Most have forgotten.
In a time before time you and your kin were mighty, walking a world where you had no rivals in either power or intellect. It was a peaceful existence free of strife or struggle, as the beasts that lived and died short lives were inferior to you in any way. Some found such a simple existence utterly abhorrent, and so the first sin was plotted and carried out.
The most depraved and brutal of your kin planned an experiment. The common beasts and plants of the world often slew and consumed eachother for survival, and occasionally out of malice or competition. These plotters, known now by the name of Demon, slew some of their own kin to prove it was possible. Outrage and fear rippled out from the first acts of evil, so these Demons where overwhelmed and sealed away under metal and stonework possible only through the cooperation of many of the most powerful beings in existence.
Once the grim task of sealing away the eternal evil had been completed, a small miracle had been discovered. The corpses of those who had been slain decayed into the land, the same as any body might. Except that the very land absorbed the purity of essence that the Kin had once possessed, forming lands of holy wonder. Even the very souls of the dead retained some bare amount of consciousness, and it is from this consciousness that the Elves first sprung. They worshipped the dead, calling them the "Forces", and taking upon themselves the solemn duty of guarding the land which had helped give them life. They were crude beings, but they were undeniably sentient, capable of the same feats of learning and discovery that had been the sole purview of the Kin before now.
This sparked an intense debate. Many of the kin desired to create new sentients, now that the possibility had been discovered. Others regarded these "pitiful" beings as a perversion of divine essence, or even a threat. The Kin did not wait until any kind of agreement before launching into action. Some of the Kin formed groups so that they could work together on the creation of new beings, as it was quickly discovered that a single one of them would not be successful without sacrificing themselves to the task. These Kin, which came to be known as Gods, wanted to guide their children in a way which the Forces were yet unable to. Some of the Kin however, devoted their energy to creating mighty bodies for themselves, or creating engines of destruction to release upon whatever beings the Gods created, these Kin became known as the Titans. It was only a matter of time until the Titans and the Gods came to blows.
When the war came, the Gods were hopelessly outmatched. Most of their power had gone into the creation of beings who had not yet had the opportunity to truly come into their own, while the Titans were mighty indeed, and backed by soulless warriors of metal. The Gods, armed only with knowledge and their fledgling creations, were bloodied horribly, and some were even killed, leaving their children without the teachers they would need. These dead gods were carried away however, for the Titans did not wish to repeat the events which had led to the creation of the elves. So was committed the second set of sins, and it was this that inspired a new idea in the nearly beaten Gods. They went to their kin in the depths of the underworld and forged pacts. Demon Lords would be permitted to return to the world in exchange for alliance against the titans. These pacts were readily accepted. Once the war had been won, those Demons who had been freed would be allowed similar holdings as the Gods, though in exchange the Gods would hold their leash.
From Fortresses erected out of the underworld, the demons forged armies out of those mortal souls who had fallen to the cruelty of the Titans, creating the goblins which would serve as their foot-soldiers forevermore. It was with the goblin armies that the tide was turned against the Titans, who were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of their mortal enemies. Of those who survived, most retreated into the darkest depths of the world, to be forgotten. Those who remained on the surface did so in sheer defiance, though they had already lost.
The war took a heavy toll on the gods however. The creation of the mortals and the pacts with their dark kin left them with too little power to safeguard their victories, so they retreated to watch and guide beyond the reach of those who might slay them in their weakness. The world was left a chaotic battlefield, with the mortal survivors forced to cobble together their civilisations themselves, with only that which the Gods had taught them to arm themselves. Some races were left without even that, unfinished creations of deities whose names would never be recorded. Finally, those Gods who had been slain by the Titans left their mark too, despite the best efforts of those who slew them. They were left in the world as a dark echo of hatred, lashing out mindlessly and without thought, creating monsters formed of fear and malice. And now you know why you fear the night.
You are one of those vestiges of divine might which were broken and forgotten, left as a mindless spirit for hundreds of years. However, something has happened which has stirred your mind into consciousness, though as an untethered spirit with only a fraction of your former might. In a time before time, what were you called?
Choose History.
-I was one of those first Victims of the First Sin. From my body sprung idyllic land which cradled the life within it, and from my spirit grew some of the first of the elves.
My progeny have been laid low by beasts and mortals however, meaning that while their descendants live, they do so under the banners of other civilisations.
-I am among those who committed the first sin, whether out of malice or curiosity. I was sealed away, but then brought back into the world through dark pacts with my kin. I was slain by the Titans in the war, despite the victory of my legions.
-I succeeded in the act of shepherding new life into this world, though not alone. I was slain in the war against the Titans however, and have since been forgotten by those i helped to create. (Choose Human or Dwarven.)
-In abhorrence or fear, i attempted to destroy mortal life in this world. I was laid low by the combined effort of my Kin, despite my might.
-I created new life, but only managed to teach them a precious few things before i was slain. I do not know what has become of my children, the Kobolds.
-I created new life, but was unable to teach them much of anything before i was slain. (Choose animal people race.)
-I was among those slain by the Titans, but they attempted to cast me out into oblivion. They failed, and instilled me only with hate. I am why you fear the night.
-I was neutral in the war before time, but was nontheless caught in between. (Choose Dragon, Hydra, or Roc.)
-I am among those Titans who created our war machines, the Bronze Colossi. I was severely reduced by this act however, and was forced to take a weaker form than most of the other Titans. (Choose Ettin, Minotaur, Giant or Cyclops.)
What has awakened you?
-A desperate Witch has entreated me for aid, giving up much of her autonomy in exchange for enough of my power to survive. The worship sustains me.
-A group of animal people (choose one) has begun to worship me, despite my unthinking cruelty as a maddened spirit. Wether i regret my actions or not, they believe that sacrificing to me prevents me from killing their number. Regardless, it has helped me recover my mind.
-A sorcerer has discovered ancient secrets unknown to most mortals, and has chosen to attempt to bind me to his service. His magic awakens me, but also restrains me. His power guarantees i wont risk an early destruction while i recover, and his resources may give me a head start in coming to grips with the world again. He will attempt to control me however, and the benefits will likely only continue as long as i serve him.
-A skilled adventurer has stumbled upon and accidentally profaned a shrine to me. My curse will bind them to me, but they are unlikely to be a faithful servant, and may make efforts in an attempt to drive me away. Without a mortal tether, in such a weakened state, my mind would be lost. Nonetheless, such a skilled mortal could be useful.
A note for readers!
This is an idea that has been kicking around my head for a really long time, but which i've been uncertain how to put into practice until now. Heavily DF inspired, and with some creative liberties and interpretations taken. I will however, be referring to one or more DF world generation saves for inspiration. If you have any ideas for what *kind* of world(s) you might like generated for the setting, between now and my next post is the time to pipe up, and i might be able to adjust. I won't be sticking to world generation religiously, but things like geography and civilisation history are likely to be decided heavily on it.
