Clash of Beasts

Centuries ago, in a small village amid the serene grandeur of snow-capped mountains, the laughter of children resonated through the crisp, chilly air. Against this wintry backdrop, a group of children were engaged in the age-old delight of building a snowman. While searching for rocks to adorn their creation, they stumbled upon a peculiar orange stone sticking out of the ground, possessing a texture they have never seen before.

They tug this curious object, in hopes of pulling out a precious stone, only to be surprised by its unexpected softness. Before the confusion could settle, a seismic inhale beneath their feet disrupted the snowy ground, propelling the children into the air with a blast of frosty air. Landing on a soft bed of snow, the children, now puzzled but unharmed, looked up to witness the astonishing transformation of the once-inert orange rock.

The orange "rock" unveiled itself to be the beast's nose, as his giant face emerged from the snow, awakened from his slumber by his own sneeze. He looks around and his eyes soften upon looking at the snowman. His eyes then focus on the children, who overcome their shock and start cheering when they realize that their creation exists in a living form. He grins, and stands up, with bits of snow falling off his colossal body as he tries to gain balance. The children squeal "Mr. Snowman!" in excitement, understanding that they have a new friend to play with. Children's love melts the beast's frozen heart, and he embraced his role as the guardian of their happiness.

Ever since then, Mr. Snowman embarked on a whimsical journey through Veren's landscapes, and it is said that he roams Veren in hopes of sharing the same friendship and joy with children across generations.

Once upon the Festival of the Night, many moons ago, a particular village in Veren was cloaked in a thick, acidic fog that pricked at the skin and sent shivers down the bravest spines. A group of farmers, in their drunken stupor, stumbled upon an abandoned pumpkin patch. The land once belonged to a sinister man of dark repute who was rumored to be a follower of Slern.

In their intoxicated revelry, they pilfered a few pumpkins to mark the occasion. One of the farmers tripped, causing a pumpkin to fall and break open, releasing an eerie purple mist that seemed to blend into the dense fog. They squinted in the dim light, intrigued by the arcane properties of the pumpkin, trying to focus into the fog. Their curiosity turned to terror as a monstrous silhouette grew from the mist — an embodiment of horror unlike any they had seen before. They froze in fear, realizing the colossal size of the entity with no escape from the immense terror approaching. They watched as the creature's twisted vines reached into their very souls, filling them with unspeakable dread.

Macabora, the abomination, became an unspoken legend. None who encountered this ghastly being survived to recount the tale. The patch, forever tainted, is now a place avoided by all, especially during the Festival of the Night.

In the early days of Veren, elephants were forced to participate in wars they wanted nothing to do with. Humans believed that the large size and strength of the elephants would give them an upper hand against enemies. These creatures of peace and wisdom were shackled to the horrors of warfare, their once-gentle spirits inevitably developing strong feelings of resentment and anger against humans.

There was a particular elephant that grasped the complex nature of warfare in a selfish world, although knew that making decisions through rage is not the right choice. Adopting a disciplined emotional approach, this elephant learned to redirect his fury and resentment as power in battle - knowing that the path to survival demanded such a choice.

Haala observed this silent transformation and blessed Mastodon, granting him divine powers that transcended his form. Using the newfound powers, the elephant, now Mastodon, broke from the chains, and freed the other elephants during a battle, making it clear that if the battle is between humans, then it must remain between humans.

For millennia, no one knew anything about the elephants' vanishing, but the tale of Mastodon remained to be one of the most mysterious legends of Veren. In the modern day, after Veren split into factions, Haala's devotees kept Mastodon's legacy alive through stories passed down through generations. As the most pious and disciplined faction, they prayed for a beast that would be their beacon of hope during these times of uncertainty.

Knowing that the faction wouldn't stand a chance without a guardian, Haala sent Mastodon to the faction with the promise that the rest of the elephants will be safe forever. With a furnace that shone brighter than the sun, the people of the Haala faction celebrated and welcomed the beast back home with open arms. Mastodon guards the faction, grateful to Haala and her devotees.

Following the Battle of the New World against the Gods, Veren fractured into five distinct factions - each devoutly embracing the ideals of their respective Gods.

