The Book of Assuranoar

The Beginning of the World until Time began.
When above the heavens did not yet exist nor the earth below, Apsu the freshwater ocean was there, the first, the begetter, and Tiamat, the saltwater sea, she who bore them all; they were still mixing their waters, and no pasture land had yet been formed, nor even a reed marsh…or the great cataclysm that foretold of the coming of the great Doombringer Assuranoar. As it was written on the Tablets from ages long ago;
“When the sky above was not named, And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name, And the primeval Apsû, who begat them, And chaos, Tiamat, the mother of them both, Their waters were mingled together, And no field was formed, no marsh was to be seen: When of the gods none had been called into being.”
Out of the Thinnog, a primordial void of creation and annihilation, what in later ages would go on to be known as the Spirit Realm, the great waters of life flowed from Apsu. Other beings too wandered this place but of them all only he realised he was not alone. Apsu formed from within himself a star-like aster. He had safely protected it since the elder days of the older world when the shadow of the past and foreshadow of infinite disaster was only averted through the sacrifices of the gods of that desultory place. When Harmonic ripples issued forth forms the astral body which pervaded and extended beyond space of substance that separated and connected Thinnog back into itself and like curved lay lines ripped through Khronaeon. Khronaeon was transformed, radiating from the source like some tripartite triple helix trinity of triune elements are eternally actualized by no outward influence but from within. Out of these beings it was the one called Khron, Father Time, that most resembled the form of the former Elder God of Eternity though now much diminished who determined the direction and cadence of the pulses through his counterparts and maintained a harmonious flow from creation to annihilation. As the shadow of Tharozadaur struggled in the tumult but remained safely contained in its far realm prison Apsu presented the Tablet of Creation to those remaining within the void. Of his companions Tiamatsu was the first to accept his offer of betrothal. As their waters mingled out of their union the beginning of all eternity before and after into infinity came to be. The others within the primordial void, Aether, Ananke, Chaos, the Fatae, Metis and others all coalesced into Chanfataetis who like Khronaeon before had forces rip through her so she could send her support the infinitely expanding eternity of vibrating elemental strings forming just beyond. These events are the reason why there can still be heard the sounds of creation, like a humming or far off symphony, by those attuned to such things.
A void appeared. It seemed to have manifested itself far beyond the confines of the spirit realm of Thinnog to the edge of creation where the tendril arcs of Chanfataetis converged with the cirrus filaments of Khronaeon. In this endless eternal void a young goddess became aware of herself for the first time. Anshar was pleased to be the only child of Apsu and Tiamat with a whole perfect infinity for her to play in. Anshar frolicked among the void listening to the song of creation while she plucking away the filaments to make music all her own. Then after what seemed like a very long time there came another voice out of the infinite darkness as Nirsag revealed herself. Nirsag was conceived through the same creation as her twin sister Anshar. No siblings ever before or since have been more opposite a pair. Where Anshar had raced to fill the entire void Nirsag remained still, busily combining elements from the arcing tendrils around her to form the world. Thus was the world conceived in darkness, the known realms, the wild realm and the realm of the lost.
