The Creation of a world and other business [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Creation of a world and other business [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Zousha_Omenohu
09-17-07, 01:06 PM I've been trying to create a campaign for some friends of mine, and I've kind of got something of a creation story in head. I was wondering if I could get some feedback as to how I could potentially build a campaign with it.

Here's the story:

In the beginning, there were only gods and demons (the term demons used very loosely, as it's referring to fiends in general), floating through an endless void and waging a neverending war, for reasons even they had forgotten. The gods eventually grew tired of the ceaseless fighting, and used their powers to create an idyllic world free of the vile influence of the demons. They named this world Amaranth (this name may be subject to change, as I'm never good at naming things and the only reason I chose this one is because I'm currently listening to the Nightwish song of the same name). So ended the Time of Chaos and so the first eon of Amaranth began.

The demons however, had not remained idle when the gods dissapeared, and began to search for their old foes until eventually, they found Amaranth, and coveted the innocent, new world for their own. They punched a hole in the beautiful creation and tainted the land with their corruption. The gods were horrified to see their home despoiled, and like they had in the past, they took up arms against the demonic invaders. The war that followed was even fiercer than the one that they had waged in the vast emptiness of the Astral Plane. Eventually, the demons were driven back through the hole in creation from whence they came. The cost was very high for the gods, as the war had torn Amaranth and had turned it from the beautiful green world it had once been to a parched and cracked land where little could survive. The toll was high for the gods in another way as well, for the war had claimed the lives of most of them. Only two gods survived the onslaught. So ended the first eon of Amaranth, and so the second eon began.

These surviving gods decided to make the most of their new situation by changing and adapting to the new Amaranth. One of them took on a new form, becoming the first dragon or the Great Dragon, as she named herself. The other prefered his current form, that of a gigantic humanoid male, but the sun and wind hardened his boyish looks, and made him as harsh and unforgiving as the land itself. He dubbed himself the Lord of the Titans. They created races in their image, the Lord of the Titans creating the many castes of giants that he declared would rule the land, while the Great Dragon created the different colors of dragons that would rule the sky. These races coexisted somewhat peacefully, the dragons preffering to keep to their lairs and the air, while the giants built an empire that spanned the length and breadth of Amaranth, whose massive ruins can still be seen today. The giants knew Amaranth couldn't provide for them, as it had for the gods before them, so they made it provide for them, mining and cultivating, until the world had some semblance of an ecology again. They also developed the use of arcane magic, using it to add comfort and efficiency to their lives. The giants' many achievements made them arrogant, and they declared that the world should belong to them completely. So they began to attack the dragons, killing them and looting their lairs. The dragons were not prepared for this onslaught, and cried to their goddess for help. In a rage she descended from the sky, and killed the Lord of the Titans. The giants began to turn on one another, each caste fighting the other castes and fighting with itself as well. In the end, the giants were reduced to a shadow of their great civilization, and they have never again risen to the glorious heights they once achieved. The Great Dragon was ashamed for killing her only remaining brother and commanded her children to go into hibernation while she left Amaranth to seek atonement. The dragons retreated into their hidden lairs, sinking into dormancy. So ended the second eon of Amaranth, and so began the third eon.

The beginning of the third eon was very quiet. Without the control of the giants, their crops and plants began to grow wild, replenishing the world. In time, animals somehow came into existence, hunting or frolicking as they chose in the ruins of the giants' great cities. One day, a mysterious being appeared from the sea that the people of Amaranth only call The Light. No one knows who The Light was or from where The Light came, but The Light looked about Amaranth, and decided to stay. The Light decided to make this world great, and soon created seven children to do so, six sons and one daughter. The first son was strong, the second was fast, the third was tough, the fourth was smart, the fifth was dedicated and the sixth was charismatic. The Light's daughter was all of these things, but she was not as powerful in any individual talent as her brothers were. When the children were all of age, The Light called to them and commanded them to travel to a high mountain peak. There, they would recieve a vision that would tell them of their fate in this world. The strong son saw a mighty bull, and followed it to the plains. His children would become the half-orcs, strong in body and spirit. The fast son saw a graceful wildcat who guided him to a boundless desert. His children would become the halflings, quick and agile. The tough son saw a great bear, who guided him to the mountains and the caves in them. His children would become the dwarves, who never give up and never give in. The smart son saw a cunning fox who guided him to the jungles of the south, and the ruined capital city of the giants. His children would become the elves, the masters of arcane magic. The dedicated son saw a wise owl, who guided him to a peaceful forest. His children became the gnomes, whose faith in the gods and in nature is unshakeable. The charismatic son saw a majestic eagle, who lead him to the coasts and nearby islands. His children would become the half-elves, the negotiators and diplomats of the world. The Light's daughter was the only one left, and when she looked down from the mountain, she could see that the world had been partitioned equally among her brothers, leaving none for her. She begged The Light for the reason why and The Light encouraged her to stay and be patient, for all would be revealed soon. The daughter waited for three days and three nights, never leaving her place, when her patience was rewarded. A massive dragon came down from the sky and instructed her to climb onto its back. The girl obeyed, and the dragon took to the air. She then realized that the dragon was flying over all her brothers' lands, one by one, and realized the significance of her vision. Her children would become the humans, who would rule over all the rest. Comforted by this knowledge, she and her brothers populated the world, making Amaranth into the diverse place it is today. So began the third eon of Amaranth, and so it continues...

