Age of the Gods

The history of the world before it existed is difficult to record, for obvious reasons. Most of this age is described in mythology, and thus varies from culture to culture. The events listed below tend to be common among most mythologies. Due to the nature of these events, they are in no particular chronological order with the exception of the first and last, though an attempt has been made to order them in a logical fashion.

Creation of Panthea
Before Mythosa, there was the realm of Panthea, created tens of thousands of years ago by a pair of ancient, divine beings known as the Elder Gods. The Elder Gods populated Panthea with various flora and fauna, and created the First Races to walk the land: the industrious Husdala, the intellectual Nepharim, the barbaric Trussak, the insidious Yaat, and the peaceful Selarinn. They also created the Myraphum, spiritual guardians to watch over their new world. After this, the Elders left Panthea to its own devices and retreated into the Void.

Rise of the Shadrathu
A group of powerful, thoroughly evil creatures known as the Shadrathu came to exist in Panthea. Their origin is a mystery. Some speculate they slipped in from the Void as the Elder Gods left; others maintain that the creation of Panthea was flawed, that it contained warped elements that would spawn unadultered and alien evil. The Shadrathu claimed Panthea as their own and set about to cleanse it of those who would not recognize them as their masters.

The Myraphum believed Panthea belonged to the First Races and thus rejected the Shadrathu’s claim. They initially tried to communicate with the Shadrathu but the dark beings could not be reasoned with. Worse, the Myraphum sent to parley with the Shadrathu were tainted by their interaction. Twisted in mind and body, these Myraphum became the first Maelyaphum, evil creatures that would later be known as demons and devils.

The First War
War came to Panthea after all but one of the First Races refused to acknowledge the Shadrathu as their masters. The Yaat were the exception; alongside the Maelyaphum they attacked the other races and the Myraphum.

The war raged on for what may have been millenia and engulfed all of Panthea. The Husdala and Selarinn were destroyed while the Trussak were enslaved by the Yaat. Countless Myraphum and Maelyphum were slain, along with many Nepharim and a few Shadrathu. Eventually the conflict took its toll on Panthea and the world was torn asunder. Those who could fled to the Void, while those who remained behind perished.

The Myraphum, adrift in the Void, created a plane for themselves which they called Mydira. The Maelyaphum formed another realm – a hellish, nightmarish place known as Maledicium. The Nepharim and the Shadrathu simply disappeared.

Formation of the Divine Council
Despite all that had happened, the Myraphum still felt bound to the task given them by the Elder Gods. Their original charge no longer existed, so the Myraphum agreed to create a new world out of the remnants of the old. To prevent a repeat of the past they formed a concord known to mortals as the Divine Council. A new world would be created, through the combined efforts of all the Myraphum. However, neither Myraphum nor Maelyaphum would be allowed entrance to this world without consent from its inhabitants. Some disagreed with the Council on this point; those Myraphum were bound and cast into the Void.

Creation of the Far Realms
With the war over and unity no longer necessary, philosophical differences split the Myraphum into three factions. Mydira had grown too small for all three to comfortably co-exist, so it was abandoned for new worlds. One faction created the realm of Elysia, another the realm of Nexia. The third faction chose to conserve their energies and settled in Maledicium.

Creation of Mythosa
The final event of the Age of the Gods was the birth of the world. Drawing together the sundered remnants of Panthea, as well as portions of the Elemental Planes, the Myraphum created Mythosa. They then created the four Root Races to populate the world: the aerial Ari, the earthen Runir, the aquatic Tritons, and the fire-blooded Viss’takh. They also added myriad plants and animals, as well as caches of raw magic to allow for future growth and evolution.