The Origin of Magic and Magical Beings

In the beginning...

There were no gods, and the world was barren of life. Eons of chaos passed as the young planet battled itself for equilibrium. When the storms finally parted, the earliest life began to stir within the primordial waters. Simple organisms evolved at first, spreading across the desolate land and gradually growing more complex.

From this expansion of life arose something extraordinary: a global unconscious—a nascent web of life. Various cultures of Fanterath have given this phenomenon many names: Ase, the Astral, the Dreaming. It is an invisible layer of energy connecting all life—an ethereal force with no form, existing as a byproduct of life itself that the Mages of Aradest called the Aether.

As life grew more complex, so did the Aether, evolving alongside the organisms that birthed it. When the first sparks of sentient thought emerged, the Aether was there—a silent reflection of those early minds. Intangible and flexible, the Aether ebbed and flowed in response to thought, emotion, and desire. In its infancy, it was a realm of constant flux, a balance of creation and dissolution where creatures dreamt gods, fears, and hopes into fleeting existence, only for them to dissolve back into the void.

Rise of the Hominids

This balanced flow endured until the rise of two species of great apes. Along the Homini line emerged early humans, while along the Gorillini line evolved a second species, described as Gorinoids by the Archaeologists of Aradest and later known as Gorins. These proto-species shared many traits but diverged in key ways: Gorins had longer arms, shorter legs, and fewer aquatic adaptations, such as the lack of interdigital webbing and nasal overgrowth. Both species developed highly advanced brains and vivid imaginations, exerting an unprecedented influence on the Aether.

However, imagination alone did not ignite the Hominid War.

The critical factor was a shared evolutionary mutation: the loss of the ability to express Skin Magic. According to the elder races, Skin Magic was the innate ability of all living things to vibrate magical impressions through every cell of their bodies. Early creatures, driven by simple desires, unknowingly impressed their wishes and strivings onto the Aether, creating faint, ghostly changes—an ephemeral feedback loop that sustained a harmonious Aetheric ecosystem.

As Humans and Gorins ceased to birth offspring capable of expressing Skin Magic, the delicate resonance of life and Aether began to falter. Striving and wishing—forces that once vibrated subtly through every living cell—now found no outlet. Under evolutionary pressure, a new mechanism for magic emerged: the Primal Tap. Unlike the diffuse and harmonious energy of Skin Magic, the Primal Tap channeled raw magical power directly through the pre-conscious mind into the Aether. It was focused, intense, and precise, reshaping the Aether not with possibility but with certainty.

This transformation marked a turning point, severing Humans and Gorins from the natural magic that had defined their ancestors, while unlocking a volatile and powerful connection to the Aether—a connection that would ultimately spark a war destined to reshape the world.

The Infinites

Before the advent of the Primal Tap, the Aether was a chaotic gestalt of shifting probabilities. Minds within the Aether had no fixed nature, existing as crossroads of essence and potentiality. For the eldest of these, the Infinites, their very existence was the fabric of the Aether. They understood the Aether as a realm of elemental probability.

With the Primal Tap, the imaginings of Humans and Gorins began bleeding into the Aether, reshaping its core reality. For the first time, ideas in the Aether persisted, gaining solidity and endurance.

The concentrated influence of these two species awoke the Infinites to a new, specific awareness. For the first time, they perceived substance and fixedness within the Aether. The Infinites watched with fascination as material forms emerged from the unformed void, shaped by the dreams of Humans and Gorins. Yet the two species envisioned drastically different personifications of the world's invisible forces. Their competing dreams clashed in the Aether, where gods, monsters, and concepts fought for dominance, only to be torn apart and reshaped.

This struggle destabilized the Aether, creating chaos in a realm that had long remained in balance.

In another world, such influences might have remained confined to the Aether, creating illusory gods, monsters, and flights of fancy. But the Aether was not merely a reflection of thought—it was the living web connecting all life. The increasing turmoil became unsustainable, plunging the world into a waking nightmare. Instinctively, life sought to preserve itself, and for the first time, the Aether felt fear.

The Infinites cast their awareness beyond the Aether and discovered other realms. Fanterath was not alone; myriad material planes existed, each with its own mirroring Aether. Yet among those with species capable of the Primal Tap, the Infinites found only two outcomes: realms dominated by a single "voice in the night," or barren Aetheric deserts—dead realms tied to lifeless worlds, for a world without potentiality cannot sustain life.

