Post by The Storyteller on Jan 7, 2015 2:07:10 GMT
From a traditional children's lesson from the First Age
In the beginning, there was only the Great Spirit of Light, a being whose sole desire was to love and be loved by another. But there was only empty darkness, and it wept tears that we call the stars. It died of grief, but as the Great Spirit's body decayed, it gave form to its children, the Lesser Spirits we know today. Those closest to its heart gather about its center and became the Earth. Those further away, too late to claim the heart's life for themselves, encircled it in what eventually became the Aether.
Every spirit claimed and in so doing became an aspect of the Land. Some became the dirt beneath our feet, others slipped into the water and others flitted about, ruling the air we breathe. But then a few became flesh, in imitation of the strange beasts that were born on the earth. These particular spirits, who took on hands and eyes and voices, became we, the Firstborn. In remembrance of our first forms, the other spirits made oaths with our ancestors, not as fealty but as ties of kinship between families.
Today, these oaths, or 'runes', are learned by every child of the Firstborn. It is these runes that separate us from the Secondborn, who were not born of the First Dawn, but from the earth beneath us many eons later, and thus know Death's face far better than Life's. Let us give thanks to the Great Spirit, whose woe became our joy, and our brothers, who aid us everyday.
From a young scout's report to his commander
Lord Ar'Klir,
The Assembly's fears are not without merit. The air spirits were accurate. The Secondborn are gathering along the western borders, and have developed new engines of war. To my eye, they resemble large bows of stone, but I can't say how they were constructed. They seem very mundane, and I have no reason to claim they are a threat to our allies, but still, this is certainly an act of aggression. On the other side of this paper is a series of numbers I believe reflect the strength of the savages.
In the Light of the First Dawn,
Hel'thor
From an assemblyman's speech on the eve of the Long Storm
Brothers and sisters, I believe that it is upon us to decide how we shall manage what remains of the Secondborn's lands. I realize it may be months before the apes see sense and cease their exuberances, but as moral beings, we must consider the future of both our races. Will we permanently annex their lands? Will we declare a temporary protectorate? Lord Hel'thor, speaking from his military experience, has declared we should simply treat them as we would any other soulless beast without a soul and exterminate the rabid creatures. Lord Hel'thor is an honorable and wise man, truly one of our most respected experts on the talking beasts, but I fear our situation is not as simplistic as he paints it. They may lack souls, but they still possess will, a will unlike anything outside the Firstborn. If these 'men' can create new minerals, raise cities without aid of rune, even breach the Aether in their own dangerous but ingenious manner, then is there not something we can learn from our new wards?
Consider this path. After the war officially ends and the treaties are signed, we will begin combing the populace for Secondborn adepts while employing the rest for agricultural and industrial pursuits. We will then exploit these adepts, perhaps in the Whispering Catacombs if need be, where we will peel back their secrets for the good of the Secondborn. This is not just a victory for life, my friends, but victory for future life. Let us make our children proud.
Runes:
Runes are contracts with spirits, often inscribed on the bodies of Firstborn, though some prefer to sing the actual words when calling upon it. Before the Long Storm, Firstborn had a much warmer relationship with the spirits, and could regularly consult them without need of runes. Now, they are the sole means of calling upon the elements, and calming the often hostile spirits of the surface.
Runes are divided into several elements, and each element has three levels of training. You can choose any element, but you cannot take a second or third level without claiming Tiers before it. Typically, the first level represents the utility variant, the second level is for combat, and the third level is for summoning purposes.
Firstborn may choose THREE at character creation.
Fire
Adept: Can create and maintain heat at command. Typically used for survival purposes.
Expert: Can wield fire as a weapon, as either a whip, burst, or blade.
Master: Can summon a fire spirit for defense or other purpose. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.
Air
Adept: Can create and direct wind at command. Typically used for survival purposes.
Expert: Summon a powerful burst of wind with the strength to break down trees.
Master: Can summon an air spirit for defense or other purposes. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.
Water
Adept: Can create and direct water at command. Typically used for survival purposes.
Expert: Can wield water as a weapon, often in ice form.
Master: Summon water spirit for defense or other purposes. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.
Earth
Adept: Can command the earth. Typically used for moving earth or creating fertile regions.
Expert: Can wield earth as a weapon.
