Creation Myth of Stormforge (Stormforge Supplement)

Where did the World Come from?

The First Age

Long after the Dawn of Time, when our universe was new and no life resided here, Thronin, Dwarven god of the Forge came here on a journey across the planes of existence. Thronin saw that there was no world here, so he forged a great ball of earth, stone, and fire and set it adrift in the void. Thronin called the great ball, Neveril.

Upon Neveril, Thronin carved mighty mountains and great valleys. Then Thronin smelt many metals and spilled them upon Neveril and let them burn deep inside creating earthen and stone wounds. Air trapped within the crust of Neveril escaped these wounds and rushed into the sky as mighty winds. The Air dried the surface causing moisture to rise into the sky to meet the winds. Massive storms were forged from the wind and water and it rained. The rain settled in the low ground and flooded the land, forming vast oceans. In the oceans the high places formed islands. On one such island Thronin settled. Thronin called the island, Godsend. On Godsend Thronin built a citadel to live in and a colossal forge, so that he could work closer to his creation. Thus was the beginning of Stormforge.

Thronin next began his grandest creation. He reached across the planes and selected those he felt would be good caretakers of Neveril. He gathered seven in all. Once they were gathered Thronin reforged each one to fit their necessary role within the world.

With Mithril, Arbeorn was forged, God of the Air, Lord of Light

With Adamantite, Asmodai was forged, God of Fire, Lord of Invention

With Copper, Rhea was forged, Goddess of Nature, Earthmother

With Platinum, Morgai was forged, God of Justice, Lord of Truth

With Gold, Aaru was forged, Goddess of the Water, Lady of Storms

With Silver, Tyrmian was forged, God of Time, Keeper of Knowledge

With Iron, Toric was forged, God of Strength, Lord of Honor

Thronin called them the Asharan.

Among the Asharan, each had his or her own interests.

Thus ended the First Age.

The Second Age

To begin the Second Age, Thronin taught the Asharan how to craft suitable followers at his forge.

As an example Thronin crafted dwarves for Neveril, like he had done so many times before on other worlds.

The Asharan looked across the planes and saw the races that they felt were most like them.

Thus Arbeorn crafted Elves

Asmodai crafted the Minotaurs

Morgai crafted Humans

Aaru crafted Merfolk

Trymian crafted the Gnomes

Toric crafted the Giants

And Rhea crafted the Halflings

Each Asharan taught their followers to worship them as their protector. The people prospered and each Asharan claimed a part of Neveril for their people.

As time passed the people began to trade with each other.

Tatenal, Clan leader of the Minotaurs was inspired by Asmodai to greater and greater inventions, but always his creations fell short of what either Thronin or the Asharans could create. Asmodai developed a great friendship with Tatenal, so when Tatenal began to foster jealousy of the gnomes and their god, Asmodai was both shocked and amazed. Tatenal spoke to Asmodai of how Trymian and his gnomes horded all the knowledge and so in turn they must hold all the secrets. Even the secrets of Thronin himself. Never again would Tatenal’s inventions be less then anyone else. They would be greater then Thronin, if only Tatenal knew all that Trymian and the gnomes secrets. Asmodai looked upon Tatenal’s jealousy with envy. Jealousy was an amazing invention. Asmodai went to his fellow Asharan’s and shared Tatenal’s creation. However, Morgai looked upon Asmodai as a fool and a told Asmodai that jealousy was not a new invention, only stolen from lesser worlds. Asmodai was angry that he did not know that and accused Morgai and Trymian from hiding knowledge from him. Trymian told Asmodai that he only needed to ask and all would be told to him, but Morgai warned Asmodai that he should be careful what he told his worshippers, lest they become as powerful as the Asharan. Asmodai agreed to use caution when telling his worshippers the secrets. Then Trymian told Asmodai all that he asked. Asmodai was amazed by how little he had known. Asmodai rushed back to Tatenal and taught him all that he needed to invent great things, but Tatenal wanted to know more and so he asked question after question of Asmodai. Asmodai told Tatenal much that he wanted to know, but kept some secrets from Tatenal by using his new knowledge of lying. Tatenal continued to desire more knowledge and finally Asmodai had to tell Tatenal that he must rest and that when he returned he would tell him more. Asmodai went back to Godsend to rest. He felt guilt about lying to his friend, but knew that he had no other choice, lest he grow jealous of him also.

