The Church of Dawn

In the creation period, the Gods began forming the world into their perfect image. Everything was pristine, bountiful, and full of possibility. As the world grew and became more complex, the 2nd creator god began to find their role within Troikah. Seeing the disorder that is the cycle of life and death, they found purpose in judgment. Who better to know than the God deemed Accord? Eons passed, and the world became a bountiful wonderland of life and death. Plants and animals would die, new life would be born, and partake in Pom’s harvest. Fire, hurricanes, and other natural disasters would devastate the land, but in their place, create fertile soil. This was Accord's greatest achievement and what they are most proud of: The Cycle of Life.

From their work, life began to evolve. Creatures became better at adapting and eventually, humanoids were born. Dragonborn rose from the ash and would find homes in the desolate volcanic wastelands; Elves learned how to commune and work with nature so they could exist in the harshest of jungles; Dwarves found bounty in the hills and mountains that others would not dare traverse, let alone live in; Humans alike found life everywhere. Gnomes, Goliaths, Halflings, Aarakocra, Bugbears, Centaurs, Firbolg, Kenku, Genasi, Herengons, Leonins, Lizardfolk, Owlin, Tabaxi, and Tortles alike found new homes and new ways to live that complicated Accord’s plan. Seeing this adaptation as a blessing that their judgment had created, they sought to be able to sort them as well. Humanoids were by far Accord’s favorite creation to cast judgment on. 

From their throne, they saw how these creatures began creating civilization, their own set of rules to live by, their own systems and practices that were all influenced by Accord’s judgment on morality. Seeing this, Accord deemed themselves to be the one casting the final judgment on these humanoids. Accord enjoyed the game of weighing the actions of one throughout a lifetime to see if reward or punishment was deemed necessary for each individual. For those deemed morally just, great bounties and rewards were given in the next lifetime. Punishment was something that Accord had little interest in commanding or acting out. Accord created golden scales by which to make their judgment known. If one’s life were just, the scale would tip so that the door to the next life would be revealed. If a soul was deemed immoral, their soul was left on the other end of the scale. Accord trapped these souls and left them to rot on the other end of the scale as not only punishment but as a warning as well.

After the first war of the lands, many souls were brought to Accord for judgment. So many souls to judge and so much evil in the land brought the scale crumbling down, burdened by the weight of those in damnation. Once the scale was tipped, a new god was born, Accord’s daughter, Catrina. Catrina felt the cries, pain, suffering, and evil of every one of these souls. Overwhelmed, she lashed out at her creator and struck Accord. The God War (The Rites of Bloodshed) had begun with the inciting battle in the Hall of Judgment. It took all three of the creator gods to subdue Catrina; however, Accord would not let them kill their daughter. She was banished to a new world that Elder would create called the Crypt. There, Catrina would rule over those who were judged vile.

Attacked by her creators, judged as evil by the one who brought her to life, and abandoned by all, Catrina’s heart became colder and colder. She swore revenge on those who gave her life and sought to destroy all that they had made. She would take the souls of the damned, the bodies of those who had fallen or were forgotten, and begin to make life anew. Catrina called them her children, but when they were unleashed upon the people of Troikah, they were called monsters. Orcs, Tieflings, Dhampirs, Duergars, Goblins, Hadozees, Hexbloods, Hobgoblins, Kobolds, Minotaurs, Reborns, Shadar-kais, Shifters, Simic Hybrids, Thri-kreens, Vedalkens, Verdans, Yuan-tis, and Dark Elves roamed the land and sought to take all that they could in the name of Catrina, Mother Death.

