A backstory to Penumaria

The first part of this world's history.

Feb 23, 2022

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“Ever since I started me work on what I shall always call Project X, I’ve been collectin’ an’ curatin’ everything there is to see and know about these parts. Some would say that I’ve become quite an expert in th’ history of Penumaria. But what da blazes do I know, I’m still in me second century, darnnit, heh heh heh. But people kept clamerin’ fer me to share at least a bit what I found. Hell, Winterhaven’s actually askin’ me t’ write a couple textbooks on the things. Textbooks, if ye believe it. Humph. Eventually, after a good barrelful o’ ale, a few buzzes to enjoy, and one of those Linotype machines Amaunator gifted ta me, ye finally twisted me arm enough. This book be the first in a series of guides about this world. It’ll be about the big picture, what I can summarize thus far ‘bout how we all came before. It ain’t me job to ask why; I leave that fer more qualified folk. I’m mostly interested in the how anyway, and of puttin’ what I know inta an easy ta read series of books. And if I can do this and earn enough coin to fund me projects all the better. So I’d suggest ye sit down, get comfortable, and have a full stein with ye. Yer going to have an awesome read.” -- Ike Bronzehammer. The Lore of Penumaria. Volume 1: In the Beginning.

In earlier articles, I introduced Eisenhower Bronzehammer, a half-dwarf artificer known as ‘Ike the Lorekeeper,’ due to his extensive info-gathering ventures all over the continent of Refugina, and eventually abroad. Known for his kingdom-trotting archaeological and anthropological ventures with his companion Kronos, his wolf Steel Defender. His extensive research and curations have resulted in a series titled The Lore of Penumaria as well as chapbooks of various topics, and excerpts of them will find their way in this Substack. In this article, the source material would be The Lore of Penumaria Volume 1: In the Beginning, which deals with the origins of the campaign. This will expand the ‘Introduction to the Substack’ article that came before. (As I said, think of Ike as a more tolerable version of Volo Greddarm from the Forgotten Realms.) You’ll know which passages are his by some ornate bars as well as a textual accent; he writes the same way he talks.

Oh yeah, you can thank Matthew Mercer for some of the parts here. While I did try not to ‘CTRL-C, CTRL-V’ everything he said—because I don’t want him to stick the Dead Eye on me—I did take inspiration from a recent video he made for Critical Role, Exandria: An Intimate History. If you’re going to remix something, remix from the best, I say. And oh yeah, he keeps footnotes.

The Angels

By now, especially if ye’ve been in an abby or church, or actually listened t’ spoken history or read one of those big dead weight textbooks on the origins of our world (See Footnote 1.) You would know of the Ascended Angels. A group of Angels under the being we know as Yeshu. Very few people know of him, but you should see what happens when He shows up. These Angels asked their Master about ‘The Big Why?’ Why are we here? Why was the world created? What is the purpose of our lives? Everyone has asked ‘The Big Why’ at least once in their lives, no exceptions. Even celestial beings ask ‘The Big Why.’

I heard that Yeshu does know, and he did want to share with them the answer to Live, the Universe, and Everything, but the answer would be too complex an’ detailed fer us to understand. Heh, it’s not ‘forty-two,’ folks, trust me on this.

But since He couldn’t tell them doesn’t mean he couldn’t show them. Yeshu granted these Angels the research, the materials, and most importantly the permission, to create their own worlds. Those worlds became what we know as ‘The Realms,’ the vast multiverse of fantastic and wondrous worlds. As they created, they found th answer they were searchin’ fer. However, the knowledge they gained changed them irrevocably. They ascended into becoming gods themselves, succeeding where a good number of other beings, Including the one angel who openly rebelled against God.

I still remember what Lathander the Morninglord said to his son, when he was still a wee human warlock: “It’s rather poetic is it not? Lucifer wanted to become the Father and wagered all of his fame, fortune, and sacred honor to wrest it from the one who deserved and earned it. And he lost it all. When God gave me His blessing to start work on The Realms, I had no desire to become a god. None of us did. We just wanted answers to a question that weighed too heavy in our minds. I wanted to get the answer so that I can return to the Father, pick up the mantle Lucifer dropped, and it would be all done and over with. I didn’t want to become a god. I became one anyway.”

Was it worth it? I can’t judge them. That Son of Lathander would say, “imagine what things would be like if those angels didn’t create the realms. All those stories and fables left unspoken. All those worlds and adventures that would’ve never happened. And I shudder to think what I would’ve been if they didn’t do their deed. I only look at what the Father thought and felt about it, and what he felt surprised even Him: He was proud of them.”

Parental Pride. That’s what Yeshu felt about them. This is from a deity known as his jealousy, and people worried about His reaction to seeing His own Angels coping him. But he just couldn’t help but feel happy for them. It’s the happiness and pride that a parent sees in a child dat left their home an’ made good fer themselves.

