(Alternate) History of Faerun

[the_brazenburn]

This is an alternate history of Faerun, and Toril in general, that I wrote. It doesn't match exactly with the lore, but it's just a fun idea. Let me know if you like it!

[the_brazenburn]

Part 1: The Creation of the World

Long, long ago, there was the great Cosmic Wheel. Around the wheel, the Outer Planes spun and whirled, creating beings of immense power. In the center of the wheel, four spheres railed against each other, mingling and mashing together. These spheres of fire, water, earth, and air eventually formed something in the middle; a world devoid of the constant turbulence felt by the Elemental Planes and the raw power in the Outer Planes. This was Toril, the place that humans now call home. Back then, however, it was barren and devoid of all life. Over aeons and aeons, Toril began to expand, pushing the Elemental Planes outward and filling in the gap in the Cosmic Wheel itself. And thus the world was created.

[Millstone85]

First, have you considered making this thread here?

Then, what's the general idea? To leave Ao, Selûne, Shar & Co. out of the genesis of Toril?

[the_brazenburn]

First, have you considered making this thread here?

Then, what's the general idea? To leave Ao, Selûne, Shar & Co. out of the genesis of Toril?

Like I said, this is an alternate history. I'm still working on the fine-tuning, but it's meant to be similar to the Norse creation myth: Ginungagap forming between Muspelheim and Niflheim.

[the_brazenburn]

Part 2: The First Reign of Dragons

The first being to cast its sight upon Toril was Io, the Father of Dragons. Io populated the world with his creations: the dragons. Over time, however, Io became more detached, and the dragons, who were now the rulers of Toril, began to follow his twin children Tiamat and Bahamut. The two were polar opposites, for while Bahamut was kind and benevolent, Tiamat was cruel and bloodthirsty. Each one developed the dragons that followed them into miniature versions of themselves, creating the races of chromatic and metallic dragons. Although the dragons ruled for ages, they soon began to fight amongst each other, and the empire of dragons was greatly weakened.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Part 2: The First Reign of Dragons

The first being to cast its sight upon Toril was Drakonus, the Father of Dragons. Drakonus populated the world with his creations: the dragons. Over time, however, Drakonus became more detached, and the dragons, who were now the rulers of Toril, began to follow his twin children Tiamat and Bahamut. The two were polar opposites, for while Bahamut was kind and benevolent, Tiamat was cruel and bloodthirsty. Each one developed the dragons that followed them into miniature versions of themselves, creating the races of chromatic and metallic dragons. Although the dragons ruled for ages, they soon began to fight amongst each other, and the empire of dragons was greatly weakened.

Mind if I ask why you used Drakonus as the Father of Dragons when there's already an establish Creator of Dragonkind, Io?

[the_brazenburn]

Mind if I ask why you used Drakonus as the Father of Dragons when there's already an establish Creator of Dragonkind, Io?

There is? I honestly had no clue. I'll change the original post. Where did you get him from?

[Millstone85]

There is? I honestly had no clue. I'll change the original post. Where did you get him from?

One of his most recent appearances would be in SCAG's description of the dragonborn, p112-113. It gives three different versions of how Io created them: as servants of dragons, as masters of dragons, or as a third product of the event that divided Io into Bahamut and Tiamat*.

* Kind of a recurring FR theme, isn't it? Selûne and Shar, Tymora and Beshaba, Bahamut and Tiamat... Lots of good/evil twins that used to be one deity.

[the_brazenburn]

Part 3: The Creation of the Giants

When the empire of the dragons weakened itself through enormous infighting, another being began to plan for the domination of Toril. Annam, the Father of Giants, fathered six sons. They were Grolantor, who created the hill giants, Skoraeus Stonebones, who created the stone giants, Thrym, who created the frost giants, Surtur, who created the fire giants, Memnor, who created the cloud giants, and Stronmaus, who created the storm giants. The giants and their gods schemed to overthrow the dragons and replace them with an empire of the giants and their Ordning, and Annam hatched a plan to attack Tiamat and Bahamut himself.

