TOMEtwo

# **TOMES OF OTHER WORLDS**

The story of Jenjara begins on a alternate realm of existence-a distant world that few can now recall. A world lost to time that exists now only as a faded memory-remembered only in myths and legends. A world who's name doesn't refer to any specific place-a word given to the memory of what it once was. A word too hard for human tongues to pronounce but it roughly translates to Aughtgaia.. the world before, a world no more.

## **Tome I - The Myth of Aughtgaia**

### I - The Origin

In the unfathomable expanse of infinite reality, concealed far beyond the world of Earth and the magical realm of Jenjara, there lies a dimension lost to the pages of history. A Realm known only as Aughtgaia.

   The Creator, a nameless entity often hailed as The Eldest God, emerged into existence five billion years in the past, birthed at the core of a star at the center of what would eventually evolve into a fully-formed solar system. A genesis unfolded within the heart of a dying star, as an energy that would become The Eldest God infused his vitality into the vacant star, birthing a new light and warm glow into the cosmos. As the solar system took shape, the dust, ice, and rocks that once lingered in the void began to coalesce, molding into worlds and moons that would soon find their home within this newly formed celestial arrangement. Then in a selfless gesture, The Eldest God embarked on a profound undertaking and cast his divine energy aside to take on the first forms of life: the founding of his progeny-each bestowed with a unique name and gift, power or attribute.

   The progeny he beget embarked on their journey. Together, they conjured colossal beasts that would stride across the infant solar system and then across the surface of the forming worlds, their forms a testament to the limitless creativity of divine architects. Amidst the kaleidoscope of nascent planets, these godlike beings found places to call their own, where they would take root and etch their ideas and beliefs into the very fabric of existence.

As the cosmic ballet unfolded, The Eldest God, in his boundless wisdom, apportioned the planets among his numerous offspring, bestowing upon them the divine mandate to craft and cultivate their own worlds. Hundreds of his children laid claim to each planet or moon, embracing the task of nurturing their respective domains in accordance with their individual visions. Thus, the planets became canvases for their creative aspirations, realms where their godly essences intermingled with the raw energies of creation to birth magnificent landscapes, thriving ecosystems, and civilizations both awe-inspiring and intricate.

He granted his children autonomy in selecting their abodes. The ambitious gravitated toward the grandest planets, the cautious journeyed to the distant worlds, and those seeking approval clustered around the smallest planets, nearest to the star of his birth. The annals of these worlds' history unfold as expansively as any saga ever recounted. Heroes, villains, legends, and deities lived out their tales in these realms, some narratives spanning lifetimes exceeding humanity's entire existence. Yet, these worlds, their histories, their names, cultures—all have dissolved into the mists of time, fading into obscurity, leaving behind only faint echoes of these once-vibrant domains.

Across the expanse of time, all knowledge of the other worlds within the solar system has vanished: their records, their people, their history-all lost to the ages. These worlds, once playgrounds of celestial power, now rest beyond the grasp of memory, leaving only whispers of their existence within the echoes of myth and legend. Amidst this abyss of forgotten worlds, however, persists a lone tale—a poignant tale that resonates, it is the myth of a world named **Aughtgaia.**

### II - The World That Came Before

The Myth of Aughtgaia, as it stands, tells of a realm where power deity once reigned, architects of numerous worlds. Blessed with gifts from their omnipotent father, The Elder God. His children, these powerful entities shaped the landscapes and imposed the laws of nature, science and the arcane magics across every world in the solar system. Over eons, they bestowed life upon these worlds, crafting existence anew. When the visions of one deity clashed with another, discord ensued, settled through age-old combat, the blade and hammer their adjudicators. These beings held such might that a swing of their swords could decimate forests and a fist's blow could level mountains. Constant discord led to battles that reshaped the world itself, these formidable entities bearing the name **The Ehlderkin.**

   Among The Ehlderkin, a Warlord named **Mahlek Rengoth** emerged as a central figure, embroiled in ceaseless conflict with one of his kin. Their conflicts raged across eons, spanning millions of years, and within its wake, entire civilizations crumbled into oblivion, species vanished, their legacy forever erased, and the weight of the fallen echoed in uncountable numbers. Their final conflict began, the two brothers, locked in an unyielding duel that spanned centuries, refused to relent, each refusing to cede even an inch of ground. As time spiraled on, it seemed the world itself was caught in their unending clash, witnessing the dance of titans that stretched toward eternity.