But that didn’t mean that Yeshu didn’t have some concerns. He wanted ta keep his creation and the angels’ combined creations separate. Yeshu promised that He wouldn’t interfere in the affairs of his grown-up children, as long as nothing from The Realms spills over into Gaia. In order to have something to safeguard this agreement, He gathered the Angels together and proposed an idea to protect the borders between dimensions. The creation of a realm betwixt and between. Our realm.

The Forming

When Yeshu and His ascended angels got together to build Penumaria, each of them brought a piece of their created world an’ they all crunched der pieces together. At first, all they have is a primordial disorderly mess, but everyone has enough practice in the act of creation and tamin’ the primordial chaos inta some form of order is somethin’ Yeshu can do in His sleep.

No, He didn’t do it in His sleep. He made sure everyone knew what they’re doing.

And when they got this world to th’ point where it was ready t’ receive life, they really went to town. As you would expect, there was an order to this, but from what I’ve heard, they had a lotta fun dere as well. First plants, den fish, den birds, den mammals…I’m skippin’ a lotta steps here.

When they finally got to the point where they can put in people, there were some Angels who created their own peoplekind and so contributed their kind in here. Corellon gave this world his (See Footnote 2) elves, while Moradin sent the Dwarves, and Yollanda gave the Halflings, and so on, each of th’ Angels that created their own people gave their masterpiece to this world. Another being named Bahamut thought th’ world needed protectors an’ defenders of their own, and so he brought in Dragons. Together alla Angels made sure that every race of peoplekind have a place here.

Except fer humans.

Oh, sure, you will find some humans who planeswalked here from other places in The Realms, but majority of the humans here came from Gaia. ‘Sons of Adam’ and ‘Daughters of Eve,’ we call ‘em. It appears that Yeshu has a bit of a problem with the souls of dead people that He felt weren’t quite ready to be judged by Him. They didn’t belong in Hell, they weren’t ready to enter Heaven. Yeshu didn’t know where ta put these poor schmucks. He needed to make one. Fortunately he had this new world to try sum’thin. Yeshu designed a cycle of rebirth here in this world, where th’ dead reincarnate ‘til they are ready to face their afterlife without regret or attachments. I’ll elaborate on this elsewhere.

They expected that we peoplekind would be living short, violent lives, and they needed guidance. Under normal circumstances, the Angels would assume their current divine forms and grant people a sliver of their essence for their worship to them. That is traditionally where Divine Magic comes from. But Penumaria is not a normal world. You see, Yeshu set his foot down and set some ground rules. First off: No Organized Religions. Sure, you can have faith in someone, you can even pray to ‘im, but they are not to form a church establish a creed, grow a congregation, or mass proselytize. This includes Yeshu as well. This restriction doesn’t bother Him, being that He has an entire world more than enough worshippers already. Also, neither the Angels or Him is to have a direct influence in the world, they must have a surrogate to work in Penumaria in their name. The Angel of Shadows, Amaunator Izayoi, is one such ‘Celestial,’ as they call themselves. He claims to be here under the orders of Yeshu, but his father, Lathander, has also given his son his blessing. (If you think this is a ‘serving two masters’ thing, See Footnote 3.) A couple of them even took a portion of their very beings and created a duplicate of themselves, s’pecially the ones who brought in their own peoples; Moradin be one of them.

Together, these beings become known as The Celestials. Each of them is confined in a physical body and can have their own little patch of land for a domain where they can live. While they are just as forbidden to form a religion, they are invited to git creative in gettin’ around that. Regal Care Interplanetary is one such scheme, a company of high-class (and high-priced) beauty and health products created by Astarte the Matriarch. I’ll discuss more ‘bout her later, just let me tell ya my opinion? Save ya coin, th’ store brand stuff’s just as good.

The Primordial Charge

Whatever or not this was a surprise depends on who ya ask. But my research proves that this happens to every created world in The Realms. Whenever a world is formed and order was made outta chaos, the chaos rises up to challenge it. And challenge came in th’ form of primordial Titans that rose from the ever-churning Elemental Chaos where all matter and energy originate, and in their simple-minded reactionary manner tried to destroy what Yeshu and the Angels have made and the Celestials to watch over.

Seeing the Titans rise created the first debate among the Celestials. All of them agreed that they must fight back against the Titans and preserve the creation, but they differ on the approach. It was here where The Balance is first mentioned. The Balance is between the various forces, philosophies, and even beings, keeping everything in equilibrium and ensuring that no one entity has supreme power. No one soul should have it all.

Usually, people claim that this balance is between Good and Evil, but the Balance can also go between Order and Chaos. At the time, Penumaria had a bunch of Celestials who all hovered around Goodness and had no desire t’ become Evil, but they can divide themselves between Order an’ Chaos.