Unhappy to feel such a heavy collection of matter within her otherwise aerie stretch of dark void and no longer having the sole attention of her mother and father Anshar continued to grow more annoyed even as she spread out in her perfect void of frigid darkness. All seemed peaceful and still for a time, except for the sounds of Anshar and Nirsag playing in the void. Then the sounds of Tiamat, swimming in The Waters of Life flowing out of Apsu, added to the din. The pair had found a way to use the Tablet of Creation to compose, sequence, fold, and finally bind together a quire from it. This quantum quaternum of codified holographic inscriptions was meant to spare this new world from the mistakes of the old world of elder days. In this way was made the Fatum Choro Famulancium in old common or as it is called more commonly in modern days as Quaterni Fatum or The Tablets of Destiny. After their great work was done Apsu and Tiamatsu separated from one another, but as destiny would have it they would find their intermingling had sparked another creation. Suddenly within the darkness Anshar felt a great heaviness as a form appeared, three hundred and thirty three thousand times the massive world created by Nirsag. Still trying to understand what had just occurred, the dark twin was suddenly bombarded by a blinding illumination. This source of light tore away and pushed back the darkness revealing much of the void and warming the surface of the world. Nirsag had not created the Sun, only gifting its base elements with the necessary conditions to ignite and shed its light and abundance upon the ball of Earth she had formed into the world in the darkness. With the world now visable between the feet of the twin sisters Nirsag smiled and Anshar screamed. Tiamat, leaving The Tablet of Destiny with Apsau, rushed to console her dark daughter. For the first time Nirsag felt whole, illuminated, and free. The whole of the realms could now be seen by the rays of the sun, and what she had made she vowed she would keep from harm. The rage built up in Anshar as she tore away from the outstretched arms of her mother Tiamat and, in humiliation, fled from the happiness of her sister and newborn brother’s searing hot flames. Anulil had made his arrival. He filled the world up with the sky and lit countless great pinpoints of light so that as he stood on the world he could make out the familiar constellations we observe today. He outlined the Waters of Life in the heavens noticing his mother Tiamat had just made her way back to pleasantly look upon her husband’s new adornments from their firstborn son. As she was leaping back into his nourishing waters Anulil outlined her in stars as well, though he found it much more difficult as she would eat nearly as many as he could create, but he was able to create enough to show her great shape before she splashed back into the arms of her beloved. In the distance all of this light began to drive the thoughts of Anshar to the brink of madness. The void was still vast as vast could be but she could not take the searing light from the Sun and all these new stars. She cursed out at her twin sister to put out the great flame but Nirsag refused and instead began to tell her why she could not even if she wanted to, but her dark twin did not hear her explanations as Anshar’s scream which could now be heard throughout all the realms was like a shudder echoing throughout all of creation. The dark twin let loose with all of her power and struck her sister so hard it flung her from where she was next to the sun and their newly arrived brother in an instant back into to the very center of the world of earth the light twin had made. From this tumultuous force was formed the great abyss extending from the deep scar within the world. Nirsag made her way out to the lip of the chasm and lashed back with a strike of her own nearly equal to that of her dark sister. Anshar was ready for the retaliation as she would have struck out in vengeance just the same, if she had been struck, but the dark twin was stronger than her sister and in her arrogance she formed a shield of solid darkness to stop the attack rather than attempt to get out of the way. The light twin was not as foolish as her dark twin believed and as the bolt of power struck the shield it split the massive bolt into a trillion trillion trillion pieces. Throughout the void the countless shards of their first conflict formed worlds of their own and the other planets nearby that shone ever so faintly with the reflection of the bright stars Anulil had fashioned. Anshar had been weakened by such illumination to the point where she now knew that the younger twin’s power was possibly even a match for her own. Undaunted she created an object for herself, the Moon, and raised it over her head to smash it down upon the True and Great Lady of Heaven just as she fully emerged out of the great pit. Not wanting to return to the vile pit the Twin of Light pushed back with all her might against Anshar found herself now pushing the moon at the world fully revealed by the sun. Anulil looked upon the great test of strength of his sisters, one pushing towards the world to destroy it, the other pushing away from the world to stop it from being destroyed. He commanded for his sisters to stop the fighting before the entire world was destroyed, they did not listen. Seeing no end in sight Anulil raced as fast as he could to find and ask a favour on his birthday of Khronaeon, who he called Khron, or Father Time. Believing he owed the young prince a gift he agreed and so slowed the cadence of time for all but himself and Anulil. Returning to the world Anulil slapped Nirsag so hard she fell back to the earth next to the great crater that had been made. He told her to look into