ADON - GOD OF DEATH

Embrace Adon, your god of death

MB

Michael Baudler

May 12, 2022

Adon, the god of death with his companion snake Umantis

Creation Recap

INFO: To get the full picture please read the last lore article about Cathena.

In the beginning, there was just chaos, but after what seemed like an eternity specks of dust formed, separating from the background noise. From these specks two clouds were born and as the clouds suddenly collapsed two orbs stood in each cloud's wake. One glowing bright yellow and the other dimmed covered in bright red cracks.

Birth from these orbs the goddess Cathen and the god Adon descended to Altea. First confused about who they were and how they got here, they started to explore their surroundings. Wandering the barren land of Altea a strange energy revealed itself to them as streaks of white across the sky, seemingly encompassing all of Altea. And as they both reached for it, it bound to them, allowing Adon to sculpt the barren land forming hills, rivers, and mountains, while Cathena breathed life into the newly sculpted world. But as Adon wanted to create his own unique beings commanding his bound energy to manifest them it instead touched Cathena's creations and while doing so they instantly perished.

Both continuing to from Altea, the encompassing energy darkened. What was a bright white before now resembled a grey, void of all the beauty it once possessed. And as dark streaks came together to form a drop of corrupted energy it fell and where it touched the ground all life perished.

After ages of forming and altering the terrain to their will, it was finished. Altea had been formed from barren land into a paradise. Inspecting their work they noticed bits of dark land, void of any life. These Deadlands, seemingly expanding, claiming more land and consuming more life with every passing moment. And as Cathena, desperately trying to stop the Deadlands, first set foot into them her bond to the energy severed, unable to reconnect until outside of its influence. It was Adon who noticed the change in the encompassing energy, as it seemed desperate to bind to him, screaming to be wielded.

When Adon gave in to the energy's desire it reached across all of Altea, touching every life it could find, determining whether it should live or die, and those unfortunate deemed to perish ceased to exist. With every death the encompassing energy cleared, slowly regaining the white it once portrayed while the Deadlands halted their expansion.

Cathena furious at his deeds tried to confront him, but Adon, realizing what had happened, explained to her that energy needs to be used in equal parts, that their unequal wielding of power seemed to have caused the energy to corrupt and pool, but now that the balance is restored corruption has halted. It was at that time that Adon proposed a pact, that Cathena will continue to breathe life into every corner of Altea and he will wait his turn, letting life be for as long as he deems necessary but when its time has come he will claim it. Cathena reluctantly agreed.

Divine Experiments

The pact forged and equilibrium restored Cathena and Adon parted ways. And as Cathena was wandering Altea to live among her creations, Adon withdrew into the mountains dedicated to study his powers and bond to the all-encompassing energy. Determined to find a cure to heal Altea of the Deadlands, created from corrupt energy, he started to experiment.

And as Adon first set foot on the Deadlands, his bond to the energy severed almost instantly, leaving him unable to wield within its confines. Standing in the middle of a grey wasteland surrounded by dead bodies Adon felt the corrupt energy pulling on him, demanding to be fed, insatiably seeking for life to cling to and consume. Closing his eyes and gathering all his strength Adon tried to reach for the corrupt energy, to touch it and establish a bond as he would with the all-encompassing energy. At first, the corrupt energy seemed to flinch away frightened like a feral creature, but after a few moments, it crept towards Adon allowing for the bond to be formed. And as the bond was established the energy started whispering commands trying to deceive Adon. Not obeying the whisper swole to a loud and growling scream with other voices joining to form a choir of chaos and despair. No longer able to sustain the bond Adon tried to loosen his grip but the corrupt energy didn't let him leave it.

Adon being physically held back by the corruption tried to escape the confines of the Deadlands, to silence the voices in his head. After what felt like a strenuous eternity Adon was close to the outer reaches of the Deadlands, finally stepping outside of its influence and escaping the everlasting chaos of corruption. It was at that time that Adon realized that his own touch was nothing compared to the swirl of madness one was pulled into when consumed by the Deadlands and that he will not be able to absorb the corrupt energy like he envisioned.

Thinking about the way the corrupt energy seemed to try to influence and control him, Adon wondered if the all-encompassing energy was able to do the same when wielded for deeds it was not intended for. Closely observing his bond he tried to manifest creations, unique beings, that only Cathena could conceive thus far, knowing what had happened the last time he still needed to try. Commanding the energy bound to formulate his vision he quickly realized that it seemed to have a will of its own. Granting simple requests such as fur, claws, and beaks but withdrawing the moment he tried to put his beings into full context, either manifesting an unfinished pile of flesh or the energy leashing out to the next living thing it could find, ultimately being its demise. Adon thinking that if he could hold on to the bond and therefore to the energy itself he could finish a manifestation, but as the energy noticed Adon gripping harder it almost instantly dispersed, flowing back, leaving his creations unfinished, yet again.

