The First World rumbled ominously as Eventru, Crown of the Exalted,
Lisaera, the Silver Goddess, and Maylea, Bloom of Serenity met atop
Avechna's Peak, murmuring to one another about the sore. Mortals
gathered and bore witness: in truth the Fulcrux of the First World had
overfilled with raw spiritual essence, forcing itself through every
crevice it could. They speculated to one another that it was from this
the self-proclaimed gods had been shaped, bearing more than simply the
appearance of the god they mimicked. As well, it was gleamed that the
Fulcrux had triggered its own defensive mechanisms, plaguing the First
World as best it could, to end what it perceived as a threat - indeed,
some pondered, that it was mortal kind who had caused these plagues,
however inadvertently.

Working together, Lisaera produced a halo of silvery metal that
encircled the bubbling sore while Eventru fashioned and shaped
crystalline rods to support it, designed to direct the flow of essence
and energy. Maylea, lastly, pressed her energy into creating a link
between the two constructs, and so the three Elder Gods created a whole.
It was then they began to discuss the need for catalysts to transfer
essence from the Fulcrux, themselves too weak to transfer more, but
their discussion was cut short. Shimmering into existence, Raezon,
Auseklis, Shikari and Morgfyre appeared, mocking the Elder Gods and the
mortals who sought to help them. Urging Lisaera and Maylea to flee,
Eventru did so Himself - yet too late they were, for the traps had been
laid.

As Lisaera flew towards the Serenwilde Forest, seeking safe haven,
thousands of silvery forms dove down from the crescent moon, laughing
and mocking the goddess that looked nigh identical to her. Rising up
from New Celest, scores of radiant beings likewise blocked the Exalted
Lord from safe haven. Maylea, fleeing Avechna's Peak, was quickly beset,
eager to cry out warning yet finding herself too late. The attacks were
short-lived, as the Elder Gods themselves were weak and frail. Eventru
plunged into the Inner Sea, Lisaera into the Northern Mountains and
Maylea near the Serenwilde Forest, each unable to fight in their poor
conditions.

Shrieks and cries of frustration rose up as hundreds of the would-be
gods swarmed the skies of the Basin of Life, joined by their fellows.
Raezons, Morgfyres, Shikaris, Fains, Isunes, Elostians - no end to them,
swarming about the Basin of Life in a frantic fury, crying out to both
find and slay the Elder Gods before it is too late.

Many days passed as mortals were variously hunter and hunted to these
strange gods, dumping their bleeding and battered corpses into the halo,
sending ribbons of energy into the sky above. It was not until the
Fulcrux had been drained enough for it to be sealed once more that the
Elder Gods appeared - Eventru and Fain of the First Circle, from Celest
and Magnagora respectively, were joined by Lisaera, Maylea and Charune
from Serenwilde and Nocht from the Glomdoring atop the peak, looking out
upon the sore. After a brief discussion, wherein Fain, who once worked
closely with the Fifth Circle, confirmed their beliefs - indeed, it was
the mortal races responsible for the flow of essence into the Fulcrux of
Lusternia that caused it to rupture as it had. The essence had sought
its only outlets - the fulcruxes at first, and thus the creation of the
miniature gods. For, Eventru revealed, in each fulcrux lied the Elder
God's imprint, a copy of the divine template from which Dynara created
them, long ago - adapted and changed by the trials of their lives,
reflecting who and what they were completely. Forged of the raw essence
of the Fulcrux of Lusternia, they lacked a crucial possession of the
Elder Gods - souls.

As they worked to close the sore, each god adding their power to the one
before them, Lisaera, the Silver Goddess leaned close to Eventru, Crown
of the Exalted, and whispered something between them. Nodding, Eventru
spoke only that it may be possible. As soon as the sore was closed
Eventru and Lisaera grasped upon the latent energies and rode the eddies
and currents of power into the skies and beyond. Curious as to what was
going on Charune and Maylea followed suit, and then even Fain, suddenly
realizing their plan, rode into the skies.

With the sudden departure of the Elder Gods, the last twelve of the
false gods gathered, realizing this as their last chance - though no
ordinary attack would suffice. They would need power. And so Morgfyre,
having been mocked by Nariah at one point, who had blithely thrown in
the false god's face that the Astral Plane was a limitless font of power
for those who sought it, knew what must be done. Together the twelve
false gods delve through the planar fold, and each took a sphere,
linking into the node and drawing deeply. Quickly they crackled and
expanded in form, drawing immense amount of power through the nodes. It
was not long before the skies above cracked with an angry red light and
a malevolent presence was known upon the Astral Plane, the mimicry of
Isune crying out as she sensed an angry being beneath the power. Yet
none of them truly cared, seeking only the power, and so they drew
deeply. As each of the false gods fell, slowly but surely, to the
combined forces of Serenwilde and New Celest, and separately Magnagora,
the skies continued to crack and reality itself shuttered as the
Tapestry began to fray.

And though the last twelve were slain finally, the broken forms of
Lisaera, Maylea, Charune, Nocht, Fain, Eventru, Isune, Elostian,
Shikari, Raezon, Morgfyre and Viravain strewn about the Astral Spheres,
it did no good - for the pressure of the Fulcrux had stressed the Nine
Seals, and they had fractured beneath the pressure. Kethuru the
Almighty, now awake and aware, begins to beat upon His imprisonment, and
with each moment the seals grow weaker.

Nine challenges shall decide who shall compete for the Staff of
Ascension in the final trial, a trial that shall leave any who
participate insane and one person changed forever, rebirthed within the
wild energies of the Nine Seals and the domoths beyond them, abandoning
much of their mortal coil and donning the mantle of a being known as a
True Ascendant.

Chaos. Harmony. War. Justice. Knowledge. Beauty. Life. Death. Nature.
Who shall bear the mark of each seal? Who shall surpass all others and
join the Avenger in battle, turning aside Kethuru the Almighty and
restore the Nine Seals to their proper glory?

What will become of these strange manifestations of the Elder Gods, who
have withdrawn Their temples from the First World entirely, and instead
using the latent essence from the sore and the excess spiritual energy
from the mortal's offerings to create pockets within aetherspace,
manifesting bubbles of Their own design?

The last line of the last Quatrain of the Verses of Magnora discovered
whispered from lip to lip among mortals, some uttering the dark,
prophetic words aloud - Come, Heralds, and wars proclaimed!


Penned by My hand on the 11th of Roarkian, in the year 225 CE.