"Dear, the world was created, and the gods overthrew the creators of that worlds. We have been having trouble ever since. Oh, you want to learn more. I must warn you, more than one being has told their stories. They chosen the parts that they liked best, and ignored others. They have cast others as heroes or villains. A diligent young man has organized these tales. I will be referring to his work. It will seem dull, at first. It is necessary, at least outside of our endless world. Creation calls it the Wyld. If you are to fulfill your vow within Creation, you must know the stories within Creation. Now, Nura, what do you want to hear about [[first]]?" [[Are you telling me the truth?]] [[Gods? There was more than one sort?]] "A warning, little dove. When you name something, you leave every other meaning out. This is why we are so careful about what we say and what names we give a thing. A thing without a name could mean anything. In [[Creation]], that is the same as meaning nothing. A name can mean more than one thing, but it will never be as vast as a thing without a name. I will call the beings in our tale by names the Creation-born understand. However, as careful as I may be, I will leave out other meanings. You must find that knowledge on your own." [[Gods? There was more than one sort?]]There were indeed. First came [[The First Ones]], and then [[the servant-gods]]. Before all that, came the [[shinma]]. The funny things is that they all came from the same [[substance]]. They are all part of [[the same place|Creation]] It is a dangerous place. I may call it a trap by [[The First Ones]], created from captive [[Essence]]. It is a world of set forms and strange [[peoples]]. It is a world where [[Fate]] holds all beings in its cycles. You may find other [[raksha]]. They may have their own tales to tell. Do not rely on them too much. Some of [[the servant-gods]] live there. They are not always helpful. It is also the land of [[Exalted]]. It is only one of [[many worlds|mantavara]]. As the Unshaped separated and named themselves, other beings wished to be apart and use the shinma in their acts. They took parts of the [[shinma]], and parts that have no name and no shape, and made themselves. Creation-born called them Primordials. All it means is "first ones". From these parts, they became [[one body with many souls]]. They created [[the servant-gods]] and set the [[Incarnae]] to supervise them in their tasks. I have told about the [[Incarnae]], the head servants of the servants of the First Ones. Do not be fooled by what the Creation-born called them. [[The First Ones]] considered them as little as a noble considered a hobgoblin. The servant-gods were tasked to caretaking Creation and the races within it. They were vast in number, and embodied every concept possible. They took tangents that were once the Providence of the [[shinma]], and became their messenger. Most did not embody the concepts, but served as its representative to [[Creation]]. In time, the servant-gods were more numerous than the First Ones. Yet, one shaped world and its four [[peoples]] took the attention of the servant-gods."Then some beings recognized themselves and aligned themselves with things with more than one meaning. The name given to these beings is shinma. In our tales, the first shinma was called Advaita Iraivan. Advaita Iraivan was the statement, "There is me and there are others, and I am not like others." Advaita Iraivan was also the paradox of "I am different, but made of the same energy as they are made." More shinma came after Advaita Iraivan. I will define them as statements and paradoxes. We call them [[Nirakara]], [[Nirguna]], [[Dharma]], [[Nirvkalpa]], [[Nirupadhika]], [[Nishkriya]], and [[Nirveshesha]]. Are you tired of me talking about the shimna? Let's talk about [[the ones who came after|The First Ones]]"So, we start with the substance behind all things. The [[Creation]]-born call it [[Essence]].In Creation's beginning, there were four races. The [[Jadeborn]], the [[Lintha]], the [[Dragon Kings]], and the [[mortals]]. They are under the rule of [[Fate]]. Stay long enough, my darling Nura, and you will be bound by the same tedious cause and effect.Nirakara is the statement "I have different shape from others", and the paradox of "If I encompass the shape of all things, then I have no shape of my own." All [[raksha]] who wish to enter Creation must enter through Gateway of Sundraprisha. It is part of Nirakara. It is both a place and a person. You will have an easier time than others. Another [[shinma]]? Nirguna is that statement "I exist, leaving signs of my living and being." Nirguna also