The Balance

The Balance, alternately known as 'Íðæn's Balance' or the 'Doom of Gæðí', is a divine proscription based upon a decree made by the Noste goddess Íðæn the Binder at the conclusion of The Godswar. In her decree, the Binder stated that as she had made balance between all things opposite to be a cornerstone of Gæðí's creation, the active presence of any other gods within the mortal realm would thereafter constitute a disruptive imbalance to the world, now that the chief Únðárín were bound.

Three basic tenets are considered the underpinnings of The Balance:

1. The 'evil' destructive forces represented by the Únðárín are part of natural balance and cannot be destroyed, only contained.
2. The Nostín and Súðárín must refrain from direct and overt interaction with the mortal realm.
3. The fate of Gæðí is to rest in mortal hands (Exemplified by the Wylden holding vigil over the spear of Gáðæn, which holds the Ice Queen Ísje bound, as well as possessing one of the only means of her unbinding, the Godhammer)

Manifestation

Probably the best known manifest examples of The Balance are what are known as 'the Burdens of the Wylden', the unending conflicts of the Ravenfjords Jórveif and Icewall Glacier Jórveif of Hrafnawyld. On Icewall, the Únðár goddess Ísje resides to the present day, bound to the mortal realm and significantly diminished in power, yet still an immortal goddess possessed of infinite patience. From her stronghold Ísejaköt (EES.Ei.yuh.kuht), she directs her Ístrúllen (sing. Ístrúl, 'Ice Trolls') minions against the mortal Wylden in an endless cycle of probes and raids, seeking to regain her freedom.

In the Ravenfjords, the last known stronghold and infestation of Fájunn lingers to the present day, tenaciously resisting three-thousand years of Wylden attempts to destroy the creatures permanently. Furthermore, a less well known manifestation of The Balance is the famed Godhammer of the Ravenfjords. Made from a fragment of the World Axe Ræðbjand by Gáðæn himself, it is one of the few objects known to possess the power to break Gáðæn's spear, Binnigðúm, which holds the Ice Queen captive on Icewall.

Localization

Throughout Gæðí, a few examples can be found of what might be considered 'exceptions' to The Balance; however, each of these has been sanctioned in some way by the Binder.

In the Great Khelegaian Desert of central Khelegan, the Tanaari, commonly known as the 'Desert Folk' by many other civilizations, interact directly and regularly with their god of sand and wind, Sorya-Dama. Prior to The Godswar, Sorya-Dama was known to sweep far and wide over the world, interacting with many young cultures. After the Godswar, and the Targotian Cataclysm that heralded its onset, the wind god took up residence in the rapidly forming desert of central Khelegan, befriending the nomadic Tanaari and teaching them how to survive the harsh landscape. Since Sorya-Dama has confined their activities to this one region and people since the decree, Íðæn has permitted the ongoing 'exception'.

Another notable example is the Veil of Sleigh Aisling, and the Sun Trees which reside therein. In the earliest days of The Godswar, when the Iona culture (forebears of the present-day Aisling and Efaleain) was initially overrun, the Trees of the Sun, or Sun Trees, seven mysterious and powerful deities, arrived to aid them. At the end of the War, and with Íðæn's blessing, these deities literally rooted themselves to Gæðí, establishing a network of energy and protection over the territory they encircled that became known to its inhabitants as the 'Veil of Sleigh Aisling'. Just as in the aforementioned example of Sorya-Dama, the fact that the Trees' interactions were limited in scope and reach was crucial to the Binder's approval.

Type

Metaphysical, Divine