The Forces

The true creators of Centralia, the Forces do not concern themselves with the petty actions of Gods - much less mortals.

Except in very, very rare cases. Very few in Centralia even know the Forces exist.

The power of a Force is absolute within their own spheres, and each take credit for creating some of Centralia's races.

The Forces are morally neutral - beings this powerful do not operate on concepts so flimsy as 'good' and 'evil'. For a Force, good is in accordance with their purpose, and evil acts against it. The Forces are locked into opposing pairs, so as to maintain balance.

If one Force were to somehow be destroyed, all would be thrown into chaos - at the death of Megara, *all* emotion and mental difference would cease to exist, and similarly, at the death of Zetron, *all* coherent thought, communicative ability and sanity would evaporate.

Many Forces claim to have specifically designed species, but as they do not claim all of Centralia's races, it can be inferred that many have evolved outwith their individual control - or more likely, within the control of the Force of Life.

Each Force resides in their respective Elemental Plane.

## Clasz

**Clasz** is the **Force of Time**, standing opposite Gadrala. Clasz is the supernaturally punctual maintainer of Centralia's timeline, ever working the endless clockworks of the Timestream to repair distortion or damage. Clasz is fairly mechanical, always in a hurry (but *never* late), and is generally uninterested in the actual world of Centralia. As long as the clocks keep ticking, Clasz is pleased. And if they don't, as a result of time-sorcery, for example, Clasz gets very, *very* irate.

Clasz's manifestions are fairly regular for a Force, as he lacks the creative talent to be truly wild with them. He usually appears as a multi-armed being, clad head to toe in brass armour, with a blank faceplate. Witnesses report an ever present sound of ticking.

Clasz claims to have created few races, but the creation he is the proudest of, and most endeared to, is the **Gnomish** race, who all share his passion for clockwork and time-keeping.

Clasz also created:

## Gadrala

**Gadrala** is the **Force of Space**, standing opposite to Clasz. Gadrala is lassez-faire with everything except her specific sphere, which is the physical space and properties of Centralia. Gadrala herself is the reason things like wormholes and teleportation spells are only used by the brave or stupid - much like time-warping spells, they will provoke an extreme response from the responsible Force - usually by teleporting you into a wall, or into the person you are travelling with. Or by sealing the wormhole and slicing you cleanly in twain.

Gadrala's manifestations are some of the least consistent amongst the Forces, the only consistent elements being her booming, echoing voice, and the fact that her appearance usually incorporates the image of the night sky, with a carpet of stars appearing in her pitch-black skin or cloak.

Gadrala takes credit for creating:

* **Hekatonkeres**
* **Gremlins**
* **Sluagh**
* **Ethereals**

## Zetron

**Zetron** is the **Force of Knowledge**, and therefore by extension, the Creator of Sorcery - the usage of intellect to manipulate magic. Zetron is antisocial, even for a Force, very rarely appearing even to Centralia's Gods.

Zetron claims to have created only a single race: **Humans**. None of the other Forces contest his claim, leaving Zetron seemingly as the sole patron of humanity.

Zetron is on record saying that this was a terrible mistake.

As with all of the Forces, no manifestation of Zetron is consistent, but common elements include a human appearance, blue eye symbols, aged wizards, flowing cerulean robes and the endless ordered whispering of a million spoken thoughts.

## Megara

**Megara** is the **Force of Madness**, standing opposite to Zetron. Where Zetron is calm rationality, Megara is wild passion, where Zetron is logic, she is emotion, and where Zetron is measured, she is rash. This predilection for passion and rashness, along with an association with thoughts and the mind, are things shared by most of her creations.

Common elements in Megara's manifestations include bizarre outfits including spikes, flowers and chains, thorny purple vines in place of hair, glowing eyes that display an ever shifting rainbow of colours, and a constant quiet babbling noise of a million voices talking nonsense.

Megara claims to have created:

* **Orcs**
* **Changelings**
* **Fair Folk**
* **Sirens**
* **Werefolk**

## Zagan

**Zagan** is the **Force of Earth**

Zagan claims to have created:

* **Dwarves**
* **Redcaps**
* **The Burrowing Things**
* **Barbegazis**
* **Giants**

## Cybele

**Cybele** is the **Force of Air**

Cybele claims to have created:

* **Rocs**
* **Centaurs**
* **Harpies**
* **Myrmidons**
* **Anemoi**
* **Sprites**

## Xandros

**Xandros** is the **Force of Death**, standing opposite Hazna. He is surprisingly personable for being the representation of the all consuming and unrelenting entropic decay of existence - Xandros never fails to be polite when he carries out his main function - which is to say, soul collecting for gods and notable mortals. He also keeps a close watch on things like mass extinctions and the collapse of civilisations.