Origin of the Fey Realm

To shield itself from the chaotic storms of Human and Gorin imagination, the Aether forged a sanctuary: the Fey Realm, a self-contained dimension within its boundless expanse. This realm of substance and quasi-permanence acted as both a refuge and a diversion, drawing attention away from the ever-shifting chaos of the Aether itself.

From the moment of its creation, the Fey Realm mirrored the duality of its originators, dividing into two spheres of influence—one shaped by Human dreams, the other by Gorin visions. Yet even this partition could not fully contain the surging tide of collective imagination. As Human and Gorin populations grew, their combined dreams swelled with power, threatening to unravel the intricate web of existence.

Faced with this existential threat, the Aether sought resolution in conflict. To orchestrate this struggle and preserve balance, the Infinites, manifesting the most potent aspects of Human and Gorin imagination, became eternal guardians of the Fey Realm.

These Certainties, in turn, gave rise to the Aen Fey, lesser yet still formidable entities divided into two rival courts. Each court became an instrument of influence, channeling the dreams of their creators and guiding the Hominid War—a conflict destined to determine the fate of both material and immaterial realms.

The Alfar and Alhai

To escalate the brewing conflict, the Aen Fey sought out distant, isolated tribes of Humans and Gorins, channeling raw Aetheric energy through the intricate web of life. This infusion reshaped these primitive peoples into new, magic-infused proto-species: the Aen Alfar and Aen Alhai, beings designed to wield the power of the Fey.

Once touched by the Fey’s transformative energies, the tribes lost their connection to the Primal Tap—the elemental force that once sustained their magic. In its place, they gained a new form of Skin Magic, a potent and versatile form of spellcraft woven into their very being. This magic, unique to the Fey-touched, allowed them to adapt their forms and abilities to meet the demands of an ever-changing battlefield.

The Aen Alfar, derived from Humans, were transformed into beings of speed, grace, and creative brilliance. Their connection to the Aether granted them an innate mastery of both magical and material crafts, making them invaluable allies to the human tribes. These refined warriors and artisans could shape tools, enchant weapons, and inspire their kin to new heights of ingenuity.

The Aen Alhai, born of Gorins, became living embodiments of destruction. They were faster, stronger, and imbued with a primal ferocity that echoed their species’ ancient predatory instincts. Their understanding of devastation—both physical and magical—made them fearsome combatants and unrelenting leaders in the war effort.

Both the Alfar and Alhai assumed roles as leaders and mentors among the scattered hominid tribes. They taught their peoples to harness their strengths, focus their energies, and prepare for the inevitable war. Yet their presence was not without tension; their alien grace and fearsome power inspired awe but also unease, a reminder of the Fey Realm’s profound influence on the material world.

The Hominid War

The adaptability of Skin Magic in these proto-species fueled an unprecedented burst of rapid speciation. The Aen Alfar fragmented into two distinct lineages: the Ljos Alfar, or primitive Elves, agile hunters and masterful mages who thrived in the wilds; and the Dokk Alfar, or primitive Dwarves, skilled sappers and craftsmen who excelled in subterranean environments and fortifications.

Similarly, the Aen Alhai diverged into their own forms. The Uruk Alhai, or primitive Orcs, became fearsome warriors and shamanic leaders, channeling the primal ferocity of their ancestors. The Kapul Alhai, or primitive Goblins, emerged as cunning saboteurs and berserkers, their small stature belying their explosive and destructive potential.

The war raged for generations, consuming countless lives and reshaping entire civilizations. Driven by the relentless demands of conflict, the four proto-species adapted in ways both expected and surprising. Ljos Alfar refined their magical prowess to counter the brute strength of the Alhai, while Dokk Alfar perfected siegecraft to match the destructive cunning of the Kapul. Each evolution reflected the imaginings and needs of their armies, spurring an arms race of magical and physical adaptation.

In time, the war achieved its grim purpose. One of the two competing hominid races—the Gorins—was driven to the brink of extinction. The Humans, with their unmatched versatility and strategic ingenuity, ultimately secured victory. As the Human-Alfar dominance became apparent, the Fey courts, recognizing the fragility of the surviving balance, intervened to dictate the terms of peace.

These terms ensured the cessation of hostilities, but not without cost. The war left its mark on all, from the Alhai who mourned the loss of their kin to the Alfar who carried the weight of their role in shaping this new order. Though the fighting ended, the echoes of this conflict lingered, shaping the future of the realms and the destiny of the proto-species who endured.

