Jordvinter

Jordvinter is the first of the four phases of Avalgandir history. During this era, the Jord hunted Nebula and created the Vaenir. By its end, the first sentient races fell upon the moons of Geminosa as shooting stars.

## Lightslaughter

Time begins in chaos. The world is a void absolute, formless and purposeless, nothing and everything at once. To say it was an age of darkness is a misnomer - darkness implies light and thus order. It was a time without borders, without boundaries between concepts, without edges and straight lines.

Suddenly, light. Racing out of the cold comes the primal beast of flame: Nebula, oft depicted as a stag, boar or similar quarry. It is pursued by six shadows cast about its glow. These shadows take names and power. They are the Avalgandir, six ancient Jord hunters.

Lu'urk leads the party. Har'kali crafts the legendary spear Kilmarok for Lu'urk and the axe Rak'il'a for Gemin. Yttrid tracks the beast. Kolm lures it near with song, so Frejg might ambush it in the form of a terrible monster. Nebula flees and is routed to Gemin, who faces it down long enough for Lu'urk to thrust Kilmarok into its heart. Nebula howls in pain and dies a moment later. Nebula's Shriek, an endless current of solar winds, is born.

Nebula's corpse falls and bleeds countless stars. The Jord rest for a time about their kill, feeding and pondering their new existence. Their thoughts are simple and few, but burn with a primal passion like none before or since. They discover love - in hiding within a black hole, Gemin and Har'kali consummate their bond forged in battle.

### The Death of Gemin

Gemin keeps her pregnancy secret, for she fears her children will be cast out as worthless burden. She hopes to train them as hunters before revealing them to the others. Gemin steals extra meat from Nebula to feed the thirteen unborn gods. Yttrid witnesses the crime and reports it to Lu'urk. Enraged, he strikes Gemin down in an epic battle. Her corpse becomes the gas giant Geminosa (Gemin-Osa, or 'Gemin's Body') and a vein of supernovae scars the heavens. It is named Simgemin, or 'Gemin's Wound.'

Lu'urk discovers her pregnancy and realizes his horrid deed too late. He would have welcomed the children, had he only known. He weeps at the body of his friend, along with Har'kali and the other Avalgandir. In the power of their tears, the unborn find the strength to surge out of the womb and into the waking world! Lu'urk lays claim to them as a penance for his crimes, vowing to raise them to be better than their ancestors.

## The Vaenir

The fledgeling gods live a controlled, strict life under the guidance of Lu'urk. They are not given names nor direction, in fear that they might err from his guidance. Yet Lu'urk is not so all-seeing as he may wish. The eldest and most rebellious of the children sneaks away to find Kolm. She teaches the child of the Jordic powers over dark: how to sew shadows into blades, how to seal light and walk through darkness. The child grows arrogant, to Kolm's amusement. He names himself Venirach at the turn of the Third Bleeding of Nebula and vows to surpass Lu'urk. Kolm encourages him, as she remains spiteful to Lu'urk after he killed Gemin.

Kolm distracts the prideful Lu'urk with a game of wits and will, where they hunt Frejg in the forms of various beasts. Meanwhile, Venirach names his siblings the Vaenir, using the first six letters of his name. Each names themself, following Venirach's example, and travels the rugged beginnings of the world in search of their nature. Venirach watches atop an asteroid, where Har'kali carves out a throne for the prodigal child.

The Vaenir's adventures come to be known as the Twelve Divine Trials. In it, each of the youngest twelve learn their domains and personalities.

Lu'urk discovers the deception and drags the twelve before Venirach, who sits upon his mountain throne, and moves to punish them all. Yet Venirach is the first to speak. He stands and congratulates his brethren for finding their true selves, away from the influence of their guardian. He then proclaims his dominion over the Vaenir and commands the twelve to kneel before him, so Lu'urk and the Jord may recognize his power. To Venirach's surprise, they do not. Let by Zirim, they demand to know his claim past mere age. He demonstrates his power by hurling bolts of light and shadow upon them, which Lu'urk realizes must be Kolm's teaching.

The twelve do not relent. They climb the mountain and exact cruel vengeance upon their eldest brother, tearing him apart with their newfound power. Lu'urk enters a blind rage - the children have become cruel, despite his greatest efforts. He blames Kolm and attacks her. Har'kali defends her as a chance to kill the one who butchered his beloved Gemin. The three do terrible battle across the stars. Lu'urk triumphs, standing over the corpses of two more Jord.

Lu'urk returns to the mountain. He knows that his guidance is not enough. The skeletal remains of Venirach sit still upon the throne. He carves law and contract into the bones. Blood flows over them onto the slopes, creating the Red Mountain. Lu'urk commands the Vaenir to drink of the blood, so they may be imbued with his decrees. He looks upon his children with sorrow, then bids them farewell, taking Yttrid and Frejg with him on a new hunt in the darkness beyond.

The Vaenir weep for the loss of the Avalgandir. They hold court about the peak of the Red Mountain. After ten days of scrutiny, they realize Lu'urk has bound each of them to guide ten billion lives before they may leave Nebula's light. They note that Nebula's flesh will one day run dry. Time is running out.

## Planetbloom

Work begins on a garden of sentient life within the cradle of Geminosa's rings. Ten moons are made from Geminosa's ten metals, forged by Korzok in Hollom's flame. Iron for Kreya. Cobalt for Cogoltris. Nickel for Nurecca. Copper for Zamour. Silver for Agauriem. Tin for Gaviksila. Gold for Taisoleum. Mercury for Exark. Lead for Lorvathia. Uranium for Vaesenwood.

Some are built of the lands each god found or forged in their trials, in particular iron (Kreya) and gold (Taisoleum). Kolok's forge Kreya, the first moon, is given to him as a gift for his craftsmanship.

The Red Mountain is sealed in the tomb planet Exark, floating upon a vast pool of mercury. Venirach watches his kingdom take form, lifeless, waiting.

Species are built of the powers of the Vaenir. Their souls, spun from Nebula's stardust, will one day enter Geminosa to be watched over by the god who guided them the most. Malnigvår begins as the first starborn fall upon the moons as shooting stars.