Divine developments

The Titans

At the dawn of the Age of Myth, Aebrynis the Earth-Mother gave birth to the titans – elemental creatures of god-like power. The titans were immensely powerful, individually each one was a match for any god however mighty, and worthy of worship. But they were not deities in the sense that is now applied to the gods; they lacked the intimate connection of faith and soul that set true gods apart from other creatures.  In poplar tradition each titan is said to have been fathered by Selemos the Sky Father, but some myths acknowledge Ceremos the Delver in the Deep as the father of the darker half of the titans; which might account for some titans being decidedly crueler in their dealings with mortals than the rest of their siblings. Regardless of parentage all the titans were fickle and self-centred, caring nothing for anyone but themselves, and their endless struggles for dominion over the world caused all manner of havoc. According to myth Aebrynis gave birth to a total of fourteen titans, seven male and seven female. The titans were lords and masters of the world for uncounted years, and some titans said to be responsible for the creation of everything from mountains and rivers, to plants, and all the animals and creatures that dwell on, above or inside Aebrynis. Other titans gave minds to animals and the humanoid races, or taught them language, crafts or even magic. The titans were eventually overthrown and imprisoned or destroyed by their own children – the Old Gods of the Adurian Pantheon (something of a misnomer, since the pantheon also held sway in part of Djapar) – in what is known as the Titanomachy (Titanswar). It was a war that raged for hundreds of years, if not thousands, at the end of the Age of Myth and marked the beginning of the Age of Legend. It should be noted that the fall of the titans and the rise of the gods coincided with the emergence of the ancient empires of Aduria and Djapar; great realms that were intimately connected to the gods.

Titan Creation

When the titans were born, Aebrynis was an empty and lonely place. The titans, as creatures of chaos and change, soon took to shaping the world. At first they played with the physical makeup of Aebrynis, covering the world in a tapestry of sea and land, raising or smiting mountains, directing the course of rivers and so on. In time they grew tired of the constant reshaping of the world and sought other ways to express themselves. What titan first created life is not known, but Hyperion and Oceania are likely candidates. At first the titans could only manage tiny simple creatures that floated in the oceans or equally crude fungi and lichen to creep across the dry land. But as they worked their skill grew, and the world was populated by an ever-increasing variety of more and more complex creatures. Later still Coeia would give minds and emotions to some of her siblings’ existing creations, giving rise to true animals as we know them, and the other titans soon picked up on her work. Later still other titans would gift certain races with reason and language, teach those crafts and magic, or even encourage the growth of civilization. But one titan, Iaeptus, was not content with creating these inferior creations. He had observed the preferred methods of procreation among the races of the world and discerned that the offspring thus produced inherited the traits of its parents. He thus enlisted the aid of Hyperion, and had two offspring; Prometheus and Ephimetheus. The other titans would not be outdone by their creative brother and had offspring of their own. The children of the titans were everything that was hoped for and more – they were gods, creatures physically almost as powerful as the titans, who also posessed unique abilities that were quite alien to the self-contained titans. One should note that several of the gods mentioned here are but creatures of legend; they were either slain in the Titanswar or were destroyed by their own divine siblings as the gods of the new pantheon fought among themselves.

Titan description

Aether – Titan of Air and Storms, fathered by Selemos: Aether was a wild and unpredictable titan that demanded obeisance from all that dwelled upon the earth. Those that revered him properly were usually given boons in form of rain or fair weather, but even they were not immune from terrible destruction in the form of relentless storms and devastating lightning that Aether called forth at a whim. To capture him the gods, with Anduiras at the forefront, stilled every gust of wind on Aebrynis, until there was but one left; the true form of Aether. They then placed him in a sealed box of pure mithral which Anduiras threw beyond the ends of the world. Aether is believed to have created many flying creatures, birds being the most notable, but with griffons, gargolyes and wyverns as other likely candidates.   