The Lost World of Shalimar and the coming of the Icehearth to Meaghana

In the time before the coming of Lenja, the world of Shalimar was a fiery world, deep within the control of the Gods of the Far Realms. The heat of the fires of the world was so intense that the stones themselves would melt and coagulate into the slimes that served the dark Gods’ will.
The people of Shalimar were slaves to the abominations that served the dark Gods, used for both work and food. And so the people of Shalimar suffered for centuries uncounted.
Then came the first winter. Lenja goddess of Winter, and those that walked with her, Alvar, Miranda Daymaiden and Vedis came to the world of Shalimar. These Gods were once minor deities to a world that fell to the Illithid servitors of the Dark Gods. They walked the crystal spheres, seeking the Far Realms to gain vengeance for their shattered world.
And so they came upon Shalimar, the world at the gateway to the Far Realms, and they knew that their quest for vengeance was not near so important as preventing another world from suffering the same fate. So Lenja looked down upon the world of Shalimar, and with her attentions came the first snowfall the world had ever known. The ice and snow fell, and froze solid the slime servitors of the Dark Gods, and from this ice did the first Hirilnesti come, formed of their Goddess’ love and given life in a time of war. The others made their presence known upon Shalimar, and gave the people the gifts of Bravery, Wisdom and Mercy, and the tools to fight against their foul masters.
The master of this world, Halgrad the lord of fire, saw the actions of Lenja and her fellow gods and became enraged. His anger made the world shake, and from its depths did the molten slimes and oozes flow to slay those that would rise up. The great war lasted for longer than mortal knew, for in those days the measure of time was unknown to mankind. There were many casualties on both sides. Eventually, Lenja realized that the servitors of Halgrad must be contained for they were too great to be destroyed. So Lenja formed herself upon the world, deep within a mountain valley, and began the forging of the Icehearth. Calling upon her immortal power, the Icehearth brought eternal winter to Shalimar, freezing Halgrad and his most powerful followers deep within Shalimar.
The Gods then chose to remain on Shalimar to that they would teach the mortals to strengthen themselves and stand against the forces of the Far Realms. So it was the civilization came to Shalimar, as the bulwark against the evil of the Far Realms.
For centuries the world of Shalimar prospered under the watchful gaze of Lenja. Only the lesser servitors of Halgrad remained free of the power of the Icehearth, to plague the people of Shalimar.
However, the worlds beyond the crystal sphere of Shalimar were not so peaceful. In these spheres a great war of Gods was being fiercely waged. And these gods looked upon Shalimar and lusted for it, not caring that it was all that stood between our reality and the full powers of the Far Realms.
And so the crystal sphere of Shalimar was shattered by the flying ships of the worshipers of these gods, and war once again found itself a home on Shalimar.
The followers of these gods came in full force, and swept over the lands of Shalimar like a plague. The ancient empires fell, torn apart by fanatical worshipers. Soon all that was left was the Empire of Gul’Hiril and the Icehearth itself. Lenja prepared for battle.
On the eve of battle, Vedis came before Lenja and revealed to her a vision of the future. If Lenja sought battle, she would be slain and the Icehearth destroyed. Knowing that she needed allies, Lenja sent the Daymaiden out into the universe, to plead for aid.
The Daymaiden made contact with Hosia, the slayer of the All-Father, whose world avoided much of the damage of the War, due to the original banishment placed upon him by the All-Father at the start of time. Only Hosia was able to look beyond the politics of the war and see the danger to all existence that the destruction of the Icehearth would bring. Hosia offered a place upon Meaghana for the Icehearth, and the Gods of Shalimar. They would become Vassals to the Sun Throne of Meaghana, and the Gods of that world would protect the land of the Icehearth from the other Gods’ war.
Lenja agreed, and the power of Hosia scooped the Icehearth and the lands around it up from the surface of Shalimar, and set it in a great ocean on the surface of Meaghana. So the Icehearth remains to seal the breach between our reality and the Far Realms.