Mythology of Arcana

Here are recounted the various creation myths and divine legends of Arcana. Of course they are all wrong, as sure as they are all right.

Creation of the World – as proclaimed by Dragonborn

Before time began, there were two Dragons. One was called the Chromatic Dragon, the other was called the Platinum Dragon. The Chromatic Dragon was a being of frightening arcane power. The Platinum Dragon was a serene and divine celestial being.

They were siblings, mates and enemies, exemplifying all life that ever would be. In her greed, the Chromatic Dragon sought to steal all knowledge from the Platinum Dragon. In his arrogance, the Platinum Dragon sought to dominate the Chromatic Dragon.

Their fight lasted for eons and sparks that flew and burned the Platinum Dragon became the stars. The claw marks in the hide of the Chromatic Dragon became the clefts and gorges and rivers.

In time, the two Primordial Dragons fought to a stalemate. The Platinum Dragon bound the Chromatic Dragon underneath him. The Platinum color became the light of the daytime sky, the fiery sparks from their battle became the stars. The Chromatic Dragon was bound to the earth. That is why arcane energy courses through the planet and the nature of mortal existence is Evil. All good and guidance comes from above, from the daylit sky and from the ten thousand stars.

The Dragons are the true children of these Primordial beings and the rightful masters of the World.

Creation of the World – as told by the Giants

The World was a dark and chaotic rock until the Star Titans, who each blazed with the light of a sun, came out of the Dark Beyond and created Order.  The Titans tamed the wild monsters and established civilization. The Titans eventually left their children, the First Giants, in charge of the Ordered World. Over time however, the First Giants, without the guidance from the Star Titans, fell into decline and internecine strife. In the end, the mighty magical civilization of the Giants broke down into barbarism and different clans and their Order was broken.

Creation of the World – as told by the Elves

According to the Elves, the Gods or Dragons or Titans had nothing to do with the shaping of the World. Natural, rational laws govern the universe and the forming of the world from cosmic dust over a process of billions of years can be rationally explained. The World was not created, it was discovered. The forebears of the Elves came from the stars to Arcana in silver vessels. There, they established an enormous magical empire in the region that now holds the Western Kingdoms. In time, they uplifted the Nine Human Tribes to civilization. As the human realms grew, the civilization of the Elves declined, their magical empire collapsed. Some of the Elven High Mages that taught humans magic are still remembered as Gods by them – Osiris, Zeus, Mannus.

Creation of the World – as recounted by the Dwarves

The World was created as an Anvil by the great Lord of Fire and Forging. His first few attempts at forging life were flawed – misshapen Goblins, foul Orcs and hideous Trolls - but the Dwarves are the Lord of Fire’s  greatest creation. His celestial servants however, were jealous of his skill and favored the other, lesser races – Elves, Humans. These celestials imprisoned the Lord of Fire in a vault constructed from the cold of the Void. Fiery Dwarven kings took up their fireforged swords and armor and spears but were stymied by the arrogant Elves and stunted Humans. The great Dwarven kings of old were conquered and enslaved. But the Dwarven people, blazing with the fire of the forge and the light of their Lord, were not so easily cowed. They learned to use the tools given to them by their oppressors – hammers, axes – and wrested their freedom from the chains.

Creation of the World – the Halflings

“The shaping of the World? Who cares!? There’s a shiny object there, let’s go study it and … Oooh! What’s this?”

Creation of the World  as written in the Doctrine of the Ecclesiarchical Church of the Radiant Spirit

IN THE BEGINNING – the world was dark and formless, until the Radiant Spirit brought light to the realm and tamed the seas and shaped the land. The Spirit placed the sun in the daylit sky and the stars in the nightsky. The darkness was bound beneath the earth and order was brought to the land.

The Radiant Spirit created life on Arcana, plant life, beasts. Finally, the Spirit created the pinnacle of Creation: Humans.

But one of his angels grew jealous of his master. His most skilled servant, Phaeton, strove to create life in his own image. The rebellious angel forged humanoid life but could not match the perfection of the Radiant Spirit. For his sin, the Spirit cast Phaeton out of the Heavens.

The evil Phaeton, cast out of his home, gathered fiendish allies and created other forms of life. Dragons, monstrosities and evil races such as Orcs and Goblins. A terrible war raged in Heaven and on Arcana – as above so below.

In the end, the forces of Good triumphed over Evil. The victorious Humans established the Empire as the temporal authority of Arcana and the Church as its spiritual guide.