that abyss and realize the world burned nearly as hot as the sun from all the melted rock pouring out of the center of the world. He continued to try and convince her that if they continued to fight like this then no one would truly be the victor. He asked of her to look within herself to find the truth and the answer and like destiny is want to do she found she did know the answer. Nodding to her younger brother in agreement she took his hand as he lifted her back up before returning to watch from a distance. Reluctantly Nirsag reached out and instead of pushing against her sister she began to pull instead. The Moon swiftly collided with the world and Nirsag guided it to fill the great whole leading to the abyss in the earth. Her dark twin relished the coming victory and was not ready to stop fighting until she destroyed Nirsag. Then she realised the awful truth of what was about to happen. Anshar had been hurt badly and she wanted nothing more to do with her sister or this light but there was no way she would let her twin take away from her things she had created. She would not let her take her moon and seal the entrance to the abyss she had made. Anshar stopped pushing and began to pull. As Anulil moved the sun away from the conflict Anshar felt the cool darkness of shadow begin to cascade around her adding to her strength as she pulled as hard as she could against the pull of Nirsag in a first ever cosmic tug of war. Both sisters struggled with the Moon, one pulling, one pushing until both were exhausted. Anshar had just enough strength left to move the prettiest side of the satellite and hide it from her sister to shield her from the light from Anulil’s sun. So enamoured with the view she had during eclipses Anshar built a grand castle that moved to the darkest spot on the surface of the moon she called Luna. This is why those in the realms only see the light side of the moon and why the moon’s shadows are called the lunar cycle to this day. Nirsag fell to her knees and began to weep. This time Tiamat came to comfort her younger daughter as she had her older in the past and then joined in her tearful cries even as she comforted her. Everywhere tears fell from Nirsag a creature formed but did not move since as the Mother Goddess she could give seed but not life. Tiamat, still wet and dripping from leaving Apsu and the Tablets of Destiny deep beneath his waves, had the waters of life falling in great torrents to the earth below her, giving life to the forms from her daughter’s tears and pooling up to fill the seas. That is why, to some, Tiamat of old was known as the Creatrix, the Goddess of the Ocean. So it came to pass that these first animals, beasts, insects, bees and birds of every kind, size, and shape began to appear in the world, as did all the forests, faunas, flowers and living things until the two had consoled each other. Then, turning from her daughter Tiamat looked upon the great salt waters of the sea that had been formed and dove in, loosing herself to the beauty of this paradise and the charms of it’s inhabitants for many eons. Nirsag decided to wash her sullen face and bathe her dirty body in the newly formed seas made of her tears, the water of Apsu and the waters of Tiamat. This was at a time before they fully mixed to become the goddess Platicia, The Great Ocean that united all the seas that we know of today as wife to her lord and master King Belos. She submerged herself and the salt stung her eyes and was bitter on her lips. She swam until she could taste only pure fresh water and relaxed under a large waterfall that thundered with the force of the water that fell from it’s towering heights. There she bathed and relaxed in the chaotic mix of life giving waters oblivious to the world around her as it healed her wounds and made her drift into slumber. Nearly as soon as her eyes had closed she awoke, Nirsag realised with a start that swimming through the pure waters of Apsu she had conceived. She fled in fear and panic into the forest. After having a talk with some of the children of the forest and the trees themselves, she decided it was best to go to her sister, make amends, and tell her what had happened to get her advice before revealing her fears to her parents for she knew not what to do nor how they would react to such news. Anshar, who had just awakened from her own slumber, advised her younger twin that she was bearing the Gigi, the seeds of all races. The dark twin told Nirsag she must take each seed from within her and bury them and then find their brother Anulil and tell him what you had sown as the Mother Goddess of Birth so as not to incite the ire of Tiamat when she returned. The sisters shared a tender embrace and Nirsag thanked and kissed her sister and wasted no time returning to the world. Unknown to her naïve sister the Dark Twin had siphoned away as much of the noble essence of the fertilised seeds within her Light Twin as her form could stand. As soon as Nirsag had agreed and set off to find Anulil, their brother, Anshar departed to the one place in the world where she knew well none would find her. It was at this time that Anulil began to feel lonely for companionship himself. Looking upon all the animals of the world he began to wonder if he should create a mate for himself to break up the monotony of his work and to help him relax after his hard work toiling at the land and mining the materials needed to build the grand city for his family. It was at that moment where his older sister Anshar found him and brought him fresh apples to eat from the garden. She used honeyed words and the ways of young goddesses to wile the tired and lonely god and they laid together for the night. By the first rays of the sun she was gone. When he awoke Anulil found he was