However, Tatenal had listened and learned much from Asmodai and as soon as Asmodai left to rest he began to create a mighty artifact. Tatenal named the Artifact, Dreamthief. With his new knowledge it only took a short time to create Dreamthief, so he immediately used it to read the dreams of his people, stealing their inventions. Then Tatenal used Dreamthief to steal the location of Godsend from Asmodai. Next he invented a spell to carry him and Dreamthief to Godsend. He used Dreamthief to steal the Knowledge of Trymian, and the Truth of Morgai.

However Aaru discovered him in the halls of Godsend and screamed an alarm. All of the Asharan came running. The Asharan caught Tatenal and put him in chains of power. Unfortunately Thronin was away on another journey across the planes. The Asharan chose to deal with him fairly and so they held a trial. Morgai acted as Judge, Trymian chose to put forth the wrongs that Tatenal did and Asmodai chose to defend his friend. The other Asharan acted as jury. Tatenal was charged with theft. Trymian told the jury of Tatenal’s actions. Of how he was jealous of others and how he planned the theft from the moment he spoke to Asmodai. Trymian brought forth Dreamthief as evidence. Told the jury of the spell Tatenal had crafted to enter the home of the Asharan and steal their thoughts. The jury was outraged. Asmodai knew that his friend was guilty, but pleaded with the jury to be merciful and only take back the knowledge that Tatenal had gained through theft and claimed that it was Asmodai’s fault that he had done these things. Tatenal raged against the Asharan and against Asmodai. When all Asmodai and Trymian were done the jury spoke amongst themselves. The jury informed Morgai of the verdict of guilty. Morgai pronounced the punishment, loss of all knowledge gained and rebirth as an infant of the giant clans and worshippers of Toric.

Trymian reached forth and began to remove the knowledge from Tatenal. However, Tatenal’s anger knew no bounds and before he lost all of his knowledge he spoke a single word. Trymian was thrown back against a column. Morgai was blinded and Asmodai was stripped of most of his power. The other Asharan reacted immediately to restrain Tatenal, but he again spoke a mighty curse of destruction sundering Aaru into three shards.

From far across the planes Thronin heard the Words of Power being spoken and summoned himself back to Godsend. Tatenal immediately attacked Thronin with his spell of destruction, but Thronin was unharmed.

Thronin called to Trymian, and Trymian froze time. Thronin looked upon the Asharan, those he called his children and wept. Only Trymian saw him weep, being immune to the stopping of time. Thronin looked upon the carnage and then began to work as if he had made a choice in his moment of tears.

First Thronin took the Words of Power from all, but Trymian and Asmodai.

Second he took Tatenal and Asmodai and cast them into the darkest recesses of the Lower Planes.

Third he took Aaru to his forge and reforged her as three lesser Asharans; Shadril, Kaishmi, & Avanali

Fourth he took the Asharan name from his creations and set forth the rules of power.

Then he departed for a long while.

Thus was the Second Age ended.

The Third Age

The Third Age began with the leaving of Thronin and the Setting of the rules of power.

The rules of power dictate that:

• The Asharan will hold title as gods and goddesses.

• Each god and goddesses will have power over their own sphere of influence, but must barter with each other to gain powers controlled by their fellow gods.

• The gods and goddesses are dependant on the worship of followers.

• Those gods that can not maintain followers will lose godhood.

• Death would enter the world and all, but the gods would be mortal.

• Morgai gained providence over the Realm of the Dead and became God of Death.

• When cast into the Nine Hells Asmodai becomes Ashmedai and gains lordship over all evil and strife.

• Tatenal gained providence over corruption and betrayal.

• The gods may walk Neveril in the form of Avatars, but Ashmedai and Tatenal may never leave their prisons.

Ashmedai’s former people were split in three distinct people, one part worshipped the absent Ashmedai, the second worshipped the absent Tatenal and a third of the people chose to remain Minotaurs and worship no god.

• Ashmedai’s followers became Orcs

• Tatenal’s followers became Goblins

Aaru’s clan split in four, one for each reforged goddess and a fourth that remained true to Aaru after her passing.

• Shadril’s followers became Gargoyles, and Shadril became Demi-goddess of Water & Storms.

• Kaishmi’s followers became Lizardmen, and Kaishmi became Demi-goddess of Moon & Fate.

• Avanali’s followers became Sendasti, and Avanali became Demi-goddess of Sun & Reason.

The races of Neveril spread out and built cities and forged kingdoms and empires. They fought wars, killed each other, lived and died. They worshipped their gods. Some people chose to worship the gods of other people. All the while the gods fought for worshippers and for power.

