Legend 82 - A tale of the Calamar

Legend 82 - The Calamar (From Fables & Legends from the Shadow Clan)

A long time ago, when the Elder Gods ruled the world and the heavans
belonged to them, there was a mighty race of immortals that walked the lands. They
were the Calamar, masters of all, and all creatures regarded them with
awe and fear. They were a beautiful and proud race, gifted in magic,
but their hearts were cold and their souls were evil. They desired to
make all creatures of this world subordinate to them, and in this they
had great success. For they had strong wills and their power was very
terrible, when they joined together in order to achieve some goal. The
plins trembled beneath their steps, and the mountains echoed their
power. They went where they wished, and for a long time the world was
wretched and enslaved beneath their cruel hands. The Elder Gods did not
act against them, for it was their intent that the worlds fate should
be decided by it's inhabitants. They were saddened by the deeds of the
Calamar, but hesitant to intervene. With time, the Calamar built great
cities, and their power grew to be nearly incalculable. They had
rulership and dominion, but they were not satisfied with it. In their
hearts, they were jealous of the Elder Gods, and they desired the planes
on which the Gods dwelt for themselves too. They did not recognize
their own desire at first, but it grew with time, as such things do; and
in time the works of their hands and the world around them seemed cold
and worthless. So the Council of the Leaders of the Calamar held a
secret gathering. "Are we not also immortal? Why then do the Elder
Gods live in the neverending glory of Heaven, while we must dwell on the
cold dark world? Surely it would be more just, if we took our
rightful place by their side." These were dark words, but still darker
were the thoughts of the Calamar. In secret the Calamar began a mighty
labor. It was their goal to create a mighty creature, wholly loyal to
them, that would allow them to contest against the Elder Gods and so
conquer the heavens.

In their folly, they themselves did not fully comprehend the dark spells
that they wove; the full knowledge was hidden from them. Evil words and
dark summonings that had never been spoken or attempted before, were
cast into the world. For nearly a century they worked deep beneath the
mountains, and at last they suceeded. The Power they gained
was black as the void and overwhelmingly evil and Chaotic; the Calamar fell back in
fear, for it was substantially more powerful than they had thought. It
bellowed and broke it's chains, and killed many Calamar as it hurried to
the surface, leaving behind it a trail of death among those that had not
known death until now. It's hunger was enormous, and it flew straight
at the heavens, for it sensed the Elder Gods there and planned to
consume their mighty essence.
A bitter battle raged and For a long time the dark power fought against
the Elder Gods, but it was not successful. The Gods defeated it, and
banished it back to the Void from whence it came. Then they turned
their rage against the Calamar, who knelt before them; for during the
battle with the dark power they had seen the power of the Elder Gods,
and it dwarfed their own.

The Gods were angry and considered how they might punish the Calamar.
They deserved death, but the Elder Gods still loved them despite their
terrible deed. They decided to imprison them in a great city that the
Calamar had constructed on an astral plane. After this was done, the
Gods raised high mountains around the city, and wove great enchantments
into them, so that the Calamar could never leave the place of their
banishment. Their other settlements were extinguished by the Gods, so
that all memory of their presence disappeared.