<span class='elvish'>IbemalEllau</span> The Ibe-mal-Ellath (or 'The coming of the Light' in the common tongue) consist of the pre history of all that happened within the Void before the arrival of the first sentient beings in Materiam. It tells of the coming of the gods, their toils in creating the planes, and the division of the three godly powers. # On the Arrival of the Gods In the beginning there was naught but the silent nothingness of the empty void. Then, a small light, akin a dying ember, pierced through the dark veil. Though small at first, the light quickly grew, shining its light across the void, until all was bathed in its brightness. At its pinnacle, a being stepped through the light and into the void. The being emerging from Otherwhere was Ellathin, the Lightbringer. Using his lone lantern in the pitch as a guiding beacon, Ellathin shone his light and helped his family travel across the veil and enter the void. One by one, the beings known as the Cel Celestesi(<span class='elvish'>Cel Celestesi</span>), or Prime Celestials in the common tongue, appeared before the Lightbringer. First was the wife of Ellathin, Silvana, followed soon by her brother Chronon. Next came Alher, Bonifeth, and Menhir, who brought with him his wife Gloreth. Finally came Morana and Sahtir, followed by their wife Estae and her siblings Elowyn and Guthran. Gathered together on the other side, Ellathin's light started to dim and the pathway through the veil slowly closed. Looking out over the blank canvas of darkness stretched out before them, the Celestials awaited Ellathins command on their proceedings, for he was the wisest and oldest amongst them. It was then that the Lightbringer explained the great orchestration for the void. ### Relations of the Gods It is important to note the familial bonds between the twelve Prime Celestials, as they can offer insights into certain alliances and rivalries amongst the celestial domains. Foremost is the Lightbringer, oldest of all the Celestials and brother to both Gloreth, goddess of Luck, and Sahtir, Celestial of Nature. Married to Ellathin is the Celestial Silvana, goddess of the Night and youngest amongst her siblings Morana and Chronon, Celestials of Death and Time respectively. Second eldest of the Celestials is Alher, god of Destiny. Though oft secluded, Alher is a good friend to Ellathin, and closer still as his brother Menhir, god of the Weave, is the husband of Gloreth. Alhers youngest brother, whose frictions can be found between him and Alher, is the Celestial Bonifeth, god of Justice. Youngest of all the Celestials are the two siblings Elowyn, goddess of Love, and Gurthran, god of War. Though clashing in ways and passionate in their opposition of views, they are kept at bay from each other by their elder sister Estae, goddess of Bounty and wife to Sahtir. And so, through both his siblings and his wife, each of the Prime Celestials had a familial bond to Ellathin. ### The Grand Orchestration As the Celestials gathered in their new home, they eagerly awaited to hear what Ellathin had to say. Soon he appeared before them and spoke: "Mine dearest family and friends. Mine loved ones. Behold now thy home, barren and black. Its empty almost mesmerising in its loneliness. But do not fret! For within its night sleeps a vast potential. I have seen it within mine light, a grand orchestration of our creations, a beautiful expression of our very core." And so Ellathin showed to them this plan, this display of awesome artisitcality, filling the endless nothing. With flashes of his brilliant light, he showed them the visions of his future. Abacked and elated by the prospects of the Lightbringer, the murmuring among the gods soon grew louder and louder. Louder still, until the excitement could no longer be contained. Soon jubilation broke out amongst the Celestials as they sang and danced, making music and making merry, until their feet could hold them no longer. After their feast of the grand orchestration, the gods rested together in slumber, preparing themselves until the time came for the first steps of the plan to be put into motion. # On the Creation of the Elements As the Celestials slowly started to wake from their communal slumber, their drowsy swiftly morphed into focus. For there was a lot to do, and a lot more still planned. Taking charge, Ellathin shew to their kin the forming of the godly source. Unlike most beings in Archon, the Prime Celestials are wholly empyreal; That is they are a state unworldly. Their shape, not bounded by geometry, is unshackled from the qualms that come with the linear perspective of matter. Instead their sight beholds a more holistic view, residing fully in the energetic. With this godly gaze they perceive the Void for what it truly is. Though empty and dark, each inch is buzzing with a potentiality, known as cosmic energy. Akin to a soft translucent fog, Ellathin took the cosmic energy and compressed and condensed it into a more wieldy force. This purified form of energy is known as the godly source. It is the force that the gods wield to build Archon. After teaching his kin the art of harnessing the godly source, Ellathin forged ahead and created the first, and to this day still the brightest, star in the night sky: Celignes (<span class='elvish'>Celignes</span>). In an instant, the whole of the Void was bathed in the warm glow of the star. Within its core, birthed forth from the pure burning of passion, warmth, and ambition that the star contained, the first element came into being. The element of fire had been created. Having been shown the way, the rest of the Celestials soon followed suit. Making stars in a wild variety of colors and sizes, the Celestials filled out the void's sky. Soon the night was painted a pointillistic dream of dots red, gold, blue, and green. Looking at a still empty spot on the canvas of the void, Bonifeth made the first of the Pasacmalif (<span class='elvish'>Pasacmalif</span>). Creating first the stars Baeltes and Allatir as cups of a great scale, Bonifeth drew out a symbol to represent him and his domain onto the sky. These symbols are known as the great sigils and in time all of the Prime Celestials had made their own. Looking upon the Scales of Bonifeth, Sahtir was inspired to make a sigil of their own. Creating the great Tree with its roots in the verdant green star Celbor. However, Sahtir was unhappy with the piercing brightness of Celbor