Fantasy Alabastor Lore

[WorldWeaver]

Alabastor, a land of wonder and adventure, of dangers and monsters, is the world where all mortals currently exist. You've probably experienced Alabastor in your own way, but perhaps you'd like to know more of it's story. Well, to get to the heart of any story, you have to go back to the beginning.

Here in this thread, we will go over the stories, heroes, nations, and mythos of Alabastor.

 

[WorldWeaver]

What better place to start our tale than at the beginning of everything? Before all of existence came to be, the world was an endless abyss of nothingness. Time didn't flow, Space was nonexistent. But then, from the abyss emerged a single entity: Azanoth, the Infinity Dragon. Azanoth was born with a desire to create, to fill the emptiness of the void with beauty and life. So it was from his mighty roar that reality sprang into existence. Azanoth tried to sustain his new creation, but his power was so great, the realities he created would all collapse back into the abyss, destroyed by his endless power. Azanoth realized after his 99th attempt what it was he had to do. And so, after creating all of reality for the 100th time, he split his body into five fragments, his soul into six. That last fragment was then anchored to the center of the abyss, where it continues to create. The remaining fragments of Azanoth's soul would inhabit the fragments of his body and become the first generation of the mighty Elder Dragons.

Or...so one version of the story goes. Everyone agrees it was Azanoth that created the foundation of existence. But many question his "solution". After all, wouldn't splitting an infinite source of power only create more infinite sources of power, compounding the problem that was preventing a stable foundation? That's why in some versions of the story, they say Azanoth still exists, but is simply dormant, dreaming in the center of existence as he continues to create. He creates the first generation, yes, but only using finite measures of his power, so as not to curse them with the same problem he had. Still, compared to us mortals, does an Elder Dragon even need infinite power?

And then there is the version that claims Azanoth wasn't alone, that he had a rival that sought to return everything back to the void, back to nothingness. Whatever version you believe, the end result is the same: Azanoth passed the torch of creation to his successors, and they got right to work.

Awakening for the first time, these five dragons looked around at the empty shell of existence their creator had left them, and gifted with the same desire as Azanoth, they got to work. Prominthus took the initiative, letting out a mighty roar. From his mouth emitted sparks of fire in a variety of colors and sizes. He scattered these sparks across the cosmos, and called them the Stars. Next, Atleasia would create planets, moons, and asteroids, along with other masses to float among the cosmos and the newly made stars. She then made existence more orderly by establishing the laws of Space. Naulia, the sweet and gentle, then created caps of ice to keep them cool and balance the heat from Prominthus's stars. She also established the stream of time itself, which allowed reality to flow between rigid forms, thus allowing change to occur without the Elder Dragons' effort, but allowing the laws of Space to remain unabated. Kirijuro would follow Atleasia's ideal of order by organizing the already made celestial bodies into solar systems and galaxies. His electromagnetic forces maintained orbital paths. And finally, Cirro's winds scattered the galaxies and the planets and the stars to the far corners of the universe, dispersing them.

With their work done, The Elder Dragons would create one more planet together as a resting place for them. Prominthus created a star that would bring warmth and light to the planet, Atleasia carved out the landmasses and continents with her talons, Naulia filled the seas and provided the ice caps once more, And Cirro brought forth a gentle breeze to soothe the five. As they slept on their new home, they were unaware that the world they rested on had begun to sustain...life. Eventually, they would meet the Predecessors, the ancestors of humans, and give them their blessing. The Predecessors would need that blessing, for as they were now, their kind was being enslaved and slaughtered by another, more advanced race. But that...is a story for another time.

 

[WorldWeaver]

After creating all that exists in the universe, the Elder Dragons needed a comfy place to rest. And so they created Alabastor, the planet we all live on, together. However, as they slept, millions of years went by, and the factors that had made this planet so comfortable to rest on were also perfect for another thing: The establishment of living organisms. Over time, small, single-cell organisms would evolve into more complex and complete beings. Eventually, they diversified, and some would evolve into two distinct species: Predecessors and Celestials. No one knows who came first. Some say it was the Celestials, because while the Predecessors lived as hunter-gatherers, squatting about in their caves, the Celestials had cracked the code for complex civilization, long-range projectile technology, and even the defiance of gravity. Some say it was the Predecessors, because an old ruins dug up in 1A 1899 had fossils of Predecessors older than the oldest known Celestial Fossils; "known" being the key word there. Regardless, it was clear these races didn't like each other in the slightest.

The technologically and scientifically advanced Celestials saw the Predecessors as primative, dirt-scratching apes, fit only for slavery. They would round up entire clans of Predecessors and force them into labor, constructing massive metropolises and monuments to themselves. This obviously angered the Predecessors, and they began to fight back...and die by the thousands. It seemed the Predecessors would be doomed to be nothing more than work animals, a slave race. But then...one of them stumbled across something that changed his race's destiny.

Atleasia had slept undisturbed for millions of years. When she had first slept, the planet was without life, not counting herself and her fellow Elder Dragons. Imagine her surprise, then, when she wakes up in what appears to be a place completely different. vegetation of all types surrounded her, and creatures of all kinds moved about. It was strange, yet beautiful. And she began naming these living things, great and small. Just before she finished, though, she came across a group of creatures different from the rest. They had no fur, and walked on two legs. They carried branches tipped with stone as they hunted what animals they could. When Atleasia approached these creatures, they ran off screaming...all but one. He, instead, approached as well, curious, as this was not a creature he had seen before either. Over time, Atleasia taught him how to speak her language, and eventually learned of the Predecessors' plight. She called forth the other four Elder Dragons, and they agreed to grant the Predecessors their blessing. The one who had not fled was named Ator, which in their language means "first human", and was given the power to wield the energy of the planet itself: Astra. Ator shared this power with the rest of his clan and tribe, and with the blessing of the creators of their world on their side, the predecessors, newly dubbed humans, were ready to finally fight back effectively.

The war raged on between the two species for thousands of years, the technologically advanced Celestials against the Astra-wielding humans. The Celestials used everything they had at their disposal, but lacked the spirit and determination that humans wielded. Eventually, they were driven back into their cities, which then flew off into the stars. No one knows what happened to the Celestials. Some say they're still searching for a new home. Others think they will return to seek revenge on the humans and reclaim Alabastor. But that remains to be seen.

With the Celestials' oppressive reign ended, humans saw what was left behind, and inspired by their former enemy, began to erect cities of their own, and civilizations began to form. The Primordial age was over, and with the Elder Dragons leading them, and the remains of their late enemies inspiring them, the humans entered the Dragon Age with hope in their hearts. But that...is a story for another time.