The Life of Death and Death of Life
It is merely the way.Many gods are far from the mortals who worship them, either in the literal sense or in the disconnected persepctive of divinity sense. Some, however, are very close to their worshippers, with hearts that still beat and feel and minds that act more than ponder. Kvaler, wolf-headed diety of the True Giants, was one such God, until his grief got the better of him and brought him into conflict with his elder brother, Degår the ever-walking god of Life and Death. It would result in the end of them both, and the rise of five new dieities who have been worshipped for as long as written records have been found, leaving behind a sobering truth at the end of Kvalers angst: Even the gods die, and even then life will continue onward, no matter what anyone does. It is merely the way.
Summary
Life of Death
The True Giants represent various cycles throughout life and nature, sometimes one spoke on those endless wheels, sometimes the wheel in its entirety. When the True Giants first came into being, shaped into titanic form by the Father and Mother of All, Opprinnelse and Mål respectively, there were only a handful of Giants, representing large cycles all on their own. Of note for this tale are two brothers, Degår and Kvaler. Degår looked the most like the young mortals compared to his siblings, and had skin of dark wood and bright stone and three eyes eternally shut. His hands forever clasped in a prayer, he represented the cycle of Life and Death, as well as the transition between. It was his duty to merely walk the land, as when he placed his feet down life would spring forward, and when his feet would rise once more death would follow as that selfsame life traveled off with him. Kvaler meanwhile represented a more emotional cycle, as his divine duty was to the ideal of Protection, of Justice, and finally of War. He was the cycle of violence, as it begins to protect but turns into something much bloodier. It was his job to watch the battlefield, and to ensure no divine interference was at hand. It was also his duty to see the souls off afterward and to ensure no illness, spiritual or otherwise, carried through the land. Unfortunatley, Kvaler was a sensitive soul, and he despised what he represented. Despite having a terrifying visage, a towering Wolfman with fur as black as the deepest void, five eyes of dark burning red like dying suns in the distance, he was treated with kindness and respect by many people of The Seat of Giants, and despised seeing war break out for any reason, but especially the petty. Time and time again he would manifest, throwing his lot in with the side he saw as the victim, wishing them to only be protected. But, in time, that protection would be turned into a weapon, and war would be inevitable once more. Each time, his siblings would chide him for his favoritism, and remind him their duty was to be impartial. But, he couldn't accecpt that, even as he bit his tongue and silently nodded, the dying suns shed crimson tears, and resentment grew. Eventually, people came to hate Kvaler, seeing him as an agitator among their ranks, and their prayers towards him for strength turned into prayers against him to keep him away from their affairs. It cut further than any blade could, but he obeyed and retreated from their view. Still his pain grew, as even if he failed to help before, now he could not even attempt in good faith. All the while, Degår was loved more and more. Degår who measured the end of their life. Degår who walked without as much as a glance towards the people at their feet. Degår who couldn't even be bothered to admonish his own brother. Degår, Degår, Degår! Finally, it all reached a head in the midst of an ancient plague, when Kvaler saw a group of mortals sitting for meditation along Degår's immediate walking path. The wolf god cried out as loud as his voice could for his brothers attention, but he did not stop or move from his path. He then tried to call for the mortals, who couldn't hide their acknowledgement, but did not move. In desperation, Kvaler tried to dive in to either stop Degår or shield the mortals from his path, but his brother finally made a move: to swat Kvaler out of his way. And Degår kept walking, right over the gathered mortals, lifting his heel to nothing but their spirits, already fading into the ether. This, Kvaler decided, was enough.Death of Life
