I've got a huge timeline set out for the ancient history, but unfortunately very little of it is ready to be pushed into prose.
Ages of Afanadar
Our world’s history is divided into six ages. First was the Unwritten Age, a time of lost and forgotten tales. Then came the Elven Age, when the elven kindred brought their wonder to us, that Afanadar would see many days of glory. Yet, that grandeur was shattered during the Age of Sorrow, as the Great Wars of that day raged on. Peace would come at last, the gods intervening mortal strife to begin the Age of Guardians. This period was largely prosperous and placid, but the Guardians’ Legacy failed, bereft of explanation. So began the Age of Vacancy, during which time the evils of the Great Wars returned to plague the races once more. Of course, the Legacy has been restored, a new line of Guardians enthroned, which leads us to this very era, the Age of Renewal. In the manuscript the Kabuke, an elven work, we have the most detailed accounting of the Elven Age and the Age of Sorrows. Since these two ages are the focal point of what I will begin with here, most of the text is excerpted translation of the Kabuke, with a few other sources used as supplement throughout.
-Cedric Quilfeather
Year 150 Age of Renewal
The Unwritten Age
Dim are the memories of this day. Afanadar was populated by creatures such as these; golem, dragons, song weavers, and griffons, as well as many other mysterious beings. The histories of the Unwritten Age are by and large fragmented at best and more often in complete oblivion. There is little knowledge to the common scholar as to why the accounts were lost or where they could be found, and historians as well as the common individual may never find the answers to the enigma of the earliest years of Afanadar.
-Commentary on the Unwritten Age
by the Guardian Calanthas N’Daidawr
Year 150 Age of Renewal
The History of the Elven Kindred
Indeed, no major records survived out of the days before Faerie’s creatures came to Afanadar. Yet, on the day elves arrived at our world, the Unwritten Age ended, and recorded history began. This is the translation of the Kabuke, the elven Book of Ages which remembers the oldest of days retained to the memory of modern times, even recounting how elves first came to Afanadar. While primarily an elven text, the ancinior writers of the tomes successfully captured a clear view of Afanadar’s history and creatures, right from the start of the elven age and down to the beginning of the Age of Guardians.
-Cedric Quilfeather
Year 150 Age of Renewal
The Legend of the Sundering
Ages did Faerie exist, a world of aether and splendor. Faerie was a place of spirit, a world of mist that humans would never touch. It spanned great and free; uninhibited by flesh or form. It was a place of valor and might where lived countless, prosperous beings.
As with all worlds, ours began by the hand of Erare and by the glory of his Father, Arom-Azara. It was then crafted by the very children of Erare. These spawn of the High Son became our beloved rulers, the appointed gods of Faerie, of whom there were fourteen. The children of these gods were the Great Folk, the mighty Faerie of old.
The descendants of Faerie were born, and Faerie itself became beautiful. So did Erare gift them for their noble ways.
“I will give unto you a fleshly race that you must bring up unto your likeness, and the likeness of my father. Care for them as most precious, for in them you shall have chance to show your love for me and the One above me.”
And so, the Greater Faerie came to care for the new race, created fleshly by Erare, and adopted them in as their own. Ahijadon, young among the gods and yet fair, was appointed as steward over these, along with his beloved, Ilhunia, keeper of the starlight, also young of the gods of Faerie. Together, they did nurture the beloved ones entrusted to them. And in naming them did Ahijadon say, “They shall be called a name in the manner of Faerie, and so they are hereafter the elvenior.”
This is from the Old Tongue, which all the creatures of Faerie did use, and it meant “mist folk.” Now, Ahijadon did raise up these mortals into a fine kindred. They grew to be many, and came in their youthfulness to love the ways of certain ones among the children of Ahijadon. So it was that, though they still loved their first teacher, these elvenior went to become disciples of Ahijadon’s very offspring. A number of the elvenior, however, did not depart from the path of Ahijadon, and since they continued on in the first way that the elvenior began, Ahijadon called them the ancinior, which means “first folk.” As for those who put themselves under the learning of the children of Ahijadon, they became of a time in a different countenance from their brethren, for in flesh does vacillation prevail. So would these elvenior, in this way separated from their kin, be called the raquinior, or the “divided folk.”
