The Shattering

In the Beginning there were only the Four great Primordials and eternal blackness. Tharizdun (Chaos incarnate), Annam (Order Incarnate), Asmodeus (Evil Incarnate), and Asgorath (Good Incarnate). All thing existed in eternal balance. This didnt last for ever. Tharizdun and his unending Chaos began to consume Annam either through the extension of his own will or through the natural order of the universe. Asmodeus and Asgorath feared what would happen if the perfect balance was disrupted in such a manner and feared the power Tharizdun would gain from this attack.
The other three primordials allied themselves to prevent the catyclism. They used all of their power to shatter Tharizdun into three seperate pieces. His soul was torn from his body and imprisioned within the Primordial crystal of Chaos, His body cast into a demi plane far removed from true existence and his concusness was placed in a primordial champion of the other three whose name was pazuzu.
When the ritual of binding was complete the release of remaining energy would have great reprocussions. Asmodeus and the Crystal of Chaos were cast away through creation from the explosive release of energy from the ritual. the force of their fall shattered the barrier of creation and formed new realms of existance. Asmodeus' realm became the Nine Hells while the crystal still falls to this day in its nabouring realm which is known as the Abyss.
Annam was saved from Tharizdun's attack by the other primordials but being at the center of the blast allowed him to survive relativly unscathed. Upon awaking in the aftermath, Annam would be preasent among what would be called the primordial sea of chaos. This field of raw energy and elemental power would fill Annam with a desire to create order from Chaos. He would use his own power to create for him, tools that could shape creation. These tools were the World Forge and The World Hammer. together with his own will of order and the help of his children (The Giants) he would shape the Primordial Chaos into an ordered world. Ignicia was born.
Asgorath was blasted into the heavens after the ritual. There he was able to witness Annam's great work forming the primordial Chaos into creation and shaping the world of Ignicia as a place of order. He was inspired by this perfect creation and saught to make his own mark on the Universe and set his own order in place. He would use his power to create for himself tools like Annam that could shape chaos into creation. He would create the Astral Forge and the Plane Shaper. With these tools he would set the Heavans in order and make homes for the newly born deities spawned from the release of the primordial Chaos. Each of these Deities would be givin a plane to call their own and to further shape according to their own will. And thus the worlds of the Astral sea was set to order and it was good.
From the Shattering additional beings of great power were also brought into existance. wether these beings existed before the shattering and were just given form from it or they were directly created from the shattering is unknown. These beings would be what we now call the gods of Ignicia. They would come to form various aspects of creation and would be molded by it just like the Primordial Chaos was. These gods would further create new creations within creation and would cause this creation to flurish. Life would form and new creatures would come into being and soon all things were in their place and it was good.
Further still some gods would be given to their tasks as set forth by the two great primordials. Asgorath and Annam would give some gods a purpose to set in place defences to both of the other realms created alongside the prime creations. They would move the domains of various deities to be closer to the realms of the Abyss and the Nine Hells to act as guardians against the curroption steming from these Realms. They also appointed prime guardians to be stashioned at the enterances of both realms as well. Over the Nine Hells was Zariel, first and greatest of the guardian angels formed by Asgorath. Over the Abyss Pazuzu, first among the Primordials servents and warriors, was appointed as cheif guardian. Together they would lead the defence against the curroption of the far realms for all eterenity.

Historical Basis

The myth is a fairly accurate retelling of the creation of the universe of Ignicia. the evidance is told from the view of the Primordials that were there when it happened though each primordial has a scued view from their own perspective.

Spread

The myth was widly known before Krosis' Folly but since tha age of arcanum the knowledge has largly fadded away to moslty ancient scholars or some both blessed and cursed with the knowledge.

Variations & Mutation

each of the Primordials had their own version of events. The most commonly known and recorded one is from the perspective of Asgorath. each of the other primordials have a variation of the myth recorded with various details changed to favor their own purpose and perspective.

Cultural Reception

The ancient Netherine who discovered the prophacy of Tharizdun's return heavily tied the shattering to their culture and their purpose for existance so as to not forget their duty to prevent Tharizdun's return.

In Literature

There are many ancient texts about the creation myth that were recorded by scholars from the age of arcanum. many of these texts also acted as influances for more modern religious texts to provide more validity to individual gods.

In Art

Ancient cities from the netherine empire had many peices of art dedicated to the shattering to provide context for the ancient apocalyptic profacies of tharizdun's return.

Date of First Recording

13765 Pre Folly

Date of Setting

The Dawn of Time