Master: Summon an earth spirit for defense or other purposes. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.
In the beginning, there was only the Great Spirit of Light, a being whose sole desire was to love and be loved by another. But there was only empty darkness, and it wept tears that we call the stars. It died of grief, but as the Great Spirit's body decayed, it gave form to its children, the Lesser Spirits we know today. Those closest to its heart gather about its center and became the Earth. Those further away, too late to claim the heart's life for themselves, encircled it in what eventually became the Aether.
Every spirit claimed and in so doing became an aspect of the Land. Some became the dirt beneath our feet, others slipped into the water and others flitted about, ruling the air we breathe. But then a few became flesh, in imitation of the strange beasts that were born on the earth. These particular spirits, who took on hands and eyes and voices, became we, the Firstborn. In remembrance of our first forms, the other spirits made oaths with our ancestors, not as fealty but as ties of kinship between families.
Today, these oaths, or 'runes', are learned by every child of the Firstborn. It is these runes that separate us from the Secondborn, who were not born of the First Dawn, but from the earth beneath us many eons later, and thus know Death's face far better than Life's. Let us give thanks to the Great Spirit, whose woe became our joy, and our brothers, who aid us everyday.
From a young scout's report to his commander
Lord Ar'Klir,
The Assembly's fears are not without merit. The air spirits were accurate. The Secondborn are gathering along the western borders, and have developed new engines of war. To my eye, they resemble large bows of stone, but I can't say how they were constructed. They seem very mundane, and I have no reason to claim they are a threat to our allies, but still, this is certainly an act of aggression. On the other side of this paper is a series of numbers I believe reflect the strength of the savages.
In the Light of the First Dawn,
Hel'thor
From an assemblyman's speech on the eve of the Long Storm
Brothers and sisters, I believe that it is upon us to decide how we shall manage what remains of the Secondborn's lands. I realize it may be months before the apes see sense and cease their exuberances, but as moral beings, we must consider the future of both our races. Will we permanently annex their lands? Will we declare a temporary protectorate? Lord Hel'thor, speaking from his military experience, has declared we should simply treat them as we would any other soulless beast without a soul and exterminate the rabid creatures. Lord Hel'thor is an honorable and wise man, truly one of our most respected experts on the talking beasts, but I fear our situation is not as simplistic as he paints it. They may lack souls, but they still possess will, a will unlike anything outside the Firstborn. If these 'men' can create new minerals, raise cities without aid of rune, even breach the Aether in their own dangerous but ingenious manner, then is there not something we can learn from our new wards?
Consider this path. After the war officially ends and the treaties are signed, we will begin combing the populace for Secondborn adepts while employing the rest for agricultural and industrial pursuits. We will then exploit these adepts, perhaps in the Whispering Catacombs if need be, where we will peel back their secrets for the good of the Secondborn. This is not just a victory for life, my friends, but victory for future life. Let us make our children proud.
Runes:
Runes are contracts with spirits, often inscribed on the bodies of Firstborn, though some prefer to sing the actual words when calling upon it. Before the Long Storm, Firstborn had a much warmer relationship with the spirits, and could regularly consult them without need of runes. Now, they are the sole means of calling upon the elements, and calming the often hostile spirits of the surface.
Runes are divided into several elements, and each element has three levels of training. You can choose any element, but you cannot take a second or third level without claiming Tiers before it. Typically, the first level represents the utility variant, the second level is for combat, and the third level is for summoning purposes.
Firstborn may choose THREE at character creation.
Fire
Adept: Can create and maintain heat at command. Typically used for survival purposes.
Expert: Can wield fire as a weapon, as either a whip, burst, or blade.
Master: Can summon a fire spirit for defense or other purpose. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.
Air
Adept: Can create and direct wind at command. Typically used for survival purposes.
Expert: Summon a powerful burst of wind with the strength to break down trees.
Master: Can summon an air spirit for defense or other purposes. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.
Water
Adept: Can create and direct water at command. Typically used for survival purposes.
Expert: Can wield water as a weapon, often in ice form.
Master: Summon water spirit for defense or other purposes. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.
Earth
Adept: Can command the earth. Typically used for moving earth or creating fertile regions.
Expert: Can wield earth as a weapon.
Master: Summon an earth spirit for defense or other purposes. Be aware, spirits have their own agendas.