Aurora – Titaness of Upper Air and Cold, fathered by Ceremos: Aurorae was a cold and distant figure that sometimes descended on Aebrynis, either to avenge a perceived slight or just to show her immense power, carrying with her a freezing cold that sucked air out of lungs and froze blood in the veins. Aurora proved the most elusive of the titans, and was the last to be defeated. After tearing her form in two, the gods bound each half at the top and bottom of the world with chains of unbreakable adamantine. In her rage, she did not notice until it was too late; she was covered by endless sheets of ice and snow. Aurora did not create as many creatures as her siblings, being largely content with adapting existing creatures to handle the merciless cold. All manner of polar creatures, as well winter wolves are good examples of her creations. Aether and Aurorae are given as the parents of Anduiras (LG), God of Nobility and Rulership. When his titan parents were defeated, Anduiras inherited their portfolio over the air as well. He later also acquired the portfolio over noble war from slaying his brother Savatos during the Titanswar (when his brother sided with the titans). Some sources also mention one Azhur (CN), God of Winter and Cold, as the first child of Aether and Aurora. These sources claim that Aether and Aurora grew annoyed with their child and conjured up a great windstorm that hurled poor Azhur away from Aebrynis, into the cold void beyond Selemos’ emrace. He longs for the warmth of the sun, but cannot stand its heat for long – and so whenever he draws near the undying fire in the sky, the world is plunged into a series of long and cold winters, until Azhur once one retreats. Atlas – Titan of Earth and Stone, fathered by Ceremos: Atlas is the Mountainshaker, a truly massive titan that figures frequently in old myths. He rarely seems to have given any thought to the world around him, wandering aimlessly across the face of Aebrynis and changing the shape of the land as he went. Atlas was so massive that when the gods managed to topple him, he could not rise; such was his girth that once he stopped moving he slowly sank into the earth. To make sure he would never get up again the gods tossed a mountain of rocks on top of him. Atlas made many creatures, primarily ones that dwell beneath the earth. Creatures that can turn things to stone or move through rock, such basilisks, medusae, gorgons, bulettes, xorns and cockatrices, are sure to be Atlas’ creations. Cronus – Titan of Monsters, fathered by Ceremos: Cronus if simply known as the Father of Monsters because his fascination for creating an endless variety of terrifying and powerful creatures. Upon completion said creations were then let loose in the world and allowed to run amok, much to the titan’s delight. Once the creature had become sated or defeated, he would make another and repeat the process. Of all the titans, Cronus was perhaps the one who was the most hated by the mortals of Aebrynis. As the end of the Titanswar drew closer, Cronus found that almost all of his siblings had been defeated. Refusing to recognize the supremacy of the gods, Cronus entered into final spree of creating, pouring his essence into as many terrible monsters as he could. When the gods found him, he was but an empty husk. Many of the aberrations and monstrous creatures found on Aebrynis are the work of Cronus; the chimaera, the chocker, the chuul, the cloaker, the gibbering mouther; all and more are the product of Cronus twisted mind. The chaos beast is another spawn of his, the degenerate of his many experiments with flesh and spirit. Thetys – Titaness of Rivers and Lakes, fathered by Selemos: Thetys is one of the more benevolent of the titans, and unlike most of her kin rarely got involved in any overly destructive projects. Still, she was a titaness, and as the ancient cultures that arose around the rivers of the world can testify her favours could be fickle. Following the birth of Prometheus and Ephimetheus, Atlas and Cronus decided that they too would pursue the path of creating offspring worthy of a titan. As part of their great plan, the two titans cooperated in capturing and imprisoning Thetys; a monumental occasion since the titans as a rule never cooperated (and cetainly not Atlas and Cronus). Thetys was subsequently raped regularly by her brothers Atlas and Cronus to bear them children. Since Thetys was originally the spouse of Atlas it is hard to imagine what drove her titan brother to band together with Cronus. Her son Reynir interceded with the other gods on her behalf in the aftermath of the Titanomachy (Titanswar), a conflict which she stayed out of, and she was allowed to voluntarily merge her essence with the rivers and lakes of the world. Thetys is the mother of many creatures; not just those that dwell in rivers or lakes, but many of the more mundane creatures that live upon the earth and require water to sustain themselves.  Some would name her the mother of all fey as well. Atlas and Thetys are given as the parents of Reynir (N), God of the Wild and of Kartonia (CE), Goddess of Destruction and Misfortune. Kartonia was put down by the other gods following the titanswar, when it became apparent that she was not quite like the other gods. It seemed she drew more upon the power of the earth than she did her followers. Add to this a capacity for destruction exceeding that of some titans, the gods did not want her around. It might be argued that Reynir also shared some of Kartonias traits with regards to his followers, but he was not possessed by the same rage and destructive impulses, and was not harmed. After the war Reynir was the god least concerned with his followers – he seemed to draw the greater part of his power from the wild lands, a trait that made him more akin to the titans than some of his siblings liked. Cronus and Thetys are also rumored to have had several offspring, but the one child that is named was known as Quastrakhall (CE), the God of Disease. The death of Quastrakhall at the hands of his own father became the final event that sparked of the Titanswar. Apparently Cronus was unsatisifed with the lack of virulent plagues his son was able to manage, and was convinced that his death would release all kinds of horrors unpon the world – and in that he was correct. The murder