The Creation of the Universe Professor Timothy Mydasthom, Witch of Lumyn I feel compelled to write a history of my own.

Hadin's work is well written but tends to be somewhat biased. Please ignore those strange comments. Something keeps adding odd messages every time I look away. Personally, I think that apprentice Gregor is pulling one of his pranks. Regardless I have edited the text, taking out the more obscene phrases. Luckily whoever is doing this hasn't written any erroneous information. Before the first breaths of creation blew the cosmos into existence, all was but a single consciousness: the vast intelligence that would come to be called The Dreamer. In this unified consciousness there was a perfection found only in absolute stillness, and The Dreamer soon became restless. The Dreamer sought change and in that moment of thought brought into being the beginning of existence: Continuum the son, who encompasses time and space, and Creation the daughter, the embodiment of life and diversity. For eons, which seemed but a heartbeat to them, The Dreamer and the Twins were content with this companionship; however, The Dreamer once more began to long for change. Sensing his progenitor's agitation Continuum took part of his essence and spread it throughout the cosmos, creating the multitude of heavenly bodies. The Dreamer saw this and was pleased. After exploring the stars, The Dreamer once again became restless. Creation saw that the universe, while wonderful, remained quiescent and so she sowed the seeds of life among the stars. The Dreamer was greatly pleased by the work of the Twins but saw that life was too volatile and so created the immortal M' Kelachi, which means those who serve, to watch over the universe; in time these being would be known as the many gods and angels of mythology. Next The Dreamer created the heavens, B' Her Amadhi, the Bright Lands, and proclaimed this the home of the M' Kelachi and set them as its guardians. Having done this, The Dreamer spoke a word into the cosmos and listened. Stillness echoed back and The Dreamer was troubled. The Dreamer listened once more and knew the problem. The Dreamer went to Creation for a piece of her essence so that The Dreamer might connect with life. Creation cut off a lock of hair and gave this to The Dreamer. The Dreamer then chewed these strands into many pieces and blew into the universe. Throughout the universe these pieces, which had been infused with the Breath of Perfection, touched and entered many living things. These beings, the Hai Cildeim, gained the gifts of sentience and changed, growing morality and intelligence.They had been given what is called the soul. The Hai Cildeim, recognizing the source of the gift, began to sing praises to The Dreamer. The Dreamer was pleased and gave these beings stewardship over all the living realms. In their exultations there was one race whose praises were more vigorous, more pure, more joyful than the others. These beings were the Adam, the humans. This greatly pleased The Dreamer and the Adam were given many blessings. Among these gifts were

great longevity, increased authority among the living, and their home world Eden was made a bridge between the living realms and B' Her Amadhi. All life flourished and the Adam spread throughout the universe, creating a mighty empire among the stars. For a time all of creation was in harmony. Thus began the Epoch of Purity. Among the M' Kelachi there were those who were more bright and beautiful than the others: the Rohm' Kelachi who had great authority. Foremost among them was Hesalhial, called the Morning Son, and beloved of The Dreamer. Seeing the Dreamer's love for The Hai Cildeim, Hesalhial grew jealous and angry. Great in his pride, Hesalhial went to The Dreamer and asked to be placed before the Hai Cildeim in the order of the universe. The Dreamer reminded him that the M' Kelachi were always meant to serve. Not content, Hesalhial gathered many among the M' Kelachi who shared in his anger. They appeared before the old king of the Adam, who shared the name of his race, the first of the Adam to gain the Breath of perfection. Hesalhial spoke with honeyed words to convince Adam to serve him and his followers. Adam was unswayed by the arguments. The Dreamer witnessed this and was angry. The Dreamer summoned Hesalhial before the throne of B' Her Amadhi to explain his actions. Hesalhial pronounced that the M' Kelachi came first, they were more powerful, they were more perfect, therefore they should have dominion over the living realms and have the Hai Cildeim as their servants. For some time The Dreamer gazed sadly at this prideful child, knowing what was to come. Finally The Dreamer spoke, All things are in their proper order. You, my beloved child, are wonderful and perfect in your place. You are meant to guard the universe from its own capricious nature. You keep it stable in its change. But, you cannot affect change which is the heart of the living universe, you do not move. The Hai Cildeim posses the ability to change, they are the engine of the universe. Thus they shall be the masters of the living universe. As you dwell in B' Her Amadhi so to does each Hai Cildeim have a place in these lands. Be content with your place as all will be harmonious. Hesalhial heard these words and rage entered unto his heart. His pride would not allow such weak creatures as the Hai Cidleim to hold authority greater than his own. So he said to The Dreamer, I shall take a place above the stars. I shall make myself your equal. Then shall I correct the order of the universe, I shall bring perfection. Thereafter the followers of Hesalhial began to war with their brothers and sisters. So began the Epoch of Enmity. For millennia the M' Kelachi warred among themselves. Eventually The Dreamer's hosts, lead by the Rohm' Kelachi Michael. By Michael's hand Hesalhial and his followers were banished from B' Her Amadhi. Thus exiled they were cast down to the lowest realms below the Abyss, the domain of the dead and demons, which had come into being when life was created. The Rohm' Kelachi chose among themselves one to guard the gates of Hell; in this way Michael was accorded the responsibility of the Guardian of Hell.

