish the Ancient Order.

Pehn chose the tribe of Red, who burned with a passion and strength akin to His own. They who would grow in knowledge and wisdom more slowly than the others, becoming known by the other tribes as the “lesser men,” wild like Pehn, himself. They would eventually come to be known by many names. The Thelitians, the Gorunduun, and the Men of the Western realms all hold ties to the tribe of Red.

So the Five Tribes of Men were brought to Orea and the Elder gods held sway, each over Their own tribe. Antas and the other gods were pleased and the heavens shone with Their countenance. For a time the Tribes prospered, multiplied, and were happy. Taking pleasure in their lives and the pleasing of their gods. It was during this time that the ShiStaliiri found their way to the western forests and established their realm.

Countless generations of Men passed. For even in their youth, the race of Man led much shorter lives than the other races. Though they were still much longer lived than they are now.

It was said that the great limitations to Man’s existence were due to the collection of spheres that burn within them, exhausting their vessel much faster than those of other beings. But even short-lived, they grew great in knowledge and power.

This power attracted attention and, again, the malignancy of Karos seeped its way back into the mortal realms and the times now called the Chaos Ages began.

So ends the tale of the Making of the Five Tribes of Men.

Dwarves

Sorry, skipped this bit, though they are made between the Elves and Men.

Just...not a whole lot to their story. Anyone have any ideas for beefing up a dwarven creation myth? Lemme know.

The Birth of Dwarves

It is said upon seeing the birth of the elves from the blood of the god, Antas, and the reverence they bestowed on the First of Ossa, the Elder god of the mountains, Oor, had the idea to create beings that would be devoted to Him and the riches of the earth and stone over which He held sway. So, Oor ventured to His smithy the northern mountains. Oor hid in their depths from His brothers and sisters while He made His greatest works.
From the very rock itself Oor chiseled the first dwarves in his image. He then took gold and silver and wove it for their hair. Oor gave the dwarves beards as He wore Himself. He used iron for their will and mithral for their valor. When He was satisfied with their appearance, He blew the flame of Life into them with his great bellows, and so the first dwarves, the Ooran, came to be.
The place where Oor wrought this work He called Naradun, and so the mountain range and the dwarves that continue to live there, are called to this day.
Oor taught his new race how to mine ores and forge alloys, how to craft great weapons, armor, and jewels. He taught them the secret ways of the stones, how to navigate the caverns and passages in the realms beneath the green fields, and how to fight the dark forces that Karos spewed forth from His hidden exile.