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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Jul 2006 : 15:40:50
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Here is a part of my "grand"  prehistory of the Realms, I thought it would be better to start a new thread on this subject than add it to my Creator Races one..all critiques are welcome! 
Note: that this history was the belief of the lost Primian Empire of Gallatrian and that was held by the Primian races (with minor variations) as truth. Though the Primians believed that the Gods were above mortal gender for the sake of narration gender has been bestowed onto the powers.
In the beginning there was the nothingness, the void of “un-existence” until the spark of thought ignited the flame of existence and Fate, the purpose of existence was brought forth. With Fate came Time, the momentum of Fate towards the ultimate destination.
As it was to be, Fate designed the Universe to hold Its purpose and the Balance to bind the Universe together with the forces of order and chaos, good and evil, light and darkness, life and death. Fate then pulled raw, elemental materials into its universe, to become the building blocks of the physical plane. And to watch over the Universe and Its Balance It forged the Caretaker known today as Ao to protect the Balance.
At the foundation of the Balance two other twin beings were birthed, the Twin Sisters of Existence; one a being of light and life, law and goodness and was named Kam. The other was made of darkness and death, evil and chaos and was named Nire. These two powers danced across the universe in perfect harmony. The universe was not much more than a haze of matter and energy traveling through the currents of the void.
It was at some immeasurable time later that the raw, elemental matter began to fuse in the darkness of the void into to what are known as the heavenly bodies; planets, comets and the stars. But when Kam lit the void in cold starlight the Sisters saw that the heart of the cosmos had achieved a spirit of its own. The spirit was fearful, cold and alone in the dark void. Kam took pity on the spirit and with Ao’s direction infused it with some of her essence. The spirit ignited into a great being of light and Ao named it Ataran, the Sun.
When Ataran and Kam faced each other in the light for the first time they brought love into the universe who they named the goddess Bellade. Ataran’s light also infused into the void and bathed the fertile bodies of elemental matter in heavenly warmth, giving mortal life in the worlds and giving birth to the goddess Ellese, the Mother of all Living Creatures.
When Kam pulled away from her sister Nire and then brought about Ataran to light the universe her betrayal was infinite. Nire believed that Kam had broken the Balance and had hurt her in the deepest way. Ataran’s bright light also pained her greatly and in time She grew to despise the mortal life Ellese nurtured and the kindness and love that was Bellad only sickened her.
The Dark Twin fled into the darkest corner of the universe and in her fury Nire brought into being Karak, the Dark Master, Corla the Perfect Lie, Gormauth, That Which Lurks, and Lorfeer the Reaper. And so Nire and her children emerged from the darkness and struck at her sister, starting the Primal Wars. The perfect Balanced thus ended with the eternal conflict of order and chaos, light and dark, life and death, good and evil.
The war raged across the universe, Kam and Nire clashing endlessly while Ataran and his daughters withstood Nire’s dark spawn. Worlds were torn apart in the struggle, stars imploded and chaos raged as the universe unraveled. And from the Primal Wars new entities emerged.
First from the turmoil came a power that was birthed from the conflict itself and took no sides other than to fuel the War further for his own existence, Tempos the Lord of War. Next the torn, divine essence from the battling gods mingles with the growing chaos and formed the insanity called Pesh, The Twisted God. And finally, as the blood of gods fell into the void and onto the worlds, the Elder Eternals emerged, immortal shades of the Primal Powers. These beings then rose to join their makers in their Primal Wars.
And if not for Ao the Primal Wars would have raged on until the universe itself was undone. At a pivotal point in Fate’s design, Kam and Nire with mighty blows inflicted deadly harm to each other. The Universe shook as the Twin Sisters of Existence expired until Ao appeared and took hold of the two goddesses, restoring their energies and saving their lives. As the Sisters personified the Balance, their destruction would have been the destruction of all existence and Fate Itself.
With Kam and Nire greatly diminished Ao fashioned the Weave to hold the Universe together and from the pieces of the Sisters Ao fashioned the Goddess Mystryl, a goddess of both light and dark to be the Guardian of the Weave and to regulate the use of the Weave’s energies.
Finally Ao fashioned the Cynosure outside of the universe for the gods and summoned all entities to the Gathering Place. There Ao presented the Tablets of Fate and decreed the Laws of Fate to the powers. The gods were to obey these dictates of Fate or leave the universe forever. Ao the brought about Jergal the Chronicler to make note of all that happens, both divine and mortal and to oversee that all keeps it's proper place and purpose.
