OOC NOTE: This is a very very -VERY- rough draft concerning Elven Creation Mythology (Red Forest elves) and its link to the ruin of the Old Myst Civilization. It is by no means a definitive doctrine explaining the true history behind the fall of Old Myst or even the actual appearance of elves upon the Isles. In other words, its simply a myth and should be treated as such. Some pcs might believe that this myth is in fact the true history of the elves while others do not and that's how it should be! I have decided to post it in this early stage because I do feel that it will be beneficial to those of you involved/interested in the Ryder kidnapping S/L. Primarily, I don't want you all going.. "HUH? Why'd so and so do that??" I hope this will shed some light on some of the stunts my pcs will try to pull later on in the s/l! But again, just because I may play something linked to this myth doesn't necessarily mean the events actually took place that way! I try and make all of my pcs fallible in one way or another. Anyway, if you have any questions just toss them my way or email me! I'll be happy to discuss them.
----------------- Elven Mythology ----------------------- Like most elves, those that inhabit the Red Forest have a deep association to nature and because of this, many myths and legends have been spawned about their origin, history, and link to the Old Myst civilization. The most popular of such myths is that of the goddess, Lirvanima, and her consort, Dukaimelar, who created the Isles to live upon after they stumbled upon the tiny world by chance during their journey through cosmos. Millennia slowly passed after the initial raising of the land from the depths of the Sea of Valiant while the goddess and her consort shaped the newly formed Isles in the divine image of Zhan � the eternal plane to which their immortal souls were bound. To the north, Lirvanima planted seven saplings of the majestic red oak whose seedlings spread out across the northlands, forming a mortal replica of the vast forest found within Zhan. Yet in the east, Dukaimelar sculpted the towering key peaks mountains to commemorate his greatness and participation in the creation of the Isles. In the southern lands, the goddess allowed lush fields of wheat and barely to grow wild in order feed the exotic animals that she had brought to life. But as all things, the shaping of the Isles slowly came to an end, leaving Lirvanima restless as she often wondered through her creation in mortal form. Then one day as she journeyed through the thick forest of the north, an idea sprung into her immortal mind that would once again give her purpose to roam the Isles. Without taking a second thought or consulting Dukaimelar, she sped through the forest in search of the seven great reds who had sired the vast woodlands which stretched from the tip of the northlands to south-eastern shores. In the heart of the forest, Lirvanima found those enormous oaks, and deftly plucked each one from the ground � roots and all. Like a master sculptor, she whittled each of the red oaks into her and Dukaimelar�s image, and blew life into each before naming them, Asidria � the people of the wood. It was from these original Asidria that the elven nation rose and with it the seven great clans. For tens of thousands of years, the seven great clans ruled over the Asidria under the direct tutelage of the goddess and her teachings of nature. Temples and shrines dedicated in her honor littered the far reaches of the Isles, and the Asidria basked their beloved goddess in praise and honor while neglecting her consort who secretly lusted for the power instilled within her to create life and the dotage that she received. Slowly the dark seedlings of envy, bitterness, and resentment poisoned the Dukaimelar�s soul until it grew black and festered with corruption. Enraged at adulation bestowed upon her and the power that she possessed, Dukaimelar silently plotted the demise of his lover and her ill-begotten children. With a soul now as black as the darkest hour of the night, Dukaimelar used the shadows of the mind to plant his secret machinations. In the form of dreams, the corrupted god whispered promises of unimagined power to the heads of the seven clans and granted each the power to harness a dark, unnatural art in return for swearing to an oath of fealty. With this new power bestowed upon them by the goddess� consort, a sense of arrogance filled their hearts and little by little, the clans began to cast aside the goddess and her teachings as the dark gifts slowly began their corruption. Great buildings of marble and stone were constructed outside of the forests as more of the elven people left their wooded homeland, spurning all that the goddess had created for them. Yet not all would fall to the sweet promises of power that slipped Dukaimelar�s words, and it was here that the seventh clan, that of Oak, stood against the changes that were