C is for Creation Myths

C is for Creation Myths

There are many myths which have come to be associated with the creation of Haume, and its many races.

According to the elves, Haume was created by the Faerie Queen and the All-Father. The first elves were direct descendents of these great beings, and they created the other races to as “drones” to help manage the affairs of the elves upon the planet. Accordingly, all elves on Haume feel that they are, in actuality, gods themselves.

The dwarves instead tell a tale of the First Maker, who carved the world out of Chaos, and created the races in his unending quest to create the perfect being.

No one is quite sure what the Halflings believe. Whenever talk turns to things of religion or the past, halflings get a look of great sadness on their faces, and become very quiet. Some say that they are the only race that knows the true origins of the races, and that knowledge is a heavy burden.

However, amongst the races of man, they tell a different tale…

In the beginning, there was the Void. The Void was Everything, and Nothing, all at the same time. Eventually, that which was Void reshaped, and reformed, until there was the Mother, and the Father. The Mother and the Father complimented each other in every way, and yet they contradicted each other at the same time. For many lengths of time, immeasurable to mortals, the Mother and the Father existed, together and yet apart, and after a long while, after they had explored everything together and apart…. they grew bored. And so, the Mother and the Father decided to create another. They chose the best parts of each other, and they created the Child. And for many more passages of time, life was good, as the Mother and the Father explored the Void with the Child, imparting all of their knowledge.

However, eventually, after they had finished exploring the Void with the Child, the Mother and the Father found that the Child was always looking for more to do. Although the Mother and the Father enjoyed spending time with the Child, they needed some time alone, to contemplate great truths that were still beyond the understanding of the Child, or even time alone with each other, to ponder other truths. And so, the Mother and the Father decided to create playthings for the Child. And so, they took parts of the Void, and formed and shaped them, and they created the Universe, and all the stars, and all the planets, and then they took some small parts of themselves, and mixed it with the Void, and they created all the lands, and the seas, and the plants, and the animals, and They gave them to the Child. And the Child was delighted, and took great pleasure with its new playthings. This allowed the Mother and the Father time to go back to exploring and contemplating the Void.

However, after another period of many passages of time, the Mother and the Father noticed that the Child was spending most of its time playing with one plaything more than any others. “What is it you have named this toy?” the Mother asked the Child. “I have decided to call this, my favourite toy, Haume, because all those things which I love are united on this one world,” the Child responded with a smile. “And why do you enjoy playing with this toy more than the rest?” asked the Father. The Child answered them, “I like this toy the best, because of all the creatures that You have created for Me. If only….” With this, the Child momentarily looked away, and the Mother and the Father said, “You need only to ask us, our Child… what is it You want?” The Child replied, “I only wish that you had created something that would surprise me. All the creatures that are part of this toy behave as dumb creatures do… they have no free will. They always do the same things. I grow weary of watching them. I wish to have creatures who do not do what I think they will!” The Mother and the Father thought about this for a time, and then they said to the Child, “We have thought about what You have said, and We have decided to create a new plaything for you, which will behave with its own free will. We will make them as we have made You, with equal parts of Ourselves.” The Mother and the Father took parts of Themselves, and mixed it with parts of the Void, and They created the Halved, so named because they took half their totality from the Mother, and half from the Father. The Halved took their beauty and peaceful nature from the Mother, while from the Father, they received their small stature, which reflected their Child natures. The Child was delighted with these new playthings, and spent many more passages of time observing the Halved as they learned about their new world.

One day, the Mother and the Father found the Child, staring forlornly at the Child’s toys. With great concern, They asked the Child, “What is the matter, Our Child?” The Child replied, “I am sad, for although my new toys please me greatly, I feel their sadness, for they are alone on their world, and have no one with which they share their existence, as I have You, Mother and Father.” The Mother and the Father considered this for a time, and They said to the Child, “We have decided that We do not enjoy seeing You in sadness. So, We will create new playthings for the Halved, so that You will not suffer from their sadness.” But, the Mother and the Father could not agree on what to create. So instead, They both took parts of the Void, and parts of Themselves, and They created two more new playthings for the Halved. The Mother took beauty and intelligence, magic and the air and the water, and all the bright parts of Her creations, and created the Fey. Meanwhile, the Father took strength and resolve, and skill and fire and earth, and all the most solid, well created parts of His creations, and created the Dur. The Mother and the Father placed these new creations with the Halved, and again, the Child was delighted, and watched as the races of his world learned to interact.

