Eden

Introduction

In an age unknown to even the godly Spirits of Rhyst, death reigned. Limbo was unbound, consuming all but the Eidolons themselves. Souls created were souls lost, with only impermanent and fragile creations left to stand thereafter. It is Eden who burdened themselves with the task of maintaining Limbo and preventing this great calamity, but the weight of an entire plane is too much for even an Eidolon to bear alone.

They were bound here for all eternity, unable to leave their station lest the world plunge once more into chaos and emptiness... but it is now that they're set free, unleashed from imprisonment by the release of Sheol from the Void. With the burden of death properly split among two beings, their freedom returns as the once-leader of the Eidolons... and the once-teacher of Nevanerro.

Background

All things are born to destiny.

All things will die to destiny.

This fundament of our world was realized long ago, prior to the shattering of the Infinite Void. When all sixteen Eidolons lived, Eden existed as a kind, neutral soul, for they bore knowledge of all that was to be and all that had been. In a sense, they were only a passenger, acting as they saw they would hundreds of years prior. It would be a miserable existence for some, but for Eden, it was necessary to uphold the nature of the world so many resided within.

Even as the war that'd shatter their collective plane broke out, Eden acted their part, as to not would be to set an infinite many lives to never be born. Had they won the war, humanity would've never come about; had they lost too greatly, balance would've never been achieved, and the planes would careen out of sync into destruction. It's as such that Eden watched their sibling Eidolons die- it's as such that Eden fell, obeying the call of destiny for the sake of what was to come.

... But not all things are planned for.

It was Nevanerro that stood out, for while even Eidolons unconsciously followed their fates, Nevanerro's future was clouded and murky. It's this fact that compelled Eden to take him as a student, teaching him of destiny in hopes of correcting this failure of the world. Others grew contemptful, with Vul'karik harboring jealousy... but, even so, Eden was not long for the new planes. It quickly became clear that the Maelstrom would eliminate all that would be...

And Eden knew well already that it was their burden to bear.

They ventured to Limbo with Nevanerro with the stated intention for them both to uphold the collapsing plane. Upon arrival, though, Nevanerro was sent away, charged with spreading knowledge to the planescape in hopes of one day undoing the great damage dealt by Limbo's instability. As such, so he went, wandering from Eden as the weight of their burden silenced them ever further. Though they could not interact, they could watch... only capable of quietly ferrying souls through reincarnation.

So they did.

So they watched.

They observed a thousand thousand years of souls, ensuring that each lifetime was spent slowly growing their experience and wealth of knowledge... ensuring that one day, they'd elevate themselves to a greater extent on-par with the Eidolons themselves. And for better or worse, it functioned: Eden never wavered and souls never budged. Even Vul'karik, in all his undying rage, could not manifest a power great enough to break free of destiny and harvest souls from the death-plane.

It's not until destiny spoke of Nevanerro's betrayal that Eden finally cast doubt upon their mission. Having assumed this duty to be finite, observing Nevanerro go against the grain and act in self-serving ways proved otherwise. He'd be able to act untethered by even the familiar bonds of the immortal, shaping a new world devoid of destiny and all the order intrinsic to it. This, more than anything else, perturbed the ever-imprisoned Eden.

But to hold Limbo aloft was to be Atlas bearing the world's weight. Try as they might, they could not break free.

Then, finally, something shifted.

As the Viridian Gaol erupted and as Sheol split from the Void, completing Nevanerro's mission, so too did the four dragons of Rhyst roar aloud in unison. Their focus was Limbo, calling out to Eden in a desperate attempt to contact a former teacher of sorts. And though they'd be met with silence at first, what followed was as-of-then unheard-of: a righteous, angelic scream that'd shake every plane and soul to its core, wracking even Eidolons with crippling pain for a time.

An eternity of rage boiled to the surface in an instant, and for the first time since their immaculate origination, Eden defied destiny.

The souls of those that battled for the ceasing of Nevanerro's plan were protected, fates shifted in favor of victory for just long enough to prevent an even worse outcome. Ultimately, though they failed to stop Sheol from being separated, the bonds of Limbo were nonetheless lifted: the combined efforts of five Eidolons and the splitting of Limbo's charge between two planes, now, meant Eden was freed of their chains.

To what extent remains to be seen, but nevertheless does the universe once again find itself abound with the intrinsic force of destiny.

Angels & Archangels

Most Eidolons have Generals, as far as we're yet aware. Relkath was once a General of the Unseelie, made a General of Oberon only to escape later. Mavkoda, a General of Vul'karik, embodies his boundless rage and his motivation for vengeance. They are gods to all but the Eidolons themselves. These beings, however, were either hand-picked or crafted in some other manner... Angels and Archangels are not the same.

Angels, given Eden's predicament bearing the burden of Limbo, could not be hand-carved individuals. Instead, they were souls given the slightest advantage- the ability to carry memories through death- that'd, over time, become monstrous, god-like creatures themselves. With each death, the depth of their experiences grew, creating what we know now as Archangels. Though it'd take many dozens or even hundreds of lifetimes, each Archangel would bear a significant fraction of true divinity.

First and therefore highest among them was Metatron, who, in Zahhak's stead after being taken into the Viridian Gaol, maintained Sol as a domain of the Seraphim and Angels alike. While at a point he might've been a stout front-line warrior of Eden and Limbo alike, now, he maintains order and stability in otherwise trying times. It is said that he is akin to a commander, organizing for the sake of battling back the forces of Nevanerro and his Devils.

Last and most recent among the Archangels would be Raphael, who was born as a result of Eden's scream upon the Viridian Gaol's destruction. Though he is therefore the weakest of the Archangels, it's said that, given the nature of his creation, he is a staple of Limbo: a herald of what is to come, and a caller of the judgment that so many wish to cast upon those of Sheol.

Trivia

• It's generally assumed that Vul'karik's necromancy was specifically developed as an insult to Eden and their possession of Limbo.

• It's unknown whether Nevanerro is truly held separate from destiny or if Eden simply cannot view his path.

• Eden is considered one of the few Eidolons that holds mortal souls in a 'good' light. That's to say nothing of their perception of mortal lives, however...

• While Eden is capable of manipulating destiny, it's not apparent to what extent, nor if they can do it frequently. As far as we're aware, it's only been done once throughout history.

Credit

Roomy https://forum.verdict.dev/showthread.php?tid=3082