alone. Confused but inspired he again continued at his work until twilight arrived and he could see his stars. Lost in his thoughts he made a constellation of the most divinely beautiful woman in all the places of all the worlds and beyond. He used his power to blow strong winds over Apsu while the King of the Gods slumbered within the stars of his constellar house that carried with it the faintest mist it across the vast distance of space to the new constellation. As he waited for the mist to reach its destination Anulil tried to name the stellar beauty. At first he called the constellation Nanna as she was as beautiful as the full moon that made him feel so alone at that precise moment. Then he looked to the brightest star amond all those featured within her confines and named it Ishtar for it’s beauty, but soon decided that Ishtar would befit the whole of the constellation better as he found it the brightest of the constellations just as it held the brightest star in the night sky. Looking around he used Ishtar as the finding star to make out her beautiful features but again he could not truly mane her calling her first Astraea, then Innana, then Aphrodyte and then Dyke before settling back to Nanna. This madness of thought really took hold of the impatient Anulil on the naming of the finding star he had at first called Ishtar but then Venus seemed more befitting, then calling it Morning Star, Daystar, Shining One or Shining Star, Lucifer, Phaesphoros, Eosphorus, Evening Star, Aurora, Eos, Vesper, even Dawn Bringer though the more he stared at the raw beauty the more he believed these names did not befit her either. As the mist reached the constellation Anulil had returned to calling the constellation Nanna and the finding star Ishtar just as the stellar maiden began to awaken. Fear gripped Anulil’s thoughts as he knew not what to call her but knew he must do so at that moment and correctly for there to be any hope in her heading his call. He called out to her and she came from that point in the sky that carried her name growing larger and brighter. Then she was there, first as a glorious lion walking towards him and he realized he had chosen correctly as the beautiful Ishtaranna was truly even more splendid up close than from afar. Anulil and Ishtaranna talked and travelled the world, falling deeper in love and enjoying all the bounty that had been created. During their travels they found a perfect location to settle in and use the materials he had collected to build them a home as he already knew she was with child and after a short period of nine months they would a son. In this way Maruuk was brought into the world. Anulil was grateful to his consort for bearing him such a fine young god as he hurriedly began his work, a force that the Twins both heavy with seed could not resist.
“Maruuk then creates the calendar, organizes the planets and stars, and regulates the moon, the sun, and weather.”
He worked hard and by the time they had bathed and were called in to the feast hall it still appeared as if there would be much work ahead of him. As the final rays of sunlight faded from the world a sharp scream was heard by all. Grabbing their weapons Anulil and Maruuk headed into the wilderness to find out what was causing it. Again and again there was the sharp scream and then it would stop. A score of times this happened and then for a long while they could not make any progress for it had stopped. Then another score times it happened and on the last they arrived at the edge of the great abyss to see Anshar surrounded by the giant children of Anulil’s coupling and the divine essence of the waters of Apsu. These were the Annki; Princely offspring borne of noble blood, and the first and most terrifying amongst these great gods was Asdrodeus. Anulil carried the exhausted Anshar back to his home where Ishtaranna was breathlessly waiting as Maruuk commanded Asdrodeus to lead his kin back to the gardens and when they arrive there to create a council of his peers to lead the Annki as they required order and there was much that they needed to learn. It was early morning when Anulil arrived with Anshar in his arms and almost dead from the night’s activities. Ishtaranna, realising what had happened angrily leaves her consort to assist as her son Maruuk’s Vizier in order to teach the Annki how to craft, write and build things leaving Anulil to tend to his former lover and ponder his next actions. In gratitude, the Annki, built Esalia, the splendid:
"They raised high the head of Esalia, equalling Apsu. Having built a stage-tower as high as Apsu, They set up in it an abode for Maruuk, Anulil, Ishtaranna. Then they built their own shrines.”
After tending Anshar all day and all night with many words between the two of them regarding what had been done. With it clear that Anulil loves the concubine he helped create he finds that before the next rays of sun hit the world Anshar has gone again.
Now furious at Anulil for his actions and allowing Anshar to leave, Ishtaranna leaves her lover and begins to cavort with these new Annki gods in their temples. Ishtaranna gets into all manner of mischief, causing jealousy herself by awakening desires with many of the new courtiers. A famous story of one of the ravels occurs in the shrine of Pazzu, after a night of reverie that not even she remembers Ishtaranna gave birth to Gad, the God of Luck. Although confused for an Annki for centuries, Gad would be torn in two aeons later by Pazzu as a sacrifice, made by mortals twisted into his cult, only to have the two torn pieces of Gad rise soon after he departed into the two female deities Tymira Lady Luck, Goddess of Good Luck, Victory and Skill and her sister Beshia Maid of Misfortune, Lady Doom, Goddess of Ill-Luck, Accidents and Misfortune.