also served as a warning to the gods, whose meddling Cronus found increasingly tiresome. Coeia – Titaness of Thought and Emotion, fathered by Selemos: Coeia is a strange titan, for she appears to have been far more aware of her surrounding than was the norm among the titans. Not that she was altogether benign, for she loved to toy with mortal thoughts and emotions, warping and changing them to see what would happen. Coeia was intended as the spouse of Cronus, but she rejected him and spurned him. When she managed to have her own progeny without his help, Cronus became so enraged that he attacked her. Her destruction was ensured by hordes of monsters answering their father’s call; mindless creatures with no emotion save rage and hate, Coeia was powerless to stop them as they hounded her around the world. When finally even a titaness became exhausted, they tore her apart and ate her. Her daughters were thus left to fend for themselves, a task made difficult by Cronus’ continued efforts to hunt down Coeria’s children. Coeia did not make many creatures on her own, but took pleasure in taking the creations of her siblings and instilling them with something more than pure instinct; she gave the thoughts and emotions. Her gifts ranged from the intellect of animals to those of intelligent humanoid races. Coeia is given as the parent of the twins Brenna (CN), Goddess of Fate and Fortune, and Pioketia (NE), Goddess of Lust and Greed; no father is named, and it is believed that Coeia somehow impregnated herself, a secret she refused to share with her brother Cronus, which may have been why he hunted her down and destroyed her. Pioketia only figures into a few incomplete myths; she was apparently killed by the titans during the war. Brenna was perhaps the least active god during the Titanswar, she generally avoided both titans and gods – with two exceptions; the death of her own sister (some sources blame her for engineering it) and the destruction of Cronus (she hounded him day and night for the longest time, and made all kinds of misfortune strike his creations). Iaeptus – Titan of Forging and Making, fathered by Ceremos: Iaeptus is known as the Titan of the Forge or simply the Shaper, testimony to his penchant for creation. He was never quite satisfied with his creations, and quickly cast them aside in favour of new projects. His greatest feat was transforming his brother Hyperion into a woman, so that they might have children. Iaeptus was chained to his own anvil in the depths of a now-dormant volcano by two of his own creations; Prometheus and Ephimetheus, creatures neither titan nor god, but approaching them in power. Iaeptus is unable to free himself without his tools and fire, and must endure an eternity of inactivity in the dark; a horrible fate for once such as he. Iaeptus is known in particular for the many creatures and spirits of fire he put into the word; dragons being named as one of his creations, although this is not certain. The salamanders are definitely his work, as are golems of various kinds.  Hyperion – Titan of the Fire and Light, fathered by Selemos: Hyperion was rightly feared for his power over fire and light; both were necessary for mortal life, but in excess both could be deadly. Hyperion was remade into female form upon the anvil of his brother Iaeptus; they are said to have disdained the other titans and their “impurity”, not being creatures of flame and light, and thus would not lay with their sisters. Hyperion sided with the gods during the Titanswar and was granted his freedom as reward for his actions, but did not get to enjoy his freedom; shortly thereafter he/she was torn to pieces and consumed by his/her own vengeful children. Hyperion was primarily concerned with plants, seeking to perfect their form to emulate the creatures made by his siblings. Mobile or intelligent plant creatures are his creation; treants were among his greatest successes. Iaeptus and Hyperion are given as the parents of Prometheus and Ephimetheus, two beings who were neither god nor titan, but something in between (obviously the re-forged Hyperion was not up to the task of mothering gods). The couple was poor parents and harsh taskmasters, even for titans, and their two children grew up hating their parents with uncommon intensity. Prometheus and Ephimetheus, once they had imprisoned or consumed their parents, the pair of them took up the tools of their father and lit the fire of creation under the forge of Iaeptus of the Forge. Enlisting the aid of several of the young gods, who were eager to add to their own number, they succeeded where their parents had not; from their many experiments was born Basaïa (LN), Goddess of Fire and Light. Prometheus and Ephimetheus would eventually side with the titans during the Titanswar, and for that they were rent asunder and their portfolios shared among the gods, but with Basaïa receiving the largest share. Oceania – Titaness of the Oceans, fathered by Selemos: Oceania was regarded much as Aether; an unpredictable force that could bring unprecedented boons to those she favoured or instant ruin to those who annoyed her. Still, apart from her near-mindless rages, she must be considered one of the more “benign” titans. Near the end of the Titanswar Oceania was trapped within the Inner Sea (part of the ocean in that age); the gods tricked her into coming there, then sealed the Inner Sea from the sea, and her power was reduced to nothing by the fresh waters of the lake. Oceania is believe to have created the many creatures that dwell in the sea, fish and crustaceans come to mind, as well as merfolk