falling over the other clans. The patriarch of the Oak warned those of the other families that the new magic they harbored was foul and corrupt and it would inevitably lead to their demise. Tragically, not a single clan listened to those fateful warnings. Arrogance and a craving for power proved to be a disease among the six elder clans and those lower families that followed them for they pushed aside the warnings of their brethren and continued to dabble in the new, dark magic that Dukaimelar bestowed upon them. So haughty and proud, the civilized elves snubbed their tree dwelling siblings, and would prove once and for all that their magic was superior to that of the goddess. And so it was, on the eve of in the marbled tower of Kaimalen that the elders of the six great clans came together to prove their superiority by ensnaring the goddess in a magical web of their creation. The spell was incredibly powerful as the magic of the six flowed like a chaotic tidal wave, seeking to draw Lirvanima from her heavenly realm of Zhan and bring her before them yet not as a goddess, but as a subject. So potent and raw was the magic of the spell that it indeed had accomplished the intent of its creators by binding the goddess as she was caught unaware. Like a shark caught in a fishing net, Lirvanima thrashed out violently with her magic in an attempt to escape the magical trap that had been cast upon her by those treacherous followers who had fallen under the guidance of her dark-hearted consort. The clash of the powerful magic was more than the elders could handle and a violent explosion ripped through the tower like a sonic boom; the force so powerful that tower and those buildings closest were shattered instantly. Yet with the explosion, a swirling and blinding myst poured from the shattered remains of the tower and swept out across the city of the elves. For those that followed the six great clans and survived the initial blast, disease and plague would ravage their numbers until none remained as the myst engulfed the Isles. Although the seventh clan and those families that remained loyal to the goddess had been spared from the vast destruction of the myst they soon found that they had not gone unpunished for their brethren�s actions. The most devastating punishment was that Lirvanima�s presence was felt no more. Although the magic of nature remained upon the Isles, they no longer had the ability to tap in and harness it, as they had once been able to with Lirvanima watching over them. Most of her teachings and ways had been lost with the explosion in the tower, and they would soon find with the passing of time that the gift of immortality that she had bestowed upon them had left as well. Many legends are told about the goddess and what happened to her when the explosion destroyed the marbled city of the six great clans. Some whisper that she had unleashed her wraith upon all of the Asidria and banished Dukaimelar to fate unbeknownst to mortal minds. Those that had forsaken her were either killed by the explosion within the tower or by the plague set on by the mysts that she unleashed upon the land. As for those that remained true and loyal, but did not warn her of their brethren�s trap, she simply took away all that she had given to them. They were now her forsaken children who were cursed to live life on their own. A second, and probably the more favored ending to the tale in elven society, is that when the magic of the goddess and her consort clashed, causing the explosion that destroyed the tower, Lirvanima and Dukaimelar both fell victim to the rippling tides of the powerful, chaotic magic. The legend goes on to say that the explosion in the tower was the result of Lirvanima being ripped apart from her own violent thrashing and the pulling of the elders� spell. From this, they go on to say that the myst itself was the true essence of the goddess after she was ripped apart in the magical tug-of-war. As for Dukaimelar�s fate, it is often said that he naturally befell a similar fate for he was the lesser of the two in power and could not hold the spell, which bound Lirvanima without being ripped apart himself. ----------------- Concepts ------------------------ Lirvanima - Elven goddess of Nature and Love. She is currently still worshipped by the Oak and Cherry clans, although most of elven society has written her off as merely a legend. Dukaimelar - Literally interpreted in Mystonian Elven as "Dreamer of Darkness" Tower of Kaimalen - Named after Dukaimelar, means "Tower of Dreams" Clans - These are the 7 major houses that make up the elven aristocracy and royal family. It is said that only the Oak clan remains from the original 7 and that is why they are ruling bloodline. P.S. If there is any concept not understood, just ask me and i'll be happy to try answer! -- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives & Other DMI Lists: http://islesofmyst.com/lists.php3
