Before light, before time, before the end, they lived in houses of hope along forgotten shores. An unnamed world, an unnamed people, without words, one with all that was. And the doors opened, and the world wept, and the giant of yore fell into a deep slumber. Awoken in a distant dream, they wandered the wasteland of infinite green, sowing the seeds of new lives.
A story of Humanity
The Past
Well before Aedrelon got its name, when it was naught but a canvas for spirits, giants and ideas to paint as they saw fit, lived a tribe of curious beasts. Forged by the whims of Aer itself, they appeared one day as if only to enjoy the world around them. The curious beasts ate the fruits of the earth, drank the clear springs and lived, really, without a worry. They knew no fear, no war, no grief, no death. They simply existed, there amongst the painters. Eternity was theirs.Thus, they spent it watching over the creation of these artists of the world. They were there, when mountains were molded from dirt and clay and when clouds and stars were painted into the sky. In this moment grew Wonder. It appeared in the eyes of the beasts and told them about Beauty, about Longing, about Hope, about myriads of Joys and Pains and, most importantly, about Envy. Thus, as they learned of all the things of life, the beasts became something more.
As time went, Envy too grew to become something more. It burrowed deep in the heart of the beasts and led some to envy the painters all around : "Why are they able to paint, and not us?", they asked. There was no answer to this question. Yet, the envious beasts despaired for one and took it upon themselves to give their tribe their own brushes and their own paint. After eons of research, growing more and more bitter everytime the painters awoke in them the old sparks of Wonder, the envious beasts found someting. An old stone door. On it were engraved creatures the beasts had never seen, dancing around what seemed like an eye. One after the others, the beasts failed to open the door. Even with their strength combined, the massive stone slab refused to move. However, with eternity at their side, they knew for certain they would be able to see the other side someday.
The answer came shortly. When a beast or another tried to puch the door open again, the Dust spoke. A thin layer of dust that had accumulated on the door and under it as time passed, falling to the ground when anyone touched the stone. Its voice was muffled, distant.
"We were trapped here! Please, let us out, please. We'll grant your wish, we'll grant your wish, please, let us see the sun again.", cried the Dust. Then, it explained how to open the door : it had to be opened by the Dust itself from the beasts' side.
To grant the Dust's wish, the envious beasts bathed in it, got it on their fingers, on their faces, in their months so that they could even hear the Dust speak from within themselves. Then, together, they pushed the stone once more.
The End of Time
The world shook. From the other side of the door came pouring millions upon millions of strange beings. They looked like the creatures engraved on the door, old, tired and forgotten. In an instant, they spread their dust across all of creation. The spirits, the giants, the ideas and the beasts fought for the first time of their existence, against the Dust about to swallow them whole. But it was not enough and soon they all fell into a deep slumber.Before falling, the envious beasts heard the Dust speak once more : "Do not worry, you will wake up as painters." On this day, all the beasts disappeared. The painters were chained to the world they built, the spirits fled and the ideas were entirely devoured by the Dust. Eventually, satisfied with their meal, the creatures from beyond the door returned to their real and sealed themselves once more. Nothing, then, remained of the painters' canvas. For another eternity, it was as if the world stood still.
It took yet another eternity for Aer to create life again. Trees and grass grew on the backs of the sleeping painters to hide they ever existed, turning them into the surface of their world. Then, plants, animals. Sound came back to the world as birds sang and water flowed. Again, time was moving.
The First Day
The first envious beasts to wake up found themselves in a world thay could not recognize. Everything they knew was gone, replaced by strange new shapes and colors. The painters were nowhere to be found, the clouds had lost their luster and the blues and greens around them seemed ever so dull. Slowly, they recalled the words of the Dust. Had it fulfilled its promise, the beasts would be painters themselves. Indeed, once more the beasts had become something more.Only a thousand beasts ever woke up in this new world. Some found each others but most wandered into the unknown. All of them, however, quickly discovered the gift of the Dust.
Like the painters before them, they could bend the Aer to their will : birth the sun in the palm of their hands, drag stars out of the sky, make the earth quake or set everything they see ablaze. Yet, none of these powers quite compared to the Wonder they saw ages ago.
It took time for the Dust's true gift to manifest. During their slumber, all the things the beasts saw in Wonder took root and grew in their souls. One became Joy, one became Pain, one became Hope, another Longing, Beauty or Envy. A thousand beasts became a thousand immortal aspects of life. Finally, the beasts became Eidolons.
Humanity
Unbeknownst the the newly awakened Eidolons, the aspects of life they embodied changed something in the creatures of this new world. Just like they, themselves, saw Wonder in one of the painters, this new life saw their aspects in them. This change is Humanity : the combined influence of the thousand aspects of life embodied by the Eidolons. Thus, all of existence learned of a thousand facets of life and evolved to become what it is today.The Eidolons are the keepers of Humanity. If one of them were to disappear, their aspect would vanish from Humanity as well. Most of them, however, are still oblivious to their own influence and don't realize the role they play in the new Aedrelon.
Today
No one knows this story. It is a secret kept well hidden by those who were there at the time. Only the sleeping painters and the scattered spirits sometimes tell of it to their chosens, and the Eidolons themselves have for the most part forgotten most of what happened before their slumber.The thousand envious beasts still roam Aedrelon. Some became as gods to the newly formed people of the world, some assimilated and started living as mortals do, others settled in lands far away from everything. All of them, yet, still bound by this burning desire to paint.
The Thousand Aspects
Rêve, the Strange Dream
She takes the form of an Epreas woman, with red hair and yellow eyes, wandering around Aedrelon in search of something.
Cauchemar, the Cautious Nightmare
He takes the form of an Epreas man, with blond hair and red eyes, wandering around Aedrelon in seach of something.
Ciel, the Wind of Change
He's an ever-changing being, wearing a new face everytime his own path takes him somewhere new.
Aigrefin, the First of the Thieves
Everyone sees him differently, as if projecting onto him their own unconscious idea of the most beautiful man they have ever seen.
Songe, the Bittersweet Regrets
No one can remember what Songe looks like. He vanishes from the memory of everyone as soon as they stop looking at him.
Hélianthe, the Morning Sun
His body ages through the day and withers as the sun sets, only to be reborn the next day.
Courage, the Silent Resolve
He usually takes the form of a middle-aged Noykes halfbreed, and works as a Mapmaker to satisfy his curiosity.
Ombre, the Devouring Sickness
He locked himself away, where no one will ever find him, as everyone laying eyes on him falls victim to this disease.
Soir, the Brilliant Star
His body ages through the night and withers as the sun rises, only to be reborn when night falls again.
Voile, the Screaming Darkness
She takes the form of an old woman, and never leaves the confines of her domain hidden somewhere in the mountains.
Éclat, the Inspiring Spark
She usually takes the form of an animal, a fox or a crane, and wanders around Aedrelon.
Ivraie, the Path to Wander
She is a child, stuck in a body that never grows, cursed to wander the world in search of a home that doesn't exist anymore.
Morne, the Last Breath
She appears as a flock of crows or a pack of wolf, sometimes as a lone black-haired woman, always accompanied by a rat on her shoulder.
Rivale, the Seed of Strength
She is commonly known as Rinna V. Nemeus, the Grand Martial Instructor of Meilthaor's elite troops.
Seuil, the Calm Dusk
She only exists in the brief gaps between night and day, withering and being reborn everytime.