Faiths of Sublanarya: Puck the Prankster Prince and Darkheart the Shadow Prince

The tragedy of Puck is worthy of note:

Born of some long lost gods, defeated by the All-Father, the young god was a small child when he was found by Grimnir and, in a show of remorse and compassion, the All-Father took in Puck as his own son, raising him and trying to guide him, and treating him like his own flesh-and-blood. But the other gods did not share in Grimnir's kind-hearted ambition, at least without Grimnir prompting them to try, as they found the boy an unsettling and awkward addition to their pantheon. Furthermore, those that tried to show him patience had their kindness returned to them in jokes or, worse, what the boy considered pranks and tricks. To Puck, nobody seem to be able to take a good joke.

Puck stole treasures and artifacts from immortals and mortals alike, often "borrowing them", as part of his greater schemes to humiliate his kin and nobles, preferring to target the prouder and nobler most, but often going too far in his japes. He accomplished his feats with shape-shifting, magic and the ability to separate and control shadows from their owner's. His schemes resulted in unnecessary misunderstandings, accidental deaths and even wars between furious monarch. His wicked sense of humor and disregard for the laws of man, nature and gods are legendary.

A great smith was building an impenetrable wall for the New Gods with the promise that he would be granted dominion, power and protection within the wall. He also wanted Kleeona as his bride, the Sun and the Moon. The gods took council and Puck created special conditions: If the smith could built the wall with only help from his horse, in one winter, he would be granted his prize. After all, the smith had said it would take years and, under these conditions and if he failed, he'd build the wall for free. The smith agreed.

The gods had underestimated his horse though and, with only a few days left in winter, he seemed on the brink of success. The gods demanded that Puck fix the situation, scaring him into action and fix it he did. Without his horse, Puck knew the smith would fail. So, he took the shape of a mare, luring the smith's stallion into a chase, throwing the smith from it. The smith died before he could finish the wall and, more disturbingly, the stallion caught Loki in mare's guise. The mare gave birth to the Six-Legged Horse of Legend.

The smith was a friend of Skao and demanded retribution in the form of laughter or the life of Kleeona. None could make her smile. Save Puck. Puck managed to make her smile, saving the life of Kleeona, but no one was thankful after he had ruined the wall they needed.

Puck was also responsible for the creation of Fenrir and other horros. But it was his part in the death of a son of Kleeona and Grimnir.

So, the story goes, that Puck wished for nothing more than to be the favorite son of Grimnir Blue-Cloak. He was not the best or strongest or brightest but he was capable of playing the gods against each other. He sought to prove himself the most cunning and to diminish the standing of rivals for his father's approval.

Grimnir Blue-Cloak had twin sons: Baldric and Hodric.

Both were beautiful and kind gods, of light and life and hope, and were perfect. Save Hodric who was born without eyes. They were both beloved by their mother and the other gods. Except for Puck, who was annoyed with them, especially Baldric.

As if sensing Puck's intent, Kleeona saw no love in Baldric's future. She hurried to protect her son, using her spells to make him immune to all animals and plants. She overlooked mistletoe. And, overhearing Baldric boast he was save from all save the plant, he made a scheme.

After all, Baldric' invulnerability meant that gods would often attempt to strike him down for folly, failing of course, but trying again. Blind Hodric was bullied into playing a game in which he tried to shoot arrows at his twin brother. Puck handed him one. Made of mistletoe.

And it flew true. Baldric was struck in the heart. And he fell dead by his blind brother's aim.

When the New Gods realized that Puck was to blame, though he claimed to only want to hurt Baldric's pride, they were quick to punishment. They weighed this crime with all of Puck's other crimes, quickly, and in their fury they set to work. They beat him down and bound poor Puck to three stone circles imbued with rune magic to keep him from changing shape. They then set a poisonous serpent above his head so, as venom dripped from its fangs, it would strike his face and cause him intense agony. His most faithful lover, Syg, took it upon herself to hold a bowl, catching the venom, but, when it becomes to full and she must tear it out, he has to endure the venom in those moments.

But that is and was not the end of Puck.

Perhaps related to the gods of his heritage or created by his own hatred or even from another realm, Puck's madness spawned or was spawned by something unusual. As Puck lay in his prison, he heard a voice. A familiar voice. Like his own but different. It was his old shadow.

It begged to be released from him. That it would help him. Puck quickly agreed. But the shadow betrayed him. It abandoned him.

Not even Puck knows what it was. It had been his shadow. But, at least after that, it was something else. It had its own motives. It called itself Darkheart.

Darkheart wants nothing less than to wallow in the suffer and hate of the world, to see it come to chaos and ruin, as it moves from host to host, and sets unknowable plans into motion. Its ultimate goal is unclear but, a prophecy says that, in the end times, Puck will finally be reunited with his shadow Darkheart and, with his progeny and an army of all the enemies of Narya, will defeat the gods, destroy the world, and a new world will take its place.

