The Beginning
In the beginning, there was darkness in all directions except for a single point of light. The origin of this light is unknown, but it has always existed. At some point, the Light had a thought, a single word thought that created the universe. And that thought was Life.
With that thought, the Light brought into existence the fabric of the universe itself. The light coalesced into matter and energy, and over time, stars and galaxies were born. As the universe continued to expand and evolve, other worlds and dimensions were created, each with their own unique properties and inhabitants.
Demons and the Corruption
As the primordial Light spread across the cosmos, always at the edge of reality was darkness. This darkness existed far from the light. As the thought of life spread with the light, at this edge the thought that was life became darkened and twisted, it became Corruption.
Like life, the Corruption too began to spread across the cosmos searching for more life. Moving in the dark places between the stars, it came upon a new world full of life and power. The soul of this world and its inhabitants were ill prepared for the onslaught of the corruption unleashed. It twisted their souls and minds, burning into them an unending hunger for more power, more life, more souls.
Over time, the malignant nature of the corruption mutated and changed the life and creatures of this first dark world into the first demons. These demons set themselves to task to find new worlds to conquer and to feed from. In time the demons learned to use dark magics that would allow them to search the endlessness dark between worlds for powerful souls to corrupt.
Aeloria
As the cosmos took form, the worlds that would come from it would form around a piece of the that primordial Light with the thought of Life. Each world would have its own unique soul that emerged from that piece of the primordial Light, guiding and nourishing the life that would come to exist on it. The world’s soul would be bound to the physical world it belongs to and would exist on a spiritual plane of existence. As the world develops and grows, the soul would also grow and develop, eventually becoming conscious and self-aware.
One such world, born from the energies of the universe and inhabited by a powerful world soul, is known as Aeloria.
As Aeloria shaped her physical world, she drew inspiration from the vastness of the cosmos and the beauty of the stars. She shaped the physical world, she also imbued it with the elements needed for life to thrive. She created the oceans and rivers, the forests and plains, and the mountains and valleys. From this rich environment, life began to emerge.
Aeloria was pleased with her works, but she felt that something was still missing. She longed for intelligent life, beings that could understand the beauty and wonder of the world she had created.
The Awakened Ones
A great diversity of life took shape, from the smallest insects to the mightiest beasts. One of the first forms of life to appear started as small, primitive creatures, barely more than animals. But Aeloria saw potential in them, and she began to nurture and guide their development. They became known as the “Auri,” which translates to “the awakened ones”.
Aeloria watched over the Auri, guiding them through their evolution. She would occasionally intervene to help them overcome challenges, but for the most part, she allowed them to develop on their own. Over time, the Auri became more and more advanced, and their societies became more complex. They developed art and music, philosophy and science, and they began to explore the world around them.The Auri were born from the magic that permeated Aeloria’s very soul. They were incredibly attuned to the magic of Aeloria and could control it in ways that no other could ever hope to achieve.
Through all of this, Aeloria continued to watch over them, proud of what they had become. She knew that they still had much to learn and discover, but she was confident that they would continue to grow and thrive, with her guidance and support.
Long before the first mortals walked on Aeloria’s fertile lands, the world was home to this ancient and powerful race of beings.
The Darkening
For eons, the Auri prospered on Aeloria, living in harmony with the world and its many magical creatures. They tended to the land, caring for the forests, rivers, and mountains with their powerful magic. They were the keepers of the world’s balance, the guardians of its natural order. They built great cities and temples that were infused with magic, and they used their abilities to protect and nurture the land.
However, their peaceful existence was not to last forever. The Auri found themselves facing a threat from demons from another world. The demons were determined to consume the world soul of Aeloria and use its power for their own dark purposes.
The Auri were caught off-guard by this sudden threat, but they quickly mobilized to defend their world. They marshaled all of their powers to create magical barriers in places all around Aeloria, which prevented the demonic race from destroying the world. However, these barriers required a tremendous amount of magical energy to maintain, and the Auri were forced to expend much of their power to keep them up.
Despite their best efforts, the demons continued to assault Aeloria relentlessly. The Auri were forced to fight a desperate battle to keep them at bay, but they were slowly being worn down. With each passing day, the barriers grew weaker, and the demonic threat grew stronger.
Realizing that they could not hold out forever, the Auri decided to take a drastic step. The Auri knew that they could not defeat the demons through force alone. They knew that they would have to resort to a powerful spell to banish the demons from Aeloria. However, this spell required an enormous amount of magical energy and could only be cast with the sacrifice of the entire Auri race.