Xandros' general appearance includes a black or white cloak, a set of plain and heavy leather clothes, and a face that resembles the skull of whomever he's currently manifesting to, down to the teeth arrangement.

Xandros, being the ultimate personification of death, has not as of yet created anything living. His creations are those which do not even have the spark of life, and so cannot die in the first place. These beings include:

* **Wraiths**
* **Will 'o' Wisps**
* **Shamblers**
* **Grave Watchers**

## Hazna

**Hazna** is the **Force of Life**, standing opposite Xandros. Whereas Xandros is a polite and detached professional, Hazna is a mothering, overbearing but ultimately caring figure. Hazna is the great creator of life on Centralia, watching over natural processes like evolution, birth, and creation.

Hazna claims to have created specifically:

* **Ents**
* **Mandragora**
* **Ogres**
* **Minotaurs**
* **Monsters**

But also more generally *every living thing* not claimed by the other Forces. Unless a species is specifically claimed by a Force - Hazna did it solo. Indeed, even when they are, Hazna's power over life usually had at least a hand in the creation of these species.

## Nereas

**Nereas** is the **Force of Water**

Nereas claims to have created:

* **Merfolk**
* **Yetis**
* **Vodyanoi**
* **Nixes**
* **Trolls**

## Vizara

**Vizara** is the **Force of Fire**, standing opposite Nereas. Power-hungry, greedy, reckless and easily enraged, Vizara is quite possibly the least stable of the forces: Xandros may kill you, but at least he's predictable and punctual. Representing all of the volatile fire, heat and flames, Vizara most notably allied with her sister Procna in the creation of the sun. All of Vizara's creations have an inherent link to the glorious flame.

Vizara's manifestations are usually explosive and highly hazardous for everyone around her. Cities have been noted to burn down when she manifests, indeed, the one and only goblin city - imaginatively named Goblin City - burned down the first time when she manifested to tell her creations they'd done a good job. Vizara's common elements include: whirling tornados of fire, being way too damn loud, a swirling cloak made of fire or smoke, piercing eyes that glow white hot and leaping fire-beasts that accompany her everywhere.

Vizara claims to have created:

* **Dragons**
* **Lizardfolk**
* **Goblins**
* **Cyclopes**
* **Gnolls**
* **Ifrits**

## Ramuses

**Ramuses**  is the **Force of Darkness**

Ramuses claims to have created:

* **Vampires**
* **Korrigans**
* **Ghouls**
* **Shades**
* **Banshees**
* **Dvorovoi**

## Procna

**Procna** is the **Force of Light**, standing opposed to Ramuses. Procna represents all light in the world of Centralia, and indeed is the creator of that light. Procna's purpose is generally to banish the dark, and to 'purify' Centralia of beings of the Darkness. This has echoes in that most sun-deities in Centralia have a 'crusading' bent.

As with all Forces, no manifestation of Procna is consistent, but some common elements include: an Elvish or Solarian appearance, a glowing halo of sunlight, golden crystals, the gleam of pure light, or a voice speaking from above in a sunbeam.

Procna claims to have created:

* **Elves**
* **Solarii**
* **Immortals**
* **Domovoi**

## The Thirteenth Force

**The Thirteenth Force**'s name is something of a misnomer - it has no name, no appearance, no manifestations, and no purpose - so what is it? Force is simply the closest available label. Of those who know of the Forces' existence, fewer still are aware of the Thirteenth. It has been theorised that the Thirteenth is the resultant 'shadow' left behind by the destruction of a Force, or a Force that lost its opposite number and fell to ruin.

All that is known now are the powers the unknowable and eldritch Thirteenth sponsors - he sponsors the anti-beings, the beasts with no life and no death, those things that should not be.

In short, The Thirteenth could be called the **Force of The Void**. Where others Forces create and change, the Thirteenth destroys and corrupts. The only things that claim to have spoken to this Force, who hangs between life and death, are his 'creations'.

Almost all void-creatures claim the Thirteenth as their progenitor. Their numbers include:

* **Void-beasts**
* **Demons**
* **Lampads**
* **Black Eyed Men**
* **Thoughteaters**
* **Nothing-hounds**
* **Nightmares**
* **Corruptors**
* **Dreadhearts**
* **The Others**