It was then that Nirsag returned with news of her own. She had done what Anshar suggested and come to Anulil after planting her seeds as the crops were ready to be sewn. Although Anulil was still reeling from the events with Anshar and his recent problems with his consort Ishtaranna he goes with her to the fertile fields. Once there he finds the land strangely covered with small mounds stretching to the horizon. Grabbing some tools he begins to hoe one of the mounds on her land and uncovers beneath the top lair of earth a face staring back at him. With each pass another face could be seen by Anulil. Nirsag unburied each one, with bare hands she revealed the ones that she hade born out of her washing herself in the waters of life, then she took the time to suckle each at her breast as Anulil uncovered them one after another. She had borne the Igigi, nurtured each one as her own. Fifteen two score in number they were and if the Annki are called Greater the Igigi are the Lesser, still holding on to the divine heritage in spite of the treachery of the Dark Twin. In this way was born the other races of the world. As the city walls began to bulge with prosperity food became of short supply rather quickly. So it was decided that the paradise of the gardens of Arahasis was to be worked by the Igigi, since they were the lesser, put to work by the Annki in Esaglia to feed the rest and allow the greater ones to spend time in other pursuits. For eons they farmed the fields, tend the herds and mined the minerals. As the old tablets decreed;
“When the gods, man-like, Bore the labour, carried the load, The gods' load was great, The toil grievous, the trouble excessive. The great Annki, the Seven, Were making the Igigi undertake the toil.”
A few days after hearing of the incident Asdrodeus put an end to this type of behaviour before things degenerated into escalations that would lead to complete chaos of society; he would codify the rules. He looked around and declared to all; he would soon make an announcement as to who was on the Council that would draft and see to the enforcement of these things called The Rules. Asdrodeous then went on to choose from among the gathered Annki seven representatives who would become empowered, along with himself, as the Seven of the Council of Maruuk. It would be the duty of this Council to act as judges and come up with ways to resolve problems faced in the world. Asdrodeus gathered the whole of the host in the fields of the garden and announced the names of twelve others. These he took and sat at a great table in the largest room of his great temple. Corellon Lerinthian, Moradin, Garl Glittergold, Yondella, and Io-Asgorath on one side and Annam, The Great Mother, Pazzu, Maglubiyet, Insensyne, Shekinester and Gruumsh on the other.

For ages the toil of the Igigi continued unabated as the Annki and the Powers enjoyed the fruit of comfort, leisure, and more esoteric pursuits as their lesser carried the load of the work. But this was hard work, man-like as they now called it, and so it came to be that a group of Igigi asked Asdrodeus and the council to petition Anulil for a better way. Instead of lessening the load a new grand project was instead added to their labours. Under the strictest of orders from Anulil on threat of long and severe punishments at the hands of Asdrodeus’s Annki, the lesser races started the creation of great canals and opulent aqueducts from the great fresh water lakes to the shores of the seas. As they strained to continue to farm the fields and build such a great work fatigue set in and many were punished by the cruel Asdrodeus and those of like mind who shared his ways on the council. Then the Igigi led by the Eight strongest among them, Iallanus and his fellow giant-kin Thrym and Surtr, the Laogzed, Vaprak, Semuanya, Sekolah and the centaur Skerrit rebelled against the dictatorship of Anulil. They set fire to their tools, froze the fresh water rivers and surrounded Anulil's great house in Esaglia. On hearing that toil on the irrigation channel was the reason for the disquiet, the Annki council decided to create man to carry out agricultural labour. This pleased the Igigi, at least they would no longer be required to do man-work. To do this however they would need the power of Apsu. He refused their demand. Undaunted they turned to Anulil and said that his father said he would not to be commanded by his offspring for he still held the Tablets of Creation and it was his right to give life as he saw fit so why should he send more of the great waters to this small part of creation while so much more remained as yet untouched? It was agreed that Anulil would make him understand. After asking his father to reconsider, Apsu turned away from Anulil as he viewed this as none of his concern. Challenging the primordial father Anulil began to arm himself for the fight. He produced a bow, a spear, and a club; he filled his body full of fire and set the lightning before him. He took in his hands a net wherewith to catch Apsu, and he placed the four winds near it, to prevent him from escaping from it when he had snared him. He created mighty winds and tempests to assist him, and grasped the thunderbolt in his hand; and then, mounting upon the Storm, which was drawn by four horses, he went out to meet and defeat Apsu. His father flew into a rage and attempted to overthrow him by reciting an incantation, thinking that his words of power would destroy the strength of his son. But Anulil was ready for this and as the possessor of the "pure white holy incantation" he overcame Apsû and his spell had no effect on the god, who at once cast his net over him. At the same moment he made a gale of foul wind to blow on his face, and entering through his mouth it filled his body; whilst his body was distended he drove his spear into her, and Apsu split asunder, and from the great waters his true form fell out from it. Anulil leaped upon his body and looked on as the waters began to escape through all of creation. But the Four Winds which he had stationed round about Apsu collected and kept the waters from flooding out. He then caught all of the waters up in his net, and took the Tablets of Destinies from the fallen form of Apsu’s breast, and sealed it with his seal and placed it over the waters and under his great temple. In this way the life giving waters that remained were his to give to living things and for as long as the waters remained sealed by the tablets they would be as a barrier against the reforming of primordial forces. Empowered by the Tablets of Destinies, the symbol of the true leader of all deities, he was hailed as King of the Gods.