Despite the enormous cost, the Auri were determined to save Aeloria. They came together and channeled all of their magical energy into the spell, sacrificing themselves to banish the demonic race from Aeloria. As they did so, their bodies and souls were consumed by the spell.
The Auri’s sacrifice not only banished the demons but also placed a powerful veil around Aeloria, preventing any other demonic forces from ever finding their way back to the world. This veil became an integral part of the world’s magic, and it still exists to this day, protecting Aeloria and keeping it safe from the forces of darkness beyond. The people of Aeloria might not fully understand the origins of the veil or the magic that powers it, but they are grateful for its protection nonetheless.
With the sacrifice of the Auri, their knowledge and existence might have faded into the mists of time. However, perhaps their sacrifice was not entirely in vain, as the magic they imbued into the world soul of Aeloria lived on, and their memory has been preserved in the ancient tomes and legends of the land.
The Sentinels
After the sacrifice of the Auri, Aeloria felt great sorrow and wished to create powerful guardians to protect the world. Aeloria called upon the elements of the world – fire, earth, wind, water, light and darkness – to bring forth six powerful beings to serve as guardians of the world.
From the heart of a raging volcano, Embera was born. She blazed with a fierce passion and the power of the flames. Her scales were a bright red and her eyes burned like molten lava.
Terranor was born from the earth itself, a massive creature with a rugged hide of stone and a mighty roar that could shake mountains. He was steadfast and unyielding, and his eyes glinted with a fierce intelligence.
Solariel emerged from the heart of the sun, his golden scales shining like the radiance of a thousand stars. He embodied the power of light and his piercing gaze could blind any who dared to look into it.
Mistrelle was born from the swirling winds and carried on the breath of the storms. She was graceful and swift, her scales a pale blue that shimmered like a gust of wind. Her eyes glowed like lightning, and her voice was the gentle whisper of the breeze.
Nixiea emerged from the depths of the ocean, a shimmering form that danced with the ebb and flow of the tides. Her scales were a brilliant aquamarine, and her eyes sparkled like sunlight on the surface of the sea.
Finally, from the shadows of the world, Nyctos emerged, a sleek and powerful creature with scales as black as the darkest night. His eyes glinted with a piercing intelligence, and his wings were as silent as the whisper of the darkness itself.
The six guardians stood before Aeloria on the spiritual plane, and they pledged to protect the world with all their strength and all their power. And so, they became known as the Sentinels, six powerful dragon spirits who watch over Aeloria with an unyielding vigilance.
The Sleeping Soul
With the creation of the Sentinels, Aeloria resolutely decided to go into a deep slumber, her dreams continuing to shape the magic of the veil that shields the world from outside threats. The magic of the veil is intertwined with the world soul of Aeloria and draws power from her dreams. As long as she sleeps, the veil remains strong and impenetrable.
However, there are those who seek to disturb Aeloria’s slumber and gain access to her power. These forces can come from the world itself, as beings seek to exploit the resources and power that Aeloria provides. Other forces can come from beyond the veil, seeking to enter the world and conquer it for their own purposes.
In order to safeguard the world, the Sentinels stand watch over Aeloria and guard against any threats that might emerge. They are fierce and powerful, each attuned to a different aspect of the natural world. Their power is great, but it is tempered by their duty to Aeloria and their role as her guardians.
And so, the world of Aeloria exists in a state of constant vigilance, guarded by the Sentinels and protected by the magic of the veil. As long as Aeloria sleeps and her dreams continue to shape the magic that protects the world, there is hope that the world will continue to thrive and flourish.
The Mortal Races
As the Auri prepared for their ultimate sacrifice, they felt a deep sense of responsibility to leave behind a legacy for Aeloria. They knew that the world would need guardians to protect it in their absence, but they also knew that no single race could bear the burden alone.
So they decided to use a portion of their magic to seed the world with new life, each imbued with a small piece of the Auri’s essence. From this magic, the humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, and gnomes were born.
At first, these new races were scattered across Aeloria, struggling to survive in the harsh and unforgiving world. But over time, they began to build their own cultures and civilizations, each with their own unique traditions and beliefs. These mortals were created by the Auri before their sacrifice, but they have no knowledge of their creators, only that these Ancient Ones came first. Only Aeloria and the Sentinels know of the Auri’s sacrifice.