In the beginning, when the world was young and unformed, there was only fog, stone, and great bodies of water. The only light that filtered through the fog came from a pale and silvery orb that hung high upon a black star-speckled sky….
For a millennium, the world remained stagnant and unchanged. Then, a star fell from the dark heavens and plummeted into the water that would later be named "The Enchanted Abyss.”
A great vortex ripped open the stagnant water, and a colossal howling emanated from within. The world shined with a radiating light until the waters calmed, and once again, the world fell dim.
Thereafter, a beautiful woman emerged from the cold water. As she stepped forth onto a desolate shore, an enchanting chorus emanated from her lips and filled the world with song. The fog departed at the sound of her voice and would never again return to this world.
For a time, she walked alone among the stones under the light of the moon, singing sweetly to herself. However, as the eons turned, she grew lonely and forlorn. Seeking companionship, she sang to a stone that lay at her feet. As she sang, the stone began to change…. With great love, she molded the rock into an effigy that bore her likeness in all but gender. Upon the utterance of the final note of her song, a single spark passed from between her teeth and landed upon her work.
So hot was the spark that it burnt its way through the stone and embedded itself inside the chest of the effigy. Then the sculpture became wreathed in flames. Stone turned to flesh, and a man now stood where rock once lay.
Great joy filled her heart, and she named him Luthin, Lord of Embers, and wherever he walked, warmth and light followed. In return, he named her Vathena, the Fair Lady.
Together hand in hand, they traveled the land, bestowing light and beauty wherever they went.
Nurtured by Luthin’s warmth, Stone turned to earth, and green things sprouted from the soil.
However, the Fair Lady favored the sea and longed to hear crashing waves once more.
One day she left Luthin’s side and returned to the shores of the Enchanted Abyss.
Alone, Luthin flew over the land, bestowing his light and warmth as far as he could, for he loved all things that grew as they carried a fragment of Vathena’s beauty.
But as the tides waxed and waned, once again Vathena grew lonely, for as much as she loved him, Luthin's flame was not her flame….
This time she traveled to a great forest and cut a branch from a mighty birch tree.
From that branch, she carved two figures, again in her image. One male and one female.
Then she reached deep within herself and drew forth a fragment of her Black Flame. With a gentle caress, she imparted her flame onto the carvings of Man and Woman.
Her flame brought life, and wood turned to flesh as they breathed heavily of the salty air. There, Vathena claimed the race of Men as her own and imparted within them a great desire for water.
And on that sacred spot, she uttered the words: "All men shall be sailors until the sea shall free them, and the stars will always be there to guide them home."
Thereafter, she helped the race of Men, and with her guidance and her magic, they built a mighty kingdom.
Luthin, out of his love of the Fair Lady, gifted the race of Men with a fragment of his flame, thus giving them warmth and light but also emotion and an innate love of warfare….
However, as time passed, Luthin became jealous of the race of Men, for he did not understand their flame and wished only for the favour of the Fair Lady.
Dismayed, he flew high into the sky and built his own kingdom among the stars, for he loved their light and beauty...
All those who saw him leave this world spoke of a magnificent light and, from that point forward, referred to it as the First Dawn.
Every day he would descend from his heavenly kingdom to lay eyes upon the Fair Lady before once again returning to his flaming Spire.
Rage and jealousy consumed him, and his warm flame kindled into a consuming inferno. In secret, Luthin began to build an army, for he wished to wage war upon the race of Men to prove to the Fair Lady that his flame was more powerful than theirs…
And one day, he descended from his Fiery Heavens and clashed with the race of Men. Where alas... This world would once again be plunged into darkness...