Birth of the Three Peoples
Following the banishment of Tilfarie to the Void Beneath, Ilyasu brought forth the new mortal inhabitants of the world. On the upper slopes of the Starmount -- the sacred triple-crowned mountain that touches the sky -- the three mortal races first breathed the air.
They numbered 108 individuals, equally divided between males and females.1
The 108 were further divided into three races. These became the Three Peoples: The Ilpenarin, the Tarilin, and the Tilothrin. Each race was further divided into three tribes of a dozen. Each tribe had equal numbers of males and females; and there were six founding families in each tribe.2
The Three Peoples lost no time going their own way. The Ilpenarin went west, where they were the first to reach the sea. The Tilothrin went south, where they populated the central plains and the great southern peninsula. The Tarilin went north and east, where they inhabited hills and highlands and learned to thrive in the cold northern winters.
Although the gods can no longer take physical form, a part of them walks the world in each of the mortal races. The elements of the gods -- earth, air, water, fire -- form the substance of all living things and are necessary to sustain mortal life. Furthermore, each of the gods imbued mortals with part of their own elemental nature, and the gods keep special watch over their people. When the mortals who share their nature die, their patron gods sit in judgment upon their souls.
Ilmarie, goddess of water, is a patron of the Ilpenarin and the Tarilin.
Taroth, god of earth, is a patron of the Tarilin and the Tilothrin.
Penion, god of air, is a patron of the Ilpenarin. Because he took part in instigating the War of the Gods, he has patronage over one race only. But because he recognized his wrongdoing and repented, his is the breath of life.
Tilfarie, goddess of fire, is a patron of the Tilothrin. Because she instigated the War of the Gods and brought great evil in the world -- which she would visit upon the world again, if she were to escape the Void Beneath -- she has patronage over one race only. Furthermore, her patronage extends only to the spirits who are sent to join her in the Void Beneath. Her daughter Bretalie, goddess of the sun, wields the lifegiving power of Fire in the upper world and sits in judgment in her stead.
Notes
1. Until this time, there was no division by sex. The gods and the Ilarin were complete in themselves, and being immortal, did not need to reproduce. But mortals, who fall prey to death and decay, must constantly replenish their numbers. And indeed, this is an astonishing gift. For even the gods, who begged the All-Mother for the ability to do so, could not create new life except by special dispensation -- and yet the mortal races bring new souls into the world as a matter of course. 2. Thus were derived the sacred numbers, which may be seen in the remnants of Astarien architecture and are central to all divinations and magics: 108, 54, 36, 12, 6, 3.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments