The Ages
Time is a measurement created by the mortal races, but they were not the first to set roots in the garden of history. For as long as there has been grass on the plains and trees in the forest, the Thalan, known to some now as the Grey Elves, have been here. This historical account is passed down through their stories and writings, but is also debated by many races. Even the gods contest this account, placing themselves at the center of the mythos. Whatever the truth, this is their tale.
Contents
Prologue (Excerpt from The Thought of All, a Thalan children’s book)
Upon the endless expanse two twin lovers, Strife and Temperance, together made war.
They are Axioms, constructs of pure conceptual thought and idea. Strife, the warmaker, destroys all in his path while Temperance influences and guides his fury. For an eternity the two do join together, waging war on others like them and claiming the very essence of those who fall before them; spoils of their eternal war. And so this transpires until the fires in Strife’s hearts begin to wane. Temperance in her endless wisdom, recognizes the need for rest but for Strife, war was all he knew and he was incapable of respite. Temperance, sensing their impending ruin, places her brother into a deep sleep however Strife’s nature can not be subdued and even through slumber he rises and continues to battle.
Not to be dissuaded, Temperance fashions from her horde the Axioms of Creation, Destruction, Alteration, Transmutation, and Conjuration, and combines them into a single seed. Knowing this seed would need light to manifest she plucks one of her many eyes and cast it into the sky. The sky, however, was too vast and she realizes quickly that her light would only shine half of the time. Fearing the seed’s death she plucks out her lover’s eye, still blinking, and casts it to the far side. That light, although not as powerful as hers, provides enough illumination for the task ahead. Finally, she reaches out beyond the expanse, pulling down and wrapping the seed in a thread of primordial chaos. With all Axioms harmoniously joined the seed begins to glow and she is pleased.
It is ready to be sown.
Gathering all her power, knowledge, wisdom and willpower, she once again places her twin in a deeper sleep. Using now forgotten lore, she carves upon his flesh a codex of design. A grimoire of rules crafted to protect and maintain him while in slumber. With the codex complete she plants the seed deep within his heart and there, under the light of twin eyes, it takes hold. The seed and his spirit bond and as it starts to sprout, a web of roots began to spread throughout his being, binding him to the ground. From his form a colossal tree of Axioms takes shape and she calls it the Dreamleaf.
With the Dreamleaf in bloom she lies down beside him, placing her hands upon his many heads as they both drift peacefully into torpor. She exists there with him, comforting and inspiring, transforming herself into a realm far from his; separate yet connecting.
The Dreamleaf, now unfettered from the limitations placed upon it by its creators, continues to grow. The Axioms of its creation coalescing to form life, death and all things known, dispersing throughout its roots and branches.
And so this did continue for a time immeasurable.
