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(The following is excerpted from the ancient Bergtroll texts The Writ of Kelpatriath, book five, chapter two.)
In the beginning, the Creator created the world of Theralin: its land and sky, its sea and oceans, its plants and animals. And Theralin was exceedingly pretty and nice to watch for many millennia. Then the Creator decided it wanted others to talk to, and planted wondrous trees along the headwaters of the Arlin river to give intelligence to the animals. This was the Age of Animals. The animals were good and Theralin was more beautiful for their existence.
But the Age of Animals ended. The trees were destroyed and animals were no longer intelligent. The Creator again wanted others to talk to. So the Creater made a kind of humanoid, intelligent creature. The Creator named them Oids.
The Oids were all alike in form and ignorance, and they asked the Creator what to do. The Creator replied, "You have feet to walk with, hands to clap with, and a mouth to sing with. Thus you can praise me and show goodness to each other. And don't forget to eat and drink." So the Oids walked, and clapped, and sang, and ate, and drank. After a lot of falling down and bumping into things and singing inharmoniously they figured out what to do, and Theralin was even more beautiful for their existence.
All the Oids acted selflessly, as did the Creator. But eventually some Oids began to act selflessly only because it was the proper thing to do, no longer because it was the inclination of their hearts.
Then, one bright morning, the Creator assembled all the Oids and said to them, "I enjoy your worship. Thank you for it. Tomorrow you will each make a choice. You will each choose how to most worship me. You will change based on your choice. In the morning, when we assemble together, you will choose." Then, pointing to four places, the Creator continued, "Those who wish to focus on worshipping me with your energy will stand here. Those who wish to focus on worshipping me with your happiness will stand there. Those who wish to focus on worshipping me with your possessions will stand there. And those who wish to focus on worshipping me with your time will stand over there."
The next morning the Oids assembled. Most stood in the four places. But a large number of them did not choose and stood to the side.
To the Oids who chose giving of their energy, the Creator said, "You will be the Therions. You will be able to take the shape of animals, though doing so will make you very tired. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
To the Oids who chose giving of their happiness, the Creator said, "You will be the Dweorgs. You will be able to craft incredible tools, though doing so will make you very grumpy. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
To the Oids who chose giving of their possessions, the Creator said, "You will be the Pixies. You will be able to change your bodies to have the features of animals, though doing so will cost you much. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
To the Oids who chose giving of their time, the Creator said, "You will be the Bergtrolls. Your will be able to create enchanted artwork, though doing so will require many of your days. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
Then the Creator asked the Oids who had chosen to move aside, and they did so. Then the Creator looked into the Oids who had not chosen, and saw that they were the Oids for whom selflessness had left their hearts. To these Oids, the Creator said, "Choose!" and they did choose, walking to one of the four places with hesitant and shuffled steps.
To the hesitant Oids who chose the place of energy, the Creator said, "You will be the Ogres. Because you do not wish to dedicate your own energy to my service you will be able to dedicate the energy of other people. With their energy you will be able to share their form. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
To the hesitant Oids who chose the place of happiness, the Creator said, "You will be the Kobalts. Because you do not wish to dedicate your own happiness to my service, you will be able to dedicate the happiness of other people. With their happiness you will be able to strive together and through competition achieve new things. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
To the hesitant Oids who chose the place of possessions, the Creator said, "You will be the Mer. Because you do not wish to dedicate your own wealth to my service, you will be able to dedicate the wealth of other people. With their wealth you will be able to commemorate the person with enchantment. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
To the hesitant Oids who chose the place of time, the Creator said, "You will be the Seemly Ones. Because you do not wish to dedicate your own time to my service, you will be able to dedicate the time of other people. With their time you will be able to craft wonders. Through this you will create new ways of worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful." And there was much rejoicing.
Then the Creator said to all the hesitant Oids, "Take great care! Restore selflessness to your hearts. With gifts that allow you to take from others you will be especially vulnerable to the ways of wickedness." And these Oids did take great care, as did all the Oids. Thus the Creator made the Oids into the eight singing races. And Theralin was even more beautiful for their existence. Then Theralin was exceedingly pretty and nice to watch or live in for many millennia.
Then one day the Creator was asked, "What if the ways of wickedness had been chosen instead of the ways of selflessness?" And the Creator replied, "I will allow this to be demonstrated, but only for a time, for it will grieve all our hearts. You will see, and then I will judge wickedness and restore Theralin to its beauty and current form. But after the restoration there will remain a memory of the years of wickedness, for this will aid everyone in worshipping me and making Theralin beautiful. And those who are born before my judgment yet choose the way of selflessness will be given an honored home after the restoration."
Then, one bright morning, the Creator assembled all the members of the eight singing races and said to them, "Until now you have lived under my own care. My own eyes have watched you and my own hands have guided and protected you. This will continue for you but not for your children. When the last of you standing here have died, I will place your descendants under the care of the Powers. The Powers will woo your descendants with promises, provide care for your descendants in new ways, and place your descendants within their ancient rivalries. This will endure until my day of judgment, when all the resulting sorrows and harms will be repaid tenfold, hundredfold, or thousandfold."
And now Theralin is much less pretty, not as nice to watch or live in, and greatly reduced in beauty.