Jubilex
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Posts: 17
(10/11/02 10:10 am)
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Chaos and the Lightbringers
In the beginning, all was Chaos. The world itself was without form, and Life but an ephemeral whim that winked in and out of existance within a maelstrom of fire and shadow. Over countless aeons Chaos churned upon itself, raising up fantastic creations only to tear them apart in moments. This was the Time of Chaos, from which no living creature has memory.
In time, Chaos spawned its own greatest enemy. After so many forms, and so much destruction, Chaos gave birth to that thing it had never before allowed to exist... a thing outside its own influence. The very nature of Chaos itself doomed it, as it could not prevent such a creation the moment it was conceived.
Thus, Yelm was born, the first Light of the world. Yelm stood within the vast works of Chaos and watched the unending cycles of creation and destruction. Yelm treasured the brief moments in which motes of light danced within the boiling furnace of the world, and the tiny creatures that clung to life until they were inevitably obliterated. In time, Yelm learned from Chaos the ways of creation and began to build, but did not destroy. Yelm became Light itself, and took the form of the great sky orb, the Sun. Around him he crafted a place where the creatures could survive and thrive. Thus was born the world, the mountains, the seas, and all living things.
Observing this unchanging thing within its domain, Chaos created hate and lashed out at Yelm and the world he had designed. Though Yelm himself could resist the influence of Chaos, his creations could not and the two beings struggled against each other. Yelm's compassion for his creation forced him to yield to Chaos, which buried him at the heart of the world, imprisoned and inert. A fitting tomb for the usurper.
With Yelm as its heart the world resisted the rending rage of Chaos, and Life survived in a world of darkness. This is the Age of Twilight, when the Gods were born.
The memory of Yelm lived on in the minds of all living things. They prayed for his return in their multitudes and the children of Yelm gave birth to beings of great power that each took a part of the sleeping Sun God for their own.
First was born Orlanth, the God of the Sea and Wind, for all life came from Yelm's light, the air and water.
Next came Urox, the God of Battle, who rose from Yelm's hatred of Chaos.
Alongside Urox came Hroldi, the Crone, the spirit of healing and knowledge to balance the fury of Urox.
Then came Chalana Arroy, the Goddess of Fertility, taking from Yelm the act of creation of Life, though she could not influence that Life once it was born.
When the living things of the world could see to their own creation through Chalana Arroy, there came a need to end life. Hither came Humakt, the God of Death. Humakt also became the God of Oaths, for he uttered the First Oath which all living things must abide before receiving the gift of Life: eventually, they must die.
Then came Irespike, the Trickster, who walked between Yelm and Chaos, for Yelm understood Chaos and knew that change was a part of Life. The moment Irespike was born he split the creatures of the world into many seperate groups, and gave them names and language so they would forever more be in opposition to each other. Thus came men and dwarves and elves and the many other races.
Orlanth gathered up the best and bravest of each race to form an army. With Urox and Humakt he led this army into the earth to find and release Yelm. They were known as the Lightbringers.
At the center of the earth, the Army of the Lightbringers battled the spawn of Chaos and won. They split the chains that held Yelm and he was released. At last the Sun shone on the earth and Chaos was defeated. The spawn of Chaos fled into the dark corners of the world where Yelm's light could not touch them, and the life giving waters of Orlanth could not be found.
Yelm's power was shared among the other Gods, who had taken these things from him while he slept at the heart of the world. Together they stand against Chaos as equals.
Edited by: Jubilex at: 10/13/02 3:05:52 pm
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