The First Monsters and Heroes

 Ages passed after the stars were created, more Idols were born and the stars became jealous. They did not possess power like the Idols, nor were they worshipped as the Idols were. As mortals came to be, they admired the beauty of the stars and some of them were drawn to the adoration, falling to earth.

The first star to fall was Zekael, who seduced a young mortal woman called Naballa. She came to be with child but, knowing the power the offspring would have and seeing an opportunity for chaos, Kaelos cursed her womb. When Naballa gave birth, she bore three children, which were deformed and destructive. But she refused to abandon her children, even when they grew to crave the flesh of Men. She ran away from her people, taking her children to the Valley of Teratan, into the woods now known as the Forest of Beasts. The first monsters of that forest were the descendants of Naballa and Zekael. Serpon, born with scales and poisonous fangs. Gathirio, huge, shaggy, and stronger than a dozen mortal men. And Rachnia, who has six legs and two large claws. For the rest of her days, Naballa lured men into her forest to feed her monstrous children.

As the number of monsters grew and stars still fell to mate with mortal women, Mizrana, Idol of balance, vowed to restore the balance of nature. So she blessed the wombs of half the mortal lovers of the fallen stars and from those unions came the first heroes. The heroes were stronger than mortal men, more brave and clever. They fought the monsters for glory and to honor their patron, Raeman, whose daughters wrote songs and plays and made art of the heroes’ great victories.

It pleases both Kaelos and Mizrana to allow the cycle of monsters and heroes to continue as long as stars and mortals create offspring. However, most remaining stars are content to star in the heavens, occasionally visiting the world below, but not falling as many did in the Days of Old.