- Pronouns
- He/Him
Slimy_Froggy
Patron
One Realm Into Seven
In old times, the days of our ancestors, we lived in peace with each other. Although disagreements were ever present as they are now, no stain of blood caused by malice had yet been seen. In these times, all forms of life spent their time in harmony, within a single realm. Times were different then. Those who passed on, remained by our sides. Their presence could be felt all around us. Between you and me, between me and the tree, the pond and the fish. If one would only listen. The people were in tune with the Gods and The Grey Lady was satisfied, often taking on the appearance of a sweet young woman and was simply called; 'The Lady'. A time before she became her now so familiar cold and emotionless self. Within this realm we lived our daily lives filled with emotions, struggles and ambitions. It were exactly the ambitions of the people that brought about a change that would last forever. A change that would leave a lasting mark upon the very divines...
This change was brought about by a dis-balance. The harmony that had lasted for a thousand lifetimes was disrupted by a greed and lust for power. Our ancestors had been in tune with their ancestors in turn. When someone was versed well enough in the art of meditation, they could even commune with the dead first ancestors, who lived on in spirit, imperceptible, yet still all around us. Our ancestors drew strength from each other. Even from those who had already died, who could give them wise lessons for life. They drew strength from the knowledge that passing away was but a gateway to another experience in this realm. It was a blissful promise. Where all the good would forever stay in this world and never get lost. Yet, some of our ancestors still feared this 'next life'. They feared the loss of identity, the probability of being forgotten. They hungered for recognition and practiced a much darker form of meditation...
These dark individuals were lured by a creature that promised them immortality and endless time in their body as they knew it. Corrupted by greed, one by one did these ancestors fell to the promise of endless recognition and approbation. This creature taught them not only how to commune with those invisible ancestors, but also how to draw from their very essence, as a source that would fuel themselves with life. The dark ancestors lived several lifetimes, as long as they could perform the rituals required. The spirits of the first ancestors that were the subject of these rituals were horribly mutilated by this practice. They became broken and shattered, sometimes unrecognizable. Wherever these dark rituals were performed, the place appeared devoid of positivity, it left a mark in the invisible spiritual landscape. The souls of those who were sucked dry of their essence then drifted devoid of purpose through the realm.
The creature came, then, and took these shattered drifting souls for his own. After a particularly large dark ritual involving the shattering of many spirits, a great disturbance was felt through-out the world to those in tune with the spirits around them. They felt the dis-balance occur and reached out to the Grey Lady, who had felt it too. Walking among the people of the realm, she found these places that echoed the dark rituals performed there. She had been blind to these practices. "How could I not have seen?" She wondered in despair. Using a large part of her divine powers, she managed to get to the bottom of the plot, but this effort came at a cost. Her hair had become ashen white with the effort, but she had found what she needed to know: She discovered the existence of a creature of great malice. A being that had lured the ancestors with promises of power. This creature was Skraag and those he had turned had become his minions, pawns to carry out his dirty work so he could reap the souls and empower himself.
The Lady felt hurt. Enraged by this vile act of destruction, she conjured up a plan to prevent something like this ever happening again. A plan to stop the creature and would ensure her foothold over this Alteran domain. A plan that would keep her in power, keep her praised! She would make everyone tremble in fear before ever daring to take a path that would go against the perfect divine harmony. Those who took down the dark road would have to pay! They could not go unchecked and have access to the good and loving souls as they have had now. She had to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. She had to! She had to! And so... She thought of a plan...
She strained. She put in all her effort. She used every last bit of her divine powers and ripped the realm into nine pieces. Nine pieces would separate the wicked from the good. Nine pieces would ensure the sinners to be damned into all eternity. Nine, of which one a realm for the now broken and shattered souls to remain, away from the living. But also one piece where the good were rewarded for their actions. Nine pieces, of which one would be a realm where her most devout could find her and be in her presence. These nine pieces would reward those who lived in harmony and punish those who dared raise up against her might. This incredible feat came at a terrible price: She aged into a stone-cold lady, devoid of emotion. The color of her skin drained from her and left her unsaturated and grey: The Grey Lady.
Securing her one realm by splitting it into nine realms took a terrible toll. What was worse, she now had nine times the amount of work to do. Nine realms to take care of and still it had been worth it; for she had thwarted the creature Skraag and would henceforth be wary of his deceit and knowledgeable of his vile character. With nine realms to take care of, the people of the first realm started to change their demeanor toward her. They no longer were as in touch with her as they were before and some were even frightened by her new appearance. This did not matter much to her, for she had lost the ability to feel emotions for such small things, now, in the much larger scope of what she had created. This change had also meant that our ancestors could no longer commune with the dead. They could not learn from them or feel their loving presence around them. They started to repeat the same mistakes, wage the same wars, and rise and fall through the ages.
Yet, the Grey Lady remains in control. Whatever we do during life, whatever power we may amass, we still have to face judgement at the end of the road. So must I, so must you, so must we all. All of us must do penance for the mistakes of our ancestors and prove our worth in life. We can no longer simply drift from life into everlasting bliss, remaining among the living.
So, go now, live on, Godless or not, with your eye on the horizon.
