The universe as it is known exists in cycles.
These cycles begin with the end of the previous universe as it collapses upon itself from the strain of chaos and becomes nothingness. From this nothingness, a new universe is born as order springs forth and thus nothingness becomes renewed existence.
The span of a universe’s life is known as a Divine Cycle.
There has been untold Cycles.
In the beginning moments of the universe, from the order comes the Aether - the prime material of which the fabric of reality is made.
Aether is a fabric, and it can be woven to form the fundamental elements; fire, air, water, earth and metal.
Aether however has an energy that fades where it is accumulated, expended in the process of holding the weave that allows it to form the fundamental elements. When this energy is gone it can no longer hold together and gives way to the Nether.
Nether is a fraying of the fabric, it is chaos and holds its weave only by the energy it drains from the aether it emerges from.
All energy flows from where there is plenty to where there is little.
In this way the universe shall go from being of the Aether to being of the Nether.
Yet there is a greater problem with the fabric of the Aether-Nether, for it is only a fabric. Upon the edges of the fabric swirls the pure nothingness of the primordial essence, the void where nothing can exist.
As the Aether is pulled together and woven into the elemental foundations of all things, it strains and tears and so created pockets of non-existence within the heart of the fabric.
From the Aether arises the Dae, forming from the memories of past cycles as the weavers of the Aether, as Gods.
There are two of the Dae, they are the Duality and they are known as Auri the Mother of all Mechanics, and Csveti the Father of all Aesthetics.
Auri, the true orderer is the weaver of the Aether to create the forces that allow the universe to function.
Csveti, the great artist is the weaver of the aether to create all that is needed to perceive the universe.
Through their work the universe was populated by the stars and the planets. Upon the weakest points in the Aether’s fabric they constructed fortress worlds designed to contain the tears in the fabric.
These worlds were doomed from the beginning, for within the fringes of the void lurks destructive horrors that seek only to devour the aether and nether and undo reality. For the cycle can only end and begin once all aether becomes nether - to prevent this by making it void, would end the cycles entirely.
These horrors are known as the Dae’haruvas, the God Devourers.
As only two, the Dae must battle the Dae’haruvas, and in doing so never fall. For that which a Dae’haruvas devours ceases to be and ceased to have ever been.
And so the Dae create the Fae, lower beings, demi-gods that aid them in battle against the Dae’haruvas.
Creating the Fae takes a great amount of energy as they grow and develop as a civilisation across the universe, as they gather armies. From this the nether swells and from the nether rise the Naak.
As the Dae are to the Aether, the Naak are to the Nether.
The Naak number seven.
They weave the nether to form armies, and they too fight against the Dae’haruvas but have no limit to their true number. Those that number seven are the Prime, embodiments of the chaos of their nature - embodiments of the mind.
They are Lust, Power, Charity, Faith, Intoxication, Courage and Love.
Upon a death, a new Prime rises to fill their place, and as they have no name only monikers, a death has no impact and their war against the Dae’haruvas never slows. And as they are formed of the nether, their power only grows.
Yet when their power grows great enough and the fabric is too damage to maintain, the Naak wage war upon the Dae and in their victory they end the Cycle so the fabric may be renewed.
The Dae resist, for in the end of the universe there is always a chance that the Dae’haruvas arise before the Dae and thus end the cycles.
To fortify the weakest of the fabric, the Dae constructed the fortress worlds.
The first of these worlds was Ninhur, and upon this world was formed the first of the Fae - the demigod creations woven from the elements. Upon this world they were known as the Dragon, beings of fundamental elemental power, surging forth from the leylines that sealed away the growing tear in the fabric trapped deep inside the world.
For these worlds required a great amount of energy to keep the fabric from ripping apart. To do so, the first of the nether form their core and around it cocooned the five fundamental elements and inlaid into those elements were the leylines; great rivers of aether that welled at key points and acted as reservoirs to feed the nether and prevent it from fraying completely.
By this, thousands of fortress worlds were created, and prime amongst their number was Ninhur.
So prime amongst them was Ninhur that the one and only child of the Dae was born upon it. Csuri, the Shaper of Worlds.
And from herself, Csuri cut her heart to create from it her wife, Rohvana. A companion, a friend, a lover and a partner.
Together, Csuri and Rohvana shaped the world.
Every piece of the sea and every part of the land was crafted by their magics, by the songs of Csuri and the hammers of Rohvana. Over thousands and thousands of years they crafted the world and put in place the motions by which it may change.
And to soothe Rohvana’s sorrow, Csuri filled the seas with life and nurtured it until it grew to be the fish and the coral and the grass that would one day spread to the land. And Rohvana, soothed from her loneliness nurtured this new life until gardens grew and the land was as plentiful as the sea. And birds took flight to fill the skies.
By Csuri’s guidance, her parents were taught to see the many worlds as an opportunity for more than the sentinels of the Fae. Upon Ninhur was made the template for all other Fortress Worlds.