The Forces
Origin
The concept of Forces was first introduced by the Joghat, as powers that were even beyond the gods. According to the Joghat, the Forces were there at the beginning and from them sprang forth the Multiverse, and have been guiding its evolution ever since.The Forces
The Joghat identified 9 forces and the writings of Xhar‘Neza mention 3 additional ones. These 12 Forces are structered in 6 pairs of opposites. For every Force it's opposite exists to keep a certain balance.| Life | Death |
| Creation | Destruction |
| Survival | The Hunt |
| Order | Chaos |
| Time | Void |
| Light | Dark |
The Joghat did not mention Void, Light and Dark. These were added by Xhar'Neza. They had Time as a force without opposite, a force that permeates all other forces. Xhar'Neza agreed with the Joghat on that front, going even as far as theorizing that the Force of time is at the origin of everything. Before the beginning if time, there was nothing but an endless void. And that is how the Force of time found its opposite. Light and Dark seem like obvious choices, which the Joghat dismissed as they deemed the concepts too vague. Xhar'Neza, however, argued that the big ball of fire in the sky should not be dismissed as too vague. Light and Dark also hold a very special place in the hierarchy of the Forces.
The Hierarchy
Xhar'Neza splits the Forces into two groups: the Core Eight, and the Essential Four. Amongst the Core Eight, there are the 4 primaries: Life, Death, Order, and Chaos - and the 4 secondaries: Creation, Destruction, Survival, The Hunt. These secondary Forces are merged from 2 primaries.| Life and Order | Creation |
| Life and Chaos | Survival |
| Death and Order | The Hunt |
| Death and Chaos | Destruction |
The Essential Four are Time, Void, Light and Dark. Time and Void are at the Essential Two, upon which everything else is built. Without these two, nothing else would exist. If the balance between these two Forces were ever to be disturbed it would surely mean the end of the Multiverse. Light and Dark, according to Xhar'Neza, are to be interpreted as what can be seen and what can be hidden. These two present the boundary of all experience. Experiences of any living being, be that mortal or god, cannot pierce that boundary. However, Xhar'Neza specifically states that this does not mean that there is nothing else beyond that boundary. There might be hundreds more Forces out, which will never be perceived by any living being of the multiverse.
Avatars
The Forces exist in perpetuity and are usually not perceivable. They work in the background, guiding and influencing events in certain directions according to their nature.
Sometimes, a being can be pulled very far into a certain direction by a Force that part of that Force merges with that being, and thus an Avatar is born. An Avatar is a physical embodiement of a Force. The Force continues to work as it usually does. The Avatar starts working towards that Force's nature and can take more direct measures in the physical world. Usually the creation of an Avatar creates an imbalance. However, as that imbalance grows, the opposite Force starts pulling more and more and will eventually create an Avatar of their own. And thus, balance is restored.
It is important to note, that there is no intelligent mind behind a Force. They are more like natural laws, that always pull everything in a certain direction, and only through the pull of the opposite force can balance be achieved and existence assured.
Keep in mind
Most of the written texts about the Forces remain theoretical. Unlike gravity their influence cannot really be measured and observed. Only the Avatars give a vague indication of their existence. But then again, even the Avatars could just be exceptionnally powerful beings, and the Joghat constructed the idea of Forces to make sense of them.
The Hierarchy
Known Avatars
| Aevi | Time |
| Feyaar & Gutogg | The Hunt |
| Lady of Pain | Order |
| Primurthak | Creation |
| Tiamat | Chaos |
| Zethingandr | Destruction |