Apotheca - on the Rise of Keltaren and the fate of his Followers
Keltaren - known as the Archangel of Justice in more modern times is one of many celestials who chose to manifest themselves upon this world at one time or another. His manifestation and works directly influenced the Age that Is - He brought about another lapse in the Great Cycle of the world of Apotheca singlehandedly, in which the old races and civilizations deteriorate, decline and collapse while a new set of races and cultures emerge, building on the ruins of the Old. He did so because he saw a world that had descended into an age without justice for the crimes of many, and so created a race with the sole intent of meting out this justice. That very race is now known as that of the Titan's, from which mankind is descended.
The Old God's, that pantheon of celestials who had brought about the previous age, fractured. Some welcomed new change, others defied it. The Old Races themselves fractured, the Dwarves and Gnomes largely siding with Keltaren's Titans, while those races remembered only in elven and dwarven myth fought back. The Trolls themselves, once a powerful force upon Apotheca, fractured and fought on both sides. Thus their race was reduced to its modern state. The Elves became reclusive and took part not in that war, fleeing to the farther reaches of the world, as removed from this climactic war as was possible. Those who defied Keltaren were largely erased from the history of that era. Some of the Elder Races yet linger, largely in remote places, deep places within the earth, or in areas deemed unfit for life by Mankind.
But this war had great impact not only upon the Old Races but upon Mankind as well. The combined pantheon of the "Old Gods", seeing that they were losing this grand conflict, turned their attention towards Keltaren himself. They gained passage into his halls by means of treachery and confronted him. Though many were felled in the process, they managed to overwhelm and restrain him, and they dragged his essence down into an abyss within the Deep, within the confines of this world, and they chained his body and tethered his celestial essence. They returned to the surface, and using unfathomable power and ritual of the Celestial they fine-tuned the essences within Mankind to gradually weaken them, cutting off their energies from Keltaren's essence. This ancient pantheon was ultimately defeated by mortal hands in that war before the ultimate severing and weakening was completed, but the damage was irreversible as long as Keltaren remained chained in his unknown prison. The Old Gods were largely all killed, and killed by mortal hands no less - a testimony to the power these ancients held - while a few others were scattered, lost, stripped of mortal form, banished or otherwise stripped of power and influence - and likewise were the Old Races.
As for mankind, they dwindled down to their current state. With Keltaren gone, other celestials were left to tamper with his creations, imbuing them with their own energies. Thus were the many races of mankind created. Celestials pre-existing within the confines of this world and others newly ascended to it after Keltaren's fall all influenced Mankind, they saw incredible potential in this new race, and many raced to stake their claim upon them. And thus do we have the many religions and temperaments of Mankind. The diversity of race, religion, temperament, and variability of culture among mankind is not seen to any such degree in any other race. This is a testament to their complicated history and is both one of their greatest strengths and most damaging weaknesses. They often live as if without purpose or live badly according to their consciences. They have also practically conquered the world and shaped it entirely for themselves, for better and for worse.
The "Sons of Keltaren" are those cultures of man that have not allowed themselves to be influenced by the wills of any celestial but the undying influence of Keltaren. They view the acceptance of these other energies to be "corruption", and likewise other races of mankind as sadly tainted, and misguided. The influences of other energies are seen sharply when the Descendants of Keltaren are contrasted with others, for one they are the tallest race of man, being closest in kin to the Titans of Old and towering many heads over others. They also have a uniquely distinct temperament, one looked down on by other races. Due to both these things and the matter of their pure essence they often find themselves at odds with the wills of other powers that exert power over the lands directly, unlike their imprisoned patron, and thus likewise with the people of other lands also. After Keltaren's fall, they became a people more associated with longsuffering than with power and judgment, as they await the prophesied day when Keltaren is loosed and the Day of Justice comes heralding a new age.
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