Introduction to the Aevi

The Manaborn

In the beginning there were dragons.

The Solar Dragus forged the Draguri with dragonfire and iron and, finding them good, then forged Valori, Pangi, Scyldi, Faeri and Pixi, siblings all but cousins only to the Draguri.

Valori of the dawn, Faeri of the noonday sun, Pangi in the fading light, Scyldi when the moon is dark, Pixi when the moon is bright.

The Cthonic Dragus forged the Dra'gurr with their blood and bronze and, finding them good, proceeded to forge the Go'barr, the Bo’garr, the Bru’narr and, finally, the Bhu’tarr who would forsake the dark at first light.

The dragons ruled the primeval world until they chose to abandon their charges and cross the treacherous mountains for what lay beyond. Nothing could fly as high as the Solar Dragus, and they were able to cling to the mountain peaks and clamber over. Nothing could burrow as deep as the Cthonic Dragus who squirmed their way into the fertile valley, collapsing the tunnels behind them.

Here, they said, they would create a better world.

The valley was so wide the far side could not be seen and contained only small, furtive animals, insects and so very many trees. The Dragons, though mighty, were few and some were more creative than others. Their actions were not magic, not truly, but rather experimenting with the raw energy of the land that the Dragons could perceive and touch, but not yet fully control save by breath.

The Dragons, the Dragus, first created in their own image and so Draguri and Dra'gurr were the first. While other people came later, these would remain aloof and made themselves the law over all others. The Draguri would be the Scale, both defender and judge. The Dra'gurr would be the Claw, attacker and executioner when the need arose. The Solar Dragus, the Dragons of the sky, used breath, air, mana and the natural materials of the surface world. The Cthonic Dragus, the Dragons of the Deep, used blood, stone, metal and the natural materials of the subterrene.

These firstborn were simple and pure, destined to become the gods of the generations that came later. Valori, the first of the new breed, considered themselves the most pure, consisting only of breath and mana. Faeri, the brightest, would forever exist in a world set apart from other Aevi, but deeply linked to nature both in order and in chaos. Pangi took to the woods and would never leave, relishing in mischeivous play and hedonism. Scyldi, the darkest, watched over the night and made friends with that which crawls, slithers and slinks. Pixi, the light playing in shadow, flit about the bogs and the fields making merry with glee and with glamour.

The Go'barr, forged of blood and lead, never lost the taste for their elemental origins and feasted upon all the things that ran and leapt, including one another. The Bo'garr shunned the light and haunted the dark places and the secret places, preying on the careless and the curious who would pridefully enter the hidden. The Bru'narr became the progenitors for all earthy and burrowing beings and, born of dragonfire and stone, learned pottery and their ceramic blades became the most feared weapons in Eden. The Bhu'tarr would diverge into two people, half retreating to the mountains and high places, determined to become beasts; half to the plains, determined to discover honor.

The Aevi divided themselves into two courts: one to rule the night, one to celebrate the light. In each court are many families, all ruled by the dualistic King and Queen.

The Seelie Court, the Court of Day, consisted of Valori, Pangi, Faeri and Pixi. The Scyldi would attend until the Betryal. The Unseelie Court, the Court of Night, brought together the Go'barr, the Bo'garr, the Bru'narr and for a time the Bhu'tarr, but they would leave to find their own royalty among themselves.