Ayren and Lain

The bard, resplendent in green and gold, began to recite, his sonorous voice carrying the story, bringing it to life. "In those days, darkness covered the world, and men did not know life. The taste of water, the touch of wind, the soul of love. They were unknown to those poor, ancient shadows, pale reflections of what we are today." He stopped for a moment, gesturing at the crowd of nobles, in their multicolored silks. "And the people were clothed in shade, and knew not the richness of color. Until Ayren, and her beloved, Lain. Ironic that a love so strong, the first love, should end in such tragedy. Ironic that such tragedy should give rise to life as we know it."

Summary

The legend, often told in noble courts, revolves around Ayren and Lain, the first people to ever fall in love. The story is in a different time, before emotions and everything associated with humanity. It was dark, cold, and lifeless. Yet it wasn't a primitive time, society still existed. Aryen, the daughter of a noble, fell in love with Lain, a poor merchants apprentice. The story varies from bard to bard, but at the end Aryen's parents execute Lain, and Aryen kills herself. Broken over their only daughter's death, her parents cry, the first time anyone has done that. Their tears breathe life into the world, and from then on people are governed by their emotions. Darkness recedes from the world, and color bloomed, and everything good about life.

Historical Basis

Historians disagree on where exactly this legend came from. Some are proponents of the idea that the legend came from the Sylvian Empire, a long-dead civilization known for their dislike of emotion and focus on the useful only. Others prefer the theory that the legend originates from the destruction of The Anvil and that Ayren and Lain never existed. Supporters of the first say that a story of that depth needs to have actual people it's based upon, while supporters of the second believe that a story couldn't have survived from the Sylvian Empire, as it fell apart thousands upon thousands of years ago. Still others believe the whole thing was made up and is nothing more than the product of an inventive author. These historians are understandably laughed at by their peers.

Spread

One of the most popular tales of the noble class, a favorite to be learned by aspiring bards. Not as common in the lower classes, but versions still find their way into taverns and inns.

Variations & Mutation

As stated before, the origin of the tale is unknown, but many versions exist in the world. Versions designed to entertain nobles tend to be more flowery, focusing on the idea of love, while other versions, to entertain commoners, tend to focus more on, shall we say, the physical attraction between Aryen and Lain.

Cultural Reception

The story is told primarily in Aen, a favorite of the noble courts. Very distorted versions that bear only slight similarities can be found across the sea, but historians are generally not interested in other continents.

In Literature

This tale is primarily passed down orally, but there have been recent efforts to write down the most popular versions.

In Art

Depictions of Ayren and Lain can be found all across Aen, in homes of nobles or very wealthy merchants aspiring to look like nobles.

Date of First Recording

A few centuries after the destruction of The Anvil, lending credence to supporters of the second opinion.

Date of Setting

Again, historians disagree, but the Sylvian Empire fell apart centuries before the Anvil was even discovered.