In their fall from B' Her Amadhi the former M' Kelachi had been transformed into powerful demons. The intense heat of their descent had burned their bodies leaving once glorious wings as burning, skeletal claws. Glowing skin ruined, leaving it either cracked and charred or burned off, exposing flesh. The impact crushing and deforming their once perfect forms. Their eyes, which had once glowed with the mysteries of the universe, were now flaming orbs filled with hate and pain. Only vain Hesalhial retained his angelic form with the scar of Michael's spear to mark him as a fallen M' Kelachi. Though exiled the demons rallied, taking control of their new home from those beings native to its fiery plains. Hesalhial soon ordered his demons into a new order, making of himself Emperor of Hell and High Kings of his mightiest demons. Newly assembled the demons launched a new war against B' Her Amadhi which expanded beyond the spiritual realms into the living. Many of the Hai Cildeim were turned to the service of the demons. In the many years since the beginning of Hesalhial's rebellion the Adam had stood as a great beacon among the Hai Cildeim. King Adam, with the aid of their M' Kelachi allies, kept order among the stars. But the seal of perfection had been broken and sin now leaked into the world. Other Hai Cildeim began to resent the influence the Adam wielded and coveted it for themselves. So when Hesalhial's servants offered a chance to overthrow the Adam they greedily took it. Thus war broke out among the cosmic empires. Still the Adam and the M' Kelachi stood resolute. Creation witnessed these wars and wept. Her children were cutting one another down. She turned to Continuum for aid and saw the great powers unleashed by the warring powers was injuring the essence of her brother. Creation longed to forge a bulwark to halt the destruction of the universe. In that time King Adam had grown confident in his power. For many years his empire had thwarted the demonic hoards at every turn. In his hubris he ignored the needs of the other Hai Cildeim and they turned away from his leadership. At the time he had a wife by the name of Lilith. She saw the plight of the weaker Hai Cildeim and wished to aid them. She beseeched Adam on their behalf. Unknown to her, one race had already turned from The Dreamer and served Hesalhial. Adam heard Lilith's plea and sent aid to this people. The armies of the Adam arrived and were immediately betrayed. Hundreds of worlds darkened and multitudes perished. Incensed with this great defeat and outraged at his wife's apparent betrayal Adam ordered Lilith to be given to the demons he believed she served, despite her denials. Creation saw this and took Lilith from the living realms before her sentence was carried out. Creation then said to Lilith, I shall make you the mother of a new generation. You and your children shall protect the universe from the war which now tears at its very fabric. So saying she took a drop of her own blood as well as one from her brother and mixed them together. Creation gave this to Lilith who drank it. Infused with the essence of Creation and Continuum, Lilith became heavy with child and her essence changed. Where she had once been beautiful, her countenance became unbearably sublime. To behold her face was to witness perfect compassion and joy. Her eyes became more radiant than the stars. From her back there grew four sets of mighty wings, two of immaculate white and the others of black darker than the purest ebony. Her

height, and breadth grew to accommodate her mind which now saw all of the works of the Twins. After all this she was surrounded by a gentle, radiant aura which flowed from her body. Creation spoke to Lilith once more, As you have transcended the living world you shall receive a new name. You will be called Mythyriel the Weaver, Mother of the Erb Sh' Moerhim, Queen of Erb Amadhi. Then Mythyriel gave birth to the first generation of Erb Sh' Moerhim, the Twilight Gods. The Rohm' Kelach Gabriel appeared to Adam and revealed to him the treachery and Lilith's ascendence.Weeping, Adam fell to his knees saying, How unfaithful I have been. My own arrogance lead me to harm my own wife. Before this sacred one I vow to trust my people more so that this may never again happen. Though he had heard the truth Adam never revealed to his people Lilith's fate and so she is remembered as an enemy of man. With the birth of the Erb Sh' Moerhim a new balance was imposed on the universe. Unable to war, the demons and M' Kelachi lapsed into discontented peace. At this time Adam took a new wife, a woman by the name of Eve, who was said to have the most peaceful spirit of any Hai Cildeim. For many years the Hai Cildeim continued to war without aid from their spiritual allies. Though there was peace between the spirit realms, Hesalhial's hatred for the Hai Cildeim continued to burn and he devised a plan to destroy their heart. Throughout the universe there some beings who had gained a divine spark not by the Breath of Perfection but by remembering the first word uttered into the universe by The Dreamer; this word was The Dreamer's true name. They remembered the name and gained power not meant for the universe. The Dreamer granted some of these beings special authority as guardians of nature and other aspects of the living realms. Others were taken up into B' Her Amadhi. Still others were bound in place as protectors of places of power. Among this last group the eldest was the Tree of Wisdom, also called the Tree of Life, which grew on the Adam home world Eden. When the Tree was young it had heard the sacred name and etched it into its heartwood. The fruit of the Tree could nourish a man for ten thousand years but was forbidden to all life as they also contained great secrets of creation. The fruit which fell to the earth provided unparalleled nutrients and a great garden grew around this tree. This garden was called Paradise and was the cradle of the Adam, their true home. In Adam's first moments The Dreamer commanded that no Hai Cildeim eat the fruit of the Tree of Wisdom, for the secrets they held were not meant for the living to know. Hesalhial entered the living realms and stole into Paradise in order that he might have vengeance against the Hai Cildeim. He went to the Tree and hid himself among its branches. In that time it was the pleasure of the Adam queen Eve to walk among the trees of Paradise. She often walked with a group of friends so that they might all enjoy the garden. On this day Eve walked the paths alone. Hesalhial saw this and took the opportunity. Hiding his scar, he appeared before Eve as one of the M' Kelachi. He said to her, Eve, mother of man. The Dreamer wishes you to eat of the fruit of the Tree. The Dreamer sees your purity and knows the secrets of the Tree will not corrupt you. Take