He roared and wailed at the loss, grasping his elder sibling by the shoulders, asking him why he did it, why he just murdered those mortals who were in the midst of their life? Degår merely answered, his voice deep and hoarse from disuse, that if they had gathered beneath his feet, than it was their time, and that perhaps they merely didn't want to die of plague. This did not sate Kvaler, who demanded that Degår not lift his heel once until the healers had solved this plague, it was not right that they needed to fear death in such numbers, and he was the vehicle of that fear. Degår refused, saying that for life to spring, the heel needed to rise. Kvaler aruged he could stamp his feet into the ground without lifting them, planting himself further for life. Degår did not deny this, but said the more he did so, the higher his heel would need to rise eventually. This was merely the way. Still not accepting this answer, Kvaler admonished him more, until Degår drew his attention to a hut at the edge of a nearby forest. A child was being born, but the mother was dying. "For life, there must be death. For Rise, there must be a Fall, if you deny the fall, then mortals shall never see another rise." Still, Kvaler argued that Degår could save them both, the child was just on the other side of life, and the mother was still clinging to the embers. It was not a miracle to change such minute twists of fate. Degår apologized as he put his foot down, "It is not ours to change. It is merely, the way." The baby cried and inhaled, and was given life. And his other foot rose to continue his walk. The mother smiled, and stiffened, and breathed her last. The infants cries were joined by the cries of the lover and the midwife. And it was joined by Kvalers. If his brother could not be bothered to cease his walk to give a mother the extra second she needed to keep going, then clearly he had to stop Degår's passage himself. In a wild, vicious swing he arced behind him, cleaving the walker in two. Degår had little time to react, but as his torso fell to the earth, his arms grabbed at Kvaler's head and waist, and tore his attackers body into violent thirds, tossing his head and torso to either side of the continent, as both gods faded into dust. But, their roles still needed to be fulfilled, and so even as the god of Life met his Death, either fact went on without a seconds hesitation. From Degår's feet, which walked forward eight steps before forming the new life, came the goddess Skog to take over the duty as life-weaver, as well as representing the forests and their endless growth. From his torso, which fell to the land in the spot he was slain, came the diety Reisende who became the death-dealer, as well as protecting those who travel. Kvaler's duties, while not needing immediate replacements, came to find their new vessels as well. From his wolven head came Rustning, the fully lupine god of War and of Rebirth. From his heart, still beating and bleeding after being torn from its body, came the god Oppfinner who took on his fathers role as Protector by becoming the god of Blacksmiths and of rational thought. Lastly, from his lower body, kept in the place of his death alongside his brother, came a diety who felt a great Love for all people, Mysterium, who also grew their own intense curiosity about the world and it's limitations. It was not a happy end to Kvalers anguish, nor was it the end that anyone would wish for two brothers, but it is the end that came at the time it needed to. Such things, no matter what, are inevitable. And just as inevitably, new things will rise and continue ever onward. It is merely the way.Historical Basis
By the time common recordings of True Giants as a pantheon and faith were penned, Degår and Kvaler were already considered dead dieties, with their five children being the mainstays of the pantheon. If you were to ask a practitioner of the faith even as far back as -3500 EE who the god of life was, they'd probably answer "Skog, daughter of fallen Degår." It is unknown just how far back this change happened, or if it happened during mortal existance at all.
As much as it's been proven that the gods are real to some extent, along with the powers they bestow, tracking down exactly when The Age of Gods was remains an impossible task. Still, for as long as The True Giants have had an organized faith, Degår and Kvaler had already met these tragic ends.
Variations & Mutation
Retellings of this story, in written or acted forms, usually have some form of bias to either of the brothers. For some, Degår is the stalwart noble hero struck down by his wrathful and ignorant brother, while others show him as a cold and cruel tool of fate with Kvaler as the defiant anti-hero taking drastic action to in his mind prevent further tragedy. There is no one correct version of the tale, so this push-and-pull of characterization will probably continue for time immemorial.
In Literature
The tale of two brothers dramatically clashing over something inevitable and unchanging has been a literary gold mine over the years, even in stories that don't resemble the original myth in any other way. It is merely a font of angst to inviting to not utilize. It helps that the story itself has been popularized and spread over the years, as well as various stories about the brothers children and their misadventures.
Date of First Recording
Various printings, oldest found dates back to -4900 EE
Date of Setting
Ancient History, Age of Gods
Related Ethnicities
Related Organizations
This is so good! Well done!