The Second Reign

The Runepriest

The Second Reign is known as the Era of Power. Garn was plagued with more conflicts than in the First Reign. The new gods were not used to their immortality and struggled to recapture the wisdom of their predecessors.

## ***Gods of the Second Reign***

* Firsir was the butterfly god of light.
* Tartuft was the turtle god of water.
* Ketel was the raccoon god of nature.
* Ranio was the spider goddess of fire.
* Skall was the lizard god of darkness.

## ***History***

### ***The Division of Lands, 2E-1***

The five gods, as the first mortals to replace the original creator gods, were impartial to their regions of origin. Firsir remained in the Eastern fields and cliffs, while Skall preferred the warm deserts to the south. Tartuft preferred the shores of the Western lakes, and Ranio enjoyed the nooks and crannies of the Northern mountains. Ketel settled into the expansive forests that dotted Garn's center. While these regions were not formally divided as they quickly would grow to be, the followers of the five gods became more localized to these five regions.

### ***The Runepriest, 2E-4***

The new gods were unable to access the Runes, which were the primary source of power for the gods of the First Reign. Unable to wield this primordial language, the gods struggled to hold power over their lands. Each god began to search for a being that could harness the Runes. For many years, the gods were uncertain that the Runes would ever be transcribed again. Then, Ranio stumbled upon a creature that had never before been seen. This being was unlike any other, and seemed to harness the Runes with ease, uncorrupted by their power. The gods came to believe that this creature was a gift from the Runes themselves, so that their power would not be lost. This entity became known as the Runepriest, and acted as an ambassador for the primordial tongue. The gods agreed that this power was too great to allow the Runepriest to roam freely, and so the immortal being was secluded in a castle, tucked away among the northern mountains. Ranio volunteered to be his guardian, and the castle came to be known as Sil Ferna.

### ***Manifestations of Power, 2E-100***

The second council of gods were vastly weaker than the original, due to their inability to manipulate the Runes. They could not create life out of nothingness, and were unable to mold the universe at will. Still, seeing as they were inhabited by the Shadows of those that preceded them, their powers were superior to the mortals that roamed beneath them. Only the Runepriest could harness the Runes effectively enough to rewrite reality. Every one hundred years, the gods would gather at the highest peak in Garn, which would later be known as Firebird Peak, and Ranio would guide the Runepriest from Sil Ferna to join them in a sacred council. Each god would present their wishes to the Runepriest, who would then wield the voice of the Runes and enact their will through the universe. However, if a request was deemed unnatural or dangerous, the Runes would refuse to obey the will of the gods.

### ***The Stubbornness of Skall, 2E-353***

Skall continued to quarrel with Firsir, unable to move past the circumstances of their first meeting. Their people shared this bitterness, and frequently fought. Firsir taught her followers to defend themselves, and to avoid conflict unless it was necessary. Skall taught his followers to be cunning and combative, always looking for potential weaknesses in their enemies.

The other gods, and their followers, were wary of this conflict. Ranio and his people receded deep into the mountains, hoping that they would be left out of any future conflicts. Tartuft and his people would communicate from the safety of their waters, avoiding seclusion but embracing the protection of the waves. Ketel and his people would dwell in the treetops, always ready to flee if the need arose.

### ***Tartanas, 2E-780***

While the communities of the surface blossomed and grew, so too did the underwater communities. Tartuft's own underwater home became very attractive to the creatures of the Lake, and a small civilization began to grow at the Lake's deepest point. This city came to be known as Tartanas, and became a separate entity from the communities of the land dwellers.

### ***Skall's Deception, 2E-994***

When the time came for the new gods to select their Inherited, each god chose a loyal follower from among their lands. Firsir chose a cat by the name of Kiltera, honoring her passive yet intelligent manner of dealing with conflict among her people. Skall was jealous, envious that Firsir had ownership of the greatest predator in the land. In the cover of night, Skall snuck past Ranio’s defenses and secretly pleaded with the Runepriest to give him a cat even stronger than Kiltera. The Runes created the majestic panther, and Skall was satisfied. The original member of this new species, known as Malefik, was selected as his Inherited.

When Ranio learned of Skall's deception, he selected an Inherited with the ability to watch over the mountains from above. A hawk named Harver was selected as the Inherited of fire. Tartuft selected a frog named Ribble as his Inherited, after years of friendship and advisement. He saw Ribble as a leader capable of returning to the solemn wisdom of the original gods. Lastly, Ketel selected a rat named Birzolli as his Inherited, because he appreciated his humor and cleverness.

The Dark Day came and went, and the Third Reign had begun.