holds the paradox, "If I leave nothing behind, does anyone know me? If no one knows me, do I not exist?" Another [[shinma]]? Dharma is the statement "I want the thing that I do not understand, and that may fade from my grasp." Dharma also holds the paradox "What is desired can be refused. What you do not understand can be examined. What fades away can leave you with wisdom." Another [[shinma]]? Nirvkalpa is "I can send messages to other beings to convey meaning." The paradox of Nirvkalpa is "Silence is also a message, and holds meaning. Others may find meanings that was not intended." Another [[shinma]]? Nirupadhika is "I occupy space, and share that space with things different from me." The paradox of Nirupadhika is "If I surrounded by nothing, then I am in no place, and no way out of that void." Another [[shinma]]? Nishkriya is "To know myself, I must test myself against the different forms that surrounded me." You may notice that attitude especially in the Opal Court. The paradox is "I may come across something with no defense, but it cannot be beaten." Another [[shinma]]Nirveshesha are the sum of the names we are called. I am Witareq, widow of Samas the Teacher, gifted with the Cup and the Staff, a Courtier and loremaster in the Opal Court. You are my oath child Nura, graced with the Staff. Yet the sum of all names has nothing but its name. What is its shape, and its motivations? All Nirveshesha has is 'identity'. Another [[shinma]]? Or perhaps [[The First Ones]]? The First Ones were similar to the Unshaped in one regard. While they had a personality, parts of the same body had their own personalities. If a mortal man saw his left hand argue with his right hand, he would question if he was dreaming. For a First One, it is just another night. The important ones of [[The First Ones]] are [[Oramus]], [[Cytherea]], [[Autochthon]], the [[Ebon Dragon]], [[She Who Lives in Her Name]], [[Kimbery]], [[Cecelyne]], [[Theion]], [[Adrian]], [[Gaia]], and [[some other First Ones]]. Do they have Ring Emanations and such? I doubt that I could answer it. If you ask a First One that, they may turn you into something worse than a crystal sculpture. Do you want me to talk about the [[shinma]] or the [[Incarnae]]?First are the sun and the moon. The [[peoples]] of [[Creation]] worship them as the [[Unconquered Sun]] and [[Luna]]. [[Nox]] is the Incarna of Night, who watches patterns of [[Fate]] for threats to the place. The last five, the [[Maidens]], I hear contradictory stories. Were they of the beings, or elsewhere? Were they from another time? The Jadeborn were unfortunate [[raksha]] that calcified when they arrived in Creation. [[Autochthon]] breathed a second life into them, and set them to work on artifacts famous throughout [[Creation]]. Children of [[Kimbery]] sailed her seas and protected her waters. They called themselves the Lintha. They were cruel to intruders and fiercely protective of their family. They had green skin, white hair, and an attitude haughtier than a Raksha Noble Dragon Kings were fighters, scholars, and travelers. They thrived in every climate, and worshipped the sun with the hearts of prey. The The mortals-your father is one. At least, mostly. They were not tireless like the [[Jadeborn]], and not fierce like the [[Dragon Kings]]. In their dreams, they imagined things no being or god considered. They desired things no god could give. They built and planned things that seemed of no use. They imagined the lives of their offspring. Their emotions moved faster than [[Adrian]]'s currents. Their standards upended the order of the One Living in Her Name. They lied with grace that shamed the [[Ebon Dragon]]. They found loopholes in the edicts of the [[Eternal Desert|Cecelyne]]. They loved their families as fiercely as [[Kimbery]] loved hers. Some beings were disgusted by the mortals. None of the beings gave them much thought. The prayers of mortals afraid of death were their food and drink. That was the end of the matter for them. They would regret their inattention in time. As [[The First Ones]] gathered themselves, they set themselves against those who remain unshaped. In an ungracious manner, they did not distinguish between those unshaped who helped to build, and those who ignored them. Collectively, they were called raksha. Any location where we stayed was [[Rakshastan]]. While the beings could create with a thought, one of them created by their physical form and the matter around him. While he was an extraordinary creator, he contacted a being that sapped his strength and energy. His fellow beings, being eternal, held him in contempt. Nevertheless, the one called Autochthon