Fiction:Everlands

The Everlands (also known as the Old World before contact with the lands outside the island) is a single island located in the seas of the planet Narazen. The island is divided up into six environmental regions of forest, plains, tundra, sea, volcano, and cavern. Across these regions are various tribes of different races who do constant battle with strange and savage monsters that plague the lands. In recent years conflict has arisen among the tribes as the old way of performing magic by channeling the elements of earth, water, wood, wind, thunder, and fire, and a new way that bends the spheres of the planet to one's will (geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, areosphere, psychosphere, and astrosphere). This has also come with a change in understanding the monster between evil beast to dangerous animals.

Origins
The origins of the Everlands are shrouded in myth and legend, all tales differ slightly but all go generally the same way:

"In the space before space, and the time before time, there was madness. A madness so violent and unknown, that those who found existence within it could not withstand it's writhing and torment. At their limit, these great beings sought salvation within an uncaring ocean of endless thorned tendrils and gaping maws. Their prayers were answered, and one greater than themselves rose to aid them. Through an act of love, the Great Beings were pulled from the Deep by their savior, Zarava.

''The Elder Beings saw the sky for the first time and wept. Zarava, in yet another act of love, gave up its strength to the Elder Beings. Zarava asked that in return for their deliverance, the Elder Spirits would use their gifts to create where it could not. To create wondrous things within this new place, where space and time were given form. And it was so.''

''One being created oceans that once held memories from before. Once endless, another being rose earth from the oceans, which held the time-yet-passed. As a symbol of unity and understanding between these two Great Beings, rivers began to flow, flowing through a myriad of mountains whose peaks reached the heavens. From the earth came the first life. Life which bore possibilities and imitated the mountains. One being created two flames. The first which danced across the heavens, where all could behold its radiance. The second was ignited below, hidden until its heat rises from the earth with unmatched force. Yet another being gave motion to the world, and with it the winds that incite change and give purpose. In the sky, flashes of power and light struck true, displaying the strength of the Great Beings even more.''

When the Elder Beings saw that their creation was good, they allowed new life to emerge, and with it the Old World."

Scholars of the modern era generally assert that the Elder Beings were the old rulers of the island, and the accredited creators of its races, whose empire long since collapsed under mysterious circumstances. The Old World is believed to be what the Everlands were known as before the discovery of other lands and a whole planet beyond the island. Thus the reason for the legend describing the creation of the entire world rather then just the island, at the time the island was understood to be the entire world. The legend continues as such:

"During the time of the Old World, all of creation prospered. The Elder Beings were now gods in the eyes of their numerous and industrious progenies. The world was bathed in the glorious light of Zarava for generations. But for every light, there was a darkness. An entity had wormed its way from the old Depths and into creation. It saw the sky for the first time and was disgusted. It was known simply as the Dark One, for his true name was even feared by those of divine origin. Seeking to drag creation into the Deep, the Dark One began spreading his corruption throughout the world. He whispered sweet nothings and deceptions into the hearts and minds of the mortals, turning them against each other.

''In a mockery of creation, the Dark One created beasts of its own. These Beasts were crafted with malice and desire, and hated all who did not share their dark heritage. Zarava took notice of the Dark One's actions, and came to him explaining the rules of his domain. The god of light did not sense the malicious intent of the Dark One, and attempted to bring him into the fold of the Elder Beings. Zarava motioned to the Dark One's spawn. "In your creations, imbue no more than one element. To do so will cause imbalance", said the god of light. While the Dark One agreed to these terms, he now knew what he had to do to sunder creation.''

''The Elder Beings did not share Zarava's hospitality however. They gathered what mortals they could and hunted the dark beasts alongside them. From their hides and bones came new weapons and armor that would aid the mortals in this endeavor. This enraged the Dark One, causing him to begin work on his ultimate creation; a beast infused with the power of all of the divine elements. It was known simply as the Black Dragon. It stank of the Depths its creator had slithered out of. This began the Dark War. The great beast ravaged the land with its unmatched strength. Most of the Old World's greatest warriors perished to the black flames of the beast. The Elder Beings, seeing no other options, did two final acts to save their creations. Firstly, each being gifted their element to a mortal of their choosing. Once that was done, the 'Elder Beings confronted the Black Dragon''

''With their divine power, the Elder Beings sealed themselves and the Black Dragon away, never to be heard from again. The mortal champions who had been gifted semi-divine strength led their people into the fray, killing many beasts, but ultimately failed to prevent the Dark One from emerging from his hollow. The Dark One began slaughtering and twisting the wills of the mortals he came across. Almost all of the mortal champions fell at the hands of the Dark One. Finally, having seen enough of the Dark One's brutality, Zarava appeared and clashed with his mirror. In the end, Zarava managed to strike down the worm, and send him screaming back into the Depths. Zarava, having been poisoned and horrifically injured by the Dark One, fell into a deep slumber.''"

This story seems to tell of the fall of the Great Beings by what many scholars assume to be a titan arisen from Primordial Chaos as a counter balance to Zarava (a god arisen from the beliefs of the Elder Beings). The Black Dragon is a common devil-type figure among the natives of the island, beast thought to bring the end of the world. Many scholars assume this iis some monster with the power to shatter the island.

Religion
A set of universal religious beliefs are shared by all races upon the island. This is the worship of the goddess Zarava and the precursors known as the Elder Beings. Zarava is a goddess of light and creation, and is seen as the supreme god above the Elder Beings. While all races worship Zarava each race finds a patron in an Elder Being they accredit to being their creator. There is also the titan of darkness and control known the Dark One (for his name is not to be spoken). The Dark One is seen as the creator of the islands monsters and is not so much worshiped as worshiped against. The Dark One is seen as the creator of the Black Dragon, a devil-type figure and monster that is said to bring the apocalypse with its coming.

Cavern Tribes
Devilos=

Sea Tribes
Angelus=

Forest Tribes
Daroth=

Tundra Tribes
Serker=

Plains Tribes
Scelus=

Volcano Tribes
Vanara=

Dragon Broods
Dragon Broods are different then the monsters of island for they were not spawned by the Dark One but rather came about as part of the after effect of a storm of Primordial Chaos. They are neither allies of the tribes or the monsters but a force unto their own that even the strongest of warriors and beasts hesitate to confront. Vulcan Brood=

Flechette Brood=

Cyclone Brood=

Nova Brood=

Mort Brood=

Comet Brood=

Fimbulwinter Brood=

Kraken Brood=

Tremor Brood=

Quotes

 * add your own!