The First Creation
Summary
Before the beginning, there was One, which Is, Nihil, which Is Not, and Latnos, which is Between. The ephemeral walls, once separating, now torn asunder, and Is spilled into Is Not, and they mingled Between. From the mingling arose Aztravel, Eo, and Zalcar, who were Unreal. Aztravel in her mindless sleep dreamed first of Ontus, and her dream came to fruition, and the Three were made Real. But Aztravel knew not of Order, and her creation was all roiling and ever-churning Chaos, and the Three were Indefinite. But Eo dreamed, and in his mindless sleep imagined Time, and as he knew not of Chaos, brought Order to Aztravel's Creation. The Three were made Definite, but were Sightless. And so Zalcar dreamed of Thought, Reason, and Passion, and the Three were made Lucid, and they awakened to behold their creation.
In that time, Ontus was a vast plane, and on this Plane the Three established their domain, defending it for untold eons from the incursions of the Laminarum, what is Between the Between. Zalcar reigned as King in those times, as he was ruled neither by Chaos or Order and wielded the power of Thought to the greatest extent. Aztravel was his greatest knight and defender, as she wielded the power of Passion and was ruled by Chaos, the Loving Mother, changing and destroying Creation on a whim. Eo, the Prophet, always remained by Zalcar's side in those days, and wielded Reason to serve as his greatest adviser. He was ruled by Order, and would scry far into the future to aid his king in his decisions. This golden age was not to last, however, as Eo, once the embodiment of Order and Reason, would succumb to a corruption of the mind.
In his explorations through Time, Eo would see the untold death and suffering that would come to pass, which was a foreign and painful concept to him. He reasoned that to prevent that future, he must destroy creation before that future could come to pass. But Ontus was formed by Three dreams, and could not be undone by a single being's will. And so he spoke to his King, explaining what he saw and what must be done. He expressed to Zalcar what he wished, but Zalcar demanded Eo abandon his Reason for one time. Eo retorted that Passion ruled his King's heart over Reason, and slew Zalcar then, spilling the blood of his King to further his goal. Aztravel arrived too late, as Eo quickly fled, and tended her King as best she could, but to no avail.
But Death did not exist in those days, and because Ontus could not exist without the Three, from the body of the great king arose younger gods, all aspects of Zalcar personified. They were named Barak, Jiaantor, Sarthu, Markath, Ellana, Trigina, and Ulitir. Barak, the Golden Dragon, inherited Zalcar's place as king, as he was the bravest and wisest of the young gods, and his heart was ruled neither by Order or Chaos. By his sides were Jiaantor, the Gleaming God, and Sarthu, the Reborn, who were born from the aspects of Order and Chaos which dwelled within Zalcar. Ellana, of Eternal Youth and Wisdom, was his wife, and her wisdom was only rivaled by that of her husband. Trigina, the Crafter, was skilled in all manner of tools, whether it be hammer, saw, or needle. Markath, the Blazing Star, was brother to Barak, and it is said he undertook every task with a zeal unseen in any other being. Lastly Ulitir, the Ever-Hungering, consumed Zalcar's corpse, leaving no trace. The Seven, with Aztravel immediately took up arms against Eo in vengeance.
For ages, the gods pursued Eo and fought him, but each time he escaped and could not be killed. However, Ellana devised a cunning plan to be rid of Eo for eternity. Trigina would create seven swords, one for each of the young gods to wield, and they would be keys to open a portal to another Creation formed by Aztravel. To Ulitir went the Grim Blade, which caused all it came near to wither and wilt. To Markath went the Burning Blade, which produced searing, bright-burning flames which could melt even stone. To Trigina went the Cleaving Blade, lightest and sharpest of all the blades, it would hum and had a faint glow, and could cleave boulders in two. To Ellana went the Mind-Honed Blade, which cut not through flesh and bone, but through Thought and Memory. To Sarthu went the Warping Blade, which could cut holes in reality and allow its wielder to disappear and reappear instantly in another place. Jiaantor claimed the Gleaming Blade, forged from purest light, and which shone brighter than anything in Ontus. Lastly, to Barak went the King's Blade, with the power to trump all other blades, and he renamed himself Barakil.
And so the plan was set into motion. A special altar was made, designed to utilize the power of the Seven Keys to aid Aztravel in imprisoning Eo. Eo was lured to the spot by a promise of surrender, that Aztravel would unravel what she had made. But, of course, Eo was deceived. The trap was sprung, and a gaping hole was opened in the fabric of Ontus. Aztravel expending all her power, created an Eternal Prison for Eo, and trapped him within. The Seven Keys were drawn from their places, the portal closed, and Eo was gone. However, Aztravel had used all her power in the fight, and her life faded away. As it had happened for Zalcar, so to did new gods arise from the body of Aztravel.
