The Harbingers

In the chronicles of Alathor, few entities evoke dread and fascination in equal measure as the enigmatic Harbingers—beings of immense cosmic power, lost purpose, and destructive intent. These celestial wanderers, originally created by their own celestial progenitors in distant universes now long-consumed, serve as the vanguard to the unfathomable entity known as Voidaris, The Devourer. Their tale is one woven deeply into the very fabric of Alathor’s creation and its darkest ages.

Origins and Nature

Born from celestial creation in universes far beyond Alathor, the Harbingers were initially beings of immense knowledge and capability, each designed uniquely by their Celestial Creators. However, as Voidaris, the primordial force of entropy and negation, swept through these universes, these beings were forced into exile, fleeing ahead of the relentless destruction. Over time, the Harbingers lost their original purpose, becoming twisted shadows of their former selves, driven by madness, obsession, and the irresistible pull of Voidaris itself.
No longer creators, nor exactly destroyers by inherent nature, the Harbingers instead adopted roles as cosmic scavengers and opportunists. Wherever Vitaeon, The Giver, breathed life into existence, the Harbingers followed—offering false promises of salvation and hope while secretly undermining worlds, plundering their resources, and gathering knowledge to serve their selfish ambitions.

Arrival on Alathor and Intent

When the celestial beings known as The Mother of Us All and The Tinkerer (Father) crafted the world of Alathor as a Lifeforce conduit to stave off Voidaris, the Harbingers recognized an unprecedented opportunity. Their collective intent was singular yet multifaceted: disrupt the carefully balanced creation of Alathor, destabilize its Lifeforce, and ultimately prepare it for Voidaris’ eventual consumption.

Each Harbinger brought with them unique talents, abilities, and twisted ambitions. Some, like Caelumbra, the Prism-Maker, sought to corrupt and weaponize Alathor’s Lifeforce itself. Others, such as Olgos, the Forgotten Architect, plotted elaborate schemes of subversion and domination, aiming not merely for destruction, but to reshape Alathor according to their own designs.

The Great Conflict and Defeat

The Harbingers’ intrusion into Alathor was neither subtle nor uncontested. Alerted to their corruption, the Stewards—celestial beings charged with safeguarding Alathor—rose to oppose them in a climactic confrontation pre-dating the history and knowledge of the current sentient races of Alathor. United, the Stewards battled fiercely, managing to defeat or drive off most of the Harbingers. Caelumbra, gravely wounded, crashed and was lost in the wilds of Helvania, leaving behind artifacts and remnants of his dark power. Olgos was imprisoned within the wall of a deep cave. The others were also either imprisoned or killed, but there was a group that made a desperate, unprecedented retreat into The Dreaming, where that realm of infinity and nothing has twisted even their celestial minds into nightmares and insanity.

Aftermath and Legacy

Though defeated, the influence of the Harbingers never truly vanished. Their corruption of the Prime—the first sentient race—led to profound and lasting impacts upon Alathor’s history and magical fabric. The magi-tech discovered and developed by the Pukta, drawn from remnants of Caelumbra, serves as a testament to their lingering presence, while the enduring prophecies, secret pacts, and hidden legacies continue to shape Alathor’s destiny.
Today, the Harbingers remain largely forgotten by ordinary mortals, their true nature obscured by time and myth. Yet scholars, mystics, and rulers of Alathor’s many realms recognize the shadows they cast across history. Stories of the Harbingers endure and have adapted into regional cautionary tales of explanations for supernatural, frightening phenomena. Only the Stewards are aware of the actual source and that they ever existed, and their current iterations believe the Harbingers long defeated and forgotten over the millennia.