Finally Ao instructed the gods and their Elder Eternals to depart and never directly enter the universe again. The Outer Planes would be their home now and they were to fashion realms to their likings.
So the world was left to mortal life and the gods could only watch and indirectly interact with the universe under the watchful eye of Ao. And though the Primal Wars had ended, eternal hatred had been born that continue to this day.
Kalin
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 08:57:50
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| Hmmm... it seems that you have a lot of "non-canon" deities in your campaign? I thought Shar and Selûne were the twin goddesses, and Mystryl was born of their struggle. Also, Tempus is a relatively new deity - Targus (Garagos) was worshipped in ancient Netheril, and is considered the first FR war deity. |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Mazrim_Taim
Learned Scribe
341 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 12:54:39
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| This is certainly interesting, but I like the original story of Shar and Selûne. With Mystryl being born when Selûne hurled her divine essence at Shar. But it is intriguing to see other people's own version of that story. |
And if the PCs DO win their ways through all the liches to Larloch, “he” will almost certainly be just another lich (loaded with explosive spells) set up as a decoy, with dozens of hidden liches waiting to pounce on any surviving PCs who ‘celebrate’ after they take Larloch down. As the REAL Larloch watches (magical scrying) from afar. Myself, as DM, I’d be wondering: “Such a glorious game, so many opportunities laid out before your PCs to devote your time to, and THIS fixation is the best you can come up with? Are you SURE you’re adventurers?” -Ed Greenwood
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 13:53:11
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Don't forget, Kalin is writing this as the Primians see creation, not neccissarily how it actually happened. I would assume that many different cultures have some variations in what they see as far as creation myths go. I know I write a lot of my stuff to be viewed as legends, stuff that may or may not prove to be 100% true.
I would say though, that gods that may not have existed earlier, such as Tempus, might be tweaked, unless you want to say that Tempus predated his ascention or perhaps was dormant for a while after his "birth." The only other thing I might point out is actually a question: Is there a specific story reason that the Primians haven't forgotten about Ao? There have been a few sources in the Realms point out that Ao has started to erase mortal memory of him, but there may be some event in the Primians past that may have "cemented" Ao existance to them.
Thanks for sharing this Kalin, and I look forward to seeing more.
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 20:39:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Asgetrion
Hmmm... it seems that you have a lot of "non-canon" deities in your campaign? I thought Shar and Sel?ere the twin goddesses, and Mystryl was born of their struggle. Also, Tempus is a relatively new deity - Targus (Garagos) was worshipped in ancient Netheril, and is considered the first FR war deity.
I’m sorry I haven't continue on with this thread quickly enough, there didn’t seem to be that much response to it at first. Out of the 13 primal gods, not counting Fate and Ao, 10 are canon gods.
Fate – Ao’s mysterious lord
Ao – the same Ao, unchanging
Kam – Selune
Nire – Shar
Ataran – Amaunator/Lathander
Bellade – Sune
Ellese – Jannath/Chauntea
Karak – Kozah/Talos
Gormauth – Ghaunador
Tempos – Tempus
Mystryl – Mystryl/Mystra/Midnight
Jergal – Jergal
Corla and Lorfeer are dead gods and Pesh’s status is unknown
I'll describe each power in detail soon
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Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 20:43:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Mazrim_Taim
This is certainly interesting, but I like the original story of Shar and Sel?With Mystryl being born when Sel?urled her divine essence at Shar. But it is intriguing to see other people's own version of that story.
Thanks alot!
I like the orginal story too except I thought Selune purposely tearing a part of herself at Shar a bit curious, as what had she missed? what had Shar "caught" it? Selune seemed to be taking a big risk...thats why I thought it may have been more accidental, like each goddess tearing into each other and creating Mystryl |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 20:55:08
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I have thought the Realms are unique and curious as there isn’t one pantheon of gods for all races, and that no one has really calculated how many gods Ao has allowed into Realmspace/the Universe. Krynn and Eberron have their own pantheon that all races worship. Oerth has one pantheon that most races follow though it is generally a human pantheon (the non-human pantheons take more of a back seat) but Toril has dozens of pantheons and hundreds of gods if you include the non-human races.
I have also thought it strange that the "creation" gods, Selune, Shar and Mystryl are in the human pantheon. Thus I took this fact and expanded it so many of the "original" Realms gods (as in difference to the immigrant deities like Silvanus, Tyr, Loviatar etc. based off of true pagan religions) are actually "primal" powers, the gods that came about at the creation of Toril/Realms Universe.