Then on the continent of Hauska a mighty war broke out, fought between the Human Kingdom of Gwynn and the Orcish Empire of Kaarg. The war raged for fifty years. Each nation gained and lost allies twenty times over. The Emperor of Kaarg, died and his Empress took over the war, but there was a difference in the Empress. The Emperor had worshipped Ashmedai (Asmodia’s new name), but the Empress worshipped herself, Sissthus. Sissthus stopped the advancing war against the Kingdom of Gwynn and attacked the Lizardmen Kingdom of Zzesthia. Sissthus quickly conquered the lizardmen Kingdom and enslaved all the survivors. Sissthus then tore down the temples of Kaishmi and killed any who would not pray to her. Lakshmi went to her fellow gods and goddesses and asked for help. The gods and goddesses rallied their worshippers and worshippers and gods went to war against the Empress. However, Sissthus had a devious plan. She rallied her armies to build her a temple and forced the lizardmen to pray to her, then she sacrificed every fourth worshipper in her name. The nations drove Sissthus’ Orc army from Zzesthia. Sissthus gathered to her a loyal priesthood of lizardmen and locked herself in her temple. The armies of the gods attacked the temple and Sissthus and her priest fought with them, the blood of sacrifices and of the advancing armies bathed Sissthus in blood and she took pleasure in the pain and her lust grew to overwhelm all around her. The advancing armies halted unsure of what magic Sissthus was attacking them with. Only too late did the armies realize that the lizardmen slaves were overwhelmed by the lust for battle and blood and rose up against the armies coming to save them. As the lizardmen began to fight friend and foe, Kaishmi came to them, to protect them, but the Sissthus knew she would come and met her in the streets outside Sissthus’ temple. Kaishmi attacked Sissthus with a god crafted spear. The battle raged for only a few minutes, but Sissthus leapt upon Kaishmi and tore out her heart. At this time Sissthus’ priestess’ killed Kaishmi’s final worshippers by piercing them with dozens of sharp and fatal spikes. Kaishmi died. Sissthus became the demi-goddess of moon and fate. Thronin returned at the death of Kaishmi. Thronin ordered the armies and the gods to abandon their fighting. Then he took Sissthus to Godsend. At Godsend Thronin let Sissthus know the rules of power, many of which she had guessed long ago. Then asked Sissthus if she truly wished to be demi-goddess of Moon and Fate. Sissthus confessed that was never her goal, she only desired to be a goddess and did not care what she had power over. So Thronin stripped from Sissthus the powers of Moon and Fate and gifted her with the mantle of demi-goddess of pain and bloodlust. Thronin returned to the site of Kaishmi’s death, but was unable to find her. He sought her out in the underworld, but Morgai told Thronin that Kaishmi never passed through the gates of the underworld.

The lives of mortals and gods continued, peace was restored and Zzesthia was rebuilt. Sissthus answered the prayers of her faithful and reveled in her power. After only weeks of enjoying her powers, she lost control of her body and her powers. She was only a passenger in her body and another being controlled her. This being reshaped her body with magic she didn’t understand. Instead of an Orcish body Sissthus took the body of a human. The body was beautiful and naked and she felt lust for her own body. A lust that needed satisfied with pain or battle, but her body transported itself to a city in the Human Kingdom of Gwynn. The body walked into a brothel and gathered the women and men to her and she fulfilled her lusts in a great orgy. Then the body was transported back to Sissthus’ temple and her control. Sissthus was angry and her lust for pain and blood caused her to slaughter some of her faithful. Sissthus retreated to Godsend and begged the gods to tell her what had happened, but Thronin had discovered the truth in his journey to find Kaishmi. Kaishmi had not died, but joined with Sissthus. Only one could control the body at a time, and only Kaishmi knew the full extent of her godly powers. When Thronin released Sissthus from the powers of Moon and Fate, he also released Kaishmi, but when he gave Sissthus the powers of Pain and Bloodlust, he also gave Kaishmi the powers of Pleasure and Carnal Lust. Sissthus/Kaishmi together have the power of a goddess, but separate they only are as powerful as their fellow demi-goddesses.

Over the millennia Sissthus and Kaishmi would fight or cooperate, but Kaishmi would always keep the most powerful goddess gifts out of Sissthus’ reach and any schemes that Sissthus began, Kaishmi would ruin. Some would wonder how it is decided who controls the body and when, but that is easily answered. Kaishmi has no body of her own, Sissthus is only a demi-goddess. A demi-goddess may only have one Avatar in the world at a time and Sissthus does not know that secret. Kaishmi can be the Avatar at will. Sissthus can’t be. Anytime that Kaishmi is not the Avatar she controls the body and Sissthus is prisoner. Anytime Kaishmi is Avatar, Sissthus controls the body. However due to the strain of Sissthus drawing on her divine powers Kaishmi can only maintain the Avatar for a few days at a time, without going back and interrupting Sissthus.