And pray: Lady, delay.
In old times, the days of our ancestors, we lived in peace with each other. Although disagreements were ever present as they are now, no stain of blood caused by malice had yet been seen. In these times, all forms of life spent their time in harmony, within a single realm. Times were different then. Those who passed on, remained by our sides. Their presence could be felt all around us. Between you and me, between me and the tree, the pond and the fish. If one would only listen. The people were in tune with the Gods and The Grey Lady was satisfied, often taking on the appearance of a sweet young woman and was simply called; 'The Lady'. A time before she became her now so familiar cold and emotionless self. Within this realm we lived our daily lives filled with emotions, struggles and ambitions. It were exactly the ambitions of the people that brought about a change that would last forever. A change that would leave a lasting mark upon the very divines...
This change was brought about by a dis-balance. The harmony that had lasted for a thousand lifetimes was disrupted by a greed and lust for power. Our ancestors had been in tune with their ancestors in turn. When someone was versed well enough in the art of meditation, they could even commune with the dead first ancestors, who lived on in spirit, imperceptible, yet still all around us. Our ancestors drew strength from each other. Even from those who had already died, who could give them wise lessons for life. They drew strength from the knowledge that passing away was but a gateway to another experience in this realm. It was a blissful promise. Where all the good would forever stay in this world and never get lost. Yet, some of our ancestors still feared this 'next life'. They feared the loss of identity, the probability of being forgotten. They hungered for recognition and practiced a much darker form of meditation...
These dark individuals were lured by a creature that promised them immortality and endless time in their body as they knew it. Corrupted by greed, one by one did these ancestors fell to the promise of endless recognition and approbation. This creature taught them not only how to commune with those invisible ancestors, but also how to draw from their very essence, as a source that would fuel themselves with life. The dark ancestors lived several lifetimes, as long as they could perform the rituals required. The spirits of the first ancestors that were the subject of these rituals were horribly mutilated by this practice. They became broken and shattered, sometimes unrecognizable. Wherever these dark rituals were performed, the place appeared devoid of positivity, it left a mark in the invisible spiritual landscape. The souls of those who were sucked dry of their essence then drifted devoid of purpose through the realm.
The creature came, then, and took these shattered drifting souls for his own. After a particularly large dark ritual involving the shattering of many spirits, a great disturbance was felt through-out the world to those in tune with the spirits around them. They felt the dis-balance occur and reached out to the Grey Lady, who had felt it too. Walking among the people of the realm, she found these places that echoed the dark rituals performed there. She had been blind to these practices. "How could I not have seen?" She wondered in despair. Using a large part of her divine powers, she managed to get to the bottom of the plot, but this effort came at a cost. Her hair had become ashen white with the effort, but she had found what she needed to know: She discovered the existence of a creature of great malice. A being that had lured the ancestors with promises of power. This creature was Skraag and those he had turned had become his minions, pawns to carry out his dirty work so he could reap the souls and empower himself.
The Lady felt hurt. Enraged by this vile act of destruction, she conjured up a plan to prevent something like this ever happening again. A plan to stop the creature and would ensure her foothold over this Alteran domain. A plan that would keep her in power, keep her praised! She would make everyone tremble in fear before ever daring to take a path that would go against the perfect divine harmony. Those who took down the dark road would have to pay! They could not go unchecked and have access to the good and loving souls as they have had now. She had to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. She had to! She had to! And so... She thought of a plan...
She strained. She put in all her effort. She used every last bit of her divine powers and ripped the realm into nine pieces. Nine pieces would separate the wicked from the good. Nine pieces would ensure the sinners to be damned into all eternity. Nine, of which one a realm for the now broken and shattered souls to remain, away from the living. But also one piece where the good were rewarded for their actions. Nine pieces, of which one would be a realm where her most devout could find her and be in her presence. These nine pieces would reward those who lived in harmony and punish those who dared raise up against her might. This incredible feat came at a terrible price: She aged into a stone-cold lady, devoid of emotion. The color of her skin drained from her and left her unsaturated and grey: The Grey Lady.
Securing her one realm by splitting it into nine realms took a terrible toll. What was worse, she now had nine times the amount of work to do. Nine realms to take care of and still it had been worth it; for she had thwarted the creature Skraag and would henceforth be wary of his deceit and knowledgeable of his vile character. With nine realms to take care of, the people of the first realm started to change their demeanor toward her. They no longer were as in touch with her as they were before and some were even frightened by her new appearance. This did not matter much to her, for she had lost the ability to feel emotions for such small things, now, in the much larger scope of what she had created. This change had also meant that our ancestors could no longer commune with the dead. They could not learn from them or feel their loving presence around them. They started to repeat the same mistakes, wage the same wars, and rise and fall through the ages.
Yet, the Grey Lady remains in control. Whatever we do during life, whatever power we may amass, we still have to face judgement at the end of the road. So must I, so must you, so must we all. All of us must do penance for the mistakes of our ancestors and prove our worth in life. We can no longer simply drift from life into everlasting bliss, remaining among the living.
So, go now, live on, Godless or not, with your eye on the horizon.
And pray: Lady, delay.