and other aquatic races. Byssos – Titan of the Cold Deeps, fathered by Ceremos: Byssos is one of the least-known titans with regards to land-dwelling peoples, save that he is credited with the creation of a number of terrible sea-monsters. Byssos is imprisoned in the darkest depths of the Sea of Shadows, in a gaping abyss created by the gods to hold him captive forever. The crushing weight of the water is combined with bitter cold to encase him in an impenetrable (even for a titan) block of black ice. Byssos emulated his sister in his works, but everything he touched because dark and twisted copies of his sister’s great work; the monsters that dwell in the deep dark ocean is his work, the shauagin chief among them, but also including sea serpents and kraken. Oceania and Byssos are given as the parents of Masela (NG), Goddess of the Protection and Mercy. With the defeat of her parents Masela inherited the portfolio over everything that is of the sea. Phobos – Titaness of the Moon and Sorcery, fathered by Selemos: Phobos is the enigmatic sire of sorcery, a living incarnation of the magical energies that permeated the world. Phobos eagerly taught her arts to any that desired them – and who could resist the power to remake the world – but his gift invariably turned into a curse, as no mortal could wield the raw power of magic and remained unscathed; sooner or later the wielder would be crippled or destroyed. Phobos was utterly destroyed during the Titanswar, her power scattered across the width and breadth of Aebrynis, sparking of a definite increase in the number of sorcerers and magical beasts throughout the world. Phobos did not actively seek creation, but was content to grant her “gift” to existing creatures, an act which eventually either destroyed or transformed them. Many magic-using creatures are the progeny of Phobos, as are the various lychantropes. Meosyne – Titaness of Dreams and Illusion, fathered by Ceremos: Meosyne could just as easily be named the Titaness of Nightmares, for she delighted in sending horrible visions into the dreams of mortals; visions that could kill as easily as they could create insanity. Apart from Cronus, Meosyne is perhaps the most well-known of titans; even now nightmares continue to haunt the dreams of mortals.   Meosyne was a difficult titan for the gods to defeat, until Vorynn came up with a plan. Using the collective dream-power of the divine followers, they engaged Meosyne within her dreamscape at the same time the gods sougth out her physical form. In the end Meosyne was broken, but a fragment of her power endured within the minds of all those mortals who had contributed to her defeat. Meosyne made mostly ephemeral creatures; half-real things composed of the stuff of shadows and dreams. Phobos and Meosyne are given as the parents of Vorynn (CG), God of Moon and Magic and his forgotten sibling Essaratnon (NE), God of Trickery and Deceit. The later would run afoul with the rest of the pantheon; his portfolio would pass on to the other gods, with the former aspect to Brenna and the later to Azrai. Crius – Titan of Conflict and Teaching, fathered by Ceremos: Crius was one of the titans closest to the mortal races of Aebrynis, and is generally credited with teaching the secrets of civilization to many primitive peoples, even going as far as helping them ward of the excesses of his siblings. He did not do this out of altruism, however, but because of his endless fascination with conflict; nothing pleased him more than to see Cronus’ monsters be cut to pieces by disciplined legions of mortals, or having a civilization outwit his lover Themis by teaching them language and logic. Crius was eventually defeated by the very civilizations that he gave rise to; even a titan must fear the might of a million discipline soldiers united in unbreakable faith in their gods.  Over the course of a hundred campaigns and a thousand battles Crius was weakened sufficiently for the gods to overwhelm him. Crius created few races of his own, being instead content to fill the minds of the children of Coeia with truths of conflict and evolution. Without his meddling there may well have been no divine races and thus no Titanswar. Themis – Titaness of Law and Vengeance, fathered by Selemos: Themis is an oddity among the titans, being a creature of law and order. Yet her laws were often incomprehensible to mortals, and followed some twisted logic known only to the titaness, her punishment for breaking any of her commandments were invariably harsh. She argued endlessly with her siblings over countless matters, usually without much headway. During the Titanswar she fought fiercely against the gods while trying (to no avail) to get her brothers and sisters to unite to preserve the current world order. Themis was defeated by her own son Azrai, Basaïa and Vorynn; they engaged her in a contest of logic that she could not find her way out of. It is said that Themis still lies unmoving somewhere, forever trapped by the riddle posed by the gods. Themis, like Crius, was content with teaching; those races she touched inevitably rose above the chaotic rabble that surrounded them. Crius and Themis are given as the parents of Savatos (LE), God of Tyranny and War, and Azrai (N, later NE), God Knowledge and Balance. During the Titanswar Savatos ran afoul with several of his siblings and eventually sided with his parents. He was slain and his powers usurped by Anduiras and Azrai – with Andurias taking his portfolio of noble war, and Azrai his tyrant aspect. He does not figure into known history except in the oldest and most esoteric texts.