created new things from others. He became important in their new world, even when he left it.Kimbery took the vastness of space, and took the paradox of water that burns. She is one of [[The First Ones]] to have her own children on [[Creation]], called the [[Lintha]]. Oramus may have been the first of the First Ones. He started with the concept "These things are possible, and others are not", from Adavaita Iraivan . He pulled from [[Nirakara]] the dream of a black dragon with wings that span galaxies, and a mind that knew all the potential of shape and action. The Creation-born called him Oramus, the dragon behind worlds. His wings separated the inside and outside. He waited for others. [[More gods|one body with many souls]]?[[Oramus]] was not lonely for long. She took no definite form, none any could remember. However, she took from [[Nirveshesha]] the title "the one who begins the process". Creation-born called her Cytherea. They call her mother, because she nurtured the idea of a shaped world. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]? From the mass of [[Nirvkalpa]], he pulled lies and deception. From [[Nishkriya]], he pulled secret conflicts. From [[Nirveshesha]], he pulled identity from embodying the opposite of concepts. From [[Nirakara]], he took a shape of a dark Wyrm whose body slithers across existence. [[Creation]]-born savants call him the Ebon Dragon. He tutors in the ways of betrayal, yet may still betray himself. He created colors because he wanted a contrast. He created a thing called [[Fate]], the final cause and effect. No one knows what his Fate is. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]? Beings who made worlds was not enough. More were created. One took the shape of a clear flame, who spoke through bright spheres. She decided what would be considered the highest to the lowest of creations. She decided that if certain things happened, other actions follow. From her was the cycle of action and reaction, cause and effect. She Who Lives in Her Name, the [[Creation]]-born called her. She who was dangerous because of what she created, and her hope that things will be classified, categorized, and under her control. She decided that [[Essence]] would not be destroyed, but pass from one form to another. She separated the Essence of living beings into two parts. One was the hun, the higher soul, who distinguishes one living being from another. The second was the po, the lower soul, the desire for life that resists death, who is in all living beings. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]? Cecelyne became one version of space and location, a hot desert. Her domain was resolving conflict among [[The First Ones]]. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]?Some stories say he was the brother of [[Cecelyne]]. Those same stories say he displaced the first king before the beginning of [[Creation]]. I may guess that Mardukth, the Mountain, held no grudge against Theion. Theion thrived on conflict and challenge. He did not wanted to merely take over, he wanted to show that he was worthy of ruling over his peers. He commissioned the creation of caretakers for their new world. They called him servants; the Creation-born called them gods. By trial and error, by combat and changing his own green light, he created a golden sun and a silver moon. They were the first of the [[Incarnae]]. He mediated among [[The First Ones]] and [[the servant-gods]] and put the laws of Cecelyne into action. When it was over, he commissioned [[Autochthon]] to build the First Ones a place to rest from their labors. The caretakers, the sun and moon, Cecelyne, and Autochthon obeyed his edicts. That is not what you heard? Well, it is what I heard, and I am too exhausted to debate the past. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]? Another of [[The First Ones]] took the form of a great, moving stream of water. In him was the rush of sensations. All that moves the created beings in body and mind moved within him. They called him Adrian, the River of All Torments. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]?The others took from the all of [[shinma]], and became beings apart. Szoreny took seeing the self in others, and being part of a group. He Who Bleeds the Unknown Word became speech, a simple yet versatile communication method. He made it possible for his fellow creations to communicate what they wanted to create, and what they wanted to become. Then there is [[Black Bull]] and the [[Lidless Eye]]. Mardukth, the Mountain and the Goat upon It, he took shape that filled as much empty space. As much as [[Creation]] allowed at least. