Tam Chronin

Origins

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When the world was new, the gods gave it the name “Kayan”.  They saw that it was formless, pulled from the chaos of creation, and desired to make it their home.  From the chaos they created mountains and fields, oceans and skies.  There were five of them at first, harnessing the five forces of creation, creating Kayan to the vision of their dreams.  Bogradan had dominion over the winds and the skies, giving the breath of life and the gift of air to Kayan.  Atherva had dominion over the seas and lakes, marrying Bogradan and bringing to the world the rains.  Atherva’s sister was Egridaea, who was goddess of the earth and, with the help of the others sprang all life from her domain.  She loved Fotar above all, who had domain over fire.

 

And, finally, there was Nalia, who held herself and her gifts apart.  Her domain was magic, part of all things, giving the unifying force necessary to all that the other gods created, but separate from all.  She granted them her magic freely, as excited as they were over giving life to Kayan, a world that was much like a child to them all.

 

For time, all was peaceful.  The gods and goddesses came together, creating plants to cover the land, fish to dwell in the seas, and birds to fly in the skies.  Every new life was celebrated, until Nalia looked upon Fotar with sadness.

 

“Where is your domain?” she asked him.  “What life grows where your heart dwells?”

 

“Our creations all burn with life that I have given them,” Fotar said.  “Just as your magic holds them together and shapes them.  I am as important as you.”

 

“Atherva has her fish,” Nalia said.  “Bogradan has his birds.  Egridaea has her beloved plants, growing now over every inch of her domain.  But what have you?  Where are your creatures and where is your domain?”

 

Fotar shook his head, denying her words, but later he thought on them and realized they were true.  Anger took him, and great fiery mountains rose from the land and from the sea, burning the skies and boiling the seas.  He met with Nalia and within the fiery caverns they created the imps who burned all they beheld.

 

Egridaea cried to her sister goddess, weeping on Nalia’s shoulder bitterly.  “My husband won’t even suffer my touch, burning so hot in his rage.  His imps choke my plants, causing them such suffering that they cannot defend.  Help me, sister.”

 

Together they created the elves, which were created to protect the land and the growing plants upon it.  They fought the imps back from the land, healing the injured plants.

 

Bogradan came to Nalia secretly in the night, angry and plotting against his brother.  “Fotar chokes the air with ashes, and Egridaea’s elves give no hospitality to the birds, shooing them from their perches and nests so they have no place to rest.  Atherva won’t listen to my protests, but I know that you will.”

 

Nalia nodded, and together they created the fairies, which flew with the birds, banishing ashes from the air and protecting the nests and perches of the birds.

 

Atherva saw all of this, and she knew they were all of them deceived.  Nevertheless, she came to Nalia and asked for assistance, to create a race to guard the seas and watch the fish, and thus the merfolk were born.  When all of this was done, Atherva went to Fotar, dousing his flames, and asked if he knew what he had done.

 

"No longer am I a mockery of a god, to stand aside and only do what others bid of me.  I have my own domain!  I am equal to you all!"

 

"You were ever our equal," Atherva said.  "Fotar, my brother, your realm was the entire world, without restriction, without end.  You and Nalia were the most powerful and pervasive of us all, but you have brought yourself down to the lowest, giving in to destruction and conquer.  Now it is magic alone without domain."

 

He saw this was so, and he cried out at the injustice done.  He then went and made restitution to his wife, vowing never again to burn her.  To this day, the earth cannot be consumed by fire, though their creations still can suffer from Fotar's folly.  Nalia had wrought chaos well, and because of her magic elves cannot abide fire, imps melt away when touched by salt, fairies shrink from the touch of water, and the merfolk cannot breathe the air.