Any questions, criticisms, advice, flames etc. are welcome (though flames will be ignored). Sorry about the massive length, but I'm not sure how to do those little spoiler box thingies. Thank you.:)
Danahan
09-17-07, 03:03 PM Perhaps, the Great Dragon returns from her atonement, and sees what the Light has done with her world. She may decide to unwrought everything that his children have created. The dragons awaken from hibernation to cleanse the world of the creations of a “false god.” Of coarse, this would mean that the dragons have become guilty of the very thing they were victimized by when the giants were in control.
Zousha_Omenohu
09-17-07, 05:15 PM That sounds like an interesting idea, and it would give the PCs an excuse to fight dragons. I've been giving it some more consideration as well and have thought that the children of the Light should probably be the "new gods" as it were, the patrons of their respective races. Just a thought.
Danahan
09-17-07, 11:01 PM That sounds like an interesting idea, and it would give the PCs an excuse to fight dragons. I've been giving it some more consideration as well and have thought that the children of the Light should probably be the "new gods" as it were, the patrons of their respective races. Just a thought.

Oh definitely, but the Great Dragon would probably see them as “false gods” and possibly wage war against them. What about this? In her anger, the Great Dragon has been driven to evil and has transformed into none other than Tiamat. Essentially, you could have a war between Tiamat and the children of the Light. And then of coarse, you could bring back the demons as a third power player. Yucky!
Zousha_Omenohu
09-19-07, 03:00 PM Nice ideas, but I'm thinking the Great Dragon may be more of a morally ambiguous entity. She created the metallic dragons of Amaranth too!
Danahan
09-19-07, 03:12 PM Nice ideas, but I'm thinking the Great Dragon may be more of a morally ambiguous entity. She created the metallic dragons of Amaranth too!