I feel that in the past many of greater gods in the "proto-pantheons" that existed in Faerun (i.e. the Talfiric, Netherese, Jhaamdathan and Coramshite pantheons) were the same gods, just with different aliases. It seems to me the distinction of each proto-pantheon was based more on political and/or geographic boundaries not culture or base way of life. The new/unique gods (usually quasi or demigod) of each proto-pantheon may have been separate entities but there really has been only one "true" Fearunian pantheon ever (which makes more sense for Ao to manage)
Going through the Faiths and Avatars (2nd Ed.) and Faiths and Pantheons (3rd. Ed.) the human proto-pantheons have united completely now and I also agree that in a century or two the Mulhorandi pantheon and their portfolios will be subsumed by the Faerun Pantheon. As in my theory, the last of the "regional" pantheons are just the same gods with different names. Using the alias heading of each god in the Faiths and Avatars these are the surviving cultural pantheons:
- Hordelands
- Bendine
- Great Glacier
- Moonshea
- Rashemen
- Shining South (Durpar, Estagund, Var)
- Calimshan |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 21:03:39
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I believe that there are a certain number of portfolios needed to be filled to maintain the Balance and that Ao’s primary responsibility is to monitor this need. Two gods with the same portfolio are not allowed in a pantheon unless the second portfolio/god is a lesser aspect of the first portfolio/god. Usually the lesser god is subservient to the greater god (e.g. Azuth and Savras). I also believe, for what ever strange reason, that gods sharing the same portfolio but are worshipped primarily by different species are allowed (like Sune [human], Sharindlar [dwarf] and Hanali Celanil [elf]) to enter Realmspace and take on worshippers by Ao, as long as they stay gods for separate races.
I get two things from that. One is that all of the creator races worshipped the same primal gods under different aliases and cultural view-points and two, it appears Ao will allow a race to have it’s own "patron" god (like Psilofyr for the myconids or Emmantiensien for the treants) that can overlap other god’s portfolios. So the Sarrukh may have worshipped the World Serpent (and it’s aspects) as their racial patron (s) but they also would have venerated the other Primal Powers. The question would be then is the World Serpent an interloper god that Ao brought it for the Sarrukh, a mortal Sarrukh that gained godhood or did Ao create the World Serpent for the Sarrukh.
Using Asgetrion's post I'll use Tempus and Garagos as an example. I see Tempus's portfolio as one of the oldest portfolios, after all Selune and Shar started the first war...the question then is what god held that portfolio and is Tempus of today that orginal god or a more younger god with the war portfolio; in my story Tempus (by what ever alias) has held that portfolio since the beginning. Garagos probably started off as a child or servitor of Tempos and took the "sub-portfolio" of battlelust, plunder and the more evil/negative aspects of battle. I see Toril becoming more savage at some point in history, strengthing Garagos until he challenged Tempus for the full portfolio but was defeated. So now Tempus is still the god of war and Garagos is a rebel demi-power (who, IMO, should serve Talos, god of Destruction [maybe Karak/Talos turned Garagos against Tempos/Tempus?])
Kalin |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2006 : 21:11:14
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Don't forget, Kalin is writing this as the Primians see creation, not neccissarily how it actually happened. I would assume that many different cultures have some variations in what they see as far as creation myths go. I know I write a lot of my stuff to be viewed as legends, stuff that may or may not prove to be 100% true.
I would say though, that gods that may not have existed earlier, such as Tempus, might be tweaked, unless you want to say that Tempus predated his ascention or perhaps was dormant for a while after his "birth." The only other thing I might point out is actually a question: Is there a specific story reason that the Primians haven't forgotten about Ao? There have been a few sources in the Realms point out that Ao has started to erase mortal memory of him, but there may be some event in the Primians past that may have "cemented" Ao existance to them.
Thanks for sharing this Kalin, and I look forward to seeing more.
Thanks for reading!
and yes, this is the (surviving) Primian creation legend, I try to close up some information gaps I feel in in the cannon with it
and, like I posted, I think the Portfolio has been around since creation, I feel that Tempus/Tempos is probably one in the same but at the same time, I don't think any god can survive milennia without changing (when you live off the faith of others)
and yes, Ao does have a (slightly) more direct relationship with the Primians...it has to do with the Sun God and the Primian's Ancestral Worship 
I'll try to write soon
Kalin |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2006 : 20:13:20
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wow, sorry about the " – " stuff...I don't know how or why that happened and didn't notice it until now  |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Creation Legend
