The Origins of Human Kind
by Sheldon Morris(Note: As always, I try to make anything I create as compatible with works from others as I can and integrate as much as possible, while not contradicting canon. I have used thoughts from many contributors to the Vaults of Pandius in this write-up.)
"Where do I come from?". It is a question asked by nearly every sentient creature. Let us explore realms of history that even the vast majority of Immortals did not experience.
Immortals are magical beings of great power. Once they were mortal beings, they ascended to a higher level of existence. Each must undertake quests worthy of Immortality and please an Immortal sponsor. Immortals exist because of the mysterious powers connected with the Spheres. The struggle to increase the influence of an Immortal's Sphere of Power is paramount to all other goals they may have. One of the ways to achieve this is to have new and worthy Immortals join the ranks of their Sphere.
And here we find the grand calling of humankind...
Long ages ago a group of Immortals allied with a megalith called Urt (Mystara). They begin to create and develop life forms upon it. Many events occur after this, even some which threatened all that they had created. A truce was declared, and many rules and protocols that govern the Immortals interaction with life on Urt were laid down on a site to become the City of the Immortals. An era of prosperity was ushered in on the planet, and many Immortals create and nurture their own life forms.
There is but one element lacking on Urt; prospective candidates for Immortality. Oh, there were some, perhaps one or two every millennia, but this was far too few. Granted, Immortality is not easy. The Immortals were proud of the races they had crafted, but they were just not up to the challenge, and it takes a lot out of an Immortal to create a race of beings; let alone a race that could quest after Immortality themselves.
Then the notion was entertained; perhaps many could achieve what one could not. What if a group of Immortals came together to create a race with truly gifted potential? A race that no Immortal could claim as their own; where they could chose which Immortal to serve and which to counter. And who had this notion? Ironically, it was one who later left the multiverse - Luca, a neutral Immortal of the Sphere of Time.
He spoke to a few of the leaders among the Immortals and convinced them to enter into this great project. Each Immortal would impart some of themselves into this creation, leaving their own fingerprint as it were. The only caveat was that every Sphere had to be involved and neither Law nor Chaos could have an advantage. However, although Entropy was represented, it was agreed that Evil could not participate and that Good and Neutral must be equally present. And so the group called the ???? was formed. It consisted of:
Luca, a neutral in Time, brought his deep understanding of life to the group. It was also he that ensured humankind possessed their great versatility and added to them a sense of honour.
Ixion, neutral good in Energy, he gave to humankind the potential to be heroic, to shine in an hour of darkness. It was Ixion who enforced the fairness policy in selecting Immortals into the group.
Korotiku, chaotic good in Thought, endowed humankind with wisdom and cleverness, and just a little hint of trickery.
Odin, lawful good in Thought, built into them the ability of leadership and the understanding of rulership. He also placed the desire to live together in groups and to live fully.
Pax, neutral good in Thought, did his best (in conjunction with his love, Thalia) to place a desire to live in peace into them.
Thalia, lawful good in Energy, gave humankind the gift of art and harmony.
Tyche, chaotic neutral in Thought, wanting them to be diverse, placed on them the mark of chance, destiny, and luck; both good and bad.
Verthandi, neutral in Time, showed them how to learn from the past - from what they experience. She did not begin the idea of creating this race but knew, it was a part of the new struggle that Odin and Hel would have to go through. As one of the Norn, she also knew that this would consume her in some way. (see Marco's description of Odin.)
Urd, neutral in Matter, and the second of the three Norn, she also had an idea of her fate but offered Humankind the appreciation of the present.
Valerias, chaotic good in Matter, is responsible for Humankind's passion and love. Ironically, she fell in love with the humans love customs and affairs.
Simurgh, neutral good in Time, gave them health and a desire to protect each other.
Fugit, lawful neutral in Time, bestowed Humankind with good memories, as well as the tradition of oracles and awareness of powers greater then themselves.
Skuld, neutral in Entropy, last of the Norns and selected to represent entropy due to her otherwise neutrality, it is to her that Humankind may attribute their often short lifespan.
Zugzul, the betrayer. It was in this group that his true nature was revealed to Ixion - for he believed Zugzul to be a neutral in Energy. It was Zugzul that tipped the good-neutral balance by introducing evil, giving Humankind a hidden thirst for power and conquest. Ixion has never forgiven him to this very day.
For variety and diversity, three distinct versions of Humankind were created, and then placed on Urt. A dark-skinned group was placed on a large island near the equator. They became known as the Tanagoro and their island was named Zyxl. A copper-skinned group was placed around a large bay amidst the eastern continent called Skothar and they were known as the Oltecs. The last group, the tanned-skinned Neathar, was placed on the western continent called Brun. And the rest, they say, is history.