The Sixth God

The All-Mother

The five gods may be powerful, but our world is too complex for the likes of them. They hide a being, far more powerful than they, so our mortal minds may hold in place. That being is known as the All-Mother, the parent of the five gods.

Perhaps you do not believe me, and that Filli, Her fathers, and Her fellow Gods are all that is needed to control the Arengold Forest. You would be a fool for saying that, but fools are needed in this realm.

The All-Mother does exist, and She will be bringing more gods to us soon. But, allow me to prove that She does exist with the Stories of the All-Mother.

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The Birth of the Gods

The All-Mother is all there was when the planets were young. Before the planets were even born. She was sitting, watching, waiting, when She grew tired of the silence. With a snap, She invented Ïllume and Jörreg, the gods of the Sun and Moon. With them in place, She could experiment with a new type of planet. She created Dumgarth to aid Her, and with His designs, She constructed the Canvas.

Her boredom wasn't destroyed, however. Despite Her home full of children, the Canvas was incomplete. Incompletable. Her divine will urged Her to create one more being, one powerful and creative enough to forge a world. She made Filli for this.

Filli, the Worldpainter, is the only being creative enough to make the Forest. But that is not because the All-Mother was not creative enough on her own. Nay, that is simply because the All-Mother couldn't care one bit about the Canvas. She sees us as a diversion, justly so! We couldn't even glance at Her beauty without collapsing.

We do not worship these gods for no reason. It is for our protection. Should we defy Her whim, the All-Mother would destroy us. Thankfully, Her children are able to prevent Her wrath with stories of our incompetence and mistakes. So we dance, dance, dance! And Her children are all that is between us and our inevitable demise.

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The Day The Arengold Forest Died

Have you ever wondered what happened with the Vault? The area of the Arengold Forest where all of Filli's failed experiments went? Well, there is a reason that is there at all.

One day, Filli – in tears – told the All-Mother that she made a mistake. She invented a Demon, a horrible red demon that corrupts the souls of others. She told Her mother that she removed the Demon from existence, to keep safe the hearts and minds of all men. Enraged, the All-Mother took the Canvas and threw it into Ïllume's light, searing it fully. The Tree, enflamed, collapsed to the ground in a horrid light. The roots danced with fire before being removed completely. The rivers became land, the fish and Lizardfolk dying soon after.

In shock, Filli asked why the All-Mother would do such a thing. The All-Mother told her thus;

Should we all simply remove all mistakes we've made, we would destroy many beautiful things. You must learn how to learn. And for that, we must start again.

— All-Mother

Filli, desperate, told the All-Mother to refresh the world, revitilize it and allow Filli another chance to learn. The All-Mother agreed, but on one condition; Filli must keep a record of every single mistake she made, and keep it on the Canvas. However, to keep it as far from other beings as possible, the Vault was created.

So, if you make a mistake, do not blame your creation, or even destroy it. Cherish it, remember it, for something beautiful will some day come from it.

Summary

The All-Mother is a mythical being that transcends the 5 Gods. She has no true emotions or logic, as She knows all. She teaches the Gods lessons and uses the Forest to her whim.

Historical Basis

The Vault is often used as basis for the story of the All-Mother, as there is no other reason for the Gods to keep their mistakes around.

As the Arengold Forest grows and the Gods are still able to listen to their followers, many believe that there must be a being empowering them.

Spread

This tale has become more and more widespread as more beings wish for godlike figures of their own. Since some of these "demigods" have become divine and able to be worshipped, they assume a being stronger than Filli must empower them.

Variations & Mutation

This is a 2900 version of a myth spread by Vei'Ren, an Elven consort. Vei'Ren spread this tale after receiving a penalty when wishing for the ability to see the gods; blindness. It was thought that Filli could not be so cruel, and Vei'Ren saught answers in story. Her conclusion was that Filli could not be the only one granting wishes, and that a cruel, calculating being must be protecting itself from view.

As such, the All-Mother tale always has three distinct parts:

• She cannot be seen by humans in any way.
• She created the Vault as punishment for Filli making a mistake.
• She gave birth to Filli and the Gods, and will be bringing more to aid the Arengold Forest and her children.

Cultural Reception

Very few cultures actively believe in this. The Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, and even Humans tend to be the most receptive, as their large population and cultural sway give them an elevated state of ego towards the gods.

Other races, like Kitsune or Lizardfolk, understand that the god they worship has nearly infinite time, patience, concentration, and energy. They spurn the idea of an All-Mother out-of-hand. Counterlegends have spread about the All-Mother being Elven propaganda.

In Literature

The Book Hidden From Sight was written but never largely replicated. A few select cultists created copies for others to read, but the pieces never reached any major reprinting organizations. It is otherwise ignored by major religious or fiction-creation persons.

In Art

All-Mother is a painting by the Human Muralist Ack Mourn, a talented artist who created an image of the pantheon of gods, a murky figure behind them. This art was largely deemed as blasphemous by religious types, and amaeturish by artisans. The reception was jarring enough to prevent Mourn from ever creating art again. None have managed to learn if Mourn actively believed the tale, or was simply inspired by the stories of Her.

Date of First Recording

2310

Date of Setting

Before Time

This version of the All-Mother myth is constructed by the Orc "Blue Wave." He told this story to a group of Halflings, who were skeptical of his tale. They wrote it down and spread it as a satirical joke, though this version quickly became the most popular rendition.