Story of Creation

In the beginning, there was only the void. It was everything and nothing; that is, until three voices called out in unison, speaking a now lost and forgotten tongue, forcing themselves into existence. The three timeless voices rose out of the void like mist, coalescing into form in harmony with one another. They each chose a name: Al’Madoon. Oss’evian. Sal’uthiri.
The Architects. Alone but together, in a black sea of nothingness.
There is no exact account for how long the Architects waited before creation. Many scholars believe they grew bored with one another, while others wonder if disdain had set in. Nevertheless, the three would each say their farewells and follow their own paths deeper into the void. Al’Madoon’s Era of Creation and the Erenel multiverse had begun.
The destinations of the Architect’s Oss’evian and Sal’uthiri are vastly different and tales for another time.

Crafting the Elemental Planes

After traveling a great distance alone in the void, Al’Madoon began. First, the Architect would create the four elemental planes: Aquenias, the Plane of Water, Aurenia, the Plane of Air, Ignathar, the Plane of Fire, and Terramul, the Plane of Earth. He would use these four elemental planes as a foundation for his new world, such as how a painter uses prime colors to paint masterpieces. The four elemental planes would split into four quadrants surrounding the mortal plane Erenel, acting like pillars to bolster the world.
Many assume since it was Al’Madoon’s first attempt at creation, that the elemental plane design was raw and more chaotic than intended. Others stand by the viewpoint that Al’Madoon knew each plane must be chaotic, therefore intentional, to inspire the change needed to craft the mortal world. Regardless, the elemental planes were and continue to be extremely volatile and dangerous. This chaos spawned the first known beings born from creation.
Powerful elementals began roaming their corresponding planes vying for power. Eventually, one elemental lord would rise from each plane, subjecting the weaker elementals under their rule. Al’Madoon was too busy with his next creation, Erenel, to care.

Crafting the Mortal Plane

The Architect’s focus now lay upon Erenel. Al’Madoon carefully crafted mountains topped with snow-covered peaks, vast grasslands, ocean depths, and many breathtaking natural wonders that the elemental planes helped inspire. With the mortal plane complete, Al’Madoon took a brief rest and reflected upon his work. While resting, he saw how the void seemed to strangle the planes in a blanket of darkness, hiding his work from view. The all consuming night troubled the Architect.

After much consideration, Al’Madoon reached into his being, removing a bright star, and thrust the star into the sky. The illuminating star bathed the planes in warm light and forced the void to cower in fear. He would call this star, pulled from his body, Ikaram the Sol.

The Sol and Stars

Still weak from extracting a portion of himself to fend off the void, Al’Madoon smiled fondly upon Ikaram the Sol. Ikaram vigilantly circled the mortal and elemental planes, protecting from the void’s onslaught. He saw how the void would relentlessly infringe when Ikaram moved away, and Al’Madoon realized the Sol would never be in all places at once.
Al’Madoon knew his life essence could not bear the removal of another bright star. Instead, he reached into his being once more, removing many tiny stars, scattering them into the sky.
Light glistened from the stars, shining brightly enough to keep the void at bay when Ikaram the Sol could not be near.

Aymara the Foremother

Exhausted and in agony from yet another removal of his essence, Al’Madoon cried out in pain before collapsing. A single tear fell in unison, crashing upon Erenel, landing in what is today known as the Gulf of the Fallen Star. As Ikaram the Sol passed by on patrol, he saw a large sprout emerging from the soil.
Ikaram had never looked down upon Erenel before, always content with watching the void retreat from his presence. This particular sprout pulled his gaze. An intense protective feeling washed over Ikaram. With every cycle as “Father” slept, Ikaram would shine down upon the tree, lending his light to the sprout’s growth.
Centuries passed before Al’Madoon awoke and saw the great tree towering high above Erenel. To his delight, the tree spoke, thanking Ikaram for his light and Al’Madoon for providing soil. The tree, called Aymara, was beginning to blossom with leaves and fruit. Once her fruit ripened, she believed it would fall from her branches full of life, a child of Al’Madoon.
Aymara asked for more like-minded creatures to live under her branches and enjoy the beauty Al’Madoon has created. Al’Madoon obliged and began to populate the world. Everything from the dragons soaring overhead, the Dwarves deep in their mountains, to the small ants scurrying below the dirt came from Al’Madoon and Aymara’s conversations. Without warning, the first fruit fell from Aymara’s branch, only to be eaten by a gargantuan dragon resting in the shade below. Furious, Al’Madoon grabbed the dragon by his tail, throwing the dragon out into the void beyond his sight. He would not allow this atrocious act to happen again.