Eons had passed, the world weary and scarred from their ceaseless conflict, Facing potential downfall, both brothers unleashed a final, desperate assault—a surge of energy with such intensity that it birthed chaos in its wake. Within the aftermath's tumult, as hundreds of thousands succumbed to death, ancient forests ignited in flames, mountains fell into the world and civilizations crumbled to dust. With the battle that spanned eons now at its end, above the fallen form of his brother—where the culmination of their final clashes had converged—a peculiar anomaly materialized. This marked the first of an Ehlderkin yielding to mortality, and above his brother's lifeless body, a gentle amber light lingered, suspended in the air, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold stillness below.

A God Had Fallen.. A New Element Discovered.. All Reality Changed Forever.

Inadvertently, Mahlek Rengoth had unearthed an enigma—an fountain light and energy, a new form matter, an unforeseen element, a potential spring of new life. A form previously unseen in this solar system, a presence unknown to the confines of not only this universe but also undocumented across the boundless expanses of time, space, and all alternate realms of existence.

Amid the devastation, atop the remains of his vanquished sibling, the Warlord Mahlek discerned an enigmatic glow. This phenomenon, born from the immense energy they had been unleashed, signaled the emergence of something unprecedented. Within that blazing light, Mahlek perceived a proclamation, a cosmic whisper that bolstered his conviction: he, and he alone, was destined to hold dominion over this reborn world and then the rest would follow.

Discarding his fallen brother's remains into a fiery abyss below, his attention became riveted on the radiant light. This energy defied him and his kin, it refused to yield to his powers, it could not be moved and so Mahlek Rengoth make this his home. He laid the foundations of his kingdom in this spot, shaping the land with relentless determination. Mountains became valleys under his chisel, rivers obediently altered their courses to weave through his envisioned city. An new path of existence took root in him, transforming his city into a beacon that heralded a renaissance for this world.

    The heart of his dominion held his capital city, its core home to a tower, a bastion destined to shelter his sanctum—the place where he would unravel the mysteries of this new novel energy. This fortress, christened **The Tower of Light**, stood as both a testament to his ceaseless curiosity and a shield guarding his explorations into the enigma that now defined his purpose.
War no longer dominated Mahlek's focus. His forces embarked on a mission not of conquest, but to gather the finest minds of the age—regardless of their status as Ehlderkin or lesser entities. Those who once languished as lesser beings, confined to subservience under the gods' capricious whims, now walked side by side in the world with The Children of The Eldest God-The Progeny and mortal beings. Mahlek's rule heralded an era of equitable laws that nurtured prosperity. Bound by their shared endeavors in unveiling the mysteries of the new element, Mahlek offered his fellow Ehlderkin and select lesser entities a pledge to share knowledge, contingent on the end of all hostilities. Each deity figure received dominion over a land and its inhabitants, but were bound to allow them to prosper and no longer relish in their subjugation, ushering forth civilizations that emerged seemingly overnight. For untold epochs, life blossomed on Aughtgaia, an epoch characterized by unbridled exploration and the expansion of all forms of knowledge. With unwavering focus, he dedicated himself to studying the enigmatic new element. This element, a rift in reality's fabric, gradually transformed, becoming a portal—a portal through which to gaze onto other realities, countless and varied.

    Eons upon eons passed, unoticed by Mahlek Rengoth who had become obsessed speaking to himself and recording the things he witnessed-and then he heard voices speaking to one another that had no origin.

At first is was only whispers. Whispers from the darkness. Words that no mortal being should have heard. None know what the voices said, but whatever it was filled Mahlek, the most powerful being on Aughtgaia to be consumed by fear. His fear spread to all the lands of his empire and a call to war began. Mahlek had acquired a new knowledge. He was now able to tear open rifts at will and not only send himself, but others through. And so, fearful of whatever the whispers had said, Mahlek began to invade other worlds, acquired slaves, resources and built armies capable of conquering worlds. He left city untouched, no able bodied being enslaved, no mountain un-mined, no forest not cleared-entire planets left as empty husks. Slowly his brothers and sisters, The Ehlderkin and all the people of his empire on Aughtgaia began to see the the cracks. They began to notice that maybe Mahlek wasn't the same after staring into the void for so long. A plan was soon devised and acted on.

The other Ascendkin gathered and went to the most powerful among them. Mahlek Rengoth's Second in Command, a General named Raziel Selvarak who by most accounts was the most reasonable among them. He had seen the decline of Mahlek's mental state over the centuries but he could not bring himself to turn on his friend. Mahlek soon learned of their plans and and called back his forces from all worlds to defend himself at his tower. The War For The Light had begun.

### III - The War For The Light

Under the command of Raziel Selvarak, the remaining Ascendkin and their armies laid siege to The Tower of Light. As they fought, Mahlek contnued to venture into other realms for resources, food, slaves, soldiers and anything his army could ever need to combat those who would seek to take his throne. Mahlek Rengoth was driven by unknown mysterious rage that consumed him. As the years went on, he was able to push back and the war spread across Aughtgaia. The advance was slowed only by Raziel Selvarak's powers that he was still learning. As Raziel was a General in Mahlek's army he knew most of his tactics and he was also learning how to control new arcane abilities. The war eventually came to a standstill and both sides were able to gather themselves, each preparing for a final strike on the other.

Mahlek built up his defenses, not knowing where they would attack, but Raziel gathered all his forces at one point and like a dagger plunged directly into what was assumed to be the weakest point of Mahlek's defenses. The battle tore a chasm in the world, chasms opened due to the street and the bodies of the dead were great enough to fill them. They knew they would lose countless lives but it had to be done. With all the power he possesses, Raziel Selvarak broke free of the enemy's lines and began to climb The Tower of Light, facing off against all of Mahlek's final guards. One by one they were defeated and eventually there in throne room, Raziel found the light that had consumed Mahlek and using what magic he had learned, began to close it. That's when Mahlek returned with something that could end this battle once and for all. He had sent his assassins behind Raziel's lines and captured his wife-Lady Helenai Yunefahl. Using her as a hostage, he forced Raziel to have his troops lay down their weapons. He swore to spare her and the two of them would be imprisoned for eternity, but they would be alive. Unable to find a way out, he ordered his army to lay down the their arms.

As Raziel was ready to put on shackles and enter a prison with his wife-the remaining Ascendkin under Raziel's command were not ready to give up the fight. They stormed the tower and believing Raziel's submission was a trick to distract him-slayed Helenai and her lifeless corpse fell to the ground at Raziel's feet. Only a few witnessed what happened next, but a rage unlike any known consumed Raziel Selvarak. The two began a duel using magic and arcane knowledge that had never been seen before and hasn't been seen since. In the final moments of the duel, the two of them were pulled into one of Mahlek's alternate realms and there Raziel Selvarak saw Mahlek in his true form. Mahlek Rengoth had been feeding off a dark energy to gain power, it had tore at his soul and left him burnt and the wounds were healed by a dark void-like energy that drained the spirit of any who laid eyes upon them. Raziel saw the scale of Mahlek's army and saw that this war would never end, that they could never win. They were trying to win back their world, but Mahlek Rengoth had been preparing an army capable of conquering a universe. It was an army of unspeakable horrors, all manner of demons from other dimensions that Mahlek didn't want to use to destroy his homeworld.