Thus was the Third Age ended.

The Fourth Age

Reign of Fire

Long shadows stretched lazily across the great mountain range, that the Dwarf Clan, Frostforge called their Kingdom. The clansmen called their home the Iron Mountains. Two young dwarven guards stood atop a lofty pinnacle towering far above, Mount Kalamak, the highest mountain within the kingdom. The elder of the young guards was called Mord Thelgarson and the younger lad was called Belkar Holgrimson. The two lads had pulled such cold and lonely duty as this dozens of times this year and so on for the past three years. Even the clouds feared to climb so high in the sky. In three years of guard duty and for over seven hundred years prior the guards here have never been disturbed, except for the change of guard. But although the lads didn’t know it, this was a historic day. As Mord looked through his spyglass great fiery rocks fell from the sky. Mord looked on in awe as he saw a mighty vision before him. He had grown up around a forge and so knew that sparks sometimes fell from the forge when the Forgemaster was at work. Mord prayed to Thronin and gave him thanks, knowing that the fiery rocks were in fact sparks falling from Thronin’s Forge. Mord rushed to awaken Belkar to show him such a mighty sight. Mord was forced to lean over Belkar and shake him to awaken him, thus as Belkar awoke he was looking over Mord’s shoulder and saw one of the fiery rocks aimed for the center of Mord’s back. Mord immediately realized something was wrong when Belkar’s face twisted in horror. Neither dwarf ever got a chance to consider their situation further as a fiery rock struck them, killing them instantly. Mount Kalamak, the stronghold in the mountain, and over twenty five thousand dwarves where killed that day. Ever since the dwarves of the region have called Mount Kalamak, Lake Kalamak.

Years later the scholars learned that hundreds of massive fiery rocks and countless smaller rocks had crashed into Neveril in the span of seven days. Life went on for the next five hundred years as it had the previous one hundred years. Small kingdoms were born and died, the dwarves kept to their mountains, the halflings kept to their shires, the elves kept to their forests, humanity spread like a plague, and orcs and goblins made war on everyone, but gained no ground.

Then in the five hundred and fiftieth year of the fourth age the great rocks split and cracked and from them emerged the dragons and their servants the dragonborn.

The dragons raged across the known lands, gathered great armies of dragonborn and conquered the lands of men.

Each race felt the scourge of dragonkind. Once the kingdoms of men had been conquered the dragons sent their armies out to make war on neighboring dragon kingdoms. This continued in various stages of conflict until the year one thousand ten, when a secret order of wizardry created the first dragonslayer swords. Ten were made and given to mighty warriors. The dragonslayers set forth to kill their dragon overlords. Most were unsuccessful, but one dragonslayer stood out in our histories. Vargoth the Red, a northern barbarian and mercenary received his dragonslayer sword from the hand of a dying dragonslayer. Vargoth the Red vowed to continue the dragonslayer’s quest and went off searching out the dragon overlord, Rhathimetus, known as the The Dragon King.

Vargoth the Red sought out the overlord, in his lair at the foot of his throne. Rhathimetus, roared in laughter at the pathetic barbarian. Vargoth wasted no time and while Rhathimetus still roared, he chopped off the overlord’s head with a single swing of his blade. Vargoth the Red hunted down five other dragon overlord’s before he was murdered by a paranoid dragon overlord’s assassins.

Within ten years the dragon overlords that still lived vacated their thrones and none have been seen since. Each dragon overlord left behind a brood of dragons that terrorized their kingdoms, but the dragonslayers hunted them down one by one. The dragons realizing their plight and their dwindling numbers set forth to restore their order and to take the now vacant dragon thrones. The lands of men rose up against the dragons and a thousand bloody battles raged across the land shattering the continent of Turiel and lifting the remnants aloft to soar among the clouds.

Sarova, daughter of Vargoth the Red, sought out the wisest of the dragon brood and together they settled a peaceful end to the dragon wars. From that day forth the dragons agreed they would cease their wars immediately or be hunted by both man and dragon. The dragons would appoint one of their kind to be King or Queen of the Sky Isle of Gwynn Far, but the throne would be held by the regent, thus titled Highlord. Lady Sarova Dragonspeaker was the first Highlord of Gwynn Far. Lady Sarova ruled for the next one hundred and ten years before dying of old age.