Among the raquinior were three sects. One followed the twin, eldest children of Ahijadon, Ranuwe and Clinwe, whose authority was in the celestial and the weather. These would be called the vilrinior, or the “winged folk.” Another rallying of the raquinior turned to Nauquothos, the middle son of Ahijadon that knew the ways of the deep oceans and rivers. They would be called the nauginior, which means “gilled folk.” Last of the divided folk were those who went to the youngest of Ahijadon’s children, Mythos Sylvata, one who held sway over the mysteries of the forests. Their names would thence be in the Old Tongue esilquenior; that is, the “forest folk.”
For years untold did the elvenior grow in number and might, pleasing and honoring their gods in many and great deeds. With them, Faerie grew ever more fair and prosperous. Yet, these times of glory would come to their end.
It came to pass in other worlds that a host of mighty, prideful beings rebelled against Arom-Azara and besmirched the name of his throne. Leading these wicked creatures were the Nether Kings, the unholy enemies of the Father God. They made war with creatures of many worlds, conquering, destroying, and subverting all that came within their reach. So did Erare send a messenger, an ellenduin, which are the great spirit servants of the High Son and his Father, to Faerie in order that they should be safeguarded from the evil threats of the Nether Kings.
The messenger came to the high courts of the gods of Faerie and said to them, “In order that the wicked kings of the Netherworld will not come upon you, Erare has sent forth his decree. Over the pass into Faerie you must build a mighty gate fashioned by the powers of each of you gods of this very place. Close this gate and lock it fast, and neither open it to let any in or out, and the hand of the Father God shall come upon this gate which you erect. And none outside shall see it nor suspect even that it exists, and you will need neither fear nor worry of the Nether Kings, for you shall have the protection of Arom-Azara. This is the promise of the very Father God.”
After saying these things, the ellenduin departed from the world of Faerie. Quickly, the Great Faerie gathered themselves together at the outskirts of their world, to the sole place where creatures could leave Faerie or enter it from words afar. Using their ancient lore and deep power, the Faerie gods of old fashioned a mighty gate in the semblance of a tall, beautiful mirror. A sheet of golden mist was drawn over the face of this mirror. With the curtain drawn, the path was sealed by potent Faerie aether. In this way, none could find the portal externally, although any of the Faerie kindred could part the veil of golden mist and, with the face of the mirror exposed, open the gate once more.
Ahithophal, who was the head of the Faerie gods and all their people, issued this decree to all corners of the world, “My people, let it be known that the golden curtain of this mirror, the gate from Faerie, must never be drawn from the surface of it, unless Erare himself or only his Father were to ever say otherwise. In this way we show our trust and obedience to our good Father, Arom-Azara, and keep Faerie pure of the wickedness of the Nether Kings.”
With the safety of Faerie assured, its people returned to the ways of their usual practices. So it would have continued, with Faerie guarded by its mirror gate and the promise of Erare for time indefinite. Yet, as in many worlds, the peace of Faerie was to shatter upon a single act of disobedience.
Some time after the pronouncement of Ahithophal, there was a certain elvar, young yet in his years, born of the esilquenior kindred. What his name was has been lost in the ebb and flow of the ages, yet it is remembered what folly this certain elvar begot. When free of duties, this elvar would travel the misty, wonder wrought ways of Faerie, always inquisitive as to what was before and around him. And it came to pass that he did happen upon the mirror gate of Ahithophal, and knowing well the decree spoken first by the ellenduin and also the one by the Faerie King, he did wonder in his heart what lay beyond the region of the sacred portal, what those unknown worlds might hold.
Yet, all elvenior were raised well in the righteousness of their Faerie guides, even this one knowing the teachings of respect and obedience that were well shown to him. So at first the elvar kept his distance when he saw that very mirror gate, thinking each time to himself, “Why, would I not abstain from only this thing, for the kindness and tender teachings of my own kindred?”
Even so, whenever he saw that forbidden doorway, his heart bred longing and his imagination stirred in contemplation of that very thing. One day, then, the elvar saw the mirror gate and said in his heart, “I must at least touch it; little harm is in this insignificant act.”