and wanted to diffuse the light in some way. Gathering the godly source between their hands, Sahtir compressed and moulded the source in novel ways than how the Allfather showed them. It was then that the element of earth was created. With a majestic flourish, Sahtir unleashed the great dusting of rock and gravel across the Void. The material reflected and diffused the lights of the stars in a myriad of unseen ways, creating a whole new depth to the palette of the Void. Sathir started out small, creating but one planet and cloud and beckoned over the Lightbringer. Ellathin was ecstatic at the display of creativity Sathir had shown, praising their innovation. Applauded by Ellathin, Sahtir was dubbed the parent of the planets and soon showed their siblings how to build the great celestial bodies and the nebulas of the night sky. ### The Downfall of Destiny All were enraptured by the creation of these great lights in the sky. All, but Alher. While his kin were creating the skies, Alher started his eternal scribing. Summoning his golden quill, Alher started to notate all that was happening and its consequences. Writing out all that has been, was, and will be in an infinite web of cause and effect. Though excited with his brethren, there was a nagging feeling the further he wrote in his book. For all strands he followed, each branch of steps he went down, they all ended in the same way: still, cold, and dull. The more he noticed the pattern, even more into fervour was Alher flung, desperate to find that one strand that would prove his growing suspicion wrong. It was after Ellathin had created his Sigil in the sky, crowning Celignes as the eye of the swallow he had drawn, that Alher was certain of his discovery. During the eons that his kin had been working towards the grand visions of Ellathin, their work had been ever so slowly marching towards a state of dull balance. Before long, all of their hard work would amalgamate to naught more but a grey cloud of mediocrity, fizzling back out into darkness. None of the splendour Ellathin had shown was predicted to arrive in the future, but he had seen so certain. Alher was distraught. He felt wrong doubting Ellathin, but his findings seemed as determined as the fate of their creation. With heavy heart, Alher met with his wife Gloreth and they spoke. As Alher came before Gloreth, she noticed the anguish in his mind and asked: "Mine dearest beloved, mine spring of rest, I see within thee a cloud. Tell me, why dost thou mind unchain thy worry, when all is faire in our home?" Hidden in their embrace Alher turned away, afeared his darkness were to quell his wife's joy. But Gloreth knew her husband well and pressed on. Alher submitted and replied. "Mine heart's desire, thou have know me too long, for even the smallest of quivers in mine patterns arouse in thee suspicion. I will not hide, I am afeared. I have seen the end of our faire home and its doom be inevitable." Gloreth was stunned at the thought, not seeing the imposing threat like Alher had. Alher continued to explain his findings, the paths each of the patterns went down, and how without fail every action met the same end. Gloreth listened to her spouse, trying to calm him where she could. Alher finished his explanation and shared his worry. "I dare not break the tale to Ellathin, for the grandeur he shew and the certainty he ensured, I am afeared it would antagonize our kin." Gloreth beheld her husband, the steward of Destiny himself, and felt pity. Pity, for he could only see a world where he must guide each particle to its predetermined end. "A foolish king is he who knows his actions will destroy their realm, yet fails to act to avoid them." Gloreth took Alher upon herself and gazed into him. "Husband mine, thou forgets. We are one. We carry each burden together. If particles thou govern be doomed to an unwanted fate, let particles be ungovernable." She kissed her husband in their embrace, and with it broke the iron grip determinism held on the world. Her breath blew life into the unpredictability of free will, filling the void with a force of probabilistic nature. From that wave birthed forth among the stars the element of Wind, forever weaving the clouds of dust in unpredictable patterns in the sky. With great relief Alher thanked Gloreth and they laid together in skies of their own creation, now caressed by the gentle blowing of the wind. When later Alher came to confess to Ellathin the crisis he had faced Ellathin laughed. "Brother! It is a shame you had worried so, for I knew all would turn out well. See, my vision is not an ambition, but premonition. I know the orchestration will be, and for it to be thou had to find your way around its doom. And as I knew thee would, it has been avoided." ### A Shadow for Shelter It was when Guthran tried to make his great Sigil that the fourth element came to be. For both Elowyn and Guthran had difficulty finding a place they deemed proper for their Sigil to adorn the sky. After reviewing the many possibilities, it so happened that both Elowyn and Guthran laid eyes upon the very same spot, deeming it the perfect place for a Sigil. - [ ] Guthran, afeared Ellathin will be angry for destroying a star, runs to Silvana for help - [ ] Silvana creates the final element of water # On the Celestial Plane - [ ] After filling the void sky, the gods start working on their homes - [ ] Menhir starts working on the Weave to purify the godly sources further # On the Birth of the Primordials - [ ] The elements collate into a core and birth the High Primordials - [ ] Discussion on what to do with the newborn gods - [ ] Ellathin welcomes the elementals into the celestial plane and informs them - [ ] Menhir is finished with the Weave and announces the building of Archon can begin # On the Creation of Archon - [ ] Throughout the building of Archon tensions between elementals and celestials rise - [ ] Sahtir seeds the plane with plants and animals, but their immortality causes problems - [ ] Morana sets up the circle of life and grants the gift of death # On the Arrival of the Fae - [ ] Though archon is technically finished, the creatures of the plane birth forth their own gods (Fey) - [ ] Story of Orana - [ ] Afraid the Fey will derail the grand orchestration if left alone on archon, ellathin grants them a place in the celestial plane, but is still afraid they will need more to ensure the orchestration finishes properly.