Incantations: Elven Creation Myth

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Elven Creation Myth

Set against the deep black backdrop of seemingly neverending night, the spires of light came into being. First one, a gargantuan pillar with a brightness to fill the night a great distance in all directions. Then more appeared, drawn to the first from the far reaches of the night. Soon there were dozens gathered around the first, still the largest by far. For millenia they simply existed like this, side by side, sharing their light. During this time, many of the spires faded into nothing. The darkness overwhelming the light until they ceased to exist. When there were but 21 left, the first spire called out to the others, seeking communication. It spoke a simple question…"What are we?"

There was a pause, a moment or a millenia there is no way to be sure, until another spire answered…"We are existence." With that, yet another spire posed a question…"What happened to the others?" Another pause, a moment or a millenia there is no way to be sure, until the second spire answered… "They do not exist."

Questions arose and answers were given:

"Will we cease to exist?" : "Possibly"

"How can we stop it?" : "Unknown"

"Why do we exist" : "Simply because we do"

"Is there more" : "…."

To this last question there was no answer. Generations passed, or mere moments, there is no way to be sure, before the first and largest spire spoke again… "There will be more."

Time passed as each spire explored its own existence, its own consciousness. Spires continued to fade into nothingness until there were only 15. For the first time, the spires felt need, the need for haste. They sought a way to end the fading, to save their existence.

Finally, generations later, or mere moments, there is no way to be sure, the spires acknowledged each other once again and began to share their findings. Each of the 15 remaining spires had a different idea, or process of thought (as we know it), about existence. One spoke of different levels of existing, proposing the idea of a reality and a dream. Another spoke of matter, of what composed a spire, and how more might come into being. Still another spoke of differences between entities, of individualism.

Each spire recounted its findings, until one was left. The first and the largest spire stated, "Through these findings the fading will end. It has been my task to research the fading and I have come to a conclusion. An extension of this reality that has been spoken of, a creation of more to bind this reality together will ensure our continuation."

"A creation of more?" another spire asked.

"More," the first and largest answered.

"More what?" the other replied.

"More of each facet of existence we have uncovered," the first and largest answered.

"We are capable of creation?"

"We must be," answered the first and the largest.

And time passed, a moment or a millenia there is no way to be sure, but there was a combining. No. There was a melding. No. There was simply the enhancing of essence already present; a strengthening of what was. Existence solidified and the fadings ended, but not before one more spire passed from reality, its knowledge, principles, and uncovered facets of existence lost. The spires made their home upon matter, and this matter was shaped and spread out great distances around them. Land, water, and air were given the breath of life, not a birth but a magnification a thousand times.

A strange thing occurred as existence was strengthened. Time took shape and form, not in measurement but in thought. The spires realized time with no mention or discussion or even conscious recognition. But when the spires had first communicated, there had been a beginning. And with the beginning came more beginnings, and endings. From beginnings and endings, time takes form, and will only cease when there are no more beginnings or endings.

And through this all, there was harmony and cooperation among the spires. There was simply no thought, or knowledge of conflict; it simply had never happened. They were all part of existence, and there were no levels of authority, no notion of superiority or disagreement.

The elves know it as Perfection’s End. The dwarves as the Split of the Mountain. Both refer to the same materialization. The time when strife became known. Dormant in the core of existence until awakened by thought or understanding.

The beginning of strife came when three spires came forward with a notion for another creation. A creation which would understand as the spires did. The matter had been shaped, facets of knowledge and existence uncovered, and yet the spires had not breathed understanding into any of the creation. Land did not understand, nor did water. Air did not realize or ponder. This began the first conflict, limited though it was. And it began with unanimous consent. The spires agreed to create something that would know as they knew and be as they were.

Though the spires all were eager to explore this new idea with the same "enthusiasm", differences in opinion began to rise as the process moved forward. Molds were shaped and formless thought given shape within these molds. But now some spires began to show ambition, ambition to control the molds and the amount of understanding given to this new creation. Great arguments were now had between spires over what knowledge to infuse and how much individualism the molds would be given. The first and the largest spire saw this change, grew scared, and called to the spires and told them to halt the creation and never again to pursue it. The other spires were shocked. Though they had disagreed, none saw any reason not to continue on the present course. They told the first and the largest spire that there would be no halt and the creation would continue. An argument of the greatest magnitude flared between the greater spire and the lesser 13.

The greatest tragedy time has known occurred when one spire, one of the three to propose the idea for the breed of understanding beings, and a spire whose ambition for control was rapidly increasing, lashed out at the first and the largest spire with a twisted form of the energy of creation which had strengthened existence; energy twisted to powerful destruction. And the spire, the first and the largest, was no more.

And time passed…

After generations or moments, there is no way to be sure, the spires now numbering 13 communicated again. As it was in the beginning, so it was again.

Questions were raised and answers given.

"What have we done?" : "We have destroyed."

"It is a first?" : "It was a necessity."

"In your opinion?" : "A statement of fact."

"I disagree." : "Perhaps you must go the way of the first."

"I have a proposal." : "…"

And a proposal was given and accepted by all. To preserve their own existence it was decided this twisted form of creation that could destroy would be removed from existence, burned out of each spire. But only after the beings given comprehension and knowledge were created. They would be self- reproducing so that no more energy would be needed to create more. Molds were remade with functionality in mind. They would be far smaller than the spires so that the land the spires had made their home would be immense and not able to be completely traversed. These beings would be given no power, so thought, reason, and understanding would be their only means of survival. The first molds breathed with life became a disaster. Small but fat, their understanding did not reach the levels that the spires wished them to reach. But they were set upon the land, far from the spires, and watched. Dwarves, the first race created, were incapable of surviving with this limited knowledge. The dwarves were left to die off on their own, however. The molds were remade and new breath infused. The elves were set near to the dwarves and watched. The elves, second to come into being, were a resounding success in the minds of the spires. Complete with understanding and individualism, knowledge and compassion, the elves not only survived but prospered. The elves thought for themselves, forming a language to communicate with each other, and tools to help themselves survive. And an unexpected thing occurred. The elves aided the dwindling dwarves. Food and provision were given to the dwarven race, and they were shown the need for shelter and clothing to survive. The spires were awestruck.

Not wanting to give up their power so soon, the spires went about creating more and different molds and the other races came into being, but none matching the elves. Each race placed in close proximity to the others. And the prospering elves aided each race and showed them how to survive. The elves did show the flaws of the spires including the ambitions for authority and control. But these led to structure and organization which allowed the elves to prosper even more. And all other races learned from the elves and began to prosper themselves.

And so the time came when the spires burned their own power of creation from their being to save themselves and preserve their existence. For they had discovered that when power is wielded it is not always wielded sensibly, and power such as they had control over could cause devastation over the fabric of existence they had worked to strengthen.

This ends the Elven Creation Myth.

What lies beneath this is here just for my memory's sake.

Topics uncovered: How the spires came to represent themselves as gods. The birth of religions. Elven/dwarven story of Avenril and Keltier. Magic’s discovery.