Eight Intertwined

1 - Gods

In days long gone, there were thirteen gods. 

Legend and religious texts alike tell the tale of the formation of the continent of Orsterra, an expansive land known for its natural beauty. History informs the curious that thirteen heavenly powers once created the incredible world, and Orsterra remained the peak of their immense strength even long after they had come and gone from the realm of the living. 

At the center of Orsterra, an ocean known as the Central Sea could be found, and some have come to believe that the gods once used it as an entry point between the divine heaven and the mortal plane. Thirteen gods with the faces of man appeared from the skies above and created beauty from what had once been nothing. Each of the gods had a different gift to offer the empty earth, and it was through these presents that the land was able to survive and flourish. It's the oldest story known to humanity, one that every child knows from the glimmering sands of the Coastlands to the shaded skies of the Woodlands. 

Aelfric acted as the cornerstone of everything that the gods stood for, a symbol of purity and hope above the tumultuous realm around her. Her smile was said to spread warmth and joy to all who happened to cross her path. Aelfric's dominion over light allowed her to create the sun in the sky, and it cast its gentle glow upon the people of Orsterra. The sun reflected the gleam of her perfection perfectly, and paintings of the bygone era are often said to depict her endless radiance. 

Sealticge was Aelfric's opposite in many ways despite the countless similarities that they shared. She was an alluring woman who captured the attention of those around her without even needing to try. She was the mistress of the shadows, and darkness followed her beck and call each time that she took a step forward. Sealticge was the one who pressed the moon into the sky, and the pearl of the nighttime gem continued to smile and watch the people for countless centuries. 

Alephan was a curious man, and he offered the beauty of time to civilization. Aelfric and Sealticge gifted light and darkness to Orsterra, but Alephan balanced them out after striking a perfect middle point between the two. Ice crept along the edges of his robes as he created the cycle of day and night, and the Earth began to spin at his wishes. He was wise enough to understand how to change everything, and the world itself followed his whims when he pushed it in the perfect way, something that only he could determine. 

Winnehild's sense of order was unparalleled, and her instincts were renowned in every way imaginable. She simply had an understanding of the world around her that most others lacked, and it seemed as if the universe itself was whispering in her ear, telling all of its secrets to its warrior proxy of steel. Winnehild offered another degree of stability to the concept of time, and the seasons bled between her fingers when she provided her gift. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter were born under her influence and perfect sense of internalized peace. 

Steorra came to be known for her passion and belief in the world around her. Hope filled each breath that she took, and those who found her teachings often cited her as a sign that heaven truly existed. Destiny followed Steorra's wishes above all of the other gods, and she was given the chance to see what the future had to hold beyond the bindings of time. She spread her palms wide and created the starry sky, a reference to the very readings that had allowed her to understand what she considered fated. 

Brand created the ground itself. He was a stoic man, and his undying loyalty and unwavering faith allowed him to persevere through even the darkest of scenarios. Creating a realm was no easy feat, but Brand grounded the gods around him and forged the earth from a place where there had once been only traces of stardust. Rock and stone spread outwards in every direction, and Brand watched as the horizon was filled with his gift of stability and security against even the clutches of hell.