World-Building: Geneses
Elfland’s Ethics & World Building | World-Building: Causes & Consequences
At the end of the last post, I said that this post would look at the different B/X D&D player character races, focusing on those races’ patron deities and creation stories. I also said that none of those patron deities are really deities, and that none of the stories are fully true.
I’ve got to backpedal a bit here. Most the patron deities are not deities. Most of the stories are not fully true. One race, however, has maintained authentic worship of the Sole Creator. That race’s religious traditions preserve the Sole Creator’s truth insofar as mortal creatures can understand it.
Let’s start with the three races that get it wrong before looking at the one race that gets it right.
Dwarves, Elves, and Humans
Isarn Egni, the Forge Lord, mined iron from the depths of the First Mountain. He purified the metal with the heat of his gaze, and then hammered it on the Dread Anvil into the forms of Heled and Murgeda, the first dwarves. Isarn Egni gave his creatures life by plunging them into pure spring water untouched by sunlight. He then gave Heled and Murgeda dominion over all lightless places as well as the lands surrounding the entrances to the world-under.
Har Marei, the Queen of Waves, created the elves from coral and seafoam. She brought to life Indóar and Lona, the first elves, through an infusion of her own blood, and she blessed them with the dolphin’s playful heart and the shark’s predatory instincts. She made their forms changeable and cyclical, like the tides and the phases of her lunar abode. Har Marei gave Indóar and Lona dominion over the seas and all coastal places.
Drit Watar, the Father of Morning, formed Kras and Aefen, the first humans, from the dust of the ground. Drit Watar then implanted in each a mote of light, bringing his creations to life. Kras and Aefen received from Drit Watar dominion over all lands, including the plants and beasts of those lands.
Halflings
In the beginning, Iesmi, the One and True, created the Werdaz, immaterial beings of immense power. Iesmi then created the cosmos: time, the stars, the worlds, and all the plants and beasts living on those worlds. He assigned the Werdaz to watch over the myriad aspects of his creation, commanding the Werdaz to benevolently care for their charges. On one world, Iesmi created the halflings, shepherds and farmers, material creatures limited by their bodies and senses. Iesmi gave the halflings dominion over that entire world.
At first, the Werdaz marveled at Iesmi’s newest creatures. They desired to imitate the One and True. Iesmi gave the Werdaz permission to take the material of that world and form new creatures. Iesmi then gave these forms life, and a multiplicity of mortal creatures came to be. But Deorcynsse, the first of the Werdaz, resented the halflings. He hated their weakness, and he coveted their favored status.
So, Deorcynsse plotted treason, seducing many other Werdaz to his cause. These rebels sowed discord among the other races, asking why the halflings should have dominion. In the guise of Valsch Witan, Deorcynsse claimed to be Iesmi’s messenger. His false light led many astray from the Iesmi’s Way. The seduced Werdaz corrupted their charges, bringing disorder and violence to the world.