[Nifft]

* Kind of a recurring FR theme, isn't it? Selûne and Shar, Tymora and Beshaba, Bahamut and Tiamat... Lots of good/evil twins that used to be one deity.

Those gods just couldn't keep it together.

Someone needs to play WILL IT MIX? with them.

[Naanomi]

There is? I honestly had no clue. I'll change the original post. Where did you get him from?

First detailed in Monster Mythology, 1992

[the_brazenburn]

Part 4: The First War of the Ordning

Annam's plan to attack the dragon gods failed. Although he succeeded in weakening Tiamat and Bahamut, the Father of Giants was dealt a mortal wound. On his deathbed, he commanded his sons to craft his body into a massive projectile: the largest that ever had or ever would be created. His commands were followed, and all the giants together hefted Annam's remains and hurled them into the sky. Guided by the rage of the Father of Giants, the projectile fell to the ground, killing thousands of dragons and creating a deep chasm. At varying depths, pieces of Annam's body remained, and the chasm split the world in two. With most of the dragons dead, the giants managed to capture their rule, and reigned over the world for millennia.

[Millstone85]

Well, that takes the giants' boulder throwing to a whole new level. Is it meant to replace the First Sundering in the role of breaking up Toril's Pangea?

This is also a marked departure from the story in VGtM, where dragons and giants drove each other to near extinction and Annam disowned the remaining giants.

[the_brazenburn]

Well, that takes the giants' boulder throwing to a whole new level. Is it meant to replace the First Sundering in the role of breaking up Toril's Pangea?

This is also a marked departure from the story in VGtM, where dragons and giants drove each other to near extinction and Annam disowned the remaining giants.

It's meant as a spoof of the meteor that killed the dinosaurs. I just liked the idea of all giants in the world throwing their dead father at a bunch of dragons. The chasm created by the impact will become the Inner (I believe the Toril equivalent of the Mediterranean) Sea.

[the_brazenburn]

Part 5: The Elvish Schism

While the giants ruled in the world above, the god Corellon Latherian looked to the chasm in which the small pieces of Annam's body lay. Some pieces lay high up, where a single ray of sunlight fell upon them. Corellon breathed life into them, and they became the first elves. The elves were immediately split into three groups: one, who worshiped Corellon and were known as the high elves, wanted to climb out of the Great Chasm and overthrow the giants; a second, who worshiped Corellon's wife Sehanine and were known as the wood elves, planned to live in peace and harmony with the giant kings; and the third group, who worshiped a goddess of spiders named Lolth and were called the drow, decided to go deeper into the caves extending from the Great Chasm and live underground. The three groups split and went their separate ways: the high and wood elves climbing out of the chasm and the drow delving deeper into the Underdark.

[Kuulvheysoon]

It's meant as a spoof of the meteor that killed the dinosaurs. I just liked the idea of all giants in the world throwing their dead father at a bunch of dragons. The chasm created by the impact will become the Inner (I believe the Toril equivalent of the Mediterranean) Sea.

Do you mean the Sea of Fallen Stars?

Part 5: The Elvish Schism

While the giants ruled in the world above, the god Corellon Latherian looked to the chasm in which the small pieces of Annam's body lay. Some pieces lay high up, where a single ray of sunlight fell upon them. Corellon breathed life into them, and they became the first elves. The elves were immediately split into three groups: one, who worshiped Corellon and were known as the high elves, wanted to climb out of the Great Chasm and overthrow the giants; a second, who worshiped Corellon's wife Sehanine and were known as the wood elves, planned to live in peace and harmony with the giant kings; and the third group, who worshiped a goddess of spiders named Lolth and were called the drow, decided to go deeper into the caves extending from the Great Chasm and live underground. The three groups split and went their separate ways: the high and wood elves climbing out of the chasm and the drow delving deeper into the Underdark.

So would this mean that the Crown Wars never happened? They're actually a pretty big part of the FR backstory, what with creating a lot of the Elven ruins and the creation of the fey'ri and the drow (seduced by the balor Wendonai, IIRC). And what about the High Moor (formerly Miyeritar) or Aryvandaar?