The Impact of the War

Rather than eradicate the Gorins, the Fey Courts chose a path of transformation. Recognizing that material life, at its core, was forgiving, they decreed that the Gorin people would not be destroyed but reshaped. The bulk of the Gorins were touched by the Fey just enough to become the diverse beast races of Fanterath. These new beings retained their consciousness but lost the ability to manipulate the Aether. Their dreams were looped, ensuring they no longer disrupted the Aether, while their offspring regained a diluted form of Skin Magic, once more adapting to the primal tap’s closure.

For the eldest Alfar and Alhai who had survived the war, the Fey offered a unique reward: they became the first Dragons, known in legend as the Great Wyrms. The Alfar ascended into the majestic Ordo Draconis, guardians of order and creation, while the Alhai became the Chaos Draconis, embodiments of primal chaos and destruction. These dragons served as living reminders of the war’s cost and the balance it demanded.

The greatest heroes of the war—Human and Gorin alike—were offered a chance at ascendancy, their paths diverging into myriad forms. Some departed the material plane to serve as guardians in other realms, while others became the progenitors of the giant species or unique beings of legend. Their legacy would echo across the ages, shaping the mythologies of Fanterath.

The transformation of the Gorins and the release of Fey magic drastically altered the evolutionary trajectory of the world. Though magic existed in Fanterath before the war, it had been subtle, interwoven into life and nature. The introduction of Fey beings and their influence caused a cascade of magical effects. As Fey-touched beings lived and bred, they drew Aetheric energy into the material plane, enriching it with dense, wieldable magic. Over generations, this growing magical saturation transformed the world, making magic an accessible and powerful force.

However, the sudden imposition of magic on the material plane brought unforeseen consequences. The first anithropic diseases emerged, disrupting the natural order of life and death. Some creatures developed the ability to manipulate magic beyond the limitations of Skin Magic, giving rise to sorcery and other arcane arts. Though the resolution of the war calmed the Aether, traces of its chaos forever altered the material plane.

With the war ended, the various Aen races settled into tribes and societies. Rapid speciation slowed as social evolution began to take precedence. Over generations, their magic stabilized, giving rise to the modern sub-species and ethnicities of Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and Goblins. Though less mutable than their ancestors, these descendants still bear traces of their ancient adaptability, etched into their cultures and biology.

Yet the scars of the war linger. The memories of transformation, extinction, and survival weigh heavily on their spirits, shaping their behaviors, beliefs, and conflicts. In the world of modern Fanterath, the legacy of this ancient struggle remains ever-present, a reminder of the costs of power and the resilience of life.

The Last Remnants of the War

Then came the first cataclysm.

The great continent of Fanterath was rent asunder, its lands heaving and splitting in a violent upheaval that reshaped the world forever. Mountains rose where plains once sprawled, oceans surged to drown valleys, and the very geography of the material plane was torn apart. All that had been built during the Hominid War—the cities, strongholds, and monuments of a forgotten era—was obliterated, leaving little trace of what had once been.

In this new world, the surviving races began to rebuild. They crafted societies and cultures anew, yet with no memory of the ancient Hominid War that had shaped them. What remained of that era faded into myth and legend: tales of gods who shaped creation, fragmented accounts of life’s beginnings, and stories of heroes and ascendants whose deeds seemed impossibly distant. The descendants of the Alfar and Alhai—designed so perfectly for conflict—retained inexplicable racial hatreds that endured for thousands of years, shaping alliances and enmities long after the war’s purpose was forgotten.

Now, countless generations later, the true origins of Fanterath’s inhabitants lie shrouded in the mists of time. The beast folk, therianthropes, vampires, wyrms, and other creatures born of Fey and Aetheric influence exist as relics of an age no one remembers. The Alfar and Alhai—once kin in origin—are known only as Elves and Orcs, their shared ancestry buried beneath layers of animosity and misunderstanding. Even the mighty Dragons, revered or feared as gods and monsters, have no knowledge of the Aen from which they descend.

The truth of the Aen, their war, and their relationship to one another has been replaced by Human imagination, which weaves myths to fill the void. The echoes of that ancient struggle remain, scattered across Fanterath in ruins, in whispered stories, and in the very fabric of the world’s magic. Yet, for all its power and permanence, the memory of the war and its lessons is lost. What remains is a world forever shaped by the remnants of an ancient conflict, yet blind to the forces that brought it into being.