Three Betrayals

In the beginning there was nothing but the magic that suffuses everything. It was order and peace, but nothing remains the same forever. Just as a tree whose roots grow deep into a well of magic grows weird and twisted, different from its brethren elsewhere, so the primordial magic left to its own devices became something more. Something wonderful that should never have been.

From this magic the Forces of Nature emerged, we still worship them to this day, although they very rarely show themselves to us mortals now, too great is the pain they have to bear. These Forces of Nature now simply existed. With them was born something else, to keep the balance of everything. For each bit of something that is, there needs to be something that is not.

For untold eons the Forces of Nature and this other force, the one they called "Darkness", for its divine light was not, observed each other, communicating and understanding each other. No one acting for or against, as these concepts are mortal and did not exist yet. Finally the Forces of Nature came upon each other and decided to alleviate their lonesomeness by acts of joint creation.

First they created the four elemental plains, in the shapes they are now, rugged and rough, untrained and unpracticed. It is said that this was what revealed the nature of the Darkness, for the pure act of creation pained it greatly and flew into a destructive rage, attempting to reverse the creations and stop the process. The Forces of Nature calmed and soothed the Darkness, ensuring that they would be careful with their acts from now on. For it was discovered that the Darkness was greatly pained by the act of creation, but the creations themselves were only a mild annoyance to it. The Forces of Nature would be careful with their creations, and as a repayment for the caused pain, each creation would be ended eventually. So the first covenant was struck.

Eons went by and the Darkness and the Forces of Nature carefully worked with each other, the Darkness bearing the pain in exchange for the later destruction, allowing the Forces of Nature to interact with each other. Then came the day, when the Forces decided to attempt a much more challenging creation, using what they had learned from the creation of the elemental planes, to create something new and never seen before. They knew well, that this would cause the Darkness to suffer immeasurable pain and agony, they knew well that the Darkness would not allow them this act. So the first covenant was broken and the Darkness was betrayed.

As the Darkness had recovered, it saw that the Forces had created the material plane. It was greatly enraged by this betrayal, and laid waste to the material plane. The Forces had populated it with plants and animals, none of them survived the rampage of the Darkness. The Forces pleaded with the Darkness and it relented again. The Forces were allowed to keep the animals and plants, as long as they were made mortal, so that they would not pain the Darkness for too long. Nothing larger than what already was should be made, so that the pain felt by the Darkness would never grow too strong. No creature should have the ability to create of their own, so that the Darkness would only have to talk to the Forces. So the second covenant was struck.

Eons went by and the Forces watched their creations carefully. They grew to love and cherish them, while the Darkness suffered the pain of existence and creation. The Forces saw a worrying development, the animals and plants would grow and live near sources of magic. They became larger and larger, exceeding the limits agreed upon. They had grown attached to their creations and did not stop this. One day the first mortal mind came to be and worshipped the Forces of Nature, they gave it proper form and erected shrines in their honour. So the second covenant was broken and the Darkness was betrayed.

Once again the Darkness flew into a great rage, destroying everything it could find. The Forces protected these first mortals from the wrath of the non existence, for they recognized the souls in them as a part of themselves. There they discovered what the Darkness had been doing, for in each part of their creation was a part of themselves, a part of their essence and soul, a part of their divine magic.
With each destroyed creation, they lost a part of themselves, irreversibly the Darkness had been chipping away at their very being, at their very existence. So the understanding was broken and the Forces of Nature betrayed.

In retaliation they created more mortal minds and set them loose upon their creation, ensuring that they would spread to the furthest corners of the world. They spread themselves thin, infusing the material plane with the remainder of their being, granting that wonderful spark to everything, not just the mortal minds, but the plants and animals too. It is then, that the mortals acquired magic, when they received that additional spark.

This left the Forces incredibly weakened, which in turn allowed the Darkness to gain a foothold on the material plane, firmly planting itself anywhere it could find root. So the terrible age of Darkness began, the Age of Nomads. You know how that story continues, eventually heroes of their people would rise and bring forth the golden ages we live in now.