The History of Scarn - The Gods Part 6
Urkanthus
Urkanthus, the Prismatic Dragon, was born to Denev and Thulkas. It is said that Lethene and Gulaben were also partly responsible for his creation, although it is not entirely clear how. Urkanthus was the last of the major gods to be born of pure titanic parents. Stories say that his parents created him to be a link to the true dragons, although whether as an emissary or as a ruler is not clear.
Initially Urkanthus was unwelcome by the dragons, for while he appeared to be one of them, and a very powerful one at that, most of them had no interest in worshipping or being involved with the new gods. However, the true dragons are mortal, and many of the oldest were concerned with their immortal welfare, as most beings on Scarn at the time reincarnated when they died. And dragons believe that they are the ultimate life, so to reincarnate as anything lesser than a dragon would be abhorrent. So Urkanthus realized that he could offer the dragons a deal. Instead of being reincarnated when they died, dragons could come to his divine heaven to live eternally as themselves. This idea was very welcome to the dragons, and won Urkanthus their favor. In time he learned to balance the different elemental clans of dragon kind, and it is from Urkanthus that the dragons acquired the idea of creating societies based on temperament.
Urkanthus personifies balance between all things, and is the embodiment of neutrality. He is a god of the elements, fire, water, earth, and air. He is the god of the true dragons. He has been worshipped by dragons and dragon kind, by intelligent flying magical beasts, and by wizards and sorcerers who dedicate themselves to elemental magics. Urkanthus has two forms. As a humanoid he appears as a very tall and muscular human male, with brown skin. He has four arms, and typically carried a piece of one element in each of his four hands. As a dragon his is a terrible and colossal prismatic figure, a dragon of all colors and all elements. Even without his divine abilities, Urkanthus in his draconic form is immensely powerful.
Urkanthus was killed at the start of the Divine War. His eradication was so complete by those who killed him that all records of his existence were destroyed, all memories were erased from everyone but the gods, and all temples and shrines devoted to him were razed. Even his dead followers forgot their god. Possibly as a result, the dragons sided with no one during the Divine War, and withdrew from the rest of Scarn back to their homeland of Tanaroth before the war began.
Over 150 years after the war, the titaness Denev determined that her son Urkanthus should be brought back. After seeing the success of the resurrection of Jandaveos, she knew it was now possible. She demanded the assistance of the victor gods with this mission. Then she sent a priest named Jervis on the quest to complete it, and he was given divine abilities by the 8 victor gods to aid him. In time, Jervis completed the quest, which had many similarities to Vladewen’s mission to resurrect Jandaveos.
Since Urkanthus’s very recent resurrection, the dragons have started to send envoys to the other lands in Termana and Ghelspad. The dragons are also busy fighting a war against half-breed dragons that were bred with demons. This war has escalated since Urkanthus’s return, and has spread to the shores of Termana, where demon-dragons have turned a section of the land into a portal to the Abyss. These, and other matters, have been keeping Urkanthus very busy since his return.
Urkanthus is primarily worshiped on Tanaroth, also known as the Dragon Lands, by true dragons as well as the kobolds, tatsuri, elves, humans, and halflings who live in those lands. Urkanthus has followers in Ghelspad, primarily in the country of Almalthea. There are also scattered followers throughout Otenazu, Vesh, and the Mithril protectorate. Urkanthus used to have many followers on the continent of Asherak among the flying creatures and elemental wizards and sorcerers, but it is unlikely that any of them still remember him.
The Genie
The four races of the Genii, the princes of the elemental plains, were made by Denev and Mesos. Because they were not made on Scarn itself, but in their respective elemental planes, they do not have the connection to Scarn that the gods have. However, their powers and abilities are as appropriately great as any children of two titans. The gods saw Genie kind little different than the Titans, in many ways. They were capricious, self centered, and cared little for the mortals of Scarn. The gods fought with the Genii races during the Divine War, and came up with a plan to seal the four races in each of their citadels. Recently, the seals holding the Genii have been broken, freeing them after over 150 years of imprisonment.
The efreet race rules the Great Inferno, the elemental plane of fire. They ruled the land with cruelty and malice, warlike and brutal. During the war, the gods imprisoned them in their citadel, the City of Brass. Since their recent release they have been re-exerting their mastery over the Great Inferno, sending war parties to reclaim old outposts and strategic areas. Already other inhabitants of the Great Inferno, like the azers, salamanders, and fire elementals, prepare for war against their old rulers. The efreet also seek revenge on the followers of the gods who imprisoned them, although they have enough trouble brewing at home to be able to send significant forces to the material plane.
The marid race rules the Endless Deep, the elemental plane of water. They are a meditative race, cautious and thoughtful in all of their actions and deeds. When the divine forces besieged their citadel, the Castle of Currents, they acquiesced to imprisonment rather than see their fragile metropolis destroyed. When the seal was broken they were very careful, and have spent the time primarily reclaiming their scattered outposts, mostly avoiding the material plane. All major waters on the material plane eventually lead to the Endless Deep, and the marid were very disturbed by the discovery of two Blood Seas in their lands. One was created when Kadum was thrown into Scarn’s deepest ocean trench, and the other was caused by the Blood Monsoon of 112 AV.
The djinn race rules the Deepest Sky, the elemental plane of air. By nature they were a good hearted race and curious about the world around them. They explored the width and breadth of both their plane and the mortal world, and accumulated knowledge stored in the enormous cloud vaults in their city. After their citadel, the Wall of Winds, was sealed, the restless and inquisitive djinni soon became fractious and bitter. By the time the seals were broken, they had gone mad, and the once peaceful race now seeks revenge against those who imprisoned them and their followers.
The dao race rules the Vault of Earth, the elemental plane of earth. The dao are an introspective and meditative race, preferring to withdraw within themselves. They had an unusual reaction to the sealing of the Citadel of Stone, quickly resigning themselves to the idea that they would never get out. They spent the time doing research and study on theories and philosophies, creating libraries and museums. After the seals were broken they have been cautious in leaving the citadel, having grown somewhat xenophobic. However, they have begun welcoming visitors to their citadel, learning from them what has happened in the world since their imprisonment.
Okay, not sure if I'll have a post for you tomorrow, as I've hit the end of what I've written, and I may have a busy day tomorrow, but I'll do what I can.