The Anvils of Creation
In the time when the first of the dragons still rested in the shells of motherless eggs, while Hoofshaw and Khohshek carried them to caves and crevices, mountains and the deep dark, it was then the four met and decided how Pondaera would be populated.
Kawshafa drew plans for seven anvils, from which the sentient races would spring. She weaved the arcane forces, the great hosts of energy and tuned the pitch each would make. She saw how the great wheel would turn once anvils began to ring, so she called upon the others.
Holelaw, the mad God was the second she called. He was insane, certainly, but brilliant. She needed him to restrain the intellect of the mortals, to introduce chaos and disorder, to temper them in ways she herself could not. As her power would add to them, his would make sure they remained diverse and unfocused.
The next invited was the lady of the Garden, she who had made the face of Pondaera lush with flora, Ktisis. It would take her touch, her mastery, to bend those energies into a new creation. She would give these beings, these new morals the desire to flourish. But unrestrained they would become kudzu.
There was a debate on who should take the position of the forth. The first to be considered was Mehumaw, the god of destruction. He would be the natural opposite of Ktisis, the one who retrained even the abundance of her nursery. But it was decided his lawful nature actually undermined the balance, they needed a fourth with more chaos. So, it was decided the fourth would be Moshkoth, the corruptor. If Holelaw was restricting the power of the mortals with madness, Moshkoth would restrict them with disease and deception. They would be seduced to destruction and add physical frailty.
The Creation of the Seven Races
In the far north, in the land which would become the Kagerr Lands, the anvil lay buried in ice and snow. When it was rung, the race of giants sprung forth. They were physically imposing and had the potential to live almost a millennium, but had intellectual failings, had difficulty working together. The violence that they lived by often destroyed them.
In the ancient jungle, the Ochoili Forest, Ktisis had prepared a deep cave, so covered with vines and roots that it was invisible to all but those who knew it was there. From the anvil that lay in the bows of that earth the elves were born. They were much smaller than the race of giants, but just as long-lived. They were nimble and intellectually superior. Naturally perfectionists and craftsman. The same nature that made them so good at nearly everything they attempted, made them slow to act and almost aloof from the workings of the rest of the world.
In the part of Pondaera where the mountains break the clouds, there are valleys so deep and impenetrable that the sun can only see them when it is at its highest point. It was here the third anvil was placed. This anvil birthed the Aarakocra. They were physically frail and lived a mere 30 years, but had a propensity for stealth and could take to the skies. They both loved adventure and exploration but also had a great fear when exposed to danger.
In the depths of the ocean, where no light can reach the bottom an outcropping covers a black trench where the anvil of merfolk resides. When it was struck, the race that sprung forth was different than the others. Breathers of both water and air, with bodies designed for swimming. They lived lives of more than 100 years and were great in intellect and seductive. But they were isolated from the others and often mistrusted with their limited interactions.
The fifth anvil was in a different kind of deep, heated by the churning of the earth in the twisting tunnels beneath what would be called Thutdran Hollows. Lit by fire and carrying the weight of the darkness, this anvil became the birth place of the dwarves. Like the giants in their strength and heartiness, but smaller and with lives of around 450 years. Unlike the giants who were violent and destructive, the dwarves were craftsman and lovers of their clans. Their bane would be the other denizens in the dark.
In the cold hills of southern State of Chardon is the site of an anvil hid by a powerful magic. It seems to reside in a place you can never reach. It was here the jolly race of Halflings sprang to life. They were born lucky and having lifespans of nearly 200 years. They are good natured and peaceful, with a desire to build small communities in the tough landscape of thier birth. Because they are curious and trusting, over the years Halflings have found themselves being taken advantage of by other cultures.
The final anvil is hidden in the divine temple of creation designed by the four on the shores of North Tinvon Lake. While the temple is obvious, mortals do not know the anvil room exists. When this anvil was rung, the race of men sprang to life. They were a rounded blend of the others, very adaptable, but also highly ambitious. The could work with any others, but also started wars frequently. The same ambition that drove men to great heights also cost them frequently.
The Creation of Chaos Magic
A man sits in a library, taking notes on the spell books. He wishes to know how they work. The long lists of components, and the specific instructions. The man finds this boring, predictable, far too many rules. These rules are not in his, Holelaw’s, nature. He wants to change this, make it his own, more unpredictable. The Mad Genius stands from the table and collects his notes. He needs a test.
A group of wizarding students, stand in a small park a little bit away from the library. Holelaw finds a corner, watching, waiting. The teacher sets up small stones for each of the students. The teacher clears her throat and begins to speak.
“Today we are learning Catapult, watch me carefully.” Holelaw knows this spell is simple and should not be difficult. He watches her, spellbook in hand, recite the spell. It works beautifully, the rock lifts and flies toward the target set up at the other side of the park. She turns back to her three students. “Are you ready?” The first student steps up. Holelaw puts a little bit of holy power behind the students spell. The rock lifts and just barely hits the targets. The student on the other hand shrunk about three inches. The god takes a few notes and prepares for the next student. This time he puts a bit more power with this spell. The next student casts and as the rock hits, the student is knocked back. Holelaw takes more notes on the effect but that the surges are working well. The last student prepares to cast as a bit of chaotic power is added. The rock hits and soft music begins to play around the student. Holelaw finishes his notes and takes his leave.
The Mad God sits in a room in an inn, the floor has papers scattered over it and tall stacks of books filled with more notes. This test was a success, now to implement it. He knows the anvils could work, but with limitations. Blessing people with this power could work as well. More tests are needed. Holelaw’s planning was soon to be interrupted.
“What are you doing?” Says the woman who has appeared in the room. Kawshafa, Goddess of Magic, picks up some notes. “Adding chaos to magic? And how do you think you’ll do that?”
“I’m working on that, would you like to help?”
“What?”
“Help me! It’ll create a new type of magic and with that there is more to know, to find out.” Holelaw begins to go through his notes. “ Look, they’ve found so much and this will be something else. More to understand, something that goes hand and hand with classic magic.”
“It sounds interesting, especially for greater understanding.” She looks through some of the plans. “Blessing people with this could go well and means that they would need to understand why certain people have this connection and some do not. Something just out of reach, or something they need attune themselves to.”
“Yes, so you’ll help?”
“Yes, but we’re doing this my way.” The Goddess summons a book, the cover says Chaos Magic. “Where do we start?”