None guarded this gate, for the creatures of Faerie operated by the loving instructions of their elders, and so none feared that any would breach the dictations of neither the High Son’s messenger nor the Faerie King’s. Yet, while of good nature, in his long gazing upon that restricted mirror shrouded in golden mist, the elvar nurtured within a yearning to know what was beyond.
The elvar came upon the mirror gate, and passed his hand into the golden mist, not touching yet the mirror’s surface. It did feel pleasant to his skin, for it held the warm strength of the Greater Faerie. Now the elvar reached through the golden curtain and felt the mirror. Again, he was glad to know its texture, for its surface was aglow with the pleasant might of the old ones.
The longing now to see what lay outside Faerie had blossomed for this one into a burning desire. He was by his own heart tormented, for at once he wished to indulge his curiosity, and at the same time wondered at the mystery behind the mirror gate. And it finally occurred that the elvar concluded his thoughts with an active choice.
Speaking at that moment decisive words of power, the elvar drew back in part the golden mist, for all that held it in place was Faerie aether, and he was of Faerie origin. Then he stepped forward, leaving the protected grounds of Faerie, through the mirror gate.
Now, between the worlds there is a place known as the Hourless Land, where time is as nothing and from whence all things began. In the center of this land is the Eternal Palace, a place of spiritual beauty of which no mortal could comprehend. It is here that Erare is enthroned, doing the work of his Father who guides him. It is also here that the ellenduin tarry, the very eldest of creatures save only Erare, and of course Arom-Azara, who is not a creature but the infinite Being. In this land did the elvar find himself, although he was a distance from the palace. He saw the glory it did radiate, but not the details of its beauty. The world around him was in some ways like Faerie, but of even less material and aetheral substance than that place, and instead more entirely of spiritual consistency. And he could see, in some places near and others far, doorways, countless doorways which lead to the brilliant worlds built by the High Son but conceived by the Father God. Astonished, the elvar stood and wondered at what he did witness, for fleshly eyes could scarcely render all to be seen.
It was by ill chance that, even as the elvar stepped into the Hourless Land, one of the wicked Nether Kings was indeed passing near the way into Faerie. This certain one was the very Valk Hahwra, who is among the most powerful of his unholy kindred. Valk Hahwra was at that time on conquest, searching that he might find a world to devour. He saw the elvar, and peering beyond witnessed the hidden glory of Faerie, glimpsing at the world that the mirror gate had for so long kept secret and safe. In seeing Faerie, his wicked heart grew in an instant lustful for the treasures he imagined it to hold, struck by the beauty he witnessed.
Now, being crafty and cunning, the unholy Nether King construed as to how he might gain entryway into that enigmatic world. By his dark powers, Valk Hahwra called down over his form a fair semblance, a goodly guise of majestic appearance. In this masquerade did the Nether King make himself known.
Hailing the elvar, Valk Hahwra began speaking with him, charming him with wily words. What was said in this dialogue has been lost, yet it is told that Valk Hahwra tricked the naive elvar into trusting him, even befriending one another, the dark intents of the wicked spirit well hidden. With his flowery speech, Valk Hahwra lead much information from the lips of the elvar, knowledge concerning the creatures of Faerie and their ways, even the tale of how the mirror gate’s construction came to be.
The two ended their discourse, and the elvar returned to Faerie, pondering the wonders that he saw, closing the gate behind him. Yet, he had broken the seal of protection of Erare, and already Valk Hahwra had tainted his young heart. So, the mirror gate shut behind him, yet its fortuitous strength was lessened by the elvar’s act.
The Nether King made his way to his own world, the unholy Netherworld, and in that terrible place did gather to him all his strongest minions and greatest allies. All his armies amassed, Valk Hahwra readied to wage conquest upon Faerie. Once fully prepared, Valk Hahwra and his followers traversed to the Hourless Land, to the place where he had met the foolish elvar.
The Nether Kings possess the strongest of the dark aethers, and Valk Hahwra, who was archaic and mighty even among his own kindred, held powers of wicked magnitude. So, he called upon his unholy presence, and with violent rending tore open the gate into Faerie. Then, he ushered in his army of darkness.
