New Myths
The following are new myths that represent changes or additions to the Myths presented in the Book of the Righteous.
Conflict of the Gods and Creation of the Compact
In the third epoch of creation the Gods shared the Earth with
the five great mortal races, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and humans.
Under the guidance of the gods these five races built great civilizations and
mastered many secrets of magic and technology. This time is known as the age
of heroes and it was a golden age of peace and prosperity for Gods and mortals
alike.
Tragically this peace was not to last.
Before the birth of the younger races from the fruits of Eliwyn[the Tree of
Life], Kador [LE, God of Fire] the first born and most powerful of the gods had
succumbed to the Corpus Infernus[a force of pure choas and evil] and had become wholly evil.
The younger Gods, through the wisdom of Morwyn[LG, Goddess of Healing and Wisdom],
were able to cast out the Corpus Infernus, but Kador refused and fought the
other gods attempts to cure him of the malady. Unable to destroy Kador or
cure him of the Corpus Infernus the other Gods trapped him in a prison they
created called Hell after a conflict known as the Great War of the Gods.
In spite of his imprisonment, Kador was still able to communicate with his
brethren. While the other gods were not evil they still had powerful
disagreements. Some believed strongly in the importance of individualism
[Chaotically aligned], while others wished to see strong societies and laws[Lawfully aligned]. Kador, who is the greatest liar in the universe and even
able to deceive other gods, used these differences to sow dissent between them.
With the help of Kador's treachery nations of mortals and Gods divided over law
and chaos and came to war. Great war machines built by the followers of Zheenkeef[CN,
Goddess of Inspiration] spewing fire and brimstone thundered across the land;
Terak[L(G/N), God of War] and Tinel[C(G/N), God of Magic] and their followers
continued their age old feud using magic weapons and spells of terrible power;
soon the whole of the world became engulfed in this conflict.
Unbeknownst to the gods and their followers, Kador had secretly hidden an army
in the dark and secret places of the Earth. Composed of countless abominations
spawned from the womb of Kador's concubine Lilith, this army waited until the
other gods and their followers were weak from warring with each other to strike.
Aided by those mortals that Kador was able to corrupt and bend to his will, this army
soon flooded across the
Earth. Soon the Gods realized they were victims of Kador's treachery and
united against his forces. The resulting maelstrom was terrible indeed. The
war seemed endless with neither side being able to snatch victory. The great
societies crumbled, the mortal races started dwindling, and the Earth was being torn asunder.
None of the gods, not even Kador, wanted to see the destruction of the Earth and
those they meant to rule. A
great assembly of the Gods was called so that a treaty could be arranged. The
negotiations lasted for hundreds of years. During this time the mortal races
continued to war with each other, abandoned by their Gods. The souls of the dead
were reincarnated as infants by Mormakar but were no longer judged by Maal, who
had abandoned his duties. The actions of the good went unrewarded and the actions
of the evil went unpunished. Finally the Gods agreed on a treaty and the great compact
of the Gods was realized.
Under the terms of the agreement the Gods would be set apart from the mortals
and the plane of heaven was created to be the home of the Gods. Kador
would remain in Hell, which he had long since conquered and still rules today. Maal's kingdom was
set apart from the underworld and given its own plane. The gods then made a dark river
that flowed from the mortal sphere into the land of the dead. The spheres of
Elysium and Gehenna were created to house the angels and daemons that would
record the good and evil deeds of mortals. Then following ten rules were created
for both gods and mortals:
The Compact
In the forth epoch of the world the Compact of the Gods set up the current order in the cosmos. The Gods still compete but they do so through mortals who must follow their ideology of their own free will.
In the fourth age of the world civilization reawakened from the darkness caused by the Gods greatest conflict but during these dark times the world had changed. For one, there were many more great races (like gnolls, lizardfolk, orcs, merfolk and others) some numerous and some virtually unknown to much of the world. The origins of these new races is often debated among religious scholars.
Along with the new great mortal races three new goddesses had appeared, Naryne, Canelle and Thellyne and become known as the three sisters. Their origins are mysterious, seemingly being born of neither the fruits of Eliwyn nor the womb of any goddess. It is sometimes said they awoke near a river far to the west and traveled east, where they were discovered and accepted into the family of the Gods. Maal has taken Naryne as his wife and she now rules the land of the dead as his queen.
The spawn of Kador and Lillith continue to infect the mortal realm. These soulless abominations (that include goblinoids, giants, trolls, ogres and countless other vile creatures) have thrived in many parts of the world and know nothing but hate, contempt, greed and brutality. They are the scourge of civilization and it is a heroes duty to destroy them.
With the gods separated from the earth the mortal races must determine for themselves how to best follow the will of the Gods. Theologians study ancient texts and analyze the cryptic portents to understand the will of the Gods they worship. Agents of evil turn people from their faith in the Gods in a quiet war for souls.
Thus the fate of world in the fourth epoch is in mortal hands. Many challenges that await them and many successes have yet to be realized before the breaking of the universe.