this fruit and share it with your husband. The secrets it holds will help to defend your people against the servants of the demons. Hesalhial then gave her one of the fruit. Eve, who was pure and honest, saw no reason to distrust these words and so she believed him. She took this fruit to Adam and offered it to him saying, A messenger of The Dreamer gave me this fruit. The Dreamer wishes us to use the secrets to defend our people. Adam remembered the command of The Dreamer that none may eat the fruit and distrusted his wife. He rebuked his wife, reminding her of the commandment. She offered the fruit again and He again rebuked her. A third time she offered the fruit. Adam once more began to rebuke her but saw her honesty and remembered his vow before the Rohm' Kelach Gabriel and so he relented. They ate the fruit and knew the secrets of the universe and the meaning of sin and evil. In that instant The Dreamer knew what they had done. The Dreamer appeared before them, burning with anger, surrounded by a great host of M' Kelachi. The Dreamer said, You have eaten the fruit from the Tree of Wisdom though I had commanded that none may eat it. For what reason did you do this? Eve explained her meeting and The Dreamer's anger turned to great sorrow. For your actions you will be exiled from Paradise. None shall enter the garden until the time of Yahgial when all of creation will enter B' Her Amadhi. So that the secrets of the universe will remain hidden you and your descendents will never live long enough to comprehend them. So saying, The Dreamer withdrew from the living realms. M' Kelachi carrying great flaming swords guided the Adam from Eden then sealed the world from the living realms within a great void. These M' Kelachi stand guard around the void so that none may accidentally venture too near. The Dreamer once again summoned Hesalhial before the throne and asked, For what reason did you trick your cousins. Why do you harbor such hatred? Hesalhial answered, They do not deserve their place. What was theirs should have been ours. I shall not allow them to have such authority. Then The Dreamer said, For your great malice and vanity you will be punished. I shall take from you a great source of your pride. Hesalhial was then stripped of his radiance. His skin grew blackened and rough. His wings shed their feathers and became leathery. His limbs gnarled and his nails turned to claws. He was once more cast into the pit and his flesh was rent in the passing. The Dreamer, with great sorrow, retreated to the innermost chamber of Elysium, the great city in B' Her Amadhi and fell into a deep sleep. To this day The Dreamer slumbers and dreams the universe into existence. Before resting The Dreamer raised two mortals to high posts in B' Her Amadhi. When King Adam died, bereft of the gift of longevity, The Dreamer, having long ago forgiven him the trespass, made him the keeper of death according him the title of Divine Sexton. The Sexton and his wife, who was also forgiven, keep a modest peaceful home. There the dead may sleep until they are ready to enter B' Her Amadhi where they might have eternal life in death.

The second mortal was a man named Hanok, a descendant of Adam and Eve. As the Hai Cildeim sinned and warred against one another the light of their souls faded much as a lamp gathers dust and becomes dim. Hanok was born in this time of sin but he remained a man of justice. His soul shone brighter than all others. The Dreamer saw this and knew that such a great soul would warp the universe and could not exist in such a time. So Hanok was taken up to B' Her Amadhi. The Dreamer then rewarded the virtuous Hanok. He was transformed into a Rohm' Kelach of great splendor and given the name Metatron the Divine Scribe. For his steadfast justice Metatron was given absolute authority over all other M' Kelachi. When The Dreamer retreated into sleep the M' Kelachi ordered themselves under the leadership of the Rohm' Kelachi. Each Rohm' Kelachi took guardianship of parts of B' Her Amadhi and the universe. Metatron, as highest among them, was made Regent of the Throne. Michael kept his place as Guardian of Hell. The Rohm' Kelach Uriel became the Guardian of Earth, guarding the living realms. Raphael assumed the role as Guardian of Death, giving peace to the dead, guiding them into and through Death. Gabriel became the Guardian of the Seventh Ward, which is the highest realm within B' Her Amadhi. The remaining Rohm' Kelachi took each of the remaining gates. In descending order of power they are: Ariel of the Sixth Ward, Anael of the Fifth Ward, Raziel of the Fourth Ward, Camuel of the Third Ward, Joriphael of the Second Ward, and Phanuel of the First Ward. All other M' Kelachi assembled in legions under these mightiest of Rohm' Kelachi. After the loss of Eden the humans continued to war with the corrupted Hai Cildeim. Though exiled they still remained powerful. They stubbornly held their empire together under constant assault. Still, without the aid of the M' Kelachi they had irrevocably been weakened. Eventually the Adam empire collapsed under the strain and humanity was scattered across the universe, cut off from one another.Without the Adam to control them the other Hai Cildeim began to war with one another without regard for loyalty or friendship. The empires of the stars collapsed and civilizations died. Few were spared from the chaos. This was the beginning of the Epoch of Entropy, in which the universe is still caught. (Timothy: You might notice I start calling the Adam humans now. This is because we, while genetic descendants of the Adam, have evolved into what could be considered many different species. The Adam were virtually perfect in intellect and body. Through eons of genetic mutation we have actually devolved. {I actually have a concept for a story of how that happened here on Earth... I'm not crazy.} Timothy: You probably are.) Abridged History of pre-Alliance Espril (Note: at the moment this only includes the equivalent of Europe. Asia to come, maybe. Timothy: what in the name of Creation are Europe and Asia?) In time the Hai Cildeim forgot the events of the previous Ages. The memories of the M' Kelachi and The Dreamer faded into legends and myths. These half forgotten and twisted memories would eventually give rise to the various religions and ideologies of the surviving Hai Cildeim. As their technologies broke down they had to rely on primitive

