The Worldeater Saga, Part VI: Lines Drawn

As the Creators’ Monomachy raged on in heavenspace, the Celestine’s Children made Their thoughts known.

Upon the nineteeth day of the Monomachy, a planar disturbance sliced open the skies above Libec Cay. Rushing forth from the bore upon a glimmering deluge of Denan Arloi’s energy, the Maelstrom made Their return to the Prime Material amidst exhuberant cheers and boundless boasts of renewed bravery. Speaking unto the entire realm, They made clear that They stood alongside those Siblings that supported the Eschaton, vowing that They would no longer reflect Their Father’s craven design. Citing heroism as the missing piece of Their Paradise, Slyphe swore to see its swell like a rising tide within the hearts of Sapience’s mortals.

Eager to return to Their work with the Hammer of Dawn, Slyphe issued a challenge to Truth’s Crusaders, pitting them against His burgeoning cadre of Heroes in a test of righteousness. With the blessings of the Unbound and Maelstrom both, the two orders set out through Saluria in an act of fervent yuanrainit* against militant supporters of the Celestine’s claim. In a display of unprecedented unity, these zealous adventurers culled an equal amount of these foes, demonstrating their resolve in the face of a Creator for Whom they held only scorn.

Later into the week, upon the twenty-fourth day of the horrific duel in the skies, the Underking made His will known as well. Declaring to Sapience at large that He would quell any denial of His Father’s rightful claim, Dhar swore His support to Haern and Bamathis in the struggle to see the Celestine’s designs triumph. Ensuring that the world knew Her thoughts upon the spectacle all around, the Indelible deigned to declare Her own position upon the celestial warfare overhead shortly after. Lexadhra informed mortalkind that She cared for neither choice – only the spectacle and the ensuing story that would unfold, and that it was Her intention to chronicle this epic by Her own hand as Memory Incarnate.

Upon the twenty-fifth day of the Monomachy, the carnage on high intensified. The Eschaton and Varyan Celestine continued Their omnipotent warfare within a pocket world stitched into Prime’s fabric – here and yet not in the same breath, this tiny world suffered the results of Their competitive machinations. Drought, famine, flood, warfare – all rose as horrific tumult upon these unknown peoples, their anguish and historical progress writ upon the world’s imagination as this incomprehensible brutality unfolded a world away.

In the ensuing violence, stray shreds of Creation’s essence bathed the realm in lurid aurorae, their destructive potential held back by the continued integrity of Umbrael, the Manipulator’s cloak-turned-aegis. Ribbons of this ineffable power managed to burn their way through Creation’s protection, however, raining cataclysm down upon the Isle of Despair.

Seeing an opportunity to increase Her influence upon the realm, the occupant of Tiyen Indoron Herself – Chakrasul, the Dark Mother, the Lady of Corruption, the Ancient Goddess of Might – made Her way to its roof to avert this imminent catastrophe. Capturing Creation’s errant essence in a net of atramentous shadow, Corrupted Strength consumed them, imbuing Herself with a renewed surge of immense power as a result. Awakened to memories of an elder time, Chakrasul swore to the realm that She would stand beside the Warlord, the Hunter, and the Underking in support of Varian’s claim to Creation.

Calling out Her servants to attend Her, the malicious goddess took Her throne and reflected upon all that now stirred within Her mind. Though She expressed disappointment in the Sanguine Fist’s choice to back the Eschaton, the goddess showed mercy to those Chosen who sought to support It or a way forward beyond either Creator. Chakrasul declared that She would meet them at the end of Her spiral regardless before turning to business. Issuing decrees to begin work upon more private machinations, Corruption Incarnate made clear that She intended to strike fear into Sapience at the mere mention of Her name, Her designs upon the realm unleashed in full force once more.

As deities make known Their stances, mortal scholars toil to propagate knowledge…

Penned by my hand on Kinsday, the 1st of Chakros, in the year 511 MA.