Earthmover ------------- The Earthmover Elders speak of a time long ago when the first Earthmover, Molan, and his family were normal humans. Molan was a miner, his wife was a farmer, and his son and daughter were potters. The wife planted her seeds and they grew at a remarkable rate. A young woman appeared to Molan's wife and told her that She was one Facet of three, and that, for releasing Her from Her ancient slumber, the woman and her family would be blessed with great strength. The son and daughter went to dig clay to make their pots with and as they dug, a matron sprung from the clay and thanked them most heartily for releasing Her. She, too, was one Facet of three, and as Her gift to them, She blessed them and their family with great common sense. And Molan himself mined for ore, and as he struck through the rock, he was startled by an old woman of obvious wisdom. He recognized Her at once as a Goddess and bowed before Her. She told him that She was the third Facet to be freed on this most glorious day, and now She could be whole again. She told him also of the gifts bestowed upon him and his family by Her other two Facets, and She granted him the third gift, that of magic of the Earth. And so Molan and his family were the first Earthmovers, renowned for their farming, their mining, and their pottery and sculpture. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is another story that Molan's grandson once pulled a thorn out of a male bear's paw, traveled with him back to his cave, and there helped him protect his mate and their cubs from a poacher. Because of this, the bear promised that all of his kind would help the Earthmovers, that one would be with each of their families from now until the end of time. ------------- Flamesparker ------------- The Flamesparkers claim to be descendents of the God Naut, who was born of the Holy Fire of Creation. He became human on a whim, and was a great hunter. One day while hunting He came across a lioness, proud and beautiful. He was so inspired and awestruck by her that He changed His form to that of a lion. He fought for her and won her, and then made her human as well. They sired the first of the Flamesparkers, and many more besides that, until His wife, called Rette, declared that as much as She loved Naut, She wanted to be a lioness again. He loved Her, so He granted Her request, but She never left His side. They were together until She died of extreme old age, and He painted Her in stars across the sky then returned to the heavens to be with Her spirit. ------------- Lightstriker ------------- The myth goes something like this: Long ago the world was dark, and the Gods wanted to keep it that way. They feared that the Creatures of the Darkness would grow as powerful as the Gods Themselves if they gained the power of the Light. Lenn, who led the Gods, appointed His youngest daughter, Quistyka, as sentry over the world and the creatures. But as the eons passed, She grew to sympathize for the poor creatures. The Gods could make light whenever They wanted, but these pitiful souls knew nothing but night, and carried only darkness within themselves. How could they be anything BUT evil when they had never known the goodness of light? So one night, as Her father lay sleeping, She unfastened His cloak, that He had wrapped around the world, wrapped it up and set it on fire. The immortal cloth burned brilliantly and awoke all the Gods, but not before light, rapturous and holy, fell to the world. The creatures changed instantly: where they had once been wholly evil, now their hearts began to know goodness. But before they could become completely good, Quistyka dropped Her father's flaming cloak, because, even for immortal hands, it was simply too hot to hold. The creatures were now half-good and half-evil, but left in total darkness, they would once again lose what goodness they had obtained. Wise Lenn saw this, and understood His mistake. He also knew He must still punish His daughter for disobeying. So She stands underneath the world, and throws the ball of burning cloth high up into the sky every day, and catches it again at night. Her hands are permanently burned and scarred from constantly catching the flaming cloak. And to guide the creatures, the humans, Lenn asked for volunteers amongst the Gods. Two women, Teir and Almena, and two men, Phin and Wert, agreed to take on human form and go to watch over the humans at their own level. These four Gods were the first Lightstrikers, so sayeth their myth. ------------- Stormbringer ------------- According to their own legends, the Stormbringer Clan was born of a magical midsummer lightning and rain storm on a small island they call "Mch'narre." It was a beautiful tropical island where every need and desire was fulfilled. Sadly, the first Stormbringers, being curious about what lay beyond the island's shores and across the ocean's expanse, left Mch'narre and could never find their way back. This is also why the Stormbringers wander from place to place it is said; so that they can one day find Mch'narre again. ------------- Tidebearer ------------- Once, the Tidebearer legend goes, the ocean, the Great Mother, wanted a child. And so She took the sea foam from where She crashed upon the land, and with some sunlight from Her surface, some darkness from Her depths, and some of Her very essence, She created the first of the Tidebearers. Her child grew lonely, and so She created another to keep Her first child company. But child creation took much out of Her, and so, as Her children kept asking for more companions, She made one male and one female and gave them the ability to create children of their own. Originally they had fins and gills and swam in their Great Mother's essence, but one Tidebearer, named Welles, the first son born of the union of Her children, wanted more. He had fallen in love with a human woman, but not having legs and being unable to breathe air, he could not be with her. He despaired greatly until the Great Mother took pity upon him. She made him human, and he left Her embrace to chase his dream. He sought his love over many continents, and finally, after many great trials, found her. But the human woman already had another love, and he cried to come back to the Great Mother, but even She could not undo what had already been done. Instead, She made Her other grandchild a human also and sent her out to him, to be his wife. Her name was Leike, and she loved Welles greatly, and always had. And he grew to have some affection for her in turn over the years, but never loved her as much as his first love. Since they could not go back to the Great Mother's embrace, they swore instead to remain as close to Her as they could. And that is why the Tidebearers never leave the beaches and cliffs near the shore and also how they came to be exiled to the land, as they think of it.