practices so they might survive. They were forced to rebuild from societies much like the ones they had when they first received the Breath of Perfection. In the void left by the destruction of the Hai Cildeim nations life began to change, affected by a strange power. The mystical aura that surrounded Mythyriel had seeped into the living realms. This aura came to be called the Weave which makes possible the art known as magic. Across the stars the power of the Weave was absorbed and a new kind of life arose: that which is called the Fae. On many worlds these strange mystical creatures became the dominant life, even over the weakened Hai Cildeim. Unlike the Hai Cildeim the intelligence of these beings originated in the power of Creation herself, manifest through the Weave, not the Breath of Perfection. Since their earliest interactions the Hai Cildeim wondered the Fae possessed souls. Through the centuries this has been the cause of much contention and discord. This was the case on the world of Espril. Before the Age of Entropy a number of prosperous Hai Cildeim colonies lived in peace, including one Adam outpost of some size. These, like countless others, were destroyed in the subsequent wars. At some some point in time after the wars the Fae developed on this planet. For thousands of years the Fae dominated the planet, living in harmony with the natural and mystical forces of the universe. Among the Fae there are a number of fairly common universal classes. One of the most powerful are the Faeries. On Espril the Faeries created a powerful Fae kingdom. Originating in the Skavyldr Forest of northern Aorepa, the Faerie kingdom spread to engulf the whole of the continent. The kingdom was led by dual monarchs: the Faerie queen matriarch Gwymab and the Goblin king Zarvast. The people of these two races were humanlike beings of surpassing beauty and strangeness, possessing powerful innate magics and near immortality. Their beautiful cities, though few, were filled with wonder. Colors no human could imagine infused their art, crafted into the very walls. Music, in which all the players played independently yet melded into a single melody, sounded from every window. They lived to celebrate the glory of creation and their mother, Mythyriel. When humans first entered Fae lands they were warmly welcomed. The Fae found these creatures interesting to watch and even more fun to play with. These early men lived peacefully with the Fae and through the years they formed bonds. The humans built their own homes and cities, the Fae did not mind; the humans avoided building too near the Fae settlements, perhaps the alien nature of their neighbors made them uneasy. Still the cultures mingled and in some places human and Fae lived side by side. From these societies a new race was born, the Disthee, born of unions between humans and Fae. For a time all lived in peace, trading ideas and culture. Then, from the South came more humans. It unknown why these humans ventured into the Fae lands, but these humans did not seek to learn from their supernatural neighbors. These humans called themselves Tysebrians. They shunned the Fae, cutting through ancient forests and building walls of stone ripped from the earth. With cruel magic and weapons of cold iron the Tysebrians made war on the other humans and the Disthee. The Fae, unskilled in war and surprised by such weapons, aided their allies as

best they could, but against such things they were steadily forced north. Finally, after many years of war, the Tysebrians found themselves unable to advance, the living heart of the Skavyldr thwarted every strategy. So they negotiated a peace with the Fae. Slowly the land recovered, but much of the ancient Skavyldr forest was lost to axe and fire. The Fae and their allies rarely ventured from the protection of the woods. The Tysebrians settled in the shadow of the Ulrern Mountains. There they built a mighty city and named it Tysebrin in honor of a heroic king of their legends. To the West and South still more humans came and settled the lands left empty by the retreating Fae. These humans created many small kingdoms and conflict between them was common. The land was consumed in almost constant war between one kingdoms or another and the Tysebrians came to be feared as the greatest of southern kingdoms. These people held little respect for the old customs or the land, cutting the stands of the Skavyldr that remained in their lands. Most Fae left to join the Faeries in their forest dwellings, many others were slain by magic and iron, others simply left the world, entering the Dreamlands which are an extension of the Weave, very few stayed in their ancient homes hiding from the humans. Soon the southern parts of Aorepa were almost completely devoid of the magical beings. After many years of watching the bloodthirst and wanton destruction of the southern humans the Goblin king's rage grew uncontrollable. Zarvast rallied the northern humans who now called themselves the Svadir, the Disthee, and the Fae to war. In the intervening years they had become skilled at battle and the Fae had found materials with which they could combat the killing iron. This time, with Zarvast and his Goblin knights leading, the Fae swept south with great fury cutting down the unorganized armies of the southern nations. The southern kingdoms turned to the people who had once defeated the Fae. Under the leadership of the highly disciplined legion of the Tysebrians they began to slowly push the Fae back. Again the Tysebrians were stalled by the branches of the Skavyldr. Finally after many years the deadlock was broken by work of two men. A smith by the name of Tilmith from a small town named Bahn sought and audience with King Tycearas of the Tysebrians. He spoke of forging a blade of immense power, saying he had received instructions of how to do this in a vision. Tilmith explained that a blade forged of certain metals and enchanted in a specific way would have the power to destroy even the most powerful of Fae. Tycearas, a mage of great power and a consummate warrior, was intrigued and agreed to provide the material needed to create the sword. So the blade Stiltaer was created. Forged of gold, steel and platinum, the sword was said to be of exquisite beauty and bathed in golden fire. With each stroke the air cracked with lightning. Those who could wield the blade were said to be invincible. Great as the sword was few knew the magic that made it so. The metals used in its forging are normally resistant, even disruptive, to magic. Tycearas used great magic to force power into the sword. He used Stiltaer to ritually killed 167 Fae prisoners using his magic to trap their essences. Then he called upon a demon, whose name has been lost to time, to enchant the blade with the essence of torpor.