Faiths of Sublanarya: Mal-Dorig the Dread Conqueror

Among the gods, there are mortals who rose to prominence and challenge the dynasty of Grimnir Blue-Cloak for dominion of Narya itself. The story of one such god, a god whose name and story inspires ambition, cruelty and tyranny, began in the Wyrd Wars of the First Epoch.

Not much is known from the first epoch, as much of the history and lore were lost and the gods that reigned are either dead or do not linger on the memory of it, but the final era is known to have been a time of endless war. Empires rose and fell, conquering and destroying each other, mortals became gods and even immortal gods met their demise, the landscape was torn apart by magic and the bones of men littered the and, eventually, human civilization was left in cinders. The greatest conqueror was Mal-Dorig.

Mal-Dorig was born a slave of an old serpent empire that once covered southern Sublanarya.

His people, the Mal, were enslaved long before he was born and trained as foot soldiers for the reptillian's endless conquest. The reptillians usually preferred their slaves docile and transformed, but Mal-Dorig's people were valued for their ferocity and cleverness and were resistant to transformation. Mal-Dorig was the result of generations of breeding to create the perfect warrior but the yuan-ti created their own end. Mal-Dorig noticed his masters, naturally cold and calculating, had become fat, decadent and lazy, and, when a slave of Mal-Dorig's caliber notices that those who wield the whip and lash have grown weak they make their move. The serpents were recovering from the celebration of Mal-Dorig's latest victory when he led the Mal to raze the imperial capital and slay their old masters.

Mal-Dorig then led his army of slaves, of the Mal and all the others freed from the serpents, across the realm. He conquered most of Sublanarya and beyond, freeing slaves from their inhuman monsters but also enslaving/slaying all who resisted, razing cities to the ground. Many temples and libraries were annihilated.  It was the latter act that destroyed many records of this age. In place of the worship of the old gods and histories, great monuments were built to the conqueror. His arrogance grew and his designs on the world did too. He gathered power, conquering enemies, and sought to conquer the world. Eventually, he came to blows against enemies he could not surmount and was wounded in battle. He lay dying on the battlefield and feared an end to his conquest.

That was when he was visited by the worse half of the trickster god Puck, his beautiful and terrible shadow, Darkheart. Darkheart schemed, endlessly, to defeat the gods and bring about the end of the world. It was to this end that he helped Mal-Dorig to achieve godhood and to repay him as a general in some divine war to come or in the end-times.

He led Mal-Dorig to a dark forge in the bleakness of Hades, where he had taken Brigid the Smith hostage, forcing her to pour her talents into building a helm and suit of armor the likes of which the world had never seen. It was made from the void shadows itself. Mal-Dorig donned the armor and was changed. His cruelty, malice, cunning and strength multiplied.

He became a god.

With monuments already built in his name and legions of warriors at his beck and call, his return was given divine recognition by his armies and they followed him without question. His armies redoubled their efforts and the last of his enemies fell before him. It seemed none could touch the conqueror as his army swelled with new followers, picking up demons, devils, giants, elementals and all evil beings who wished to follow his conquest over the forces of good. Thanks to the armor built by Brigid the Smith, it seemed that Mal-Dorig was unstoppable, and his forces overwhelmed countless heroes and gods alike. He was unstoppable.

Eventually, Mal-Dorig led his army to the gates of heaven itself and laid siege to the home of the gods. It seemed all was lost but, even in darkest times, there is hope. A light in the dark. For as Mal-Dorig and Darkheart concerned themselves with conquering Heaven, they left their dark forge in the underworld unguarded.

A young hero, Zyghardt, mentored by the hero god and the godling sons of the fire goddess Pyrra, Strata and Nimb, made their way to the dark forge. There they freed Brigid the Smith, the sister of the twins, and she set to making weapons that could harm Mal-Dorig. For her brothers, she finally crafted for them great bolts of lightning to smite their foe and the brothers became the new masters of the storm. And, for the young hero, Brigid the Smith forged a sword called "Dawnbreaker".

The storm twins first set out against Mal-Dorig. Nimb threw lightning bolt after lightning bolt and Strata shook the dark Armin with his thunderous voice. Their onslaught set the army into disarray and forced Mal-Dorig to enter the fray. He tore the brothers down from the sky and would have slain them a moment later if not for the intervention of the Zyghardt wielding Dawnbreaker.

The hero swung his blade, the light reflected from it shining in Mal-Dorig's eyes, causing him to stagger back for a moment before turning his attentions to the hero. The two fought, brutally, before Mal-Dorig knocked Zyghardt to the ground, placing his foot upon him, and demanding his submission. He offered the hero a place in his court after he conquered heaven.

In defiance, Zyghardt struck Mal-Dorig's foot, piercing his armor, even as the dread lord crushed him beneath his boot. Mal-Dorig was crippled by the blade, his armor pierced, and for a moment he was vulnerable. The brothers renewed their attack and their blows tore his armor apart.

The battle recommenced for seven days and seven nights, but eventually the forces of good won the day and the Mal-Dorig was defeated.

