Angels

'You don't believe in them?'

'Your Highness, may I ask why you say believe? Why not simply know they existed?'

Listelle frowned, caught off guard. 'I... I don’t know. That is how we speak of the angels. We say we believe in them. Surely your people have something similar?'

Magan lowered his eyes to the ground, and in a small voice, reminded her of the Marterrans, who had lived in Favont before the invasion.

She waved a hand impatiently. 'Yes, yes, I know of the Marterrans.'

'Well... that's it.' He gave a small shrug. 'There’s little proof they ever existed... perhaps less than angels. But still, we say we know of them, not that we believe in them.'

Listelle straightened, her tone hardening into certainty. 'Very well then. I know that Angels once walked upon this world. Do you accept that?'

— Magan and Listelle on the existence of Angels

Angels are the name given to what is believed to be the creators of the world, humankind and the Magi people. They are considered the designers of society, and their design is still upheld today. Each angel has a temple dedicated to them, festivals, and other rituals.

The Creation of Middengeard

It is said in the faith of Cosmos that there were twelve Angels living in a wondrous Garden, but one day, they left the garden to explore the world beyond, only to find an empty black void. They travelled the void, and as they travelled small beams of light began to glow, twinkling all around. As they admired the lights, a large meteor, devoid of any life, floated past. The angels were inspired, and they set to work.

Middengeard is made

The Creation of Middengeard by E.Bear

The angel Athelros began to draw lines with his finger across the meteor, while the angel Naurvine carved out spaces in between collecting all the rock as she did so. Some she distributed to the angel Torval, who used it to create volcanoes and mountains, while the rest she moulded into the moon. Meanwhile, Brevus, who had been fascinated with the distant twinkles of light, decided to claim his own. He took a deep breath, and when he breathed out, Torval set his breath alight, creating the sun. Brevus took the sun and placed it far enough from the world that they were creating that it filled it with a perfect glow. Dalmaria and Hepzibah worked together creating a green and luscious land with forests, while Naurvine filled the empty spaces with water. The angel, Perile, created the skies, clouds, wind, and rain, using the sun and moon to guide them. It was a new paradise.

Angels created the world of Middengeard from a meteor

Humankind is made

The angel Larimus descended to an island at the very centre of the world, the Island of Midden, and pulled together clay, moulding it into the shapes of a thousand men and women. Corinus touched each of their heads, giving each a different capacity to learn, while Brevus touched their hearts, giving each a different passion. Esoter grounded different plants into pigments, and blew the colours across the clay people, and then danced amongst them, whispering into some of their ears words of inspiration. The angel, Merinosis placed in the hand of some of the clay figures a coin. Sometimes he would place a lot, and to others he would give none, or only one. Meanwhile Athelros divided his land further, creating countries, and he sent the clay men and women marching, each one becoming a human with each step, to their new country. The world of Middengeard was set, ready to bloom.

They used their powers to mould man and woman

As parting gifts, Larimus gave love, Corinus gave knowledge, Esoter gave creativity, Perile gave hope, Merinosis gave luck, Brevus gave enjoyment, Naurvine gave seafood, Athelros gave language, Dalmaria gave farming, Hepzibah gave animals, and Torval gave fire. However there was one angel who was yet to give anything: Lucian. He was Larimus' twin brother.

Before leaving, they each gave mankind a gift

The gift of death

He claimed he had given a gift, and as the angels looked, some of their creations began to fight amongst each other. He had given the gift of lying. But he had one more gift to give, and he extend his hand and touched a figure, causing them to drop suddenly to the ground and move no more.

While Larimus had created life, Lucian had brought death

The return of the Angels

The angels left Middengeard, and for a thousand years they watched in the heavens their creations come to pass. Their people grew, they fell in love, they lived rich lives, and then they passed in a natural cycle. Their fascination grew richer with time, until they decided that they should return. They came back to Midden, under the guise of people, and took work so that they could live amongst the people.

They returned after observing

The Angelus

Larimus became a midwife, Corinus became a doctor, Esoter became an artist, Perile became a meteorologist, Merinosis became a lawyer, Brevus was a socialite, Naurvine became a fisherwoman, Athelros became a solder, Dalmaria worked as a farmer, Hepzibah was a carpenter, Torval worked with metal, and Lucian was a funeral director. Each had adventures, and their adventures were recorded in what is now known as the Angelus.

The angels walked and worked the land

The Creation of Magi

They lived on Midden for many years, helping people, teaching them, making friends, and some even fell in love, until they decided it was time to go. Before leaving, they each gave a gift to a man and a woman who they recognised as embodying their virtues. It was the gift of Aether. These humans became known as Magi, and all Magi today are recognised as being descended from the original Magi who were blessed by the angels.

Magi are humans whose ancestors were blessed by Angels with the gift of Aether

Angels, Marterrans, and Ananans

Lucian, however, gave his gift to one person only, a slave girl called Ana, but Ana did not possess the capacity to wield this gift, instead she caused destruction, creating a desert in a perfect circle of the Island of Midden. The angels asked Lucian to end Aya's life, but he refused, and took her to an uninhabited island in the north while the other angels return to their garden.

Here, Ana gave birth to twelve children, which were collectively known as Ananans, but with each birth, a crack was formed beneath the mountain at the centre of the island, and from this crack poured forth demons from another plane of existence, known as The Pit. These demons were called Marterrans, and they soon began to populate the island. After Ana died of old age, Lucian left for the garden too.

Ananans are the spawn of death, and Marterrans are demons