In the next battle Tycearas wielded Stiltaer, felling many enemies. Zarvast saw his allies fall and became enraged and challenged Tycearas. They dueled for many hours, the battle ceasing as all watched. On that day Zarvast, champion of the Fae, proved himself as a peerless warrior. Still, Tycearas was a warrior of equal skill and wielded a blade made to destroy Mythyriel's children, it was inevitable that Zarvast's power be broken. Tycearas was able to defeat Zarvast and in doing so the goblin's magic was sealed. Though Stiltaer was powerful it was still not enough to kill the Goblin King. Tycearas then used magic to bind him into a weak form. After the battle Zarvast disappeared and the Fae armies, without their champion, scattered. The Tysebrian continued their march north conquering most of the lands held by the Disthee, forcing the people into slavery. The Svadir people split some retreating east and north into the icy wilderness, others went west once more seeking refuge in the branches of Skyvaldr. The Goblins and their servants fled to their sacred mountain Kilbemarn, secluding themselves from the world. Similarly, the Faeries retreated to the most ancient groves of Skyvaldr.(Timothy: This commentator is very strange. I wonder what was meant by calling Tycearas an Oedipus? For that matter what is an Oedipus?) With their greatest enemies scattered the Tysebrians used their influence and might to expand their own lands. Many of their former allies were annexed or coerced into their growing empire. Despite their aggressive expansion, or perhaps because of it, the Tysebrian Empire became the great center of knowledge and culture. In the lulls between campaigns, scholars and artists flocked to Tysebrin. They entered a golden age with a culture and economy unrivaled in their time. The source of their wealth was the cheap labor provided by the many slaves they captured, including the Disthee. Over time the Disthee as a race was systematically oppressed and they soon became a race of slaves, in truth and in mind. Only one stronghold of free Disthee remained to the north of the Tysebrian Empire, the fortress city of Elos do Faerild, any Disthee found outside the protection of the city was quickly sold into slavery. (The Tysebrians are essentially the Romans of Espril) The Tysebrians allowed most conquered people to eventually become citizens and there was a certain level of equity in their society. However no conquered people could match the influence of the Tysebrian social elite, which in other lands would be considered nobility. The governing body of the Senate consisted mostly of these people with only a few seats held by the other citizens of the empire. The elite families almost all possessed powerful mages and their matriarch or patriarchs were usually selected by their magical strength. The families often married carefully to preserve the magical bloodlines. As the empire expanded their power and wealth grew apace. Confident in their power, the Mage Lords soon began to resent the power of the hereditary Emperors, descendants of King Tycearas. The Tysebrian expansion continued with each Mage Lord devising new ways to use magic to increase his or her own power. They began experimenting with magic of evil nature more and more, the taint of these experiments slowly seeping into their hearts. The other kingdoms realized that they could not stand against the Tysebrian legions separately

and united against them. Even then the Tysebrians continued to advance so they turned to the one people who might rival the Tysebrians. For centuries the ten major city-states of the Hellest peninsula had kept aloof from the conflicts of the other humans, instead battling among themselves. Artifacts gathered in collections across the continent suggest their culture rivaled that of the Tysebrians. When they were asked to join in the alliance against Tysebrin they unanimously agreed to unite against the Empire. They had seen the power of Tysebrin and knew its threat. (The Hellest are somewhat analogous to the Greeks and renaissance Italy. Timothy: Interesting, it seems that whatever wold these places are on have developed in a similar route as Espril. I wonder if this is true of other worlds as well.) Approximately 700 years before this alliance, Hellest society witnessed a subtle yet important change. A mage named Pirestis had foreseen a day when Tysebrin would have to be stopped. He had been conducting a number of experiments in which he was attempted communicating with what he called benevolent spirits (Timothy: The Church of Light considers such spirits to be of demonic nature.) in hopes that they could grant him some knowledge to use against the enemies of his city, Athas. He had found some success with a spirit named Luvathis who identified herself as a handmaiden of what she claimed was a god named Eilishae. While other spirits avoided answering questions and were usually displeased at being summoned, Luvathis almost seemed happy to be called. After many sessions Luvathis told Pirestis that her mistress had told her to give him a gift. The gift was Luthavis herself. Eilishae is the god of love and passion, bright lady of the moon (Timothy: She is also an Erb Sh' Moerhim of the second generation). She had seen a growing affection between her servant and this mortal, so she had given Luvathis permission to enter into a union with Pirestis. From that point until his death Luvathis stayed with Pirestis, appearing to others as his wife. The children of this union were the first Va' Pre, though they did not call themselves by that name at the time. These hybrid of human and spirit possessed many strange qualities. Their lives were greatly extended and they had superior senses and physical capabilities. Like the Fae they had great affinity for magic. Because their essence was in part otherworldly they could not survive solely on regular food. Each found they were attracted to certain facets of human nature. They found humans who were strong in certain qualities and absorbed the emotional energies, fueling their own lives. These preferences would lead to the various distinct tribes, most notably the Va' Nora. The children of Pirestis entered Athas society and became beloved by the people. They multiplied and with their help Athas grew powerful. When the Hellest joined the war against Tysebrin the Va' Pre proved to be an important part of their joint armies. (Timothy: I must thank Lre for this information. For some reason none of us can See very well when the Va' Nora are involved. I theorize it is because they are mortal descendants of an Erb Sh' Moerhim.) With the Hellest, the allied kingdoms were able to halt the Tysebrin war machine. Unable to advance the Tysebrians instead concentrated on consolidating power in their