The Rites of Bloodshed were in full effect and still are to this day. The might of all gods above against the unyielding Queen of the Crypt. Another cycle that Accord had made, though unintentional. Each side continued to grow in power; the lands were covered in blood, and neither side would relent. Catrina needed a secret weapon, something to prove her power and finally enact her justice. She gathered all of her power into creating what her gods above could only do once. She would make a true Child of the Crypt, to lead her army and finally end this war. Dawn was born during the golden hour of a new year, though he would not know that, for he was born in the deepest pit of the Crypt. Trained from birth to kill, to lead, to win this war, Dawn is a perfect soldier. Catrina and her children were beginning to lose ground. Pushed into the darkest depths of the night, the war seemed like it was almost over for the Children of the Crypt, then Dawn joined the fight. 

Dawn would make his name known and feared in the Battle at Catrina’s Tomb. The people of Troikah created an army of 20,000 soldiers to finally put an end to Catrina, when, from on the parapets of Catrina’s Tomb, Dawn stood spear in hand and jumped into the fight. Armed only with his spear and 107 monsters at his command, not one body was left standing except for Dawn. The people of Troikah would recover, but not quickly enough. Battle by battle, Dawn would win in bigger and bigger victories. Dawn would take the new title The Dawn of Death. Quickly, the Children of the Crypt would begin fighting their way toward the surface until one day they found themselves standing above ground for the first time. Sunlight hit the pale face of Dawn, and some accounts said he feared it. Dawn and his mother began making preparations for their assault on the surface as well as the creator gods. However, Dawn’s reputation made its way to Accord’s halls. How could it not, since Dawn was the biggest reason why Accord’s halls were full? Accord personally sought out Dawn and stole him from his army. Accord found a small island and called upon the powers of Elder and Scribe to trap Dawn for eternity.

Dawn spent generations trying to escape. He physically climbed the tall mountains that encircled the lands, only to find that an impenetrable fog would send him right back to the base of the mountain. He dug impossibly long holes through the mountains, the grounds, and the ocean itself, only to find that his feet would touch the same sand that he had tried to escape. He yelled to the heavens, cursing the gods, begging for his mother, apologizing, pleading, damning, yelling until his throat would bleed, yet no one would answer his calls. Finally, Dawn just gave up and accepted his fate. On the 100th day of lying on the ground and staring at the sun above the sky, Dawn was finally greeted by another.

A goat looked down at Dawn. This was the first creature that Dawn had seen since coming to this place. Dawn began looking after the goat, caring for it, learning more about his prison. Dawn made a shelter for himself, fed the goat, and eventually shared everything with his new companion. Every day, he would follow the goat and learn of its habits and nature. After some time, Dawn discovered a rabbit and would do the same with this creature. Dawn, over time, began to see the beauty and wonders of the life on Troikah’s surface. Many more years would pass, and Dawn’s temperament began to soften. Dawn’s goat finally passed one day, and Dawn mourned. His sadness overwhelmed him, and he yet again tried to escape the island by begging Accord to come. Accord did not answer. Left alone with his sadness, he watched over the body of his friend. Never blinking nor moving, Dawn witnessed firsthand the cycle of life. He watched as the body decomposed until there was nothing but bone. He watched as the soil around the body began to sprout beautiful vegetation and flowers. He watched the flowers encompass the bones of his friend in a beautiful floral crown and robe. He watched as other animals ate those flowers and began to grow and create new life. This meditation, silence, and observation changed something in Dawn. He used to see death as salvation, a means to end one’s pain and suffering, as the only true justice, for it comes for everyone regardless. Now witnessing firsthand that life continues after death, he began a new journey. He would watch everything- animals, plants, insects, aquatic life, soil, and all forms of life through their journey on this island. He pondered the questions and answers of life and death and found new purpose.