When Raziel asked why he hadn't used this army of demons to win the war on Aughtgaia. Mahlek Rengoth said.. "She said our world would be spared.. for last." He would not give any more information. As the armies began to attack Raziel, he unleashed his final attack and stunned Mahlek, buying himself enough time to return to Aughtgaia and he used the last of his energy to seal the portal forever, trapping Mahlek in the world of darkness, but before he did-a voice called out to him. Whispered to him from the darkness and it revealed a truth to him. Without a word, he picked the lifeless body of his wife and left the tower. Those that remained loyal to Mahlek were killed, those that acted out of fear were spared and as the world celebrated the end of the war; Raziel Selvarak found a clearing in a forest surrounded by trees and buried his wife. As the world began to rebuild itself, Raziel Selvarak went silent and vanished into his studies. The world would not know what became of the hero that saved countless worlds for a thousand years.

### III - A World Torn Asunder

It began as a rumor, first an entire forest vanished overnight, then a mountain, then a small village, then entire cities vanished off the map. Then creatures not known to their world came and began to ravage the lands. The Ascendkin worked together to find out what was causing these events-fearing that Mahlek Rengoth had returned. They had no choice but to consult the still grief stricken Raziel, but when they entered his chamber they found something they did not expect. Raziel Selvarak had not sealed off the rift-he contained it and kept it for himself. Inside his chambers he had created rifts and portals to peer and to venture into hundreds if not thousands of alternate realms. He had charted maps, journals and all manner of research into how to navigate into these alternate realms. They knew this is what was causing random rifts to open all over Aughtgaia and it was clear that Raziel Selvarak was consumed by a mad passion to find a way to bring his wife Helenai back to life. His fellow Ascendkin pleaded with him to surrender, to help heal the damage he had caused and all would be forgiven, but Raziel Selvarak refused. A madness had consumed him and in his eyes they saw into the void and knew there was no coming back for him

The battle began with Raziel Selvarak opening a rift beneath some of his former friends and sending them to another realm never to be seen again. Others were not so lucky and were torn apart by another of Raziel's spells. With each powerful release of magic-rifts and tears the size of canyons began to form across Aughtgaia and they began to spread. The fight lasted only a night but when the sun arose in the morning the world of Aughtgaia was gone. Every tear in the fabric of reality was allowing a dark energy to enter and consume the world and all manner of life along with it. Those that were touched by this dark energy became one with it and it spread like a plague across the world. The land group of Ascendkin came together to defend not only themselves but selflessly protected the lives of the beings they had enslaved as well. Other Ascendkin were locked in a battle with Selvarak and knowing they could not win, had chosen to sacrifice themselves so that something may survive. They combined their efforts and held Raziel Selvarak and together they all stared into a rift as it began to grow and spread toward them. One by one they bore witness to the void and one by one they were consumed by it. The last Ascendkin however, used what magic he knew to open a rift to an uncharted realm and banished Raziel Selvarak into the unknown. In doing so, the tip of his finger came in contact with the dark energy and he was forced to sever his hand before it enveloped him entirely. He knew this world was beyond saving, but maybe he could save others. He gathered all the documents he could. Thousands of years of research into alternate realms of reality, research from both Raziel Selvarak and Mahlek Rengoth. This young Ascendkin then had no choice but to abandon his own world. He made his way to where the rest of the Ascendkin were making their final stand and there he used the magic and energy that was destroying the world to create two more rifts.

He found his fellow Ascendkin defending what remained of their civilization and he told them of his plans. Seeing no other option they went along with it and they both gave him the energy and magic he needed to create the rifts. A few died once they had depleted their life force and others died defending at the demons from the void approached. Through the first rift, they sent thousands upon thousands of their former slaves into a new world that they could call home. One where they hopefully may not make the same mistakes that they had. These beings were known as The Ehlderkin and they would go on to create the Realm of Jenjara. Through the second rift, he would go alone, burdened with the knowledge that he alone was responsible for saving countless other realms from the fate of Aughtgaia. The remaining Ascendkin fought to keep those making their pilgrimages into their realms unharmed before the rifts closed forever. A seal was made so that the evils now contained in Aughtgaia's Universe could never escape. Those that looked back into the rift saw the last glimpse of Aughtgaia being destroyed, consumed by a darkness never seen before and for the few that did-they heard a voice call to them.. a whisper.

To Be Continued..

Tome II - The Record of Jenjara

Entry I - The Gates of Discord