The Duke of Death
In the beginning, there were only two ancient, lonely beings left to create and destroy across a vast, empty nothingness. One would create as they travelled through the void, leaving stars, planets, and galaxies in their wake. The other would follow these creations, seeking to find their cause, and in doing so, would bring about their very end. After countless aeons, the two would finally meet and recognise a kinship within one another, finding they were part of the intended cycle of this new universe as they decided to work together. Eventually, however, this work became stale and repetitive, creation was performed for creation's sake, and the inevitable end served no purpose. It is said that this is when the first souls were presented to the pair. Where these souls came from is unknown, not recorded in any scripture, but the two took on their new roles as gods of these new living creatures.
One took their name as the Duke of Death, whose goal it was to give finality and purpose to all those who would come to find themselves upon Amaltheon. Often misconstrued by the common folk of this new world, the Duke's goal is not destruction but rather balance. When The First were welcomed out of the Glittering Grotto, the first imbalance of Amaltheon was created. The Duke sought to summon his own creatures for the first time, which he would welcome through the Darkened Den, a creation gifted to him by the Lady of Life. From here, the first evils of the world were brought forth, including monstrosities, giants, and the first chromatic dragons. The early ages of Amaltheon were harsh for life, and the Duke began to guide those souls passed on from their mortal lives back to the Lady of Life, to begin their cycle anew. As the Lady of Life began to receive prayers, however, the Duke was met with constant fear.
When the Lady of Life created her domain and the upper realms, she once again gave a gift to her counterpart. His domain would come to be known as Dusk's End, though it is said to be an eternal nothingness, much akin to the universe when the two met. In doing so, the Lower Realms were created, a place where, when new gods would ascend, they could place their domains, usually those with darker intentions. Those who sought to create a domain on the Lower Realms were often dissuaded or forbidden from doing so by the Duke himself, so as not to cause an imbalance between the Upper and Lower Realms.
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