“Anulil raised the Tablets of Destinies over Apsû, the confused and boundless mass of primeval water, and they represented the setting of impassable boundaries to all things on and under the earth.”
Then the time of men began, which Anulil had promised his people. He would never be the same again for though he was now King of the Gods, the guilt of his actions would forever haunt Anulil to this day. Even the wiles of his lover Ishtaranna could not distract him from his remorse. He tried to be rid of his shame at first by retrieving the form that had fallen out of Apsu. When he found it, in the constellation of Tiamat it had transformed into a great Wyrm the likes of which he had never seen. He knew within the breast of this creature were the Tablets of Destiny crafted by his mother Tiamat and he pitied it. So when it’s eyes opened he compassionately nursed him along until it could be free to live among the stars of it’s birth and was thereafter known only as Father Life.
For years afterwards the Ingini, Annki and the Noble gods enjoyed the benefits of the long labours of man. More cities were built by all the races and the garden of paradise for a long period. Civilization spread throughout the garden and all lived contentedly while Apsu held the Tablets of Destiny beneath the greatest temple of Arahasis.
It was then that Tiamat emerged from exploring and populating much of the waters bellow. She had slept within the tranquility and when she had awoken heard stories from the creatures of the sea of the battle that occurred above. Not wanting to believe it possible she came to Anulil in his temple and saw him standing as King, the Tablets under his feet sealing the fate of her now dead husband. Her appearance turned cold and her eyes burned, her smile turned to a snarl and her true primordial form as the Chromatic Dragon erupted forth from the Dark Lady. She was from that moment on the Nemisis of the Gods, she would avenge the death of her husband and destroy them all. Indeed, in those few moments that followed Anulil tried to conciliate with his mother but she would not listen, flew from the temple, and laid waste the entire garden in her wrath. Anulil again came to calm her but she screamed four angrily tears back at him that each transformed into the head of a dragon as they touched dropped from her cheek and landed upon her body as her own head contorted into the most powerful and largest of them all; Anulil was so appalled at the sight of her that he turned and fled. As she continued her rampage after him she would destroy many of the Annki and the Igigi that did not join with her against her children. The new race of Man as well as the older races of Elf, Dwarf, Gnome, Orc, Goblin, Giant, Dragon, Troll, Beholder, Illithid, Halfling, Sahuagan, Lizardfolk, Centaur, Ogre, Demon, Devil and Naga that acted too slowly to join her were destroyed in her rage and the pure power she expunged that day.