As time past the kingdoms were rebuilt and the lands of men recovered. In the eastern island Kingdom of Talau, known for their fishing and ocean traders, the people began to worship a sea goddess. The people called the sea goddess, Neviri. The priests of other gods declared that the sea goddess was a false deity and petitioned to their gods to strike down the cult. The Gods and Goddesses met in Godsend and held a council there that lasted for over a year. When all was done the Gods and Goddesses sent forth visions to inform the people that Neviri, was Goddess of Water, Oceans and Mourning, born of Aaru’s blood and that Shadril, demigoddess of Water and Storms, had been the secret patron of Magic since the coming of the dragons and that it was Shadril who had given the wizards the knowledge of Magic to craft the dragonslayer swords and all magic since that time. Also during the conclave the gods and goddesses welcomed four new demi-gods and demi-goddesses into the world. Asmodius and Tatenal were not allowed at this conclave, but they knew of it and so they conspired together and gave unto their loyal minions a meager form of demi-godhood. After discovering that part of Aaru still struggled to survive Thronin went forth and gathered some of Aaru’s essence. Aaru was reforged less than whole, but Thronin brought her to Godsend and gave her the task of ruling over Destiny and Fate once more.

Over time a few new gods were born, Tir, Demigod of Courage and Nobility, was the child of Toric and Avanali.

Waedre, Demigod of Wealth was born of Kaishmi and a mortal. At the end of the fourth age a goddess known as the Anesthia arrived upon the shores of Godsend, Thronin welcomed her as he would a daughter. She took over the dominion over death and secrets.

Thus ended the fourth age.

The Fifth Age

On the continent of Aerinthia almost pure from the devastation of past ages a great empire arose that shone like a polished jewel to the gods of all that civilization could offer. The empire worshipped a combined pantheon of the good aligned gods and goddesses. The glory and purity of the empire shown so brightly that the lesser demon gods grew spiteful and plotted against the empire. Nalfien, demon lord of undeath and his allies cultivated weakness in the planes west of the glorious empire. Through that weakness they pulled the Shadowfell closer to Neveril and the creatures of that plane rose against the glorious empire. For six hundred years the Empire waged a seemingly endless war against the shadows. The Emperor’s declared the land west of the empire, Shadar, meaning “From Shadow” in their language. However as the empire remained victorious it lost purity. At first the emperors would seek the counsel of the priests of the pantheon of good before each major battle, then a only a prayer was said, and finally the emperors advisors whispered that maybe since the empire never lost a battle the Emperor was himself divine. The whisper remained small and a cult built up among the common folk. It was not until the coming of Emperor Kosun in the six hundredth year of the war against Shadar that the empire faltered. For upon the day of Emperor Kosun’s holy coronation, the High Priest of Arbeorn declared that the emperor was unfit to rule and that his younger brother, Tethiere would instead become emperor. Upon the declaration Kosun murdered the High Priest and sent his guards to slaughter every priest in the empire who did not declare their loyalty to him. Emperor Kosun then sent his brother to the frontlines to fight against the dark armies of Shadar. The pantheon of good was struck with such grief at the betrayal that they remained focused on the empire and away from other affairs for too long. Asmodius and Tatenal corrupted many other kingdoms across Neveril and sent their minions to crush the empire and conquer the continent of Aerinthia once and for all. The armies of the dark gods at their doorstep and dark forces arrayed against them, none of the pantheon of good were prepared. Upon hearing of the death of his brother with a Shadar spear, Emperor Kosun gathered to him the cult that worshipped him and consecrated all of the temples of the empire to him as God-King of the Empire of Light.

While the shock and awe of the pantheon of good remained, the Goddess, Shadril saw the impending doom of Aerinthia and summoned up a great storm to surround the continent and protect it from invaders. Shadril’s action gave the other deities time to react to the crisis at hand.

First the pantheon of good sundered the Empire of Light and attempted to drag Kosun to Godsend for judgment. However, Thronin forbid Kosun from entering Godsend lest be become a true demi-god and gain the powers he sought. Forever forbidden from entering Godsend, Kosun will never be a god, but his cult still worships him granting him some of the gifts that only deities should have.

Second the pantheon of good and the unaligned deities forced the rift between the Shadowfell and Aerinthia to heal, making it harder, but not impossible for the creatures of the Shadowfell to enter Aerinthia.

Lastly the pantheon of good and the neutral deities forced all of the dark armies back across the borders of Shadar.

Thus ended the fifth age.

The Sixth Age

Fifteen hundred years have passed since the coming of the sixth age and the storm still protects Aerinthia, new kingdoms have risen, old ones have changed, and others have remained bastions in an ever changing world.

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