The Words of Creation
Word of Creation 1:1
In ages past, it is said that the Gods once existed in harmony with one another and lived peacefully within the outer realms. So it was that they created our world as a testament to their power and tranquility, allowing it to serve as a reminder to all that could be accomplished by their will.
It was then that they came to walk among their creations, for they saw beauty in all that they had crafted, but soon they grew lonely with the flowers and trees, and so they wept; the sky turning pale and grey, spilling forth their tears, creating the Sea of Sorrows.
The Word of Creation 1:2
And so it was that Melora convened with the other Gods and suggested her idea. Thus, animals of all kinds and creation were borne forth from her essence. The Gods, satisfied with her efforts, returned to a peaceful existence.
As millennia passed, the Gods watched as a flaw arose within her creations, and they began feasting upon each other in an endless cycle of viciousness, and once again they grew discontent with their world.
The Word of Creation 1:3
It was then that Moradin and Ioun came forth with an idea of their own. Through their combined efforts of creation and knowledge respectively, they gave birth to the Elder Races. Among these were the stalwart and hardy Dwarves, the beautiful and gracious Elves, and the fearsome and mighty Dragons.
Erathis came forth and brought the Elder Races the ideas of civilization and invention which were embraced by the Dwarves and Elves.
Corellan bestowed a portion of the Gods' gift of magic and his love of the arts to the Elder Races to ease their burdens; the Dragons and Elves took great interest in both, but the Dwarves' natural resilience prevented their binding to the Weave.
The Canticles of Separation
The Separation 1:1
Generation after generation passed with the Dwarves and Elves coexisting in harmony, the Dragons perfectly content by their lonesome, but soon the Elder Races began to grow resentful of each others company and slowly became divided; the Dwarves tunneled underground to craft cities of earth and stone, the Elves taking to the forests and jungles to create magnificent structures of their own.
It was during this separation that the Elves began their rise to prominence with the Eldar Imperium and the Dwarves began construction of their mountainous empire, beginning with the massive city of Hellsgrand.
The Separation 1:2
Again the Gods watched as their efforts crumbled before them.
Ancient text translations passed down through time say that the 'Fallen One' came forward with his own creations. He suggested the crafting of races that could not live long enough to hold hatred or resentment in their hearts. The other Gods agreed upon their reckless folly, and so allowed him to craft what would come to be known as the Quickling Races.
Humans and many other races were brought forth into the world and exposed to all it had to offer, and once again the Gods were pleased.
The Dwarves and the Elves came into contact with the Quicklings and taught them about the world and all its precious gifts; Dwarves shared their knowledge of construction and architecture, and the Elves shared their affinity towards the arts and began teaching the Quicklings the first weavings of magic.
The Truths of Collapse
The Collapse 1:1
Swiftly as the Quickling Races came, the Humans found the need for structure and control. Villages, towns, cities, whole kingdoms were crafted across the earth; all vying for their own portions of wealth and power.
The Humans manipulated the magic of the Weave into dark, foul things; mad men and corrupt kings spread their influence in new and perverse ways, entire kingdoms were toppled by famine, blight, magic and disease as the Humans warred with neighboring empires in a desperate bid for power.
As entire civilizations rose and fell again and again over the course of millennia, the Humans began turning to war on the ELder Races; slaughtering all that opposed their tyrannical reign.
The Collapse 1:2
It is said in bard's tales that an influential king whose name is long lost to ages past had a very accomplished scholar in his employ that focused his efforts into the study and research on the Weave of Magic and the very Gods themselves.
It's rumoured that the king realized far too late that his advisor, once wise and kind, had become absolutely ruthless and driven mad with a hunger and desire for the Gods' magic; envious of their abilities, the scholar somehow discovered a way to confront and war with His very Creators.
The Ballads Beginnings
The Beginnings of the Dawn War
Legends of ancient texts say that this scholar and his devoted followers rose up against the Gods in an attempt to slay them and claim their powers for themselves; and were banished only after corrupting one of the Gods with the dark, warped knowledge that he possessed.
Decades later the scholar reappeared as a frenzied madman with even more followers; and again, waged war upon the Gods, corrupting two more before being banished for the second time.
The Gods and their corrupt counterparts began to wage war with each other across familiar human battlefields and our world was wracked with death and destruction as the Elder Races and Quicklings were forced to take sides in an attempt to save their world.
The Ballads of the Dawn War
The Dawn War 1:1
Centuries passed and the scholar appeared yet again, this time a warped, deathly, twisted shadow of his former self, hell bent on the complete and utter destruction of the Gods and all that they stood for.
Pain and suffering swpet across the earth everywhere he and his followers went, as he slaughtered thousands; regardless of race, to fuel his rage, resentment, and hatred of the Gods.
Entire jungles turning to dust, sand, and ash, lakes and rivers becoming bone dry at his touch; only death, destruction and nightmares remained in his wake, the terrifying aftermath a warning to anyone foolish enough to oppose him.
History says he assaulted the Gods one final time and nearly sundered all that we see before us now; corrupting seven more Gods before being cast down by a group known as 'The Nine' into a 'prison, eternal' in an ancient place long lost and forgotten by the oldest of creatures, and even time itself.
The Canticles of Separation
The Separation 2:1
Vecna, the dark, treasonous and twisted God of evil secrets bid his time so as to not alert the other Gods of his foul treachery and corruption, but slowly planted a dark seed among the remaining Gods' minds; that the 'Fallen One' had secretly been plotting against them, forming a plan to undo their work all along, and that the plan had finally come to pass.
It is said that the remaining Gods turned on the 'Fallen One', blaming him for all that had happened. His creation had brought nothing but pain, death, and devastation to their beautiful world; and though he attempted to plea with his kin, twisted by Vecna's lies, they refused to see reason and bound him with the scholar that began the Dawn War.
The Acts of Ascension
The Great Ascension 1:1
After banishing their brother, the Gods attempted to reconcile their world; only to realize it was already too far beyond saving. The Gods convened and many agreed that it would be best to wipe it clean and start anew, but it would involve the death of every living being on the planet.
It was here that Bahamut made his stand among the remaining ten Gods, stating that not all beings were evil and unjust; that killing everyone could not be justified and wasn't the answer; billions of innocents would die if they went through with this, and that regret could twist their hearts easier than the scholar ever could.
The Gods heard Bahamut's plea and agreed upon this truth.
The Great Ascension 1:2
And so it was that the Gods decided to turn their backs on what little remained of their ravaged world and leave it behind. And so they vanished, never to be heard from or seen again. No one is certain of the truth and much of history has since returned to dust or been forgotten through the ages.
An old bards song says that when the Gods Ascended, the ground itself felt their presence leaving and attempted to reach out and pull them from the sky to ease her suffering, leaving the iconic mountain range of Raslun's Spine in the North-East of the main continent of Azmarin.