conquered territory. While there was sporadic conflict on the borders, Tysebrin became quiet. Without the distraction of conquest, the rivalries among the Mage Lords, those elite Tysebrians, became violent. Each family used any means to gather more power for themselves. Since the time of Tycearas, the power of the Emperor had slowly diminished. The Mage Lords saw this as an opportunity to take control. During the reign of Emperor Deothustus, the ambitions of the Mage Lord Angros came to a head. Using evil magics he ruthlessly eliminated rivals in the Senate and replacing them with his allies, taking control of the Empire. Having done this he systematically destroyed any family who opposed his rulings. The other Mage Lords banded together and civil war broke out. In this time practicing magic of evil nature had become common among the Mage Lords. As the Mage Lords warred they unleashed magics of terrible power creating wastelands where there had once been fertile fields. Eventually Angros deposed the Emperor Deothustus, declaring himself High Chancellor of the Senate, now the only governing body. With the Senate he managed to eliminate those who might remain loyal to the old dynasty. During this time a peaceful Mage Lord named Kelebar, who shunned the dark magics of the other Mage Lords, escaped from the conflict. He led his family, apprentices, and other like minded Mage Lords to a safe haven he had discovered. In the Gaufonel Highlands many mesas rose from the ground. Among these there was one of extraordinary girth and height. When Kelebar first came across the monument he marveled at nature's might. Near this mesa he had set up a camp from which he might conduct observations of the land. Over many days he noticed a subtle hum in the air whenever he was in camp. Talking to those with him, he found that they too sensed the disturbance. On a hunch he tested the area around the mesa for thaumatalogical emanations and found that they originated from within the great mesa. Kelebar began to search for a way into the mesa and discovered an enormous gate concealed and enchanted to be virtually undetectable. Through this gate his expedition found a spiraling ramp large enough to allow them to walk abreast of one another with room to spare. (Timothy: the cavern is reported to be 72 feet wide.) He calculated the ramp spiraled along the outside wall of the mesa leaving a large area within. They found that the ramp led to the top of the mesa. There was a strange sight. At the top they saw many pools of clear water interspersed among fertile soil. In the center was a perfect circle of stone and at the center of this were strange structures. Entering the structures they saw great magic circles inscribed in the floors. Studying them, Kelebar was able to deduce how to activate them. In doing so he realized these circles made the structures enormous portals. At the other side of the portal he found great islands floating on a sea of mist. Despite numerous attempts neither he nor his people could pinpoint where on Espril they were. When they returned Kelebar realized they had yet to find the source of the magical hum. They searched diligently and found inside the spiral another concealed gate leading into the heart of the mesa. Within was a great chamber in which they saw a massive glowing crystal, the source of the emanations. It hung in midair, without any visible support. After many tests they found

that the crystal was of a substance completely unknown to them and were unable to discern its purpose. After all this Kelebar swore his people to secrecy. It was to this mesa that he led the refugees. He brought them to the islands and they began building a new city. He revealed the crystal to only his most trusted friends. This is how the Crimson Citadel of Kelb came into being with Kelebar as its first Archmage, though it would be many centuries until it came to be called by this name. To the south and west the allied kingdoms saw this discord and attacked. They pushed Tysebrin's legions back towards the capital. Emperor Angros saw that the allies would soon reach Tysebrin. He called his allies and the began crafting a spell of enormous dark power to destroy the Allied armies. In the final hour something went awry and the spell raged out of control. The blast of energy was so great it scorched much of the empire's lands, killing and twisting whatever it touched. The allies armies were stopped but the Tysebrian Empire was no more. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA <(^.^)> (Timothy: Why won't this erase? I should speak to Lre next time she visits, perhaps she can undue whatever enchantment is keeping this on the page. Though that little drawing is amusing.) The wasteland where it once stood still exists known as Angrofel Desolace, more commonly called The Wastes. In the wake of this disaster an age of relative peace ensued. The allied kingdoms broke their ties and resumed their squabbles. Hellest returned to its complex political machinations. This peace lasted for approximately 4000 years. In Hellest the Va' Pre had spread to other cities. By their influence the large battles fought between the city-states ceased. However, the more subtle political schemes never faded and the Va' Pre seemed to revel in them. Their fascination with intrigue is likely caused by association with the goddess Eilishae whose aspects are related to the night. As they spread across the peninsula they developed into distinct tribes, each with a different preference in human nature. The most numerous of the Va' Pre were the Va' Nora, whose domain was the emotion of romantic love. These are perhaps the truest descendents of Pirestes and Luvathis. In the city of Rolca the tribe Va' Morred prospered. This small Va' Pre tribe gained energy from ambitious humans. They wielded great influence, attracting and attracted to those humans who had the ambition to take power. Some say what happened next was inevitable, that demons always revert to their true nature. It is certainly true that the Va' Morred need for ambition contributed. Whatever the case, the Va' Morred would soon bring the bloodiest era yet seen on Espril. Some of Rolca's most influential Va' Morred began to yearn, as their consorts did, for more power. Their need for ambition morphed into a deep lust for power. Some found that by causing pain they could dull the edge of their hunger. The guards of Rolca noticed a shard increase in the amount of excessively violent homicides. This was still not enough