Many passages of time passed before the Mother and the Father again saw the Child, sitting forlornly, looking at his playthings. “Oh Child, what is it that troubles You now?” they asked. The child replied, “While I am happy that You created new playthings for Me and My world, they are being most cross! They started out playing together, but over time, they have become most independent!” When the Mother and the Father looked down, They saw that what the Child said was true. Although the Mother and the Father had tried to create suitable playthings for the Child, the fact that They had not undertaken this endeavour together, but separately, meant that Their new creations were imperfect. For, as the Mother looked down, she found that the Fey could not relate to the Halved, because they were far more beautiful than the Halved, and possessed of more intelligence, and more of a connection with magic, and nature. The Fey had retreated into the forests and across the waters of the planet, to contemplate things which did not interest the Halved, who lived in the softly rolling hills and the wide open plains. Meanwhile, the Father found that the Dur could not tolerate the childlike innocence of the Halved. The Dur were far more serious-minded, and they gravitated towards the dark places under the ground, where they worked their crafts and practiced their martial prowess, which repulsed the innocent Halved. The Mother and the Father were upset – They had not forseen such events. At this time, the Child asked them, “Why can I not make my own playthings? I have seen and known almost as much as You have!” Allthough They were not fond of the idea, eventually the Mother and the Father relented, and they allowed the Child to create Its own toys. So, the Child took some of the Void, and some of Itself, and created Maan. The Child tried to create Maan as it had seen the Mother and the Father create all the other races, but the Child had never worked with the Void before, and the Child had not spent as much time creating playthings as the Mother and the Father had, and so, Maan was created flawed. The lifespan of Maan was shortest of all the races, and the Void used to create Maan remained unstable, leading him to be the most passionate of all the races. However, the Child was pleased, and the Mother and the Father were pleased that the Child was again happy.

Time passed, and the races of Haume lived and learned, were raised up and laid low, and interacted in ways which greatly pleased the Child. The Fey continued to dwell apart from all the races of Haume, only interacting with them when required. Although they possessed some of the childlike innocence of the Halved, their intelligence gave them insight that told them this innocence was but fleeting. Because the Fey possessed more innate magic than the other races, a gift from the mother, they tended to see things much differently than all the others, and as the magic also allowed them to live longer, they took a longer view of affairs than the shorter-lived races. The Fey dwelt amongst the wild places in the world, holding their own council, but also realizing that they would need to accommodate some of the ways of the other races. Thus, the Fey journeyed far and wide, learning much, but keeping their motives their own. The Dur continued to toil away in the dark, practicing their crafts. Because of their serious nature, they tended to grate upon the more innocent, fun-loving races, and so they remained in the great underground halls, where they would get together, discussing their crafts, and showing off their strength through martial competition. However, some of the Dur found themselves possessed of more of the Mother than the Father. These Dur developed personalities more in keeping with the childlike innocence of the Halved, and with a greater desire for open spaces and bright lights. These Dur began to live above ground, never quite accepted by the Halved and other races, and never understood by their Dur cousins. These became known as the Nomed, for the Dur called them “no-homed” for their curious ways. The Halved lived the most peaceful existence of all nations. They were completely peaceful, content to simply sit and enjoy each others’ company. They had not the worries or concerns that knowledge cursed the Fey with, nor the seriousness and desire to work that possessed the Dur. Although appearing childlike and innocent, they Halved were really wise beyond their years. That left the race of Maan. The race of Maan was the most curious, as they were the most imperfectly-created. They possessed great facility is using magic, but because of this, they possessed a short lifespan. Unlike the Fey, who dwelt in the water and the trees, or the Dur, who dwelt on the bowels of earth, or the Halved, who dwelt in the plains and hills, Maan lived everywhere. Maan dwelt in the places shunned by the other races, as well as alongside all races. They felt more than any other race, and were subject to wild emotional swings. Most importantly, unlike the other races, Maan was created with the capacity for what would be considered Evil. Maan often did things that were wholly unexpected, which while interesting for the watching Child, would ultimately prove to be the undoing of this world.

One day, the Mother and the Father came upon the Child, crying inconsolably. “What is the matter, Our Child?” The Child wept bitterly, and told the Mother and the Father, ”When I went to look upon my Haume, I found everything in turmoil! I do not understand what is happening, but I feel….. fear. And anger!” The Mother and the Father were distressed at this, and looked upon Haume. There, they found that the paradise they had created… had fallen. For the race of Maan had turned upon the other races, and had brought the knowledge of Murder and Death into the world. The Void in them had manifested in unexpected ways, making Maan subject to violence and brutality. They had turned on the other races. Maan had slain almost all of the peaceful Halved and Nomed. The Fey, seeing this bloodshed, had retreated to their forests, and the waters, and all the places Maan could not get to. The Dur instead retreated into the earth, where they fought with Maan, and prevented him from entering their realms. And when Maan, could find no race to fight with, Maan turned on himself.

The Mother and the Father looked on, aghast. Never had they thought that this would be the result of Their efforts. And They, too, knew anger, and shame, and disappointment, and sadness. The Mother and the Father and the Child no longer wished to look upon this, the perversion of Their perfect creation. The Child was petulant, and wanted nothing to do with this Universe. The Father, angered as He was, took up His mighty hammer, and prepared to destroy the Universe. However, the Mother intervened. Saddened as She was, She could not stand to see all Their work destroyed. However, the Mother no longer wished to look upon this corrupted creation either. Finally, She convinced the Father that, instead of destroying this Universe, They should cast the Universe into the farthest, darkest corner of the Void, where They would never have to look upon it again. And so, the Father hefted up the Universe, and with a final heave, threw it into the deepest, darkest, most untouched part of the Void, never to be seen or thought of again….

To be continued…?