The Mythology of Valoria

Bel, Everlasting Mother of the land, also known as Bel'Valoria is the eldest. She came into being from primal forces and is believed to be made of the raw energy of Valoria itself. For centuries she roamed Valoria. Alone. Quiet. She set the paths of the rivers and the heights of the mountains. She strode through the forests and ran across the plains. She wandered in the sands of the deserts and swam in the depths of the oceans. She was Valoria and Valoria was her.   Tyr, the Eternal Father came from the outside. From where no one knows for sure. Perhaps another plane of existence or an alternate reality. Others theorize that Tyr wandered the multi-verse in search of his soulmate Bel, drawn to her; both destined to be together for all time.   The union of Tyr and Bel resulted in an explosion of creation and life. From their union sprang animals of all shapes and sizes and these creatures roamed throughout the land. The seas teemed with fish of all kinds and birds soared through the skies. Wondrous new species of plants grew and spread over the face of Valoria. After their efforts Tyr and Bel spent centuries enjoying the fruits of their labor.   After a time, Bel and Tyr realized that although the flora and fauna that they had created were numerous and varied, they lacked intelligence and free will. They were not true reflections of their creators. They had built a wonderful world, balanced and at peace, but this did not satisfy them. They tried in vain to create life in their own likeness, but all of their efforts failed. The pain of their failure drove them apart and for the first time they new what it was to be unhappy. Tyr retreated into the heavens unable to live with his failure. Bel was left alone to wander Valoria as she had done in ages past. Eventually she moved deep underground as far from Tyr as possible.   The absence of the creators left Valoria unprotected and open to the void. That is what allowed Tuli, Lord of Chaos to overwhelm Valoria. Some believe that he was drawn here because he was needed, others believe he came of his own free will. With no one to check his influence the land was changed almost overnight. Oceans expanded, volcanos erupted, mountain ranges rose and fell and lakes dried up.

Angels and Demons

Bel was the first to notice the changes and upheaval and she rose from the depths of the earth to investigate. Tuli assumed the guise of Tyr and fooled Bel. Tuli told her that he had solved the mystery of creation and he convinced her to join with him to finally create true life. Deceived she joined with Tuli and so the race of demons were born.   Seeing that she had been deceived, she summoned Tyr to her side. Tyr beheld what had become of Valoria and was saddened by what he saw, but Bel had learned from her joining with Tuli. She implored Tyr to join with her and together they created the race of angels to combat the demons.   Thus began the First War between the angels led by Tyr and the demons led by Tuli. The battles between these powerful creatures left enduring marks on Valoria. Landmarks such as the Demon's Teeth and Angel's Crater still stand to this day marking this titanic conflict. The war may have gone on forever, if not for the actions of our Everlasting Mother.   Bel tried to convince Tyr and Tuli to relent. She showed them how there battles were scarring her beloved Valoria and how entire species of creatures were becoming extinct. They would not listen to her and vowed to fight on. With no choice left open to her, Bel decided to sacrifice herself to save her beloved creation. She convinced them that she had found a new power in the heavens, one that they could use to destroy each other. They needed only to journey there to retrieve it. As they set off, one to the northern skies and one to the southern, she banished the demons to the abyss and confined the angles in heaven. Then as her two consorts reached the place she had told them to would reveal unlimited power she used the last bit of her essence to trap them there for all time. Now they are only cosmic forces of order and chaos. Still visible in the heavens as constellations. Tyr in the northern sky appearing as a diamond shaped cluster of stars and Tuli in the southern skies appearing as a spiral of stars.   As Bel perished, she left behind her last gift. The Tree of Life. None now know its location, but from this tree sprang elves, dwarves, humans, gnomes and halflings.