Before they could take him prisoner, Darkheart whisked the injured villain away and Mal-Dorig vowed that the next time he lay siege to heaven that it would fall.

As long as there are those wishing to rule their world, Mal-Dorig will inspire cults and temples across Narya. They pray to him for guile to outsmart their rivals and strength to defeat/conquer their enemies.

Faiths of Sublanarya: Tyr Grimjaw the One-Handed God and the Fenrir the Wolf, Devourer of the Sun

Long ago, perhaps in the Age of Wonders or perhaps before, Tyr Grimjaw was a mortal man.

This was in a Narya incomparable to the world today: demons and devils walked in out of the world as if through a curtain, the gods fought alongside men in wars against villainous threats and magic was a song taught to all. In these dangerous times, it is said that great heroes rose to meet the danger and, among these heroes, the Wolf Clan was renowned for their courage. They faced off against armies of giants, angled great sea serpents out of the seas, and faced off against the Old Ones without blinking an eye. Their leader was man named Tyr. He was not just an impressive warrior and commander of men, he was known to be a merciful and even-handed judge who demanded appropriate adjudication in all things. His seriousness is what earned him the title of "Tyr Grimjaw".

Eventually, their paths crossed with the gods themselves and Grimnir Blue-Cloak himself. The god came to them in his guise as an old man, accompanied by his son Puck as a lame and dull boy, on the eve of a blizzard. Grimnir offered counsel and guidance of an elder in exchange for shelter against the cold and a good meal for him and his lame son, and while another Wolf Clan member would've chased the beggars off, Tyr was magnanimous. Grimnir spoke cryptically, as he tried to give them aid in a coming battle against the Old Ones, and the other Wolf Clan members scoffed. But Tyr was grateful. Tyr Grimjaw took Grimnir's advice and, on the next battle, though many of his clansmen lay dead, he was victorious. Grimnir was so impressed by the courage, wisdom and strength of Tyr Grimjaw that he made him his blood brother from that day forward.

But the son of Grimnir was jealous of his father's new compatriot. Puck Darkheart, also known as Robin Goodfellow, was known for his trickery. It is said he had some hand in the theft of fire by Prometheus. He might have overlooked Tyr Grimjaw but, when his father began comparing the grave and serious leader to his son's frivolous behavior, he decided to try to put the god in his place. Puck gathered up all of the bodies of the deceased Wolf Clan and brought them to the Witch of the Ironwood. Using her dark magics she created from their broken bodies a great wolf called Fenrir and set the wolf upon the world.

Fenrir was said to be such a great beast that even the gods feared him.

The wolf was so fast that none could outrun him and his senses so keen that none could. His howls shook mountains and instilled fear in even the Old Ones. He hunted giants, tearing down the walls of their fortresses, and savaging their armies. He preyed upon dragons, tearing off their wings, and feasting upon them scales and all. His ceaseless hunger was only topped by his pride and cruelty, taking pleasure in instilling fear in all, as he challenged mortal and god alike to dare cross his path. After all, it was easier if his meals came to him.

The gods tried traps, they tried great chains and spells, and even tried to trick him into leaving the world but the child of Puck Darkheart and the Witch of the Ironwood was impervious to all their attempts to stop him. He took pleasure in escaping their traps, breaking their chains and runes, and using brute strength to return from whatever realm they attempted to banish him.

Eventually, Grimnir and Brigid the Smith worked together to create a simple scheme. Brigid fashioned a golden ribbon Gleipnir. Brigid herself, along with Grimnir and Tyr, invited the great wolf to a feast in his honor. They told him they would induct him into godhood, admitting their defeat, and pledged to cease their attempts to stop him. Vainly, the great wolf came, gloating and smiling, speaking with the voices of all the fallen he had devoured, as he fed and drunk into a stupor. It was then that Brigid presented the ribbon to Grimnir as he latest triumph. She claimed that it may look like a pretty thing but, in fact, it was stronger than any chain. In fact, it was so strong, only Fenrir could break it. The wolf could sense some trickery as the gods suggested they test it on their powerful guest. She explained she had tested all manner of magic and weapon it and all had failed. When Fenrir feigned disinterest, she teased "if Lord Fenrir is afraid of my pretty ribbon, why should we be afraid of Lord Fenrir?"

The wolf agreed to let them bind him in it but that, in good faith, one of them must agree to place their hand in his maw. They all knew this meant sacrificing their hand. It was the goodly mortal Tyr Grimjaw that stepped forward and offered his hand. The beast took it in his maw and allowed them bind him. He laughed, biting off Tyr's hand and tried to leap forward to finish him, but instead tumbled. The binds worked and, with Grimnir and the other's work, they were able to protect the world from the beast. They banished him and, for his sacrifice, Tyr was granted godhood.

This is the tale of Tyr Grimjaw become the One-Handed God and of one crime of Puck Darkheart.

It is said that, when the world ends, Fenrir will escape his binds and devour the sun, ending the world, before he and Grimnir will slay each other. It is said that Fenrir's son, Garm, will be the one to kill Tyr Grimjaw.