Generations again began to pass; time meant nothing to Dawn, but time kept moving on. One day, a High Elven adventurer found their way to Dawn’s island. Lost, scared, and hungry, the Elf sought safety from the world outside of the island. The elf made their way to Dawn’s home and fell asleep in Dawn’s bed out of exhaustion. He woke to Dawn watching him intensely, with a warm plate of vegetables in his hand. The elf, of course, was startled and ran from Dawn, who simply would find him again. Dawn would calmly approach the elf many times with various forms of food, and over time, the elf began to trust Dawn. Days, months, and years passed, and the elf and Dawn quickly became very close friends. The elf told stories of the people of Troikah, the adventures he had, and the monsters he had faced. Eventually, Dawn shared his life, the man he was in the Crypt, and the man he had become now. The Elf at first was very afraid of Dawn, but over time, he noticed that Dawn was no longer The Dawn of Death but something new. The Elf had many personal problems they were running from, and Dawn, with an intuitive glance, noticed them all. Never offering advice, Dawn would tell a story of his time on the island, or of the things he loves, and that seemed to always have an answer to what the Elf did not realize they needed. One day, another boat washed up on the island, and the crew found the Elf. The Elf went to Dawn and told him that they might finally be able to escape, but Dawn refused. The Elf begged, persuaded, and even threatened to fight Dawn and drag him back. Dawn simply refused and left. The Elf went back to the lands of Troikah and told his story to all that would listen. Fortunate for Dawn, this Elf was named Ceanor, the First King of Troikah.

Through Dawn’s lessons, Ceanor would lead his people to prosperity. He created laws for his people that would make them the pinnacle of civilization and the golden standard of what it means to lead. Ceanor would create a church that would share the teachings of Dawn and his practices. Ceanor would many more times through his life visit Dawn’s island, but never find him again. On Ceanor’s deathbed, he sent his heir Jayah to seek out Dawn and learn his teachings firsthand as he once did. Jayah did so, and she found Dawn just as her father had described him. She would spend 10 years writing down his story, his ideas, and the place that Dawn calls home, and after those 10 years, she would spend a lifetime continuing to share his practices. 

Jayah convinced Dawn to take on more lost souls and provide aid to those in need. Each new person Dawn would meet gave him more and more purpose. He would learn more of the world outside his island, help those in need find their way again, and firsthand see the influence his words have. Finally, after 300 years of living on his island, Catrina found him. Her footsteps turned all to ash and frost, her presence frightened the creatures of the land, and her voice echoed through each crack in the mountains. Catrina commanded her son to take up arms again and lead as he was born to do. Dawn, with a whisper that carried on the wind, defied that order. Catrina began to attack her son, throwing monster after monster at him, anything to spark that fire she had kindled so long ago. Dawn did all he could to protect those who call this island home but never struck once in violence. Brought to the brink of death, Catrina commanded one more time, yet Dawn still defied her. He simply asked for her to leave him to waste away on his island, for time to forget him, for the world to crumble below his feet. He begged never again to be asked to fight. Catrina stayed and watched her son for 3 more days before finally taking her children and leaving him.

Dawn slowly began to help reshape and rebuild his island. His broken and beaten body left him little to no energy. What energy he did have went into protecting and rebuilding that which was lost. Before the last ray of light left the sky, that would be the final day of Dawn’s life, Jayah found her way back to the island. She found Dawn sitting against the tree, watching the sun set, his breath growing shallower. Jayah rushed to her friend, and in her arms he began to die. Using every ounce of magic she had, she restored Dawn's life but sacrificed her own. Dawn wept; his tears made a bed of flowers for her to lie on, his cries were said to be heard over all the lands of Troikah, and his prayers were finally answered. Dawn finally pulled his gaze away from the noble Elf, and Accord stood in front of him. What was shared between the two is unknown to time, but the result was the salvation of all the people of Troikah. As the sun rose that next morning, Dawn had set foot on the lands of Troikah.

He now wanders the world in search of those who have lost their way. He offers a guiding hand, thoughtful advice, or just a story around the campfire to those who wish for it. He’s known as the Nomad, and his love for this world is an endless ocean. When all is dark, know that he was born in darkness; when all is lost, know that he was alone longer; when you feel that you have reached your end, know that he was there as well. Through all of this, though, Dawn rises the next day.