These gods were named Malishad, Mare, Gorshau, Nesiri, Chauramus, Tor-Kes, and Damira. Malishad, the Smith, was a great artisan and metalworker, and he would become the husband of Trigina. Mare, the Sea-Mother, Nesiri, the Huntress, and Damira, the Lady Clad in Ivy, were lovers of creation, just as Aztravel had been, and Mare would become the wife of Jiaantor. Tor-Kes, Wreathed in Flame, was the god of the First Flame, and shared Aztravel's burning Passion. Chauramus, the Wave Caller, was a renowned fisherman, and was married to Nesiri, and they would often lead hunts and fish together. However he, along with Gorshau, Who Rides the Storm, were prone to the chaotic and passionate nature of Aztravel, being in one moment calm and collected, and the next in the throes of rage. They were very close friends.
In the same moment these gods arose from the body of Aztravel, because Eo no longer existed in Ontus, he left absent roles that had to be filled, and so new gods sprung from where he was last as well. They were named Klinar, Saylah, Renka, Kantria, Kenta, Shethu, and Purgamir. Klinar, the Wizened, was known for his vast knowledge and wisdom. He was known as a traveler, visiting many lands to glean information. It is said of Saylah, of the Warm Embrace that she was the embodiment of beauty and of comfort, and her smile could calm the most violent storm. She was wife to Shethu, and brought light and warmth to his brooding personality. Renka, the Clockwork God, was the most intelligent of the gods, and devoted much of his time to uncovering the inner workings of Ontus, and worked with Malishad and Trigina in the creation of many experiments. Kantria, Who Moves Through Time, would replace Eo as the Goddess of Time, and while a highly enigmatic individual, would ensure that the workings of Time continue to go without issue. Kenta, the Ever-Loyal, was devoted to ensuring the domain of Barakil ran smoothly and orderly, inheriting the almost obsessive nature of Eo. Shethu, the Mad God, would dwell in torment within his own mind, his only light and salvation being his wife Saylah. Lastly, Purgamir would be among the first to harness the powers of Magic, and wield it for himself.
From these gods, three allied tribes would emerge, led by Barakil, Jiaantor, and Sarthu. These three families would lead Ontus into a new golden age, and populate it with their sons and daughters, as well as beasts, plants, mountains, and lesser spirits to populate their cities and aid in their pursuits.
Spread
This particular myth, or at the very least, similar myths which share many of its themes, have sprung up in many different cultures throughout the world, such as among the Jorns, Elves, and Forgosian natives separately. This particular variation of the myth is taken from the Sapphrian Omnium Notarum, which is believed to have been derived from the religious practices of the Dragons and Seraphim, both of whom had very close relations with the ancient Men of Tarak, the people that preceded both the Sapphrians and the Suthermen.
Due to the widespread nature of this myth, and the importance of it in Forgosian religious practice, one may be hard pressed to find an individual who knows nothing of the story. Even in nations such as Sutherland and Tynera, which have no legends associated with the First Creation archetype, many people are aware of the basics of the story, except in smaller, more rural areas. Telavir is perhaps the only location in Forgosia where knowledge of the story is uncommon, due to the xenophobic nature of the Telviri and their exotic religious practices.
Due to the widespread nature of this myth, and the importance of it in Forgosian religious practice, one may be hard pressed to find an individual who knows nothing of the story. Even in nations such as Sutherland and Tynera, which have no legends associated with the First Creation archetype, many people are aware of the basics of the story, except in smaller, more rural areas. Telavir is perhaps the only location in Forgosia where knowledge of the story is uncommon, due to the xenophobic nature of the Telviri and their exotic religious practices.
Variations & Mutation
The text presented here is an excerpt from the Omnium Notarum, the primary religious text of the Sapphrian Deretil practice. This particular text was selected due to it being the primary religious text of the largest religious group in Forgosia, the Deretil Cult. However, this story seems to be somewhat archetypal of many religious groups throughout Forgosia, with connections being drawn to the stories of the Borstahl Cult, Sutarites, the Followers of the Incarnate, the Varyan Mystics, and even the religions of the Dragons and Seraphim. Of course many of these texts depict major differences, but the basis and core of the story is the same: in most cases, the world is created by the mingling of two opposing forces, Order and Chaos, Light and Dark, or in this text's case, Is and Is Not, culminating in the creation of a number of deities which bring balance to the new universe. The concept of the Dream is also a common theme in many religions, not only the faiths mentioned above, as dreams are seen by many as having the power to warp reality itself.
In Literature
This story is recorded in multiple texts associated with the Deretil Pantheon. This particular text is taken from the Sapphrian Omnium Notarum, as it is the most popular telling of the myth, but it also appears in the Seraphic Book of Mists, the Snow Elven Haleval, and even the Ash Elven Sutarthiid and the Jornic Heimrskal, although the latter two have many rather large differences and details. The story has also been observed carved into the walls of ancient Draconic temples and ruins.
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