Slern's followers sought a creature that could instill fear in their enemies. So, in true Slern fashion, leaders of the faction instigated a calculated riot across the city, in hopes of spotting a worthy beast who would be able to stand out amidst the chaos.

Just as the uprising was beginning to get out of hand, the resounding slam of Grimstride's hooves hushed the entire city, with the echoes of his steps resonating through the streets. In that moment, Slern's disciples recognized Grimstride as the champion of their faction – a creature predestined to instill dread within the hearts of all who dared cross their path.

Out of the five post-battle fractured factions of Veren, Vorm's followers were the most patriotic. Like the others, they yearned for a beast that mirrored their unrelenting passion, anger, and intensity. An age-old prophecy that described a phoenix-like entity with wings woven from Vorm's fury, only fueled this yearning further. This creature was foretold to stand as the embodiment of the faction's spirit in times of turmoil.

The prophecy gave birth to an annual festival, where devoted followers released floating lanterns of fire into the night sky. These floating flames were not mere ornaments; they carried with them the collective hope and belief that their champion would someday use the lantern's light as a guide back home to them.

Vorm, touched by his devoted follower's unwavering loyalty and faith, used this festive night to present his followers with Infernix. No one really knows what exactly happened that night, but the people of the Vorm faction recount that the lanterns seemed to collide in a celestial ballet of flames that cast a brilliant inferno across the night sky - out of which Infernix was emerged, a creature born of flames and passion.

In the aftermath of Veren's fracture into factions, the threat of another conflict seemed improbable. However, the Theras faction understood the value of preparedness. Guided by their God's teachings, the devotees used their intellect and organization to build weapons to prepare for any unforeseen threats.

At this point, all factions except for the Theras faction seemed to have a representative beast. This intimidated the Theras followers, who used the uneasiness as a source of motivation to quicken their efforts to forge weapons of defense. The desire to be self-reliant, to hold their fate in their hands, caught Theras's eye.

One night, as the alchemists of the faction were observing the constellations for their work, an unexpected phenomenon seized their attention. Stars danced, weaving patterns in the night sky, and as more of the stars began to converge in the sky, a high-pitched sonic resonance echoed through the sky, causing the alchemists to instinctively cover their ears in pain.

When the noise subsided, they looked up. It seemed though they imagined it all, but when their eyes fell to the ground, cloud of dust was beginning to settle, revealing Azurith, their representative champion. He had flown into their settlement with such speed, it tore through the atmosphere and broke all sound barriers.

Brutusk roared as he emerged from the dark portal, and the cultists who had summoned him cowered in fear, realizing their fatal mistake. They had intended to bring forth Slern himself, to usher in a new era of chaos and destruction. Instead, they had unleashed one of his generals, a monstrous creature from the underground realm, a remnant of the ancient war that had shattered the old world.

As he broke free from the portal that had been his prison for eons, Brutusk sensed the presence of Slern in the distant horizon, calling him to his side. A surge of power and loyalty filled him, and he marched to a new purpose in his life. No longer a slave, but a faithful servant, he would follow Slern's commands and use all his fury to annihilate everything that stood in his way.

The expedition had been fruitless. A group of explorers in the icy caves were marveled at the sight of glittering crystals of various colors and shapes, but none of them matched their quest, to find the rare Prismatic Crystals. They were on the verge of leaving the cave, descending a wall of ice, when they came across a colossal beast frozen behind it. They gasped in awe and fear, as it was the most splendid and horrifying thing they had ever seen.

The creature was none other than Glacialisk, a legendary beast that had reigned over this land before the rise of humans. According to the legends, Glacialisk was a faithful servant of Theras, but one day, it attempted to usurp her power. Theras was enraged, and punished Glacialisk by sealing it in a prison of ice, where it would slumber for eternity.

Suddenly, the beast's eyes opened, illuminating the chambers and shattering the ice wall. They glowed with a blue light that lit up the whole chamber. The creature was awake, and it was gazing at them. They fled for their lives, while the beast escaped. Being liberated from its ice prison, Theras was willing to forgive Glacialisk and grant it another opportunity to redeem itself, as the beast was mindful of her power and ruthlessness.

The surviving explorers returned to their village empty-handed, but with a story to share with their families and friends for generations to come.