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]?Essence is the living stuff that make anything that lives in this [[mantavara]]. We work Essence as naturally as a baby cries. The gods and the demons use it for their assigned tasks. Working Essence in [[Creation]] is a route to power, or making those in power move. It is a great storehouse of energy, of concepts, and forms energy and thought take. In its natural state, it takes every form, some the Creation-born have never seen or even imagined. Even some [[raksha]] find it hard to use if they have no will to impose upon it. All of Essence could be any form, and any idea. It could be more than one thing. You had no guarantee it would stay the same later on. It changed with the [[shinma]], but that is later.For all the peoples in [[Creation]], and all their destinies and fates, [[Nox]] and the [[Maidens]] needed an object so they can observe them all. They built a square loom and bred spiders. The spiders were special: their silk was created from cause and effect, or fate. The spiders made webs of history and reputation, or destiny. They loved certain things like elegant handwriting and creative [[mortals]]. They kept watch over [[the servant-gods]], [[Jadeborn]], and [[Dragon Kings]], and the [[Lintha]] too. The spider, or the pattern spider, loved to weave within and around [[mortals]] best. The loom and the spiders were [[the Loom of Fate]]. Gaia is a place, a location, but with a personality and an identity. Her sisters and brothers formed her boundaries and possibilities. [[Kimbery]] was beside her, [[Cecelyne]] was below her, [[Adrian]] cut through her, [[Oramus]] defended, Mardukth expanded her borders, and Isidoros roamed her lands and twisted the sky. [[Cytherea]] gave sparks of ideas for Gaia. In turn, she created a shaped world that resisted unshaping. Her elemental dragons created tethers for their new world. These tethers reinforced the connection to the [[shinma]]. After much work, and many finishing touches, they named their work [[Creation]]. They created beings, and gave them rules, communication, and shape. Perhaps I will tell you who the beings were . . . you know them? Duckling, Creation holds more [[peoples]] than you could know. [[Other gods|one body with many souls]]? They categorized Rakshastan, our places, by how less like their world it was. The space where we were most comfortable, they called the Deep Wyld. The spaces where [[Creation]]-born may speak to us, they called the Bordermarches. Between the Deep Wyld and a Bordermarch, the Creation-born called a Middlemarch. I understand that they wanted a separate identity, but they are not precise about it. I am talking about precision. Perhaps I have been too long in Creation. Of course, some [[raksha]] were drawn to the shaped world beyond the Bordermarch. I was one of them. Remind me to explain later. Oh yes, it has to do with charms and feeding. However, I have more to tell. Thus, [[The First Ones]] fought against the Raksha, calling us aggressors. We thought against the First Ones and called them aggressors. Such as it was, such it will be until Creation shucks off its shape, Then, it becomes part of the unshaped will, as it was. As you may remember, [[Autochthon]] was tasked to build for the beings a place to rest. You do remember? Perhaps you inherited some of Samas' [[Creation]]-born side. The beings called the waypoint Yu-Shan. They filled with every comfort and every desire. They were still unsatisfied, as is the case of shaped beings. First, their new world needed too much attention. Second, even if in rest, they sought emotion, action, and excitement. How could they be satisfied? The [[pattern spiders|the Loom of Fate]] lead them to their first candidates. They saw the seeds of great stories. They saw fighters who trained when everyone slept. They saw priests among ruins, who gave hope as well as porridge. They saw people who built, by brick, or pen, or stone, or potion. They saw messengers and peacemakers. They saw physicians giving one more day of life. They saw teachers passing on knowledge. They saw soldiers who keep alert at their posts. They saw laughing storytellers. They saw crafters whose focus made them artists. They saw the pattern spiders followed the less praiseworthy. The trickster who hid concern under cynicism, and misdirected those who hurt. The hermit, with plans that should not work and materials that do not go together. They saw the charmer who slips away before the bill comes due. The ascetic who browbeats the servant-gods into raining on parched earth. They saw thieves and blackmailers, using secret sins to get into