so the Va' Morred looked to their otherworldly heritage. Luvathis had taught Pirestes the names of many spirits and demons, she taught him the summoning techniques and how to control them. This was passed on to their children that they might use the knowledge to defend against the Tysebrians. The twisted Va' Morred called upon the archfiend Lirameth who presides over death and anguish. On that day these thirty or so Va' Morred made what the other Va' Pre call the Patto Crudelta. (Timothy: Whoever made is writing these comments believes the Va' Pre use a language similar to one called Italian.) The Va' Shtymeth, as they now called themselves, became demigods wielding power not seen since Zarvast and Gymab walked among humans. They became immortal and nearly invulnerable. In exchange Lirameth commanded that they carve a scar of blood and anguish across the face of Espril. Overnight they took control of Rolca and neighboring Florcine. Within two years they had control of the entire Hellest peninsula. Over the next century the number of Va' Shtymeth swelled. Humans and Va' Pre alike saw their power and wanted it for their own. These new Va' Shtymeth had only a fraction of the power of that original group yet they were still immensely powerful. Humans and Va' Pre alike were used to fuel their hunger, the streets of the Ten Jewels (Timothy: A nickname for the ten city-states of Hellest) were stained red with blood. Realizing that the populations could not sustain them at such an aggressive rate, the Blood Synod, the original Va' Shtymeth, reorganized the cities in order to make the killings more sustainable. In this way a society of malevolent elegance emerged with the Va' Shtymeth as an undisputed aristocracy. After a century the Blood Synod grew tired of one another's company and their conquest of Aorepa began.The fractious kingdoms quickly fell to the godlike Va' Shtymeth, each Synod member took for itself a territory to rule. The ensuing era we call the Millennia of Torment. Outside of Hellest the Va' Shtymeth preferred a more subtle domination. Humans were allowed to keep their societies but their masters would use them as they pleased. A favorite sport of the Va' Shtymeth was pitting their human chattel in pointless bloody battles, feeding on the psychic energies. In those years the fear was tangible with humans minding themselves carefully, usually to no avail. The Va' Shtymeth gorged themselves. Those who possessed any hint of magic were quickly hunted down. Their blood, it seems, was more potent than the average human. The Va' Pre tribes were vigorously oppressed, most tribes dying out within the first millennium, the rest going into hiding. Religious organizations of all types were suppressed; the Va' Shtymeth wanted to be thought of as the only gods. Only the northlands of Skavyldr remained free of the Va' Shtymeth taint. The living demons seemed wary of that most ancient of places. Perhaps they knew the power it and its Fae protectors still wielded. Some people tried fleeing north. Almost none were successful. Perhaps what is most terrible is that many willingly went to serve the Va' Shtymeth hoping to share in any scrap of power tossed to them. After nearly 3000 years, humans had become accustomed to fear. They thought the only escape from those dark times was death.

It was then, 2000 years ago, that a small cult began to grow strong in the hearts of a few dreamers. Originating in the quiet village Bahn, a place so insignificant no Va' Shtymeth even bothered to take as its own, the Cult of Light began to spread among those still strong enough to hope. They believed that goodly gods existed in the universe, and that these Lords of Light waited only for brave humans to start the fight against their oppressors before they would lend their divine aid. (Timothy: We Witches now know these Lords of Light are the ancient M' Kelachi of myth.) The Va' Shtymeth tried to stamp out the cult as they did every other religious movement. No matter how many were killed, its faithful tenaciously held to their beliefs. Across the continent the Cult sporadically attempted to spark rebellions. Most never went beyond talk behind tightly shut doors. Those rebellions which actually started attracted few people and were quickly silenced. The dark shroud remained despite their best efforts. That is until a cultist named Belphin was reunited with a childhood friend: the man the Allied lands would call Blessed Jothem, Eternal Crusader of the Light. Belphin and Jothem were both born and raised in the city of Birlane, held by the Synod Va' Shtymeth Anfritte, in the kingdom now called Destchlen. Belphin's family managed to escape the city, moving to Bahn. There they joined the Cult of Light, with Belphin becoming a highly active member. Jothem, on the other hand, joined the Birlane city guard. His martial ability gained him the attention of the Va' Shtymeth and was made an officer in Anfritte's army. He quickly became known among the Va' Shtymeth as a keen strategist who applauded Anfritte's excellent insight in promoting this human. As a reward Jothem was given a comfortable position as guard captain of Birlane. By this time his only living family was his wife.

After years as a firsthand witness to the depth of Va' Shtymeth depravity, Jothem had had enough. In secret he and his wife left Birlane traveling from city to city to avoid attention. Jothem sold his skill as a fighter to support them, taking jobs as a mercenary or bodyguard for petty human lordlings. Their travels eventually lead them to Avlyro in what would be the nation of Kenplund which borders the Angrofel Desolace. While there the Cult of Light attempted to raise a rebellion in a neighboring city. When the rebellion was crushed some cultists fled to Avlyro. One of those was Belphin. When they met Bephin, who had heard of his old friend's reputation, convinced Jothem to come with him to Bahn. Once there the Cult elected Jothem to lead them. (Timothy: It should be noted that Jothem only grudgingly agreed. All through his life, he never firmly adhered to the Cult of Light's beliefs.) From Bahn the Cult launched a new campaign of insurrection. With Jothem's brilliant strategies they finally found some success, able to field the beginnings of a true army. Their actions were not unnoticed by the Va' Shtymeth. Most thought the rebellion would be short lived and paid little attention. However, Anfritte convinced them to raise a small army under his command to crush the rebels. After Jothem fled Birlane, Anfritte became an object of ridicule among the Blood Synod. Hearing that Jothem now lead the