Rise of the Primal Deities

To protect Aymara and the fallen fruit, Al’Madoon gathered seven of his favorite creations, breathing a deeper life into each. The seven beasts, now full of vigor, would defend Aymara while she blooms and cares for his children. The seven Primal Beings are:

• Bedoma, the Snake

• Kav’wa, the Frog

• Hrólfr, the Wolf

• Ianna, the Raven

• Natsuko, the Fox

• Ødger, the Bear

• Thayriel, the Stag

After the creation of the Primal Deities, Al’Madoon looked upon Erenel and became full of grief. Erenel lacked something truly in his image; a race full of life, beauty, and grace to look over the other creatures of Erenel as the Primal Deities did for Aymara.

Birth of the Elves

It was here that Al’Madoon created the Elven race. Full of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not being entirely part of it. After carefully sculpting and molding his new prized creation, Al’Madoon breathed a portion of his being into their souls.
The creator looked down on his fully realized masterpiece; Elves, Aymara, Ikaram the Sol, the Primal Beings, and Erenel. For the first time since he departed from the other Architects, Al’Madoon felt at peace.
He began a restful sleep.

The Second Fruit Falls

As Al’Madoon slept, an unripened fruit fell from Aymara’s branches, landing near the trunk of the great tree. The Primal Beings were unsure what to do with the fallen fruit. It was not yet ready to provide a child and began to rot. Worried about what may happen if left unattended, Ianna the Raven quickly descended upon the decomposing fruit, eating it in three large gulps.
While the other Primal Beings watched, Ianna began to transform, becoming more humanoid-like but retaining some form of her raven's feathers. The decomposing fruit opened her mind to new ideas. Death comes to all and is natural. Death comes to all and is inevitable; embrace it. Ianna stood on humanoid feet and bid farewell to the other Primal Beings. She had much to consider.

Rise of Vyse Tyranal

Vyse Tyranal was the first Elf granted breath by Al’Madoon. The mad but charismatic Elf had manipulated, killed, and forced his way to the title, King of Elves, and subjected most of Erenel to his whim. Worse yet, unbeknownst to the Primal Beings, Vyse had grown in strength while the Architect slept. The Mad Elf’s power now rivaled Al’Madoon in his weakened state.
After Ianna’s departure, Vyse began speaking with Bedoma, the Snake. The deceitful Elf would visit the Tree of Aymara, fabricating lies to Bedoma under the guise of philosophy; their weekly discussions held far from the ears of the other Primal Beings. In time, Bedoma became enthralled with Vyse, deciding to help him rule so that his practices could benefit all inhabitants. With Bedoma’s assistance, Vyse quickly ascended, enslaving all of Erenel except what rested under the branches of Aymara.

Rezmir’s Choice

At last, the fruit hanging from Aymara’s branches ripened. Three pieces fell in unison, much like how the three architects rose from the void. The fruit grew three young gods; Rezmir the Winged Lion, Asanna the Lady of the Land, and Luniwyn the Silver Maiden. The three young gods opened their eyes and looked out upon Erenel.
The Primal Beings greeted the three young gods. All except Bedoma, who had snuck away to alert Vyse. Vyse was aware of the dangers facing the kingdom he had built with the arrival of these new gods and rushed to introduce himself. Greeting Rezmir first, Vyse quickly learned of the winged lion's belief of law and judgment. He attempted to persuade Rezmir, similar to his wooing of Bedoma, showing the might of his law with an army at his back.
However, Rezmir recognized the truth and cried out with a mighty roar to his father. Upon waking, Al’Madoon was horrified by what he saw. His masterpiece, the Elves, had used his blessing to enslave Erenel. Crazed with power, Vyse stood defiant alongside Bedoma and those loyal to the Mad Elf. In a brash attempt to prevent his empire from being taken, Vyse attacked the weakened Al’Madoon.

