Creation Myth of the Massalian Elves

The Massalian Elves prescribe to a Creation Myth that suits their Warlike Culture. Epic and moving in scale, it goes like this:

"In the Beginning was Chaos, for that was all that is. Then God moved upon Chaos and thought the thoughts of Creation. As God thought, so was the World of Arborea was made. God had created all things with his thoughts: including the mountains, oceans, rivers, valleys, woods, and animals of Arborea.

"Then God said all was good and left Aborea unto itself. However, the Gods came to Arborea and found a world that was good and pristine. The Gods decided that Man (meaning the Eladrin) should inhabit the world and created two eggs. From these were hatched Angharradh and Labelas Enoreth: Man and Woman.

"The gods then dressed Angharradh and Labelas Enoreth and pronounced them "good." and left them to rule all of Arborea. From the midst of the Garden World Angharradh and Labelas Enoreth started to give birth. From these two sprang the Seldarine and the entire Eladrin race.

This part of the Myth recounts the creation of the Eladrin and the garden like state of Arborea.

"Strange beings known as the Illithid came to Arborea, they were akin to walking talking squids. They had bargained with both Labelas Enoreth and Angharradh. But Angharradh was taken in by the Devilish Illithids. The walking squidmen had beguiled Angharradh and both Labelas Enoreth into discovering that they were naked. So Angharradh and Labelas Enoreth had made garments and put them on and made their children wear them.

"When the Gods came back, they were sorely angry at the Eladrin Race, but also the Illithid. Angharradh had blaimed the squidmen for being beguiled, and so the the Gods declared that the Eladrin will live in a lone and dreary wilderness and never again attain Aborea. So the Gods moved the Eladrin out of Arborea and into the Wilderness, and the garden state was never attained again."

The Elvish Race fall from Grace and the loss of Arborea. From here, the Massalian account follows the account of the Ancient Times, when the world of the Known Lands descended into Violence and God punished the whole world for its violence with the Great Flood. The Eladrin then settled in a valley during a time which there was no written record.


The Account of the Massalian Elves --

"Long ago, Massalias led certain Eladrin to the land some Ten score and twelve leagues across the sea to a land of bounty. Massalias established a city where the Eladrin could believe in peace and build up a mighty nation. However, there was not a lot of trees in the land so the Eladrin turned to stone as the primary building material.

"Massalias and his wife prospered in the land. However, it was not long that the Titans would come a conquering their former homeland. Massalias then knew his wife, Shashalla, and made love to her. He then gave birth to a son named Faralas. When Faralas came of age, he became king and built a hundred Triremes to do battle against the Titans. After this, he sired two sons: Cadmus and Kaelthas. Then Faralas sailed the open sea with his navy to conquer the Titans.

"At the sight of their army, the Titans laughed and caused the mighty navy and army to be baptized in the sea. All, including Faralas, drowned. At this point, Cadmus swore revenge on the mighty Titans who destroyed the ways of the Eladrin. Revenge burned in the heart of Cadmus and he told Kaelthas to go up unto the land of the titans and steal their greatest secrets. Kaelthas did go up unto the land and returned with a book of wisdom and a book of damnation.

"Kaelthas learned from the book of Wisdom and learned the secrets of defeating the Titans through magic. Cadmus studied the book of Damnation and learned the secrets of steel. Cadmus then made a powerful sword into which was the symbol of his Revenge and his lust for justice against our race. Kaelthas incorporated the wisdom and created magic.

"Although Kaelthas and Cadmus fought over how the Titans would be taken care of, and Cadmus convinced Kaelthas that killing the Titans was the only way. So they both went up unto the land of the titans. Through the use of steel and Cadmus' magic, the two brothers slew or captured many of the Titan leaders and brought them back to Massalia.

"Here, the brothers commanded a great pit should be dug and he shut the Titans up into it. The people then shut up the pit and the brothers took joint rulership of the kingdom. Kaelthas repented of his evil ways, and started teaching the disciples the way of magic. Cadmus, however, had a heart burning for more revenge and taught his disciples the ways of War, Steel, and Demons.

"In time, Kaelthas organized his disciples into the first Council of Magisters. While Cadmus organized the new government of Massalia. But Cadmus' serpents overcame him and he fought his brother. In time, Kaelthas was forced to slay his brother Cadmus. When he slew his brother, Cadmus exploded into puss, ichor, and ugliness. Kaelthas, sorrowful that he slew his brother, ordered that a monument be built for his brother's deeds and to never forget the Titans and how they conquered their people and to be ever vigilant of invaders."

How Cadmus organized the government of Massalia and the Council of Magisters were organized. How Kaelthas slew his brother and the story of corruption that Revenge brings.

The two myths of Massalia teaches the young Massalian elf their origins and the ultimate sin -- revenge. Revenge is held as one of the sins to be shunned by Massalian culture and the myth of the founding of Massalia illustrates this.

Both myths are allegorical. One is highly symbolic, as Aborea is looked as Eden for the elves. The other is very moral. Its absolutely ironic that a culture based on revenge and war looks down on both as sins.