Godfall Lore Transcript pt 1

Transcript from the the Godfall Lore Series from YouTube user Byf
LINK TO VIDEO

In the cycle of the universe, endings are beginnings. It is written in the eyes of the stars, in the flesh of the earth, in the marrow of the mountains. But even as we sit and listen to the tales of ages past. We know a simple truth. All things down the ages of time can be traced back to their origin. From the many, to the twelve, to the one, Kosmera.

​At the dawn of time she was all that existed. The dragon that slumbered in the void where the world would one day sit. As she slumbered the multiverse surrounded her in bleak nothingness. But Kosmera was not alone, for in her mind’s eye the twelve loomed and burned. In her dreams the great dragon saw what could be. Twelve divine aspects that would come to be known as the Archons. From courage to cunning, from justice to chaos, from wisdom to joy. The Archons represented distinct virtues, and stepped out from Kosmera’s mind into the formless void of contemplation. These were the first twelve beings to be created, and though Kosmera was no longer alone, the Archons yearned for manifestation. With the desire of her children, a deep hunger awoke within Kosmera. This hunger to answer the desire of her children was maddening and insatiable and even now could be seen throughout our world. Kosmera knew that there was nothing besides her and her children, and so to grant their wish of embodiment, the dragon who dreamed devoured herself.

Kosmera was shattered into a new beginning. And from her flesh, scales and bone emerged the world. After her sacrifice all that remained of Kosmera was a handful of scales, which the Archons took as proof of their divine lineage. The world upon which the Archons now gazed was called Aperion and it was brimming with the magic of Kosmera. This primal magic is invisible but it exists everywhere on Aperion, suffused with every part of the world itself. It could on occasion be found in a physical form known as Aetherium, a great reminder that all magic in this world comes from Kosmera’s power.

The twelve Archons strode forth on to the surface of Aperion, and manifested into physical forms befitting of their aspects. But all was not well. Before the Archons had even manifested the answering hunger that had invaded Kosmera’s thoughts had taken form on Aperion.

They were known as the Kraven, dark elemental beasts, whose only desire was to consume and satiate the endless hunger they had inherited from Kosmera. The Archons beheld their first foe, and with their powers, sought to fight these beasts by an act of creation, thus came the Valorains, the First Born. A noble race of warriors with the skills and power needed to battle the craven monsters.

The Archons gifted the First Born in many ways, and the Valorians enjoyed the benefits of their divine heritage, as expressed through their power. However, no gift could compare to that of the Valorplate, powerful armor forged in the remains of Kosmeras essence, and made in the image of each of the twelve Archons. This grand gift seems only fitting when one realizes that the Archons physical forms were crafted in the image of the Valorians.

With the power of the Valorplate and their martial skills, the Valorians pushed the Kraven back to the corners of the world. With the threats of the world held at bay and the Valorians left with the world at their feet, the first cities were built. The great spires rose to cover Aperion and the Valorians soon tamed the world they had fought for. The Archons were pleased.

Today after the creation of the younger races and the fall of the Archons, Aperion is a very different place from the Age of Myth that birthed it. The great cities and monuments of the Valorians have covered the world, none more recognizable than the Skybreaker Monolith. 

The realms found within Aperion are diverse as they are numerous. From great realms of water suited to the Abyssians, to realms of stone and fire suited to the Flameblood. Monsters and beasts roam this land in all shapes and sizes, from blood prey eels and kitenge (SP?) to crystal crawlers and air ripplers. Even mighty drakes can be seen aloft in the skies of Aperion. There is however one creature that roamed the lands of Aperion since the times of memoriam, the God Beast. These monsters ravaged the land before them and were hunted by Valorians in great expeditions, with the Typon Valorplate and hooked polearms being the tools of choice to slay these monsters. Some God Beasts were even infamous enough to earn names, such as Ur’zalathar (SP) and Thorimhear (SP). Needless to say for a Valorian to hunt such a beast successfully was an act worthy of wide recognition and esteem. With many hunters taking trophies from their deceased quarry as proof of their triumph. The time of these great beasts has however passed into legend, now all that remains of the monstrous creatures is dust and bone.

