Primer
From Snowblossom
A Primer on the Eye
Contents |
The Beginning
The Eye is a floating physical plane caught in the midst of the Elemental Chaos and the Astral Sea. The shape of the Eye is like the outward appearance of a humanoid eye – an ovoid which tapers to two opposite, sharp ends.
According to legend, the Eye was formed eons ago to be the home of Mother Dawn, a powerful spirit of the universe. Mother Dawn made deals with Primordials who formed the Elemental Chaos into a verdant land. She created animal and plants spirits, then used them as a template for all life. Then she herself merged with the land to slumber eternally, setting the elementals and spirits as guardians.
But others lusted for the power of the Eye. First, the devils came, seeing the opportunity for power. The demons came close behind them, followed soon by the celestials, who hunted demon and devil alike.
However, these outsiders were all surprised to find that Mother Dawn had erected powerful walls around her home, preventing them all from entering. Frustrated but not defeated, the devils took residence outside the Eye, plotting a way to steal Mother Dawn’s power. The demons floated near and far while the celestials stood vigilant.
The Gods
The exact origins of the gods are a matter of some debate. Some say that the gods came to the Eye with Mother Dawn. Some say her servitor spirits became gods. Some say that many others followed in Snowblossom's footsteps, striking out on adventures that lead them to godhood. Most see each god's origin as unique, but some debate exists about which gods predated other gods. The gods themselves rarely left any indication of their origin, making them even more mysterious.
What is known is that the Gods and the Primordials did not see eye to eye in ancient days. Sometime before the War of the Fiends, the two parties had a war that shook the foundations of the Eye. It's not known what role the Pure Ones might have played in this war, but in the end, the Gods seem to have won. Though there are still Primordial influences in the Eye, some say the Gods are the wardens who prevent the Eye from slipping back into the Elemental Chaos. Others say that since the Eye is infused with the spirit of Mother Dawn herself, it is impossible for Chaos to seep back in.
The Rise of Civilization
Inside the Eye, civilizations began to form. When the Telwadir arrived in the arms of ancient fey, the city of Telwar was built for them with the approval of Mother Dawn. Far to the east, the first human villages formed, and far to the west, the orc tribes gathered together. In this era, the elven girl Snowblossom became the first hero when she ventured out of Telwar to rescue a kidnapped elven child. Her adventure caused The Divide to occur among the Telwadir, separating the elves, the drow and the eladrin.
The humans and orcs dominated the continents of the Eye, but other races sprang up amongst them. In the north of Telwar, a large population of the elves, eladrin and drow held their land for thousands of years, to the modern day. In those days, Telwar was the only true nation - the other races held nothing large than a city-state here and there.
The War of the Fiends and the Aftermath
Beginning "underneath" the Eye, the devils had set their underlings to work digging a complex system of tunnels from their realm up into the mountains and valleys of the Eye. The devils worked silently, slowly tapping the magic of the Eye. The demons discovered their plot and soon copied it. Acting more recklessly, the demons stirred Mother Dawn, who sent forces to destroy the fiends. The celestials volunteered to fight on behalf of Mother Dawn, and she allowed them entrance to the Eye to defend her. With their help, the battle was won, but at the cost of many of Mother Dawn’s elemental and primal soldiers. As a reward, Mother Dawn gave the celestials a realm in the sky, where they created a suitable floating home for themselves.
It is said that the absence of Mother Dawn’s vicious primal armies depleted allowed early humanoids to expand, grow and evolve. It is believed the other races came into being at this time, but each race has their own legends - dwarves believe they descended from earth spirits, orcs believe they formed from fierce animal guardians of Mother Dawn who were rewarded with a humanoid shape, et cetera.
The Great Empires and the Collapse
It took thousands and thousands of years, but the humanoid creatures began to create vast empires. On the Northern Continent, the land was mostly held by the Lion Empire and their allies the Engineers, who held the large northeast island. They held an uneasy peace with the Zensazi Empire, a goblinoid nation in the southwest of the continent. All of the empires fought to hold the orc and dragonborn tribes at bay. In the western Eye, the great seafaring kingdoms of the Avali held root, and to the east, the Inari were a unified empire as well.
For hundreds or perhaps thousands of years, civilization reigned in the Eye, in all places except the Pure Lands and along the Rim. Fantastic creatures and monsters lived on the outskirts of each empire, in remote places and in the cavernous maze of the Underdark.
But change is inevitable. The great empires crumbled in an era called the Collapse. Many explanations exist, but the fate of the empires is still unknown. The Lion Empire seemed to break apart at the seams. The Zensazi might have dissolved in a bitter civil war, worsened by orc barbarian tribes. The Engineers seemed to disappear altogether, leaving whole cities empty but intact. For the Avali and Inari, the mystery is greater still. Soon, the world was cast again into chaos, without great nations to protect the humans of the world. Monsters rose and took great swaths of land for their own.
The War Against the Bale
In the chaos, the Bale came. These creatures, believed to be natives of the Far Realm, came to the Eye to corrupt and twist it in their vision. By corrupting the hearts (and bodies) of creatures, the Bale were able to decimate the civilizations of the world. Even the devils found the Bale distasteful, and they fought against their magics as well. The races of the world were forced to fight together, and they called upon their most powerful arcane artists to finally seal the Bale in a dimensional pocket called the Land of Ashes.
After the war against the Bale, the people of the world rebuilt, and unified into new nations in many places. Still, centuries later, the Eye is in failing condition. The wilds are not safe, and vast areas of land bear the corruption of the Bale. Many fear that Mother Dawn has slipped into a deep sleep, never to wake, or even that she was slain by the Bale. The gods do not walk the earth any longer, and their servants rarely appear in physical form. Many fear the world is nearing its last breath.
But hope remains for the Eye in the form of heroes who take up the sword and staff to cleanse the world of its would-be destroyers.
