Lore24 - The Sovereignty - Creation Myths

For my second entry for Lore24, I will delve into the various myths and legends circulating in the lands of the Sovereignty of how the world, Aedes, was created. It seemed fitting to provide creation myths at the beginning of this project. Furthermore, the central idea for the world of Aedes and the lands of the Sovereignty emerged as I was considering what fantasy I could base on the classic Chaoskampf, specifically the Babylonian creation myth of Marduk and Tiamat. For those well versed in ancient Mesopotamian myths, the following legends may seem familiar.

Ecclesiarchic Church of Phaeton

IN THE BEGINNING - the most holy book of Phaeton, the Codex, claims - there was only Chaos. And Chaos was Darkness. In that Darkness came Phaeton, Angel of Light, Bringer of Civilization, Teacher of Laws and Invention. Phaeton cleaved the Mother of Monsters that was Chaos and brought Light into the Darkness. He planted his spear in the corpse of the Mother of Monsters, and the sun rose for the first time. Phaeton appeared before the leaders of Humankind, who had suffered in the darkness, amidst the monsters born of Chaos, and promised them a a golden land to the west, beyond the blighted shores of the Lost Lands. There, He laid the foundations for the Golden Throne, amidst what would become the City of Dawn, and he chose Claudus, Anaxandron, King of Kings, the most noble Human, to sit upon it. A task was given: "Tame this land and multiply, all that is touched by Light, is yours to reign over." 

Tribal Tradition

FROM THE ELEMENTS AROSE THE ANIMA, Masters of Nature, They who ordered Aedes. And when the Anima had given order and rythm and fate to the world, they fathered children: Dire Wolf, Brother Bear, Mountain Lion and many others. From these children, the Human Clans were born. In our ancestral lands, we lived in harmony and freedom amongst the Anima. We trusted Them, our vigor, our fate. There is no higher purpose than to live in peace and balance with the Anima, to take care of the world and give Aedes unto a new generation in a cycle that never ends.

Dwarves of Irongard

DEEP BENEATH THE EARTH, the Maker, He who first forged this mortal abode from darkness, took soulless rocks and breathed fire into them. Massive statues, Titans, misformed pieces of mountain and hill, were thus birthed onto the world. Deeming them failures, and not satisfied with his work, the Maker cast the Titans back into the Heartforge and, with fireproof hands, kneaded and molded the molten forms into new shapes. Thus was Giantkin created. But they, also, were deemed impure. The Maker reached for finer tools, smaller ingredients, and out of the heart of the mountains, He forged Trolls. But, having spent much of His energy, the Maker breathed too little fire in them and at the first touch of sunlight, these Trolls turned back to stone. Rest, though, would only come to the Maker when his creations would be perfect. He reached for smaller but more pure quantities of rock and earth, breathed wind and fire in them, and watched proudly as the Fathers of Dwarvenkind drew their first breaths in the Heartforge under Irongard.

Elves

BEFORE TIME BEGAN, the children of the stars, the Eldar, came to what would become the world, amidst Darkness, Wild and Chaotic. Amidst these elemental forces, and creatures of darkness, the Eldar were prey, vulnerable. The wisest of the Eldar called to their ancestors and from beyond the Darkness, the stars lighted up. In constellations they took form, shapes akin to gods with names such as Corellon, Melora, Sehanine and Lendor. But also more sinister aspects: Lolth, Asmodeus. These Old Gods kneaded the elements and forged the world of Aedes from the Darkness of Chaos. Under the starlit heavens, the descendents of the Eldar, now called Elves, made their home in beautiful forests, on stark coasts and upon silver oceans. As shepherds, the Elves sailed the seas of Aedes, finding and teaching many lesser peoples.