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On Creation
Jul. 28th, 2015 12:20 amThis isn't a normal free-writing-ish installment; it's a silly story I put together as part of Zan's Christmas present last year. It's a shaggy dog story building up to a ridiculous pun and it only marginally makes sense for the subset of you that remember my D&D setting from back in High School, but I still like it.
There are many stories of creation, giving credit to one pantheon or another and casting different gods in the key roles. There are some few, however, who say that no gods were involved in the creation of Hærnamë; that, in fact, it was created by beings that preceded even the gods.
Their tale goes like this. In the beginning, there were Nothingness and Dream. Nothingness and Dream gave birth to three children: Dragon, Phoenix, and Chicken. After a time, Dream said to them: “You have lived in Nothingness for long enough. You must each make your own way, and create your own people as we have created you.”
Dragon spoke first. “We may all have creation, but let me be Destruction. I will be the terror and the darkness and the lightning and the death-bringing blaze. I will speak Endings. All creatures will fear me.” And Dragon created dragons and hydras and krakens and monstrosities of every kind.
Phoenix spoke next. “You may bring death, but let me be Rebirth. I will be the hope and the light and the spring rain and the warmth-giving flame. I will speak Renewal, and plant a seed in every Ending. All creatures will bless me.” And Phoenix created phoenixes and angels and valkyries and guardians of every kind.
Chicken spoke last. “Between death and rebirth, I’m not sure there’s much left for me. Let me just be Now. I will be the safety and the comfort and the touch of a friend and the simple lamp of home. I will speak of Existence, of the life between Death and Rebirth. And perhaps creatures will love me.” And Chicken created chickens and humans and nisd and tigers and mortal species of every kind. Dragon and Phoenix laughed at the humbleness of Chicken’s creations next to their own, but Chicken did not respond.
Surrounded by creatures, the three found themselves no longer in Nothingness and Dream, but in something new. Buoyed by the fear of those they had created, Dragon rose and became the Night. Buoyed by the blessings of those they had created, Phoenix rose and became the Day. And Chicken remained below, and became the World.
Dragon and Phoenix’s creations fought and warred constantly, and their creators were greatly proud. And while Night and Day may seem stark and separate, every night has stars and every day has clouds. To Chicken’s creations, it was hard to tell the guardians from the monstrosities. So they sought safe places away from the fighting where they could live. And there, they learned to use both death and birth for themselves. Their focus on survival led them to adapt to whatever environments they encountered, and they grew and multiplied.
After a time, Chicken’s creations far outnumbered those of Dragon and Phoenix, and the two grew jealous. “I will wield Destruction and strike Chicken down, and then all of Chicken’s creations will be mine!” boasted Dragon. “Do so, and I will wield Rebirth and restore Chicken, and then all of Chicken’s creations will be mine!” boasted Phoenix. Rising to the challenge, Dragon threw a spear of lightning and flame and drove it through Chicken’s center. Phoenix readied poultices of herbs and warmth and shone down at Chicken’s center. But Chicken did not die, nor was Chicken reborn. Chicken simply continued, hole and all, troubled not by pain nor death nor hope nor rebirth. Chicken simply remained, and the world continued.
Dragon and Phoenix saw that Chicken had won, and returned to the sky, resigned to watch from afar and knowing, test Chicken’s creations as they may, Chicken’s creations would continue. And Chicken remained, hole and all, a world of myriad mortal races. The mortal races took to calling Chicken “Hærnamë”, and came to believe that a round shape with a hole in the middle was just the natural shape of the world. And so, to those who believe this tale to be the underlying truth of things, Hærnamë is, in reality, a chicken toroid.*
* A toroid is a doughnut- or ring-shaped object that is not necessarily circular in cross section.
There are many stories of creation, giving credit to one pantheon or another and casting different gods in the key roles. There are some few, however, who say that no gods were involved in the creation of Hærnamë; that, in fact, it was created by beings that preceded even the gods.
Their tale goes like this. In the beginning, there were Nothingness and Dream. Nothingness and Dream gave birth to three children: Dragon, Phoenix, and Chicken. After a time, Dream said to them: “You have lived in Nothingness for long enough. You must each make your own way, and create your own people as we have created you.”
Dragon spoke first. “We may all have creation, but let me be Destruction. I will be the terror and the darkness and the lightning and the death-bringing blaze. I will speak Endings. All creatures will fear me.” And Dragon created dragons and hydras and krakens and monstrosities of every kind.
Phoenix spoke next. “You may bring death, but let me be Rebirth. I will be the hope and the light and the spring rain and the warmth-giving flame. I will speak Renewal, and plant a seed in every Ending. All creatures will bless me.” And Phoenix created phoenixes and angels and valkyries and guardians of every kind.
Chicken spoke last. “Between death and rebirth, I’m not sure there’s much left for me. Let me just be Now. I will be the safety and the comfort and the touch of a friend and the simple lamp of home. I will speak of Existence, of the life between Death and Rebirth. And perhaps creatures will love me.” And Chicken created chickens and humans and nisd and tigers and mortal species of every kind. Dragon and Phoenix laughed at the humbleness of Chicken’s creations next to their own, but Chicken did not respond.
Surrounded by creatures, the three found themselves no longer in Nothingness and Dream, but in something new. Buoyed by the fear of those they had created, Dragon rose and became the Night. Buoyed by the blessings of those they had created, Phoenix rose and became the Day. And Chicken remained below, and became the World.
Dragon and Phoenix’s creations fought and warred constantly, and their creators were greatly proud. And while Night and Day may seem stark and separate, every night has stars and every day has clouds. To Chicken’s creations, it was hard to tell the guardians from the monstrosities. So they sought safe places away from the fighting where they could live. And there, they learned to use both death and birth for themselves. Their focus on survival led them to adapt to whatever environments they encountered, and they grew and multiplied.
After a time, Chicken’s creations far outnumbered those of Dragon and Phoenix, and the two grew jealous. “I will wield Destruction and strike Chicken down, and then all of Chicken’s creations will be mine!” boasted Dragon. “Do so, and I will wield Rebirth and restore Chicken, and then all of Chicken’s creations will be mine!” boasted Phoenix. Rising to the challenge, Dragon threw a spear of lightning and flame and drove it through Chicken’s center. Phoenix readied poultices of herbs and warmth and shone down at Chicken’s center. But Chicken did not die, nor was Chicken reborn. Chicken simply continued, hole and all, troubled not by pain nor death nor hope nor rebirth. Chicken simply remained, and the world continued.
Dragon and Phoenix saw that Chicken had won, and returned to the sky, resigned to watch from afar and knowing, test Chicken’s creations as they may, Chicken’s creations would continue. And Chicken remained, hole and all, a world of myriad mortal races. The mortal races took to calling Chicken “Hærnamë”, and came to believe that a round shape with a hole in the middle was just the natural shape of the world. And so, to those who believe this tale to be the underlying truth of things, Hærnamë is, in reality, a chicken toroid.*
* A toroid is a doughnut- or ring-shaped object that is not necessarily circular in cross section.
