The Fallen

But one of the Belhadin, the mightiest and most beautiful of them all, hid a secret desire in his heart. None now know his true name but among the priests of the South Wind Temple he is called Iarax. Iarax was the guardian of the sun, and the most beautiful of all the Belhadin. He looked down upon Matar from his position beside the sun and grew greedy. He determined that since the sun rules the day and it's reflection the night, that he should rule over all of the ancients and, when they arrived, the children of the Archenlord. He began to threaten the spirits of the earth. To the spirits of the forest he said, "Bow to me or I will cause the sun to shine on you day and night, and I will send my heat on your trees until they dry out and burn. To the spirits of the fields he said, "Bow to me or I will withhold the sun's light and your flowers will wither and die." To the spirits of the sea he said, "Bow to me or I will cause the sun to boil your seas away until nothing is left but naked stone beneath." To the spirit of the moon he said, "Bow to me, or I will not shed my light on you and you will grow dark and your beauty fade." Many he cowed in this way to bow to him. But to other spirits he offered greater power if they would call him their king. To the spirits of the winds he said, "Aren't you tired of the Archenlord always telling you what to do? Blow here and you blow here. Stop and you stop. Now blow there and you obey. Bow to me instead, however, and I will let you blow where you will. To spirits unhappy with their lot he offered them light from his light and fire from his fire to become beautiful and powerful like he if they would bow. To heralds he offered power in his kingdom if they would spy on the Archenlord for him. In this way he bullied many to bow the knee to him and others he lured to serve him with promises of power.

Summary

The story of the Fallen is one older than time. That among the Ancients there were those unhappy with their lot, and these were bullied, coerced or bribed by one who seemed to be their superior: Iarax. Together with him, they rebelled against the Archenlord resulting in the Battle of the Ancients, which ruined the face of Matar. But the Archenlord was not overcome by this rebellion. He and the faithful of the Belhadin emerged victorious, and he sealed the Fallen away from Matar with the founding of the Pillars of Heaven. But the Fallen were not mere mortals and they could not die. Many who were sleep beneath the earth yet dream the dreams of gods which have power in the waking world. Others caught behind the Veil can yet ensnare the minds and hearts of careless Kindred.

Historical Basis

As with the ancients, the Fallen were sealed away before the Kindred were born and there is no memory of their works save by a few prophetic encounters. The cynical call the Fallen an easy scapegoat on which to lay the sins of men.

Spread

Stories of the Fallen are as ubiquitous as those of the Ancients, and many of their stories have changed as they went from one people to another.

Variations & Mutation

Again, the primary variations from the original stories kept in the Temple of the South Wind are done by servants of the Fallen, who re-write the story to their liking.

Date of Setting

Before even the making of the Kindred in the Age Before Ages.

Related Species