Perhaps the Great Dragon could be androgynous as well. It goes back and forth between portraying Tiamat (evil), or Bahumat (good).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zousha_Omenohu 09-17-07, 01:06 PM	I've been trying to create a campaign for some friends of mine, and I've kind of got something of a creation story in head. I was wondering if I could get some feedback as to how I could potentially build a campaign with it. Here's the story: In the beginning, there were only gods and demons (the term demons used very loosely, as it's referring to fiends in general), floating through an endless void and waging a neverending war, for reasons even they had forgotten. The gods eventually grew tired of the ceaseless fighting, and used their powers to create an idyllic world free of the vile influence of the demons. They named this world Amaranth (this name may be subject to change, as I'm never good at naming things and the only reason I chose this one is because I'm currently listening to the Nightwish song of the same name). So ended the Time of Chaos and so the first eon of Amaranth began. The demons however, had not remained idle when the gods dissapeared, and began to search for their old foes until eventually, they found Amaranth, and coveted the innocent, new world for their own. They punched a hole in the beautiful creation and tainted the land with their corruption. The gods were horrified to see their home despoiled, and like they had in the past, they took up arms against the demonic invaders. The war that followed was even fiercer than the one that they had waged in the vast emptiness of the Astral Plane. Eventually, the demons were driven back through the hole in creation from whence they came. The cost was very high for the gods, as the war had torn Amaranth and had turned it from the beautiful green world it had once been to a parched and cracked land where little could survive. The toll was high for the gods in another way as well, for the war had claimed the lives of most of them. Only two gods survived the onslaught. So ended the first eon of Amaranth, and so the second eon began. These surviving gods decided to make the most of their new situation by changing and adapting to the new Amaranth. One of them took on a new form, becoming the first dragon or the Great Dragon, as she named herself. The other prefered his current form, that of a gigantic humanoid male, but the sun and wind hardened his boyish looks, and made him as harsh and unforgiving as the land itself. He dubbed himself the Lord of the Titans. They created races in their image, the Lord of the Titans creating the many castes of giants that he declared would rule the land, while the Great Dragon created the different colors of dragons that would rule the sky. These races coexisted somewhat peacefully, the dragons preffering to keep to their lairs and the air, while the giants built an empire that spanned the length and breadth of Amaranth, whose massive ruins can still be seen today. The giants knew Amaranth couldn't provide for them, as it had for the gods before them, so they made it provide for them, mining and cultivating, until the world had some semblance of an ecology again. They also developed the use of arcane magic, using it to add comfort and efficiency to their lives. The giants' many achievements made them arrogant, and they declared that the world should belong to them completely. So they began to attack the dragons, killing them and looting their lairs. The dragons were not prepared for this onslaught, and cried to their goddess for help. In a rage she descended from the sky, and killed the Lord of the Titans. The giants began to turn on one another, each caste fighting the other castes and fighting with itself as well. In the end, the giants were reduced to a shadow of their great civilization, and they have never again risen to the glorious heights they once achieved. The Great Dragon was ashamed for killing her only remaining brother and commanded her children to go into hibernation while she left Amaranth to seek atonement. The dragons retreated into their hidden lairs, sinking into dormancy. So ended the second eon of Amaranth, and so began the third eon. The beginning of the third eon was very quiet. Without the control of the giants, their crops and plants began to grow wild, replenishing the world. In time, animals somehow came into existence, hunting or frolicking as they chose in the ruins of the giants' great cities. One day, a mysterious being appeared from the sea that the people of Amaranth only call The Light. No one knows who The Light was or from where The Light came, but The Light looked about Amaranth, and decided to stay. The Light decided to make this world great, and soon created seven children to do so, six sons and one daughter. The first son was strong, the second was fast, the third was tough, the fourth was smart, the fifth was dedicated and the sixth was charismatic. The Light's daughter was all of these things, but she was not as powerful in any individual talent as her brothers were. When the children were all of age, The Light called to them and commanded them to travel to a high mountain peak. There, they would recieve a vision that would tell them of their fate in this world. The strong son saw a mighty bull, and followed it to the plains. His children would become the half-orcs, strong in body and spirit. The fast son saw a graceful wildcat who guided him to a boundless desert. His children would become the halflings, quick and agile. The tough son saw a great bear, who guided him to the mountains and the caves in them. His children would become the dwarves, who never give up and never give in. The smart son saw a cunning fox who guided him to the jungles of the south, and the ruined capital city of the giants. His children would become the elves, the masters of arcane magic. The dedicated son saw a wise owl, who guided him to a peaceful forest. His children became the gnomes, whose faith in the gods and in nature is unshakeable. The charismatic son saw a majestic eagle, who lead him to the coasts and nearby islands. His children would become the half-elves, the negotiators and diplomats of the world. The Light's daughter was the only one left, and when she looked down from the mountain, she could see that the world had been partitioned equally among her brothers, leaving none for her. She begged The Light for the reason why and The Light encouraged her to stay and be patient, for all would be revealed soon. The daughter waited for three days and three nights, never leaving her place, when her patience was rewarded. A massive dragon came down from the sky and instructed her to climb onto its back. The girl obeyed, and the dragon took to the air. She then realized that the dragon was flying over all her brothers' lands, one by one, and realized the significance of her vision. Her children would become the humans, who would rule over all the rest. Comforted by this knowledge, she and her brothers populated the world, making Amaranth into the diverse place it is today. So began the third eon of Amaranth, and so it continues... Any questions, criticisms, advice, flames etc. are welcome (though flames will be ignored). Sorry about the massive length, but I'm not sure how to do those little spoiler box thingies. Thank you.:)
Danahan 09-17-07, 03:03 PM	Perhaps, the Great Dragon returns from her atonement, and sees what the Light has done with her world. She may decide to unwrought everything that his children have created. The dragons awaken from hibernation to cleanse the world of the creations of a “false god.” Of coarse, this would mean that the dragons have become guilty of the very thing they were victimized by when the giants were in control.
Zousha_Omenohu 09-17-07, 05:15 PM	That sounds like an interesting idea, and it would give the PCs an excuse to fight dragons. I've been giving it some more consideration as well and have thought that the children of the Light should probably be the "new gods" as it were, the patrons of their respective races. Just a thought.
Danahan 09-17-07, 11:01 PM	That sounds like an interesting idea, and it would give the PCs an excuse to fight dragons. I've been giving it some more consideration as well and have thought that the children of the Light should probably be the "new gods" as it were, the patrons of their respective races. Just a thought. Oh definitely, but the Great Dragon would probably see them as “false gods” and possibly wage war against them. What about this? In her anger, the Great Dragon has been driven to evil and has transformed into none other than Tiamat. Essentially, you could have a war between Tiamat and the children of the Light. And then of coarse, you could bring back the demons as a third power player. Yucky!
Zousha_Omenohu 09-19-07, 03:00 PM	Nice ideas, but I'm thinking the Great Dragon may be more of a morally ambiguous entity. She created the metallic dragons of Amaranth too!
Danahan 09-19-07, 03:12 PM	Nice ideas, but I'm thinking the Great Dragon may be more of a morally ambiguous entity. She created the metallic dragons of Amaranth too! Perhaps the Great Dragon could be androgynous as well. It goes back and forth between portraying Tiamat (evil), or Bahumat (good).