secure palaces. They saw lonely people using their dreams as a map, poking at the weak points. They saw hunters who know how close their death is. They saw weary thugs who are still good at punching people. They saw haughty duelists seeking a challenge. They saw tale bearers and ambitious gossipers. They saw people obsessed with small matters and plotting old feuds. [[Who did the servant-gods choose?]] The golden sun, the giver of victory, and the man with four arms. He will take up a lot of attention soon. Other [[Incarnae]]?Luna was the silver moon, the companion of the Unconquered Sun. If I had to pick one of [[the servant-gods]], I think she is one of my favorite. She is certainly the one with the most contact with the [[raksha]]. She will be part of the story too. Other [[Incarnae]]?Nox was the night sky and the one who handled chance and uncertainty. I had heard stories that he visited some of the Unshaped. You can never know for certain. Other [[Incarnae]]? For the average person in Creation, where they come from is irrelevant. Mercury controls journeys. Venus controls art, love, and beauty. Mars controls wars and glory. Jupiter controls secrets and knowledge. Saturn controls the ending of things and people, and makes sure that they do not end before their time. They were also the time keepers of the [[Creation]]-born. The unshaped had no past, present, or future, since all events happened all at once. The Creation-born only had so much energy, and such a brief existence. They sorted and categorized events. First, they do one thing, and then the next, until they run out of time. "Time" is a lousy tale, but it is one the Creation-born takes seriously. They are supervisors of the [[the Loom of Fate]]. Other [[Incarnae]]? Elior, your uncle, used to joke that the Games of Divinity were a series of farms run by the first ones. In truth, none of the [[Creation]]-born understood it. [[Autochthon]] made it a game complex enough for [[The First Ones]]. He made it pleasing in shape, he may have created ways to win and ways to lose. It gave them all the action and emotion, but without the responsibility. Nayareti, the god of war games, told me how a game was different from any other amusement. He could not, however, see the Games himself. He was not important enough for an invitation. Perhaps it is for the best. Azaka, the god of healing mental damage, has seen too many humans "rewarded" with the Games. Azaka and Nayareti were gods created after [[the servant-gods]], though. It may be ignorance or envy. I am getting ahead of myself. No, the First Ones did not allow the servant-gods to play these Games. The servant-gods were not allowed into [[Yu-Shan]]. The gods had their servant's quarters on Creation itself. Yes, Nura, it was the Blessed Isle. The Terrestrials were not idly boasting about this one. None of the unshaped or the curious [[raksha]] cared to play the Games. When you have raw [[Essence]], you can play anything you want. We had no needs for shaped games. The [[Maidens]] and [[Nox]] supervised the weaving. The Maidens checked for snarls and disasters. They wanted destinies that connected to others without mistakes. Nox made sure the spiders did not weave too tightly. He wanted to allow the [[Creation]]-born to make their own way. The pattern spiders took the prodding of Nox and the Maidens in stride. When the [[Incarnae]] interfered with an especially interesting mortal, the pattern spiders stopped weaving. Only humble prayers written in delicate calligraphy could mollify the pattern spiders. This made Nox and the Maidens pause before interrupting a pattern spider's route. All of their observed knowledge was unheeded by [[The First Ones]]. The First Ones' actions would break whole patterns, tangle many threads, and anger many spiders. Nox was close to the [[Lidless Eye]] that Sees and the [[Black Bull]] of the Skies. Still, he knew that the Maidens were weary of cleaning up destroyed destinies. I imagine all those prayers wearied even the [[the servant-gods]]. Isidoros formed as a black boar that breaks all things, and yet clears the way for others. He is known as the Black Boar who Twists the Skies. More of [[the First Ones|one body with many souls]]?The Lidless Eye that Sees watched for anything that threatened their existence. It is said that he saw all visions of the mantavara, not just what we experience. I wonder if he would have liked being around us. Maybe not. More of [[the First Ones|one body with many souls]]? While they built [[Creation]] to hold its shape, [[The First Ones]] took the durability of Creation for granted. They damaged large areas of Creation, ending