Still deep in his studies, Cathena called to Adon to form a crystal strong enough to cage energy as she'd found a way to cure Altea of the Deadlands and all she needed was that crystal as a well of energy she can tap into. Astounded by her breakthrough and the surprising similarities they both uncovered while studying their bonds he didn't hesitate to help her.

Once the crystal was crafted Adon continued his studies, thinking that if Cathena could infuse inanimate objects with her energy he might be able to do the same with her creations. At first, Adon attempted to transfer his energy onto small, innocent, and harmless creatures, seemingly feeding off of grass and leaves. But when infused with Adon's energy they started to grow grotesque limbs and pronounced features appeared resembling sharp claws, canines, or scales turning them into beasts. Most of them perished soon after as it seemed they couldn't contain the energy wanting to form them to its will.

After a while, Adon moved to more deadly creatures, predators, who he observed to be feeding off of other beings. And as Adon infused his first subject, a kind of wolve beast, it grew in size, its canines extended twofold, and the claws seemed to be sharper than before, some of them even bearing venom. To Adon's delight, it didn't seem that the creature was in any pain or that it would perish any time soon, he could even tap into the infused energy and while bonded command the beast to perform various tasks.

With high spirits Adon continued to experiment, infusing many more dangerous creatures and beings until he found snakes to be the perfect medium for his energy. They didn't seem to be affected as much as other creatures as they only grew in size and their fangs bore more venom. It was at that time that Adon choose one snake for his final experiment, wanting to create a living vessel, a well of energy he could tap into just like Cathena did.

In a process that lasted for eons, Adon slowly infused his subject with energy, small amounts at a time to not harm the creature. The more it absorbed the more powerful it became, growing not just into an ideal vessel for his power and a loyal servant, but also his companion. And as the beast grew in power over the countless years it ultimately became conscious telling Adon that her name was Umantis.

All Out War

And as Cathena broke their precious pact by creating the Eldest Elves, Adon proclaimed war. Unable to touch the elves himself, Adon needed mortal warriors. Warriors to eradicate the blossom of life the elves quickly grew into. Conceiving five eggs, each molded and formed from a different type of stone, Adon entrusted Umantis with them, telling her to hatch them as if they would be her own. And after a few days, short bearded men and women broke free of the shells, birthing the Eldest Dwarves, and Adon proclaimed them Kildrak, Borengar, Bislipur, Balyndis, and Brynja, commanding them to act swiftly and kill as many elves as they could find to restore balance to Altea.

Unknowing of the impending danger, many elves fell when the dwarves attacked. Cathena wanting to protect her eternal creations but unable to halt the dwarven advance on all fronts she manifested divine weapons, gods in their own right. Splitting her bound energy into three strands, Cathena crafted them each with a strand conceiving Latra goddess of order, Albon god of light, and Ivo god of nature, commanding them to protect her eternal creations from all evil.

Not long after Adon also split his bound energy into three strands, creating his children in the light of Cathena's and he proclaimed them Bal god of chaos, Mala goddess of shadow, and Via goddess of tempest. Commanding them to reinforce the dwarven advance, breaking the defense Cathena's children established.

And as the war was fought, never revealing a winning side. It continued for ages. Until betrayal within Adon's rank of children ultimately led to his demise. Beheaded, Cathena pinned Adon's eyes as bright red comets onto the night's sky, carelessly hurling his body towards Altea, splitting the land into three. Forcing the land to open on impact, spilling Altea's blood and allowing Adon's remnant energy to form the volcano now known as Uth'arak.

Adon, in his final moments of being, still clinging on to remnants of his energy, infused traces of him into it before letting it flow back into the all-encompassing flow around Altea, cursing the elves with his last breath.

The Third Era

INFO: The Third Era is the period in which the game will take place.

By the time of the Third Era, most details of the Great War were long forgotten, and the role of Adon in everyday life changed drastically.

In most of the three continents, he became known as the Whisperer. Deceiving the minds of the weak to carry out his plans to regain the power he once possessed. Mad mortals, those who seemed to listen to his words, executed to free them of Adon's will, and to cleanse Altea of the influence they might have excerted.

Only worshipped by a few mortals, believing that the prophecy foretold will inevitably free them of Cathena's chains, still waiting for him to return.


Continue to follow the history of Altea here:



MB

Michael Baudler

May 12, 2022

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