Kiirshi's Tale

In late 300 YR, the adventuring party known locally as the "Heroes of the Frontier" departed from Phandever in Northwestern Argyle and travelled along the Triboar trail towards its end point at Collina Scrofa in the Golden Republic of Marothell. They were joined by an unusual traveling companion, the noble/academic known simply as Kiirshi, who said she was in pursuit of someone who stole a secret from her family. 
In those days, an ancient ziggurat had risen from the town of Gobford and floated in the skies over Argyle and Marothell. Having visited a portion of the ziggurat, the artificer A21R had questions about the legends depicted in what remained of the murals within and some of the other ancient icons they had encountered.  What follows is Kiirshi's telling of the story:

"In ancient times, the surface of the world we call Emergo was not safe for habitation, and the many peoples of the world came to live underground, building great cities, civilizations and empires. Humans and dwarves, gnomes and orcs, elves and goliaths; any people who could not survive in the oceans were likely to be found underground." 
"At that time, different deities were worshipped, older powers that may have been here since the beginning of time.  Among those old gods were a pair of binary deities.  Their original names are not known to us, but we see them depicted as two sides of the same coin.  Light and dark, each unable to exist without the other.  The framer and the shaper; the shelterer and the defender; the giver of life and the remover of suffering."  
"Nations rose and fell, people gathered and dispersed. It is said the greatest of these was the Xolmec Empire, though they may simply have been the greatest in the final generations before the Emergence. From their seat of power in Xibalba'rranzen, the Xolmecs ruled over a vast underground empire." 
"As is always the case with society, factions formed, pitting one cause against another. Those factions came to tear at the very heart of the empire, even as some of their brightest minds were leading expeditions to test the surface. A war was fought between the Xolmecs and Desmicans, and at some point a dark ritual occurred which sundered the twin deities apart. One can only imagine the amount of power that must have been unleashed at that point, and many mages have been curious to study anything they can find related to those days, but you already know all about that, of course. That's why you fought in Menim's War, right?"  
"One of those exploring the surface was a powerful young human named Vecna. His legend alone could fill volumes, but what you described from the ziggurat speaks of a key moment which still reverberates for all of us today.  Having found the surface to be survivable, Vecna led a campaign which brought his people above ground. This was the time we call the Emergence, and the beginning of what sages call The Second Age. Life was hard without the comforts of the cities they knew, and especially so as they were unable to call upon the same gods who had guided innumerable generations before." 
"To aide his people, Vecna devised a way to recover what he could of the sundered deity, and he drew forth the god known as Ilmater. This moment is recalled in the symbol of Ilmater worn by your friend the Leper Knight, depicting two hands as the Broken God was pulled into this world."  
"This action must have been a beacon for other powers, because it is in these days that we first hear of Pelor , Freya, and the other common deities we know now.  Likewise, some mechanism must have been deployed to seal off the old gods. However it was done, I pray that those doors are never opened, for the rage and resentment they must feel. From time to time, it is said that some of their minions find a way into our world. I believe that may be what you fought under Gobford." 
"You asked about stopping the Mother and the Prince of Beasts.  These are noble goals which I am happy to support, but I do not know where to start. As Amriel can sadly attest, Ilmater is scarcely worshipped these days, and even in Sirastir this kindly power is not revered nor widely known these last hundreds of years. Where to find him and what role we all may play in what's to come is yet to be written.

"This has been a poor retelling, simply what I can share to pass our time on the road.  It is said that the original book exists.  It was written long ago, but those who read and ponder it have hidden their faces."

Summary

Ages ago, a pair of twin deities were sundered apart in a dark ritual.  The remnants of one became Ilmater, the other was seemingly sealed away.

Spread

Worship of the binary deities was included in the traditions of the first people to Emerge. Once Ilmater arrived, however, the new gods replaced the old faiths.

Date of First Recording

4 Sunsebb, 300 YR

Related People

• Ilmater
• The Raven Queen