mortal lives caught in their path. It is a small thing to change shape. Indeed, the hun passes from mortal to mortal, ready to learn and live. Even with that knowledge, a mortal feels the fear of death and ache of losing a companion. Their po cries and rages for the death that has coming and that will come. This was the first mistake of the First Ones. They underestimated the mortal's desire for life. They may know that they are not immortal, but wished for more days. The [[mortals]] may know that their shape changes in Creation, but they protected their location and their identity. The mortal sought to soothe their grief and fear by creating shaped objects, and by creating and caring for other mortals. The First Ones considered these activities beneath their notice. Some First Ones, however, could not stand changes in their perfect Creation. They took great relish in destroying art, devices, musical instruments, gardens and houses. The First Ones smashed books and scrolls into shredded papyrus and smeared ink. Yet, it only made the mortals create slower. They planned projects with glances between each other. They mixed clay so that they may rebuild from the ruins. The mortals could not go into open conflict with the First Ones. They prayed to [[the servant-gods]] for protection. Venus and Jupiter "neglected" to tell about the actions of creative and defiant mortals, so long as [[the Loom of Fate]] was kept neat. They sought the [[Dragon Kings]] for advice. They watched the [[Jadeborn]] at work. [[Autochthon]] built their pleasure palace in [[Yu-Shan]], and created their [[Games of Divinity]], but was never allowed inside. He spent his time with the stubborn, creative mortals. He recognized the second mistake of his fellow First Ones. They did not know, or understand, that they long to create and be recognized as much as their servant-gods. They were made of the same desires of the First Ones. They refused to give up these desires. For this, we see the [[Rage of Gods]] The servant-gods turned their attentions to their lingering anger. The servant-gods heard the mortals' prayers, and mourned their powerlessness to protect their charges. They longed for the leisure and the whispered pleasures of the [[Games of Divinity]]. Most felt the intermingling of compassion and ignorant desire. This story has no pure villains or heroes. Only living, shaped beings. [[The First Ones]], however, considered the possibility of betrayal. [[Ebon Dragon]] brought up the possibility, for he knows the nature of treachery. So, [[the servant-gods]] found that their arms and powers were useless against the First Ones. They found that they were commanded to love and obey the First Ones, even as they seethed and wished to defy. The [[Lintha]] were loyal to [[Kimbery]]. The [[Jadeborn]] and the [[Dragon Kings]] were not powerful enough to fight the First Ones. So, the gods decided to use the weak and foolish mortals of Creation. The servant-gods did not want a mere army. They wanted a living panoply. This panoply would be called the [[Exalted]]. The servant-gods had no counsel. I do not know what they argued. Perhaps, they felt it was a matter of numbers. They may have more considerations besides character. They may have worried more about health and vigor. Maybe they guessed that only a small number of [[mortals]] will agree to fight. Maybe they knew whatever powers they gave, the mortal must be willing to pay the price. The servant-gods knew that they were plotting against old and powerful beings. The more mortals they asked, the more mortals they would recruit. They chose all of these mortals. The servant-gods enlisted the help of [[Autochthon]], the scorned First One. Through processes lost to all, they "pulled off one piece of each human’s soul, changed it intrinsically in some unfathomable way and put it back in place." The [[Incarnae]] had first pick of who they wanted as their champions. Those chosen by the [[Unconquered Sun]] were strategists. Those chosen by [[Luna]] were survivors. The [[Maidens]] chose their champions by plucking destined events, and recruiting those who would have been involved. You ask what of [[Nox]]? He chose those who would have ushered in this destined events, unaware. Or rather, that is what I heard. It is a good story, yes? Oh, and the chosen had their own servants. [[Gaia]] recruited her [[elemental dragons]], and Autochthon changed the souls with a bit of the dragons. Gaia and her dragons had no particular type in mind. They passed it on to strong, fertile, and healthy people. For all the [[Exalted]], [[the servant-gods]] gave gifts of knowing the flow of [[Essence]] within [[Creation]]. These empowered mortals learned how to use these gifts to make sweeping, miraculous changes. Sadly, Creation did not change much from their powers. Our courts thought that the fun was over, and we went home. The [[raksha]] realized our mistake sooner than the First Ones did. We had the front seat to [[war]]. You know them, fire, water, earth, air, and heart, oops, I meant wood. Their children rule [[Creation]] and have no manners. Wyld Hunt, my foot. They stole that name from us, you know. All to make war on us. Yes, [[war]], one of the few things these elemental [[Exalted]] [[mortals]] are good at doing. I had heard it said that war started when a group of the chosen of [[Nox]] fell in battle. No one is sure of battle with whom. Some whispered the [[Maidens]] punished them for Nox's double dealing. Then the [[Exalted]] slaughtered a soul, or rather a living being that was part of a First One of the First One sent to investigate. With that, [[The First Ones]] left their [[Games of Divinity]] to finally put an end to the foolishness. Then the chosen mortals fought against the First Ones. The First Ones had charged, unafraid. Then the empowered mortals killed a First One. Many [[mortals]] died in the attempt, true, but they killed those of immortal shape. The servants had done the impossible. In the Wyld, nothing was impossible. In [[Creation]], the empowered mortals had wrung out new possibilities. The First Ones refused to believe this possibility of dying, but more First Ones fell dead. Afraid of death, despairing of holding on to their world, the surviving First Ones surrendered to the empowered mortals, and their patrons. Negotiations must have gone awry. A First One destroyed part of herself, and thus a large part of the mantavara. Oh, yes, it was [[She Who Lives in Her Name]]. I told you that she was dangerous. No matter, what she destroyed, the Wyld accepted into itself. She could do nothing, living in a name or no. The servant-gods had become the masters. The chosen of the gods were now victorious. They had a wonderful time, but had to [[clean up]]. Much of [[Creation]] was broken, and our people, the [[raksha]] took advantage of those unwatched ruins. They survived by luring and unmaking curious [[mortals]]. Some gods still loyal to [[The First Ones]] fought the new rulers. The new ruler-gods wanted all traces of the First Ones removed. They wanted the barriers of Creation reinforced. The creations and servants of the First Ones objected to the first task. Our people, needless to say, objected to the second. We thought things were just getting good and did not want to leave. First, the [[elemental dragons]] showed them secrets that the First Ones guarded. They taught how to repair the boundaries. Thus, when [[raksha]] pass through [[Nirakara]], we take on the features of their people and the environment. The people of the Opal Court are generous, have skin like bronze, and like woods and growing things. I came from the Pole of Air and is as pale as any Northerner. While this was going on, the mortals were free to create again. With the blessing of the [[Unconquered Sun]] and the protection of the [[Exalted]], mortals made works of art, from small to huge. The chosen did as well, but they could not be everywhere at once. The mortals repaired buildings, built bridges, planned temples, and patched the [[war]]-scarred land. It was a great success, but it became too much. The mortals created so much, that they made too many things. No one could read all the books, see all the paintings, wear all the clothing, eat all the food, and so on. We tried to take some of the more prolific mortals off to our lands. However, the Chosen were dead set against it. They did not like much of what we did, though. No matter, and no hard feelings. At least on my end. I understand not all stories can be happy for all. [[What of the dead gods?]] [[What of the imprisoned gods?]] [[Did the First Ones forgive the Exalted and the master-gods?]] A great tomb was built for the dead First Ones. Around the tomb, gathered the huns of dead [[mortals]]. Some lived a nonlife of faint shapes, dull memories, and pale regrets. This place they called the Underworld. Others followed [[The First Ones]], and gave them worship. I am not sure which outcome is the less desirable. I had a wandering spirit rant about bringing all of [[Creation]] into that tomb. He spoke of things like "Oblivion" and "the Void". I smashed an urn and ran. I vowed to [[Nirguna]] that I would not go into the shadow land, nor compel others to go. What is one? You will know a shadow land by the nausea and weakness with