In the depths of Faerie, where the gods of our world had tarried, Ahithophal knew the instant Valk Hahwra entered through the mirror gate. While the actions of the presumptuous and inexperienced elvar had gone quiet and unnoticed, the intrusion of a malicious presence resonated with wicked clarity throughout the whole of Faerie. Rising from his place of leisure, the Faerie King called to him his fellow gods. They gathered near the mirror gate, witnessing the unholy visage of Valk Hahwra and his militia as they poured through the shattered gateway.
Ahithophal confronted Valk Hahwra, demanding in his authority with these words, “Unwelcome guest, I know you! A Nether King you surely must be. How is it that you force yourself into this place, which Erare’s own might keeps free of your uncouth brood?”
Valk Hahwra laughed with derision. “You prove yourself the incompetent sort which Erare appoints to rule! Not like I, nor my Father, who hold sway over our every slave. Oh fool of Faerie, it was your own kin, a fleshy elvar, who betrayed this world to me!”
Ahithophal grew hot with wrath and surprise. Yet, he knew that the Nether King spoke true, for only one born of Faerie (or a servant ellenduin to Erare, Erare himself, and the One empowering all authorities) could open that mirror gate. He knew also that none of the older Faerie, who had seen other worlds and met personally Erare, would be tempted by curiosity to break the edict of the High Son. Now, the covenant had been broken, thus rendering the mirror gate’s protection as naught.
With guilt, Ahithophal had said, “This has been negligence on my own person. It should have been that I appointed a guard, one to station here and ensure no wondering child of mortal elvenior came to quench a questioning thirst. But as for you, foul Nether King, I will not suffer to as much as leave in your hands one item of Faerie’s world. This one chance I give you to depart, or you shall be wrested from this world in sudden fashion.”
Valk Hahwra was, as with the entire kin of the Nether Kings, a creature of war. Hence, this threat was not an impressive sort to him.
“I am not fooled by your strong words, Faerie King, for I see that your world is one of peace, not of battle. Your brood is unaccustomed to war, yet my very minions are veterans of the struggles to conquer or destroy many worlds! We will overwhelm your untested battle strengths in a single stride. Relinquish your throne to me now and survive to realize my glorious empire, or be struck into oblivion in its wake!”
Unused to such defiance, the Faerie King’s vision grew blind with rage. Turning away from the Nether King, he spoke to the other gods of Faerie.
“Let us go now to every corner of our world and gather its every inhabitant.” He addressed then Valk Hahwra once more. “It will come to pass that I will cast you from Faerie. You will see Ahithophal’s people make war, and you will be stricken with fear.”
Pleased, Valk Hahwra replied, “Go with haste, my ignorant nemesis. Be quick in ushering your very people to the slaughter.”
Hot with anger, Ahithophal beckoned the other gods of Faerie, and sped away from the mirror gate. Valk Hahwra did not follow, but instead called through the portal the rest of his following. Then, the Nether King did begin to set a camp around the place of the gate, so that none of Faerie could escape through it. Around his throne Ahithophal gathered all the people of Faerie, and began to exhort them with words of stirring power, beckoning to them with the call of war. But, Ahijadon felt unrest at the unprecedented shout for bloodshed, and so approached the Faerie King.
“My honored lord, let us not engage in the violent affairs of Valk Hahwra. Erare has kept his hand faithful over us all these days; I am sure that his Father will forgive the youthful transgression of a single soul. Please, call to him that he may defend us as he has done all along.”
Many of Faerie’s creatures who heard this agreed with the words of the elvenior lord, and began to murmur in accord with what he was speaking. Ahithophal pondered these sayings, and indeed he saw their wisdom. Yet the Faerie King had let pride enter his heart for the world he felt he had raised to its beauty, even forgetting that one had given him that world. And with the fury he felt against Valk Hahwra, Ahithophal wanted to seek vengeance against the Nether King’s intrusion. Hence Ahithophal decided against Ahijadon’s wise counsel, believing in his heart that in war he could exalt himself.
“I will not call upon Erare at all, for he is above the despoiled antics of Valk Hahwra. Faerie is our own world, so it must be Faerie that throws out its enemies. You, Ahijadon, should appreciate this above all, for it was the failing of your charges that allowed these things to happen! My brethren, let us go hither to oust the unwanted presence of this Nether King!”
