I have an idea for a novel, and this one I don't want to let die or be transformed into gaming material. SO....
I plan to write a few exerpts from the story I plan to write, this is the first, the prologue, the beginning.
Within our universe a thing manifested, but it was the only thing in existence, and it was lonely.
So it divided itself and from these two halves came light and darkness, they met and intermingled and explored the extreme limits of each other's existence, and though light and darkness were no longer lonely they wished to create something new to experience the world.
So light and darkness took of themselves and made the elements, made the stars, and set them all in motion. From this material creation light and darkness found new beings to talk to, they met the waters, the earth, the air, and the fires. And each spoke with different languages but with the same voices as light and darkness. They spoke of sight, sound, movement, creation, and change. And when they had spoken all that could be spoken of the six beings wished to create more. The gods made trees, grass, fish, animals, birds, and people. They listened to all these new voices in the world, though the plants and creatures they created swished, barked, cawed, breyed, and bubbled the gods did not hear voices from them they were accustomed to. Then they heard two divine voices from across their world, the gods of life and death had joined the discussion. Yet despite all the new things to talk about and all the things that exist in creation and interact within creation the gods felt something was missing from their creation. So the eight gods gathered together and made the dreaming, and from the dreaming they gave men imagination, and from this creation the god of dreams joined the pantheon and things began moving faster.
The god of dreams inspired men to create themselves, and from men's creations the gods found new members joining them. The god of time, the god of civilization, and the god of knowledge. But then the god of dreams inspired the last god, the god of the glyph, and at last all was good. From this last god and his creations each god found themselves named, each piece of knowledge could be recorded, times could be specifically told, and the glyphs of power were made. Great wizards could use and combine the glyphs to aid peoples and make new things, discoveries were made in time and after time all could be said to be good. But long after the glyphs were discovered and the words of man could speak with the words of gods an awful, terrible thing happened.
Outside of the cosmos, in a place past the stars, where the gods did not create the universe a thing entered the cosmos, and the gods not knowing what it was thought it was another god within creation. Ebal, the light-giver sought to welcome the being to the god's creation, though the thing hid from her gaze, it did not like the light. Unable to find the thing Ebal asked Narroh swift-shadow to find it. And Narroh searched in the hidden dark places of creation where only he may tread faster than light falls. He found the thing and wanting to be courteous approached it from earshot and introduced himself. The Thing responded in a language Narroh had never heard before, speaking in a voice of such hatred and anger that Narroh was so shocked when the Thing attacked him the god faster than light was unable to dodge out of the way. Caught by the Thing Narroh fought hard to free himself though he knew that the Thing meant to eat him. Unable to prevent his end and knowing that the Thing meant to possess his power Narroh released his command over darkness though the Thing managed to consume the barest fraction of Narroh's power. Ebal felt her companion's end, and all the gods felt the lack of Narroh's presence in the dark places in the cosmos as his power was released. Suspecting that the thing ended Narroh the gods spoke to each other fearing that the thing meant to unmake them and take over their creation. Though each god knew something needed to be done each feared for their safety as any being that could end such an old god was a frightful thing indeed, fire would not burn it, water would not drown it, air could not blast it, and nothing made of or on earth could harm it. It was not born so it could not die, it could not be tamed, it could not be aged, and there were no known weaknesses. Then from the depths of imagination Ensud the dream-shaper from the depths of the dreaming found an answer. Taking some of the released power of Narroh, Ensud nightmare-wielder crafted a cage for the Thing that would contain it. Ensud sought the Thing and baited the trap with a meal made of dreamstuff. Poisoning the Thing with dream Ensud confined it within a cage of a deep dark dreaming. The Thing was taken away from the Cosmos and it was hoped that it would never be able to escape. Ensud darkness-trapper was congratulated and given some of the nighttime responsiblities that still required a god's supervision while Ebal Shine-Sorrow wept the lost of Narroh Light-companion.
All was well for some time, though the god of Light did grow distant from creation. Unable to escape from the Deep Darkness the Thing experienced the dreaming, and began to understand some of the power it stole from Narroh darkness-delver. Though the thing could not physically escape from the Deep Dark Dreaming it learned how to manipulate the things of darkness, and extend itself into the darkest of the dream. Mimicking the things it found within the dark dreams of the cosmos it learned how it would smite upon the god's creation. Of the powers the Thing stole it could only use them on the Dark of the moon. Bidding it's time the Thing watched humanity grow and decided to strike against it specifically as they attracted the most interest of the gods.
When the thing struck, it was a nightmare of living darkness, from shadows the monstrous and indescribable things emerged from shadow and dream and struck against humanity. Though many were killed or driven mad the old weakness of the Thing did prove to be humanity's shield, only those who rested in light were immune to physical harm, though night terrors continue to plague humanity. Ensud nimble-thought was sorely vexed at such horror inflicted upon humanity, and sought a solution to the problem within the farthest, deepest realm of the dream where the dreams of philosophers meet. And thus, a solution was found, though humanity knew how to make light the dreams of people were meant to be sacred, though the gods were mighty they were not so imaginative as humanity, Ensud guard-maker made it possible for humans to fight the Dark Terrors of the soulless moon.
Ensud gave to humanity the gift of dreams and the gift of drawing from dream and imagination the terror and horrors that humanity could create to fight against the machinations of the Thing. Thus humanity saw Dreamweavers erupt from the Nights of Dark Terror, those taught by Ensud in the timeless dream how to defend against the Thing. Though despite the defenders, the plan was incomplete, though Ensud honour-martyr could not stop the Thing from causing the Nights of Dark Terror, he could actively guard and improve the prison to keep the Thing from learning from Humanity's darkness allowing humanity to develop better weapons to fight the thing.
Hail to Ensud! God of Dreams, protector against the Thing, and patron to Dreamweavers.
May you be forever honoured for your noble sacrifice.
Hail to Ensud! God of Dreams, protector against the Thing, and patron to Dreamweavers.
May you be forever honoured for your noble sacrifice.
