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<blockquote data-quote="jasamcarl" data-source="post: 1090517" data-attributes="member: 1251"><p><strong>A Theory on the Origin of Species (Part 1)</strong></p><p></p><p>The history of the world is shrouded in fable for most of its sentient inhabitants. This results in much ambiguity conscerning the origins of the current mortal races, though a minimum of knowledge is imparted to most through the sermons of local priests and chieftans. The theme of these legends is always the respect deserved by the Gods.</p><p></p><p>All men generally hold that the first sentient mortal races to inhabit the Earth were the Giants. Strong and possessing of great magic, their civilization was of such prestige that they spoke as equals to both terrestial spirits (fey) and those from other words (outsiders). But they were also aggressive and warlike, using their power in the pursuit of sin.</p><p></p><p>But the tall ones would see their pride fall. Three giant tribes, inhabiting lands remote to their kin, began recieving omens of doom from spirits greater than any their history had ever recorded. These spirits were the Gods. Realizing the extent of the Gods' power and the inevitability of their own fall from grace, the three tribes begged for forgivness, creating ritual upon ritual designed to humble themselves. Over the course of centuries, the fervor of their humility increased to a fevered pitch. The raw power of the giants' faith began to manifest physically. Once large and imposing, the faithful's bodies shrank to but a fraction of their prior size, the embodiment of their own sense of powerlessness. The Gods finally replied, telling them to stand and have pride in their faith. </p><p></p><p>The small tribes were then sent into the heartland of what used to be their kin to conquer. The heathen giants at first scawfed at the puny newcomers and went so far as to challenge the small ones' 'Gods' directly to show their power. Show them the dieties did as cataclysm upon cataclysm swept their lands. Through their divine backing the Crusader Tribes made headway, dividing the lands to be conquered between them. </p><p></p><p>One tribe was given the heavy responsibility of taking and holding all the lowlands, which induced them to breed in large numbers; these were humans and have adapted to the broad sweep of their mandate by becoming the most numerous and widespread of the mortal tribes.</p><p></p><p>Another was tasked to war in the mountains, the heartland of the giants who wished to build their mountain fortresses as close as possible to the sky cities of their spirit lords. The rough nature of the terrain as well as the tenacity of the heathens here made this tribe especially durable. These became known as dwarves, who are still held in awe by many a human peasent for their superior combat skill.</p><p></p><p>The third tribe was to be everywhere the others weren't, supplying the dwarves and humans with what they lacked and to deprive the giants of what they needed. These were the halflings. Two traditions address the inordinatly small size of these creatures. Some say (mostly halflings) that it a reflection of their incredible devotion to their gods. Others (also including many halflings ironicaly) claim it was an aknowledgement by the Gods of the halflings' talent for cunning and deception, and that they needed an especially thorough 'reminder' of their own limitations.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jasamcarl, post: 1090517, member: 1251"] [b]A Theory on the Origin of Species (Part 1)[/b] The history of the world is shrouded in fable for most of its sentient inhabitants. This results in much ambiguity conscerning the origins of the current mortal races, though a minimum of knowledge is imparted to most through the sermons of local priests and chieftans. The theme of these legends is always the respect deserved by the Gods. All men generally hold that the first sentient mortal races to inhabit the Earth were the Giants. Strong and possessing of great magic, their civilization was of such prestige that they spoke as equals to both terrestial spirits (fey) and those from other words (outsiders). But they were also aggressive and warlike, using their power in the pursuit of sin. But the tall ones would see their pride fall. Three giant tribes, inhabiting lands remote to their kin, began recieving omens of doom from spirits greater than any their history had ever recorded. These spirits were the Gods. Realizing the extent of the Gods' power and the inevitability of their own fall from grace, the three tribes begged for forgivness, creating ritual upon ritual designed to humble themselves. Over the course of centuries, the fervor of their humility increased to a fevered pitch. The raw power of the giants' faith began to manifest physically. Once large and imposing, the faithful's bodies shrank to but a fraction of their prior size, the embodiment of their own sense of powerlessness. The Gods finally replied, telling them to stand and have pride in their faith. The small tribes were then sent into the heartland of what used to be their kin to conquer. The heathen giants at first scawfed at the puny newcomers and went so far as to challenge the small ones' 'Gods' directly to show their power. Show them the dieties did as cataclysm upon cataclysm swept their lands. Through their divine backing the Crusader Tribes made headway, dividing the lands to be conquered between them. One tribe was given the heavy responsibility of taking and holding all the lowlands, which induced them to breed in large numbers; these were humans and have adapted to the broad sweep of their mandate by becoming the most numerous and widespread of the mortal tribes. Another was tasked to war in the mountains, the heartland of the giants who wished to build their mountain fortresses as close as possible to the sky cities of their spirit lords. The rough nature of the terrain as well as the tenacity of the heathens here made this tribe especially durable. These became known as dwarves, who are still held in awe by many a human peasent for their superior combat skill. The third tribe was to be everywhere the others weren't, supplying the dwarves and humans with what they lacked and to deprive the giants of what they needed. These were the halflings. Two traditions address the inordinatly small size of these creatures. Some say (mostly halflings) that it a reflection of their incredible devotion to their gods. Others (also including many halflings ironicaly) claim it was an aknowledgement by the Gods of the halflings' talent for cunning and deception, and that they needed an especially thorough 'reminder' of their own limitations. [/QUOTE]
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