Moved by the silver-tongued words of Ahithophal, most of the Faerie creatures cheered at his utterances. Yet Ahijadon and a few others were not at rest, for their loyalty was still with Arom-Azara. Even so, Faerie taught its people to ever be respectful of authority put in place by the will of Arom-Azara. So, those in disagreement held their thoughts for another time.
With their ancient power and aether, Faerie’s people then began to make ready to do battle for the first time in all their history. Despite being unaccustomed to the ways of war, they were crafty and mighty, and gathered themselves into a formidable force. Once they had prepared, Ahithophal led his people to the camp which Valk Hahwra had made for his unrighteous warriors.
Valk Hahwra met Ahithophal a second time. He said to him then, “You have brought your own children to their demise. You are a foolish king. It is sad that you did not choose wisely and surrender to me!”
Ahithophal’s countenance became one of storm and wrath. “Enough of your unimpressive gibbering, Nether King! The time for words is passed; now is the moment of battle!”
And so, with glorious and terrible might, the two kings began to war against one another. Quickly, the creatures of Faerie and the minions of the Nether King joined the fray. For a long time did these titanic powers clash, and great, sorrowful losses were wrought on both sides. Valk Hahwra and his minions did not expect such fierceness and might from mere infants at the art of war, and hence did they find themselves in an unforeseen level of violent struggle.
It came to pass that the opposing forces each became so grievously wounded that they were urged to pull back from the battling. As his kindred lay wounded and wearied, Ahithophal’s heart grew heavy with despair. In seeing the depressed state of his kindred, the Faerie King’s heart grew ever more vehement with hatred for Valk Hahwra. During this time of brief respite, Ahijadon again went before Ahithophal with great sadness over his presence.
“Dear Ahithophal, our very kindred have weathered pains of unsurpassable magnitude. Please, I beseech you my good lord, let us call out to the High Son and end this great tragedy.”
The Faerie King was not blinded to the wisdom that his fellow god spoke. Yet, Ahithophal’s prideful folly took hold over his very being. His intent was to drive off the wicked Valk Hahwra by his own might.
“No,” the Faerie King replied with fierce conviction. “Faerie itself will continue to make its stand.”
Ahijadon’s heart grew evermore sorrowful. He and his wife, Ilhunia, were greatly distressed at the death of the elvenior, whom they had promised to protect in loyalty to the High Son and the Father God. With reluctance, they knew it was time to make their stand.
“King Ahithophal,” said Ahijadon with much regret, “I cannot obey your war-loving commands any longer. My duty, assigned even by you by the authority of Erare, is indeed to protect the very elvenior whom Valk Hahwra’s minions are cutting down. We are abandoning this wicked war to seek the aid of our highest authority.”
At this Ahithophal grew troubled with himself, but lashed out his anger at Ahijadon. “You are disloyal, lord of the elvenior. I do not want you in the courts of Faerie. You have shown yourself untrustworthy. Get quickly from my face. I sunder you and your spouse from this world, you and your precious elvenior, since you did not love Faerie and wish to stand for its life!”
The other five Faerie gods of Ahijadon’s lower circuit grew angry with Ahithophal for these bitter words. They said to Ahithophal that he did wrong in the eyes of Arom-Azara by his manner.
The Faerie King replied, “It is you who do wrong, you with no integrity! You follow one whose authority is positioned below yours, and defy the one who Erare placed above you. Get yourselves gone from my very sight; take your brood away from Faerie! The seven high gods of Faerie will not abandon their home in the cowardly fashion that you have.”
In that moment, the Nether King’s forces had grown empowered once more by their time of rest and healing. So, the seven high gods and their people returned to their battle with renewed and heightened ferociousness. Ahithophal turned to the lesser gods and their kindred one last time.
“Join us now and I lift your banishment. Leave our side, however, and seal your fate as Faerie’s very outcasts.”
Ahijadon was moved with great pity for the folly of the king of Faerie. “I regret that you feel so. Yet it has been our duty and law to trust in Erare and seek his Father’s pleasure before our desires and actions. We leave the world called Faerie, but with us we take the truth of that which is Faerie as it was intended to be, and had been even under you for so long.”
