For the gods, it all seemed rather swift. Their eyes simply opened and a night light diminished until darkness flooded in and world turned cold.
To the Sonorous King, the process that brought the Gods forth from the underlying light upholding the universe, was anything but swift. Time lost meaning many times over, for not even dust collected anymore. Only relatively recently, given that scale, did the gods begin to emerge slowly from the concentrated aether. This an exciting age for the Sonorous King, who by this point had long lost mobility, the caves growing over both him and his throne until he was simply an extension of the caverns. Slowly he watched as the light took shape.
Now the light has become flesh, and the magic of their birth fades, it's power source transferred to the gods. For the first time in many ages, the Sonorous King spoke, dust and dirt expelled as a cloud from a mouth left open for ten ages,"Welcome, Second Born of the Light. I welcome you to the world, humble as it has become since the Fall of Silence.
Much has been lost to time, I admit. Yet once this world was once a flourishing realm under the care of the First Gods. All of that, has long since died. This ruined city is all I know to remain, what lays beyond is unknown to me. Even if anything remains of that flourishing world, I cannot know what has managed to survive all this time, or what stranger things may have replaced them. I know only that the gods are meant to rule this realm.
Many of you have been born with positions of your ancestors, the Master of Numbers, the Chronicler, the Cartographer, and of course, my recently aquired friend who has kept me kept me company in the recent times. The Refugium recognizes your status, and it's power fuels your own. Yet your duties bind you, for that power is not given but earned. Care well in the performance of your most honorable roles, for your hand will decide whether the future of the Refugium falls to chaos or remains strong. Others seem to be both more and less fortunate. The world imposes on them no burdens from birth. To be born into the world without cares or burdens, a privilege know to few if any. Yet of course, this is but a temporary respite. Soon you will grow hungry, and the Refugium is not strong enough to feed you. Use the power of your birth wisely, for it too will wither if do not find souls to replenish it."
The Sonorous King paused for a long moment, a being unaccustomed to all but the slowest ebbs towards the future. He then spoke once more, "That is all. I could not hold you here even if I desired. The Refugium is your garden, a safe place to grow your future. Claim it as your own."
Looking out from the cave of the Sonorous King, the young gods could see a large city stretch out before them. It was organized into 8 numbered districts of various, but roughly the same size. Most are covered in ruins of an ancient metropolis. At one point it must have been quite grand, for remnants of huge structures scatter some districts. While in others, a few tall towers still stand, while others have long since toppled. Others seem to have stranger purposes and low flat buildings, or gullies and ridges dotted in geometric patterns. Each district seems to have once been flourishing, populated by an advanced race which could build these large stone structures deep within this massive cavern. Yet looking upon them now, the districts are in complete disrepair, and silence rules the region. If anything survived here, it's not made it's mark upon the ruined city. In the center of each district is a large monolith, which has a deep inner glow. Other smaller lights dot the districts, remnants of a long defunct lighting system. They create lonely pools of light in the ancient streets, isolated islands in a sea of dull darkness.
---
Please wait while the heavens generate this report.
Please wait while the heavens generate this report.
Please wait while the heavens generate this report.