The Antecedent Trinity and Origins of the Human Pantheon

What follows is the history of the world, as described by the sages of humanity who traveled far and wide for the Chronicles of Valena. Long ago, before history began, Cuaras and Tova awoke from a deep slumber in a desert of golden sand. How long they had been asleep, and who they had been before was gone from their minds. Confused and frightened of this new reality they clung to each other and began to walk through the shifting dunes. They walked for many days, surviving only on the will of the other to go on, until they came to a small village near a crystal clear pool of water. The villagers were the first of humanity, only beginning their first steps on the material plane. They took in Cuaras and Tova and cared for them, giving them food and water. When they were rested and healed, the elders of the village came to them and asked for their aid. In the evening, on the first day of each month a dark spirit would come to the village and ask for knowledge, if no knowledge was given it would take away one of the village’s people into the desert. Those taken would never be seen again. Because the villagers had shown them such kindness Cuaras and Tova agreed to help. They waited until the first of the next month and then went out to meet the spirit. They waited on the edge of the village all day. When evening came and the sun began to set, they saw the spirit walking towards them out of the west. The spirit, emaciated and dressed in a torn scarlet robe, stopped in front of them. “Tell me a secret, and you shall remain with your people. Tell me a falsehood and I will know,” the woman whispered. “We have no secrets,” Cuaras said, “but if you leave these people to their lives and join us, I promise you shall become the maiden of secrets, and the mother of lore.” The spirit looked into the heart of Cuaras and saw he spoke the truth. In an instant the horrible form melted away and before them stood a beautiful woman, wrapped in a scarlet cloak and carrying a book on her hip. “You are destined for great things. I will follow you so that I may learn of all you do and of all there is to know in the world.” The spirit, called Valena, returned to the village all those she had taken and left with Cuaras and Tova as they continued their journey. The Antecedent Trinity travelled the great wastes until they came upon the ruins of some great civilization which preceded all others. The ruins were vast, rising up out of the desert as far as the eye could see. As they passed through it Valena began to hear quiet whispers calling to her. Against the judgement of the others she followed the whispers into a low stone building that lead her to a cavern deep beneath the sand. Cuaras and Tova waited a week outside that building until finally Valena returned. What happened under the ruins is a secret Valena has kept to herself even to this day, but what she returned with would begin the story that eventually leads here to our current day. Valena emerged from the ruin with three gemstones that burned bright with the power of a sun. These are the sparks of divinity, from which all other things come. Taking a spark each, The Antecedent Trinity gained power and knowledge beyond what any mortal has ever had. They left their bodies behind and formed new ones for themselves. They named the land The Ardent Earth and swept across it. They created water and rock, plant and fire. They created other powerful beings to help them rule over this new creation and they raised up the members of the village that gave them aid as a beacon of divinity amidst a sea of chaos.