Creation, the Thular Perspective
As Told by Vakr and Thrull
In the time before the world was made chaos ruled the great Void, blind and unknowing of its own existence. But chaos was not alone, for also within the Void there turned Orm, the knowing circle, unbroken and wise to all that was. Yet all that was was Orm, the Void, and Chaos. As Chaos expanded into the darkness, forever reaching into the nothingness, Orm's influence began to wane and he knew he must also grow, for it is upon him to maintain balance in all things. So it was that Orm imagined himself a great maw to feed upon all that existed within the Void. Yet Orm himself was all that existed. Chaos had no material form. Orm was fire, and earth, and water, and life. Orm was light, and time itself. The circle of his form began to feed upon itself and thuswise did Orm become the Great Wyrm that swallows itself, leading all things back to their beginning, if a beginning there ever was. Though Orm consumed only himself, he grew. It was Chaos, unknowing and unlawful, which had unwittingly permitted something to come from nothing. For when chaos reigns and nothing makes sense, the nonsensical restores the balance by breaking the basic laws of existence. This is magic.
First from the body of Orm came Od, Vil, and Ve, the three that were one. Yet from Chaos emerged the imbalancing force of Desire. This chaotic force infected all that Orm created and tore the three assunder so that at last they began to strive against one another. Ever did Chaos exert its mighty influence upon Orm's growth and other beings sprang unsommoned from the flesh of the Great Wyrm as well. As he formed from his breath the benevolent Ciel-dur, who often aided the Three in their doings, so also from the peaks of his spine emerged the great Jotuns, who did battle with the Three. Though mostly pure of intention, self-righteous too were the Ciel-dur, and some say they saw their likeness most closely in Od and came to his aid. It was Od alone who emerged from the epic struggle of The Three.
With the divine corpses of his brother Vil and his sister Ve, Od created Urd. The two were again one, and Urd, being conflicted and restless in nature, began in secret to fashion offspring of his own. These he kept hidden deep within his body and strange creatures they were. Duergar and Trolls. Kobolds and Goblins. All prospered in the darker regions of Urd's form, but the imbalancing nature of their very existence spawned chaotic forces of magic deep within him. Urd suffered greatly during this time. Mountains arose from his flesh as molten lava sprung forth from his veins. His skin cracked and brackish waters seeped forth until it filled his deep and grievous wounds. And at the last the spirits of air left his lungs and hung above him in the dark sky, often weeping upon his still face. Yet somewhere deep within his body the heart of Urd still beats.
It was then that Od, so grieved by his sibling-child's demise, bid the Ciel-dur go unto him, and this they did. As Od sat burning in the Void, ever-watching, many of the Ciel-dur descended upon Urd and made of his body their home. There they discovered the magic welling forth from his flesh and with it they began to quell the fires and still the raging waters. Yet Urd still slumbered. In time, some of Urd's creatures crept from the deep places and moved into hills and dales and dark places where they could remain hidden from Od's sight. When the Ciel-dur discovered them they knew at once the work they must do. Quickly they began to fashion creatures of thier own. Birds, beasts, trees, grasses, and flowering plants were raised beneath Od's approving gaze. But to Od's dismay, the Ciel-dur soon wearied of their task and placed the highest of their creations above all others as wardens in their stead. These were the elves and Od distrusted them. The Ciel-dur had taught them to wield magic, and Od knew they would soon be corrupted by it. But the Ciel-dur were proud, for they too were the direct offspring of Orm, and they refused to unmake their most beloved children. So it came to pass that Od, who loved Urd, and the Ciel-dur, who loved what they had made of him, turned upon each other. Od knew he could not ally himself with Urd's children, for they were his malady. So instead he crafted sturdy men, built to learn and adapt and conquer... and that they did. Despite their magic, their wisdom, and even the aid of the Ciel-dur, the elves were eventually destroyed.
After this time many of the Ciel-dur left Urd, but some remained, for these had come to greatly love their creations. Men spread across the face of Urd, splitting into factions. But though Od had given men great intellect and stalwart hearts, he had also given them mortality so that none may become too wise. Angered by this curse most men eventually became godless or raised godlike witch-kings of their own with magic stolen from the elves. Some even turned to the Ciel-dur. Of these, there are those who claim to carry the blood of the last elves in their veins, and few doubt them. These are the Gaeldors, who turned their backs on Od even before the elves were defeated.
Yet not all men had forsaken their creator. In the cold north, where the Ciel-dur were weakest, the blood of men flowed most pure. It was here that Od found a bastion of faithful in the days when men were slowly forgetting his name. In this time there were 13 tribes, each with its own ting, or gathering, but once a year a great ting was gathered and in that place they were one people, the Thular. The fairest of
these was called Bryg, daughter of Inger. Od soon became fascinated by Bryg, and so enamoured he became that by his devine nature he raised her up into the night sky and she became his wife. By Od Bryg bore Brag, finest of voice and verse, and the twins Tyr and Tor, who constantly slay each other only to rise each morning with the return of their father to his watchful seat in the heavens. Also born was Hel, who crawled into a deep cave at her birth and never comes to the surface. Then there is Him, who watches for the end of time, and Ran who built her place in the sea, and Ur of the mountain folk, and Best who loved the animal creatures of the Ciel-dur and bid some of them to walk and speak like men, and their sister El the hunter who slew Bests favorite lover. Last came Lok who loved Hel, for he was no son of Od's, but that of a crafty Ciel-dur who tricked Bryg unto his bed. Others are spoken of, heroes and gods alike, but these are the chief amongst them.