Fallen Angels

Many angels lost hope when Tyr disappeared into the heavens. Without their father to guide them, they became disillusioned and some lost hope, longing for the days when they strode the land smiting demons. The archangel Asmodeus, chief lieutenant of Tyr, began to whisper among his brethren telling them that their father had abandoned them. Why remain in heaven as a prisoners of Bel, he argued. With the demons gone, the whole world of Valoria was open to them. Such was the power and presence of Asmodeus that he won hundreds of angels over to his side and they broke out of heaven with the intention to return to Valoria to rule. They are known as the Fallen.   With Asmodeus gone, leadership in heaven fell to Ariel who quickly rallied the remaining angels to do battle with the Fallen. War once again raged over the surface of Valoria as angel fought angel for supremacy. The war raged on for centuries with no side able to gain a clear advantage. Tired of the bloodshed, Ariel decided to appeal to Bel his mother for guidance. It is written that he prostrated himself before the Tree of Life for a year without moving or speaking. Moved by his dedication and determination, she gave him a vision of how to defeat Asmodeus and his minions. Ariel was to take the largest fruit from the Tree and hurl it at the armies of the Fallen. In doing so he would banish them from Valoria.   Looking at the fruit, which was no larger than a melon, Ariel wondered how what he had seen in his vision could possibly work. Perhaps his vision was false? Had he imagined the vision? As he approached the forces of the Fallen, his mind was filled with doubt. Would it work or was he leading the angels to their death?   Ariel decided to place his faith in the Great Mother. As he charged into battle, he held the fruit from the Tree of Life high in the air. As he did so his faith grew and then the fruit started to glow. A bright, searing light erupted from the orb covering the battlefield in light. A thunderous boom shattered the landscape followed by a blinding flash. When the dust settled, the Fallen had been banished to the plane of Baator as punishment for their hubris. As for the angels, they returned to heaven to watch over the new world and guide those that would come after.  

The Spirit of Bel

There are many who believe that the influence of Bel, the Mother of All, can still be felt in Valoria if you only have faith and know where to look. They believe that without her, there would be no existence and even though she may no longer speak directly to her faithful, her spirit and power are infused within Valoria her beloved realm. While the younger gods attract most of the worshipers and are actively involved in the going's on in Valoria, the essence of Bel permeates the land and tangential planes of existence and tapping into that can be just as powerful.

The Feywild

Some say that the World of the Fairies is Bel's dream. It is a realm that existed, at first, only in her own psyche, but upon her death it was projected into reality. A parallel plane to the material, reflecting both life and joy as well as death and despair. Many believe that this realm does not exist, but other know that it does. They speak of secret places where there is a crossing. Fantastic, mystical places found in remote areas of Valoria where those who know how, can pass between the realms.   Those who are from the Feywild or believe in it's existence prefer to keep that fact secret. To the uninitiated and ignorant, speaking of the Land of the Fairies can lead to ridicule and revulsion. Many believe it is just a bedtime story to amuse children before sleep or a fantastic legend spread by witches and cultists to strike fear into the hearts of others.   Stories abound of the location of Fey Crossing across Valoria. Two of the most well know or a hidden glade within the Druthain Wood and the highest peak of the Skyshield Mountains.  

Spirit Worship

The elves of the Druthain Wood and the human barbarian tribes that live there do not all worship Galen God of Nature. A few believe in a more shamanistic form of worship. They focus on the spirit of Bel that permeates all of creation. They worship the Mother and all of her creations; flora, fauna and the land itself. They do not openly clash with Wanderers of Galen, but simply think they are misguided and missing a larger truth.

Dieties of Valoria

The gods that the races of Valoria worships are manifestations of the three elder gods, Tyr, Bel and Tuli. Some say they are their chuildren, others believe that they were the first fruits to fall from the Tree of Life. They gain their power from the strength of their worshipers.

Scions of Bel

• Morwen Goddess of Life and Healing
• Mahth God of Death
• Galen God of Nature
• Rontra Goddess of the Earth

 

Scions of Tyr

• Dalana God of Justice and Valor
• Odrin God of War
• Lystra Goddess of Magic
• Caladin God of Crafts

Scions of Tuli

 

• Thydos God of the Warp
• Havoc God of Battle
• Selena the Trickster Goddess
• Aurus Goddess of Storms