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The Unjust Persecution of the Twelve by Uzriel

Winner for November 2020

Most everybody has heard the story of the Elder Wars to some degree or another. How the Twelve were traitors, banished to the void for daring to take part in the Rites of Abomination. It is all right there in the histories, written in the Book of Igaso.

History is written by the victors.

The truth of the matter is, the accounts of the Elder Wars are as biased as the Elders who wrote them. If one were to take an unbiased look at the Twelve, one can reach the conclusion that They were persecuted out of fear of their success, and that Their banishment changed the course of the Elder Wars for worse.

The most basic assumption from the Elders and Triumvirate which led to Their judgement of the Twelve is that the immanidivinus energy is "good" whereas excoroperditio is somehow "evil". Immanidivinus energy is that associated with the Elder Gods, whereas excoroperditio is part of the Soulless, however that does not inherently make one evil or good, they were both children of Dynara and both are part of creation.

Now to further this examination and theorize. Estarra as the merging of the Son of Yudhe, Magnora, and Dynara is the merging of immanidivus and excoroperditio. The Twelve who consumed soulless energy were not then traitors who partook in rites of abomination, rather They were trailblazers who merged immanidivus and excorperditio much as Dynara eventually would.

Without the Son of Yudhe to temper the opposing energies as Estarra had, the consumption of soulless essence wasn't without its drawbacks. That the Twelve gained exceptional strength and insight (and indeed many were noted as being exceptionable even prior) is without doubt, just so is the sacrifice that They made. To be changed to such an amount, is to die and be reborn. Much of what They once were had to die, and They would be cursed to always fight for balance between the two competing energies within them. This is a damnation which while all within the Basin judge harshly, few outside of Magnagora or the viscanti will ever truly experience firsthand.

And so the Twelve gained great strength, knowledge, and insight - while also suffering great loss and sacrifice. A monster grew within that They struggled to balance along a razor's edge, one which perhaps with the support of the other Elders They could have more easily controlled. Instead of this needed support, They were judged, banished, and cast out.

It is clear that once the Twelve began to consume the essence of the Soulless, They were able to turn the war around. What started as hopeless defeat turned towards stalemates, and finally even victory. Had the Twelve, rather than being banished as traitors, been embraced and given the support They needed, it is not only possible but likely that they could have driven back the Soulless, saving the lives of countless Elders that were lost in the war or in the Void of banishment after giving up on Lusternia, the first world.

History calls the Twelve traitors? I call Them heroes, saviors, and blessed. As for the other Elders Who banished the Twelve? They let fear rule Them and sentenced Lusternia to an ignominious death.