Ahithophal spoke nothing in response, and returned to face Valk Hahwra. Ahijadon turned to his wife, his children the elvenior, and to the other lesser gods of Faerie and their brood.
“Come, let us sneak through the ranks of battle and through the mirror gate. Erare will guide us to safety; Arom-Azara will show his unending love for us.”
Indeed it was that Ahijadon and those with him stood in the light of the High Son. So it was as they passed towards the mirror gate that Erare’s great hand reached out and enveloped those faithful creatures in his protective embrace. Hidden by the Father God’s blessing, the seven lesser gods of Faerie and their followers passed uncontested through the warring creatures around them. It became so that even when one of the Nether King’s monstrous warriors looked directly upon the presence of Faerie’s outcasts, they saw naught. Hence, they made it to the mirror gate and passed through unscathed.
Faerie continued to tremble under the weight of war, and even as Ahijadon and his kindred escaped into the Hourless Land, that world of glory collapsed into desolation. Nigh all of the higher creatures of Faerie would eventually be destroyed in that war, and even Valk Hahwra would survive with few of his mighty army. Indeed, the Nether King had ruined the land which he sought to conquer, and Ahithophal’s folly sealed the fate of the world of Faerie.
Ahijadon and the other six lesser gods of Faerie before the gates of the Eternal Palace, and petitioned for the presence of Erare’s representative. Out did Gabriel, a mighty ellenduin of Erare’s service, come out to them.
He said, “Arom-Azara has seen your good heart condition, and has brought you safely out of Faerie’s obliteration. Yet, it is the failing of an elvar that did initiate these troubles, and so it must be that all elvar be made to have remembrance for the transgression of their kin. All elvenior shall hence be mortal, though their years will be many, and of a time their powers will wane in their later years of life. As for their gods and the remaining people of Faerie, Arom-Azara sends you to rule over your people in a lesser land of physical makeup. He has told Erare to have you and your people follow me to a new world for you to populate and make your home. Come this way.”
And the seven gods and their peoples did follow Gabriel to a new world through one of the countless doorways in the Hourless Land. This is the legend of the sundering, of how the elvenior and surviving Faerie creatures were forever removed from their world and brought to a new home. Indeed, it was in this way that the remaining beings of Faerie came to the world of Afanadar.
What became after of Ahithophal and the other Faerie beings is unknown, although it is sure that many perished at the hands of Valk Hahwra. As for the Nether King, he survived the destruction of Faerie, fleeing its ruin with his surviving minions for the reaches of the Netherworld. His wicked touch would be no where near Afanadar for many long years.
Commentary on the Creatures of Faerie
While the ancinior scribes of the Kabuke did not entirely neglect the histories of their Faerie kindred who followed them to Afanadar, they left many holes in the tale of their relatives, as in the Legend of the Sundering. Here they did not include a list of those Faerie which survived the attack of Valk Hahwra. So that the layperson will understand Faerie references to come later on, I will provide that information here.
Of the nonelven Faerie gods which remain there are five. These are called the fey gods, for their children, the fey, are the descendants of the Great Faeries who fell in the Sundering. Tilana is a goddess who lost her divine spouse in leaving Faerie. Her children are the firedancers, nymphs and dryads. Viorne and Talahorn are wed deities who preside over their own favored offspring. Viorne watches over the nyads, nereids, and sprytes, while Talahorn is the god of the centaurs, satyrs and leprechauns. Remiel and Uruviel are betrothed to one another and serve as deities over the lesser fey, of whom there are many.
There are two other races of Faerie who are not considered to be among the fey nor the elves. These are the unicorns, who are the children of Sennoria, the daughter goddess of Ahijadon and Ilhunia. Also, there are the spirit trees, the oak-like, wise offspring of Mythos Sylvata and Orinviel. Both the unicorns and spirit trees are closely tied to the elves.
The creatures descended of Faerie are immortal, unlike their elvenior brethren. They can be destroyed by violence, but only the depraved would want to do this to such noble and wondrous beings. Next we will continue with the Kabuke, which details the beginning of the Elven Age as the creatures of Faerie begin to settle Afanadar.
-Cedric Quilfeather
Year 151 Age of Renewal