But the world does not belong to these monsters, alongside the Valorian there is a series of other races dwelling on Aperion that were also created by the Archons. These races form what is known as the Tetrarchy, though the Valorians refer to them as the Latter Born, a common slur and commentary on their creation as second to their own. Amongst these Latter Born are the Abyssians, Vogual and Nyak, but other peoples do exist on the continent. Many of these races were created to do battle with the Valorians, but they all fight amongst themselves regardless. 

​The Abyssians were a creation of a few of the Archons, who in a fleeting alliance of convenience sought to create a new breed of warriors. The serpentine creatures were gifted with long lives by the Archons and cannot die due to old age. Their society is based on ideals of supremacy and a belief that might makes right. The Abyssian horde is led by an Ex-Arch for along with other powerful and older members of their race will practice utter dominance over those beneath them. For Abyssians this subjugation is reflected in their form as much as their role. All Abyssians start with a relatively similar appearance but change their forms as their station in life changes. Abyssians who prove their strength of body or will in their youth, can develop into a new form that suits their new found strengths. Abyssians leaders have used this to guide the growth of their underlings so they can better serve as minions who are less able to challenge their authority.  The Abyssians are a selfish people, who beliefs are centered around the idea that even if killed they cannot truly die, and they will simply reincarnate into another body. Though no Abyssians will ever desire this considering it would mean beginning their lives again with nothing. In so far as their posture towards other peoples is concerned, most Abyssians uphold the One Seed doctrine. Which states that they hold dominion over all salt water, including blood in the veins of any living thing. They have been known to devour the souls of their prey, in doing so grants them a sacred kind of purpose.

Contrasting with these people of the sea, are the Vargol, a reptilian race tied to the land the magic of Aperion, deep in the earth. .The Vargol live in tribal nests and are a more social and communal society, often valuing the survival of the group over the individuals concerns. Individual Vargol can be passionate and creative, but those characteristics are not always given room to be individual expressed given their culture, pushing service to the tribe above themselves. The weakest among their number are to Trollocks, who are expected to dedicate their lives to the tribe regardless of individual circumstance. This blind devotion to their people is one of their attributes that has contributed to the survival of the Vargol people. The highest of them are their Matrons, who act as individual leaders of each of the Vargol tribes. Each Matron guides their tribes with their own views on the social structures of their society. But the Matrons will often gather and discuss the concerns of their race as a whole. The leader of their people and thus the one who is above all the Matrons of the disparate tribes is known as the Vargol Ex-Arch.

The Nyak kindred are possibly the most primordial peoples on Aperion and were the last creations of the Archons. The Nyak are a difficult people to define because they are best described by their clustered individuality. The Nyak organize themselves in to cults, each of which is organized to be self-sufficient, providing their own internal social structures for education, governance, interpersonal relationships and spiritual beliefs. These cults are therefore as diverse as they are numerous. They are often derided as a people for their lack of unity. Each Nyak is adopted into one of the cults at an early age, with this process being a personal choice which is clearly influenced by the recruiting efforts of the cults themselves. One thing that does unite the Nyak is their spirituality, which often defines them more than some roles in their society. They posses a clear understanding of body and soul and some can even transcend their bodies physical limitations. The worship undertaken ty the Nyak is often centered around the world, with the worship of the weather and rituals of atmospheric scrying being commonplace. It is their belief that one day they will take the place of the Valorians, as the ones who will hold dominion over creation on Aperion. 

​Regardless of their beliefs it is the Valorians that hold dominion over Aperion now. There maybe many who know Aperion to be their home, and there may even be some who hope to live in peace. But these many races were not created in harmony. Their creation long ago was conducted for the purpose of war and war on Aperion was first the territory of the gods and their Valorian armies. In their discontent the Archons had breed each of their races for their selfish desire to reign supreme over their brethren. They bred the Valorians to banish the Kraven but the races that followed were each crafted in an attempt to surpass the First Born in some way. None would succeed. And therefore, the wars across Aperion left the peoples created by the Archons in a state of eternal bloodshed. There were some Valorians who began to see the corruption of their gods and began to understand that Mortal Sin had infested their divine hearts.

​Until one day with the strength of a lion and a wolf, it happened. The first Godfall, the death of an Archon.