The Great Sacrifice

As Vyse Tyranal assaulted Al’Madoon above the Tree of Aymara, the Architect understood what had to be done in order to cleanse the corruption and spare his beloved Erenel. In a bright flash of light, Al’Madoon sacrificed his celestial body exploding into an apotheosis of divine light. Vyse and the Tree of Aymara took the full force of Al’Madoon’s sacrifice but no part of the universe would be left unscathed. The force of the blast shattered the timeline, freezing all non-deities in a time-lapse that would last for eons.
The celestial explosion tore at the fabric of the universe, ripping open three new planes while simultaneously tearing the life essence out of Asanna, Luniwyn and Rezmir, causing the three young gods to leave their physical bodies behind.
The Above, formed from the love of Al’Madoon and his self-sacrifice. For choosing light over darkness, Rezmir would ascend to the Above, welcoming the kind-hearted and those who embraced the light. With the help of Thayriel the Stag, Rezmir successfully recovered a branch from the damaged Tree of Aymara, planting the remains close to his acquired domain. This branchling grew and began to bear fruit, as its mother Aymara did before it, forming angels and seraphim as the fruit ripened.

The Below formed from the hate and greed festering within Vyse. Vyse fell into the Below from Al’Madoon’s sacrifice, finding himself surrounded by a plane of shadow and despair. Many Elves, witnessing their master fall, cursed Al’Madoon and followed Vyse as he descended. A deep hatred for Al’Madoon and his children consumed Vyse. Disgusted by his failure, he began to manipulate those loyal to him, transforming their flesh into horrific variations. Over time, these Elves became the first demons and devils, their minds broken by suffering.
The Trance formed from the remnants of Al’Madoon’s subconscious. Without a celestial body to inhabit, Al’Madoon’s mind wanders forever dreaming in the Trance, a magical plane of beauty, grace, and peril. The Trance partially covers the Above, the Below, and Erenel, slightly taking on the characteristics where they meet. As Al’Madoon dreams, occasionally, a new species forms from the Architects subconscious in an exciting turn of events. Unfortunately, the creation is not always of sound mind and spirit.

Tethering the Bond

By sacrificing his celestial body, Al’Madoon’s life force fell upon Erenel, bonding with the world he fought to protect. The Bond, Erenel's magical font of power, now resides in every creature, river, stone, and the sky itself. This raw magic can be felt and accessed by inhabitants with a natural talent or those who have relentlessly trained in infiltrating it.

by Dean Spencer

The Bond is all forms of the eight schools of magic; the only difference is how inhabitants choose to access it. Spellcasters such as Clerics, Paladins and Warlocks reach into the Bond because their deity or patron has attuned their senses to "Tether." Whereas other spellcasters, such as Bards, Sorcerers and Wizards, have a gift for accessing the Bond or have learned to Tether through sheer practice and study.
Tethering is how raw magic is accessed and used by spellcasters. When a spellcaster tethers to the Bond, they essentially share the Bond that has entwined with the world, reaching into the remnants of Al'Madoon's being. While tethered, a spellcaster will manipulate the very fabric of the Bond for their desired outcome.

The Era of Inner Flame

Centuries of advancement, powerful artifacts, and sprawling kingdoms would fade away while the intelligent races of Erenel remained caught between time. Eventually, the time-lapse would cease, and the surviving races opened their eyes for what felt like the first time. The inhabitants of Erenel, left with no prior memories, now inherit a new world to discover.

Multiverse Map

Erenel Multiverse

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