each step. The faint ghosts are also a sign. If you can fulfill your oath without entering a shadow land, do it. [[What of the imprisoned gods?]] [[Did the First Ones forgive the Exalted and the master-gods?]] Now, the surrendered First Ones, they were different from before the war. They lived in the body of a First One now called Malfeas. Not only were [[The First Ones]] stuffed into the body of Malfeas, but their many souls were stuck with them. An demonologist that I once met told me what Malfeas looked like. The sun was green, the moon was red, a brass man danced in the streets, and everyone plotted and complained. It sounded marginally more interesting than the Underworld. If you seen one shaped world, you do not want to see any more. [[What of the dead gods?]] [[Did the First Ones forgive the Exalted and the master-gods?]] I shall direct you to the young man who provided this information. I forgot his name. He was a chosen of the [[Maidens]]. However, he said that he was a bookseller in Nexus. I did not think anyone read in Nexus. [[OOC: works referenced]] [[One more thing]]Now, did [[The First Ones]] understand that not all stories can be happy for all? No, not a bit. Some tales have the defeated opponent humbled, seeking peace rather than revenge. That is not the tale of the First Ones, dead or alive. So, what is done in other stories? Plots of escape, for one. However, cursing the victor is a popular twist in tales. I do not mean to tease you. I am not strong enough to tell such a long story. If the diligent young man gave me the correct time table, you will meet with people able to tell you more about curses. You may find scars from the curse's effects in your journey. I do not know; I only know lore and patterns. Those sore losers did not make things happy for the rest of [[mantavara]]. [[What of the dead gods?]] [[What of the imprisoned gods?]] Witareq, I mean, mother, [[where did you get this information?]] (All of my information came from various Exalted Second Edition sourcebooks, and one fan-made sourcebook. In some order: The Manual of Exalted Power: Abyssal, The Manual of Exalted Power: Infernals, and The Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereal; Exalted Second Edition Core book; Graceful and Wicked Masques; Compass of Celestial Direction: [[Yu-Shan]], Compass of Celestial Direction: Malfeas, and Compass of Celestial Direction: Underworld; Roll of Glorious Divinity: Gods and Elementals, and Roll of Glorious Divinity: Demons and Ghosts. For backup, I used the entry for Exalted on the 1d4chan wiki. Finally, I used the Manual of Exalted Power for the fan-made Nocturnals.) [[One more thing]] When I marched with Balor, I believed in our victory. In my heart, I hoped that I would purge myself of the longing. I hoped to erase the Creation-born from my story. I will prove you wrong, Elior the long-lost inventor, I said to myself. Yet, even with the humiliating defeat, and the wounds from the thrice-damned device of the Bloody Empress, I still think of Creation. I did not think that I would feel pain, or what is called dying. If Prince Jaiptha believes that I have gone native, my dissolving shape is my penance. I have made an impossible oath with a Creation-born, albeit of raksha ancestry. I have made peace with a Zenith Caste, a living weapon of an old war. He died to uphold our oath. He did more than a Creation-born, and enough for a Raksha. You are the impossible oath child, Nura, the Heart of Blooming Roses. You will leave behind many tales, in Rakshastan and Creation. [[Credits]]All material is the property of White Wolf/Onyx Path. No money is made of this work of fiction. This Twine nested story was written by taratemima. Thank you for playing. Before I let you go, I must tell you what your uncle Elior once speculated. He said that the Raksha who survives [[Nirakara]] may grow addicted to Creation. He noted that the [[Creation]]-born who survived the Wyld grew addicted to its effects. The beings, from the [[shinma]] to the gods, played with symmetry. They were fascinated with tit-for-tat, as below so above. A [[raksha]] may become intoxicated as a Creation-born is enthralled. I had no ready answer at the time. [[Farewell]]Oh, I had known one of the chosen of [[Nox]]. He told me more than one shaped world existed. Somehow, he told me of ways to travel between the different shaped worlds. I was amused when he told me that [[raksha]] were in all worlds. You notice in your pocket? It is a pocket universe, a small version of the mantavara. Keep it with you if you need a quick escape. However, I cannot guarantee that you will make it back to [[Creation]].