As Told by Vakr and Thrull
In the time before the world was made chaos ruled the great Void, blind and unknowing of its own existence. But chaos was not alone, for also within the Void there turned Orm, the knowing circle, unbroken and wise to all that was. Yet all that was was Orm, the Void, and Chaos. As Chaos expanded into the darkness, forever reaching into the nothingness, Orm's influence began to wane and he knew he must also grow, for it is upon him to maintain balance in all things. So it was that Orm imagined himself a great maw to feed upon all that existed within the Void. Yet Orm himself was all that existed. Chaos had no material form. Orm was fire, and earth, and water, and life. Orm was light, and time itself. The circle of his form began to feed upon itself and thuswise did Orm become the Great Wyrm that swallows itself, leading all things back to their beginning, if a beginning there ever was. Though Orm consumed only himself, he grew. It was Chaos, unknowing and unlawful, which had unwittingly permitted something to come from nothing. For when chaos reigns and nothing makes sense, the nonsensical restores the balance by breaking the basic laws of existence. This is magic.
First from the body of Orm came Od, Vil, and Ve, the three that were one. Yet from Chaos emerged the imbalancing force of Desire. This chaotic force infected all that Orm created and tore the three assunder so that at last they began to strive against one another. Ever did Chaos exert its mighty influence upon Orm's growth and other beings sprang unsommoned from the flesh of the Great Wyrm as well. As he formed from his breath the benevolent Ciel-dur, who often aided the Three in their doings, so also from the peaks of his spine emerged the great Jotuns, who did battle with the Three. Though mostly pure of intention, self-righteous too were the Ciel-dur, and some say they saw their likeness most closely in Od and came to his aid. It was Od alone who emerged from the epic struggle of The Three.
With the divine corpses of his brother Vil and his sister Ve, Od created Urd. The two were again one, and Urd, being conflicted and restless in nature, began in secret to fashion offspring of his own. These he kept hidden deep within his body and strange creatures they were. Duergar and Trolls. Kobolds and Goblins. All prospered in the darker regions of Urd's form, but the imbalancing nature of their very existence spawned chaotic forces of magic deep within him. Urd suffered greatly during this time. Mountains arose from his flesh as molten lava sprung forth from his veins. His skin cracked and brackish waters seeped forth until it filled his deep and grievous wounds. And at the last the spirits of air left his lungs and hung above him in the dark sky, often weeping upon his still face. Yet somewhere deep within his body the heart of Urd still beats.
It was then that Od, so grieved by his sibling-child's demise, bid the Ciel-dur go unto him, and this they did. As Od sat burning in the Void, ever-watching, many of the Ciel-dur descended upon Urd and made of his body their home. There they discovered the magic welling forth from his flesh and with it they began to quell the fires and still the raging waters. Yet Urd still slumbered. In time, some of Urd's creatures crept from the deep places and moved into hills and dales and dark places where they could remain hidden from Od's sight. When the Ciel-dur discovered them they knew at once the work they must do. Quickly they began to fashion creatures of thier own. Birds, beasts, trees, grasses, and flowering plants were raised beneath Od's approving gaze. But to Od's dismay, the Ciel-dur soon wearied of their task and placed the highest of their creations above all others as wardens in their stead. These were the elves and Od distrusted them. The Ciel-dur had taught them to wield magic, and Od knew they would soon be corrupted by it. But the Ciel-dur were proud, for they too were the direct offspring of Orm, and they refused to unmake their most beloved children. So it came to pass that Od, who loved Urd, and the Ciel-dur, who loved what they had made of him, turned upon each other. Od knew he could not ally himself with Urd's children, for they were his malady. So instead he crafted sturdy men, built to learn and adapt and conquer... and that they did. Despite their magic, their wisdom, and even the aid of the Ciel-dur, the elves were eventually destroyed.
After this time many of the Ciel-dur left Urd, but some remained, for these had come to greatly love their creations. Men spread across the face of Urd, splitting into factions. But though Od had given men great intellect and stalwart hearts, he had also given them mortality so that none may become too wise. Angered by this curse most men eventually became godless or raised godlike witch-kings of their own with magic stolen from the elves. Some even turned to the Ciel-dur. Of these, there are those who claim to carry the blood of the last elves in their veins, and few doubt them. These are the Gaeldors, who turned their backs on Od even before the elves were defeated.
Yet not all men had forsaken their creator. In the cold north, where the Ciel-dur were weakest, the blood of men flowed most pure. It was here that Od found a bastion of faithful in the days when men were slowly forgetting his name. In this time there were 13 tribes, each with its own ting, or gathering, but once a year a great ting was gathered and in that place they were one people, the Thular. The fairest of
these was called Bryg, daughter of Inger. Od soon became fascinated by Bryg, and so enamoured he became that by his devine nature he raised her up into the night sky and she became his wife. By Od Bryg bore Brag, finest of voice and verse, and the twins Tyr and Tor, who constantly slay each other only to rise each morning with the return of their father to his watchful seat in the heavens. Also born was Hel, who crawled into a deep cave at her birth and never comes to the surface. Then there is Him, who watches for the end of time, and Ran who built her place in the sea, and Ur of the mountain folk, and Best who loved the animal creatures of the Ciel-dur and bid some of them to walk and speak like men, and their sister El the hunter who slew Bests favorite lover. Last came Lok who loved Hel, for he was no son of Od's, but that of a crafty Ciel-dur who tricked Bryg unto his bed. Others are spoken of, heroes and gods alike, but these are the chief amongst them.
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