As the sun set on the most fiery and destructive day the world had ever seen, Tiamat and her horde of followers, finally stopped at the entrance to the great pit. It was there that Anshar came to entreat her mother and advise her that if she wished to destroy Anulil and his court then she must prepare for war as they were no doubt doing the same that very instant. Gaining some of her senses Tiamat, The Chromatic Dragon, agreed with her eldest daughter. Whereupon she brought her allies together from among the Annki and Igigi that had followed her, which were many. But surveying the whole of the assembly it was not enough. In her desire for raw power enough to destroy the gods she was to be known as The Avaricious. She looked over the assembly and found that of the Igigi only Iallanis and Skerrit were absent. Of the Annki only Devils, Demons, Nagas and Goblins following Asdrodeus, Pazzu, Shekinester, and Magubliyet stood before her, their sheer numbers dwarfed the mind. After telling those assembled the great abyss was to be their fortress, they were to fill it, like the whole left in her soul which was full of entropy that could never be filled. After assisting Pazzu and her other generals in fortifying the great abyss she sent the demon to summon Asdrodeus to come to her. He departed to find a place for her to set camp and so followed the river of blood that was formed from the bodies of her destruction that littered her feet. The river left the abyss itself and she followed it to a cluster of tall hills and mountains nearby. Here she crafted a great temple with a gigantic main chamber, baths, courts and chambers complete with all things of beauty until it overflowed. This would be her Lair and there she retired to her bedchambers as she cried herself to sleep. Later, it was not Pazzu but Anshar that brought Asdrodeus to Tiamat’s Lair. Of her children these two had joined her. She took them both into her confidence and shared her plans with them. Anshar would return to the gardens and say that she has rejected her mother when in fact she would be gathering information on her brother’s intent to use against them later. In the meantime, to weaken and distract the forces of Anulil, Tiamat would fashion eleven monsters to battle the deities in order to avenge the death of her beloved Apsu. With that she sent Anshar back to the garden Palace and took Asdrodeus with her to her bed. The next day she laid Eleven eggs. These were her own offspring: Bašmu, Ušumgallu, Mušmaddū, Mušduššu, Ladmu, Ugallu, Uridimmu, Girtablullû, Umū dabrūtu, Kulullû, and Kusarikku. Tiamat gave birth to many dragons, serpents and merpeople as well but these were the most powerful of her children at that time and all were the spawn of Asdrodeus who she had chosen as her lover, the leader of the host, and who was also one of her children. The deities gathered in terror. Many of the people had fled the garden and sought refuge wherever they could find it. Nergal would be scribing the names of the ones passed on for months to come. Anulil, revered by all as King of the Gods had turned solemn and would not try to overcome Tiamat. It was his son Maruuk and consort Ishtaranna that rallied the troops and took up his weapons to raise a force to face Tiamat and her assembly. By the end of the first day their main forces were mustered and their leaders were gathered in the great hall. Of the ones that had not been killed, or defected to the side of the Chromatic Dragon, what remained were standing here. Anulil, Ishtaranna, and Maruuk were here but so to were both twin sisters Anshar and Nirsag. Also a large number of the Annki Council remained though the number of their followers among the Annki were far less than those of Asdrodeus and Pazzu. These included Io-Asgorath, Moradin, Corellon, Garl, Annam, Yondella and a surprise to all assembled Gruumsh. Of the Igigi only Iallanis, though his forces were actually those of Annam, and the centaurs of Skerrit remained. As it stood, even with the many orcs of Gruumsh, they were a smaller force than what the Chromatic Dragon was sure to have. If it was not for the Humans their armies would be sorely outnumbered. Very few of the mortals had gone to serve the Dragon Queen though there were some. And so the two sides schemed against one another for a full year preparing for the eventual battle. For eleven months the full moon would turn black as the spawn of Tiamat were born and the world would shake. The following night as the full moon arose she would send each of her monstrous children against the forces of the King of the Gods. They would thin out many of the front ranks until they would clash with one of the gods. In this way many new powers from among the Annki grew in importance as they dispatched these creatures. In the end the forces would be weakened every month by these attacks and when the beast had fallen Anulil would send it to the heavens as a constellation and they would join those of Tiamat’s points of light this way; This is how the twelve months of the year and the twelve signs of the zodiac both came to be. On the evening before the day that would be called new years the forces would meet on the battlefield in one climactic world shaking battle. The sounds of which reverberate through the realms even to this day. The reason such things are important to those who followed the great Godswar is that during this time and what led up to it, is how mortals and men came to be heroes, immortal legends and gods. From amongst the mortals, many great heroic and vile champions were made during the time of this struggle. One to save the King of the Gods and his army from the subterfuge of Anshar, another to rise up to lead victory to the avenging Queen of Dragonkind. Assuranoar was the one to fell the first of the great monster children of Tiamat named Bašmu. It was through his indomitable force of will that he would wield the lightning javelin of a fallen Maruuk and be anointed the God of Retribution & Justice by Anulil as reward for his actions in those opening days of the war.
The tales of the past is prologue.
What follows is the story of the mortal Doombringer and how he became The Three Thunders, the Poet of Justice, & Hurler of Thunders. It is the tale of a life lived well and one, if followed correctly, leads to the path of true justice, morality, well being, and achieving higher spirit as all true mortals should aspire to; the secret to Immortality.

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