rebels Anfritte's pride demanded he punish the upstart human. Though only a fraction of the combined Va' Shtymeth forces, Anfritte's army easily outnumbered the cultist rebels. Jothem was forced into using guerrilla tactics and for years the Cult made little headway. That suddenly changed. One winter, after a particularly bad summer campaign, the Cult of Light was once again hiding on the edges of the Skavyldr. Jothem had secured for them the protection of an influential Svadir chieftain whom he had befriended. This is considered highly unusual since the Svadir are usually hostile towards southerners. Jothem himself, Belphim, and a number of other leaders wintered in Bahn. During that stay Jothem was said to have been visited by one of the Lords of Light. The Lord spoke to him and gifted him with three holy relics. These relics, still in the possession of the Church of Light, were the Amber Arms. When dormant these items appear as small amber carvings of a spear, a sword, and a breastplate. When infused with divine energy by someone blessed by the Lords they become the items they represent, with the exception of the breastplate which becomes a full set of armor. This panoply, when infused, seems to be made of smooth, glassy amber filled with golden fire and channel enormous amounts of divine energy. The blades never dull and are supposedly unbreakable. Few have been blessed enough to actually use the Arms; among them Jothem is undoubtedly the greatest. (Timothy: My brothers and I speculate the being who visited Jothem was the Rohm' Kelach Michael. Uthor and his cronies believe it was Uriel. Everyone else believes he is an imbecile and an ass. I should consider editing this.) In the next campaign season Jothem won a number of minor victories. Then near Nachjen in Epsian the unbelievable happened. During the battle Jothem and Anfritte met in battle. This in itself was not strange, they had dueled many times; most times Anfritte's heightened physical and magical abilities overpowered Jothem, a mere human with no magical ability. In this battle Jothem wielded the holy Amber Arms. After many rounds Jothem cut down the demon lord with his sacred great-sword. Seeing this the other Va' Shtymeth and their soldiers fled and were quickly routed. For a time the Cult of Light were able to liberate cities with minimal resistance, pushing the Va' Shtymeth back toward Hellest. News of this upset reached the Blood Synod in the Ten Jewels. Outraged they assembled a massive army to avenge their brother. The army was placed under the command of Lord Fleurin. As a member of the Blood Synod he was incredibly powerful; but even among them, his power was considered exceptional. If any Va' Shtymeth could be considered king, it was undoubtedly Fleurin. Fleurin lead his army across the Irasp mountains and met Jothem in battle along the Rechron River. There he handily crushed the cultist rebels, chasing them westward, recapturing many cities. Jothem was likely surprised by the great demon. Unlike Anfritte, Fleurin possessed a keen, flexible mind and a charismatic personality. Most surprisingly, Fleurin was a man of honor. Most Va' Shtymeth left behind all semblance of humanity when they made the Patto Crudelta; Fleurin clung to his honor as a drowning man clings to a floating board. In their first battle Fleurin could have ambushed Jothem and destroyed the

dream of freedom. Instead he sent a messenger bearing a formal declaration of war, announcing his intention of vengeance. (The Va' Shtymeth are like Gerald Tarrant as the Hunter in Black Sun Rising. Fleurin is pretty much him.) Over the next few years Jothem and Fleurin battled across the continent, advancing by turns. Both generals were master strategists and warriors. Fleurin's forces certainly had the advantage in training and general strength. However they lacked the loyalty and unity of purpose held by Jothem's army. While Jothem fought for freedom, internal struggles constantly undermined Fleurin's efforts. But Jothem's greatest advantage came elsewhere. The people had seen his success and had begun to hope. From all across the continent humans streamed to join the newly named Church of Guiding Light, including mages who had long hidden from their demonic oppressors. Mages from the Kelbis Mesa, the former Tysebrian refugees, had managed to hide from the Va' Shtymeth and had built a society upon their lofty home. They had supported Jothem since his earliest campaigns. They were generally hated by the Church who considered magic the root of evil in the world, which made, and continues to make, their place in society difficult. While Jothem's forces were continually refreshed with new recruits Fleurin's slowly declined. The other members of the Blood Synod, jealous of his power, had refused to send reinforcements. With each battle the Va' Shtymeth army diminished. Even so, Fleurin's great intellect was able to cope and managed to win many battles; Jothem could advance only with the greatest of effort and sacrifice. At last, Jothem succeeded in forcing Fleurin all the way back to the Irasps. There Feurin ordered his soldiers to fortify their positions around the foot of the mountains and sent another request for reinforcements. The Blood Synod, sensing imminent defeat, relented and sent another great army. Jothem knew that, should those reinforcements join Fleurin, the rebellion would be in serious danger of collapse. And so, Jothem ordered a final desperate assault against the Va' Shtymeth. Wave after wave of humans crashed against the Va' Shtymeth positions; many thousands died. In the fray Jothem, clad in the Amber Arms, met Fleurin in battle. Once more two generals fought to decide the battle. The two titans dueled for hours. Accounts of the time said that in the final hours Jothem's strength began to fail. Had he fallen, the rebellion would have surely failed. But, suddenly, his relics surged with light. It is said Jothem grew in stature, towering over the others; still they fought on. Finally, with a great pulse of golden light, Jothem's spear pierced the great general's body. Leaderless, the Va' Shtymeth were forced to abandon their fortifications and retreated across the mountains. What happened next can only be described as a miracle. As the last Va' Shtymeth left the field, the humans let out a great cheer of victory. However, Jothem, knowing that the Va' Shtymeth would return, strode to the front of the army. There he plunged his spear into the ground and prayed. (Timothy: We think this is the really the only time he ever truly prayed to the Lords of Light) The soldiers looked on, bewildered, as his prayer continued on. Then he began to glow once more with a brilliant golden light and a chord

of pure bliss sounded, golden cracks actually forming in the air. An opalescent wall of light erupted from the ground stretching high into the heavens. It continued to expand and its leading edge was soon lost in the horizon. Thus the Paling was created, trapping the Va' Shymeth within their peninsula.

After this the freed kingdoms held a great summit. The leaders agreed to unite under one authority which was the Church of Guiding Light. They then petitioned Jothem to act as the ultimate power. Jothem, unsurprisingly to those who knew him, deferred instead nominating Belphin as the new leader of the Church. He then quietly disappeared from public view. This was the creation of the modern Holy Alliance and the seat of the Apostle.

In the next volume I will discuss the modern history of Aorepa as well as the rise of the Yu Tongren Empire. To whoever is leaving these comments, that means you Gregor, please stop.