Some wanted to protect the still-forming order an’ protect their creations from the Titans. Other Celestials began to break away from that. Fearing that focusing on Order too much will make them all stagnant and inflexible and thus easy ta corrupt and break, so they became Chaotic beings, challenging the Order, to test it and strengthen it, as those in Order struggle to keep Chaos under some control, to channel it into something constructive. While they do oppose each other, neither side sees the other as evil, but something to be in balance with so that reality can keep itself functionin’ properly.

Others found another option and formed a way for peoplekind ta make magic on their own. They discovered that the elemental chaos that created the Titans also created Mana, a mystical force that peoplekind can tap inta an’ harness into Arcane Magic. Mana’s an energy created by all living things. Mana flows around us and through us by what’s called the Weave, and some say that The Weave is what’s binding everything of this world together. I dunno who said that. These people taught the Arcane spellcasters how to tap into this flow of the Weave directly, which became quite the gamechanger.

Once The Balance was established and th’ mortals grew in power, together with the Celestials (including the first appearance of the Divine Firebird, Penuma,) they succeeded in drivin’ back the Titans, sending th’ Titans back to their Elemental Chaos an sealed ‘im there forever. When the battle was done and the smoke cleared, what everyone saw with their victory is the dawning of civilization in the form of the first city, the island city-state of Atlantis. In honor of the phoenix that pushed ev’ryone to victory over th’ Titans, they named the world Penumaria, an’ used His appearance to mark what would become the Zero Year. Year 0 of the Firebird Reckoning.

The First Age (1 to 250 FR)

For centuries, everyone prospered during what they call the First Age. They perfected their magics, channeled the elemental energies, spawned incredible and unimaginable feats of innovation, found advancements of science, and created many mechanical wonders. But it was only a matter of time when all this unchecked progress becomes too great fer some people.

It was only a matter o’ time when The Balance tipped along the Good vs Evil axis.

Some started ta use their magic, their abilities, their inventions, and all the other gifts they were given in the ruthless pursuit of power, influence, wealth, immortality, and some even attempted to become Celestial themselves. (Remind me to tell ya the story of Karsus’ Folly one day.) Some become so overwhelmed by pride, greed, wrath, envy, and lust, succumbed to their basal and evil natures, becoming what is known as ‘The Forcelords,’ who vie for their place among the Celestials if not usurp them altogether.

It was at this point where Evil, as a concept and as an alignment, truly came to Penumaria. Just as the Titans rose up when the world was too far into Order, the Forcelords rose up when the world was too far into Good.

It had bound t’ happen sooner or later.

The First Sundering (251 FR to 255 FR)

The Forcelords caught everyone by surprise ravaging Atlantis until the whole island city was destroyed, collapsing it until the sea. That act invoked the wrath of ev’ryone; People, Dragons, and Celestials alike. It didn’t take long fer everyone ta plunge the world into open war, with all sides devoting their abilities, skills, and energies to make ever-increasing acts of war, spreading propaganda to whip the populace into a furor, and creating weapons of ever-increasing destructive capabilities. This razed whole kingdoms and city-states leaving nothing but rubble and dust and broken bodies in der wake…not even the Celestials were spared form death.

In the end, the Forcelords were defeated, and the Balance is restored. But it was at a cost too great to bear. No civilization was spared from the war now called ‘The First Sundering,’ and only a third of the total population remained.

And a third of the Celestials.

Needless to say that it almost took a century, th’ Lost Century, for things to recover, and that time was a dark age. No records, no accounting, and some feared, no people.

The Reformation (325 FR to 1945 FR)

The First Sundering shook Penumaria to the core, and rebuilding proved slow and arduous. Slower than it should’ve been I say since The Forcelords burned everything in their path, destroying culture, records, artwork, and inventions that they couldn’t claim for themselves. This was intentional from th’ Forcelords. If they were to fall, dey’d take the First Age with them, leaving nothing behind for the victors but ash an’ dust an’ salted fields. Me clan’s progenitor was the sole survivor of a battle with one Forcelord. The only survivor, and all he had when he ‘won’ was th’ clothes on his back an’ a battle axe. He had to date a human because he thought he was the only dwarf left in Penumaria. If ye want to know why I’m a half dwarf, here ye go.

It’s this purge of history that gave us The Lost Century, where even existence then was lost to memory. We might’ve won, but we were sorely ruined in th’ process. Some say that the price was too high to pay. For too many people, all they had to start over with are their own two hands and the clothes on deir backs, if they have even that. Add to that it being a very bad winter when our so-called victory was gained, and you can understand why too many of us people lost hope. Some of them didn’t make it to Yule.

Fortunately, ‘dey didn’t destroy it all. Some people managed to spirit away a good part of what was lost and seal them away in far-off tombs and towers, forgotten in cellars, collecting dust in deserted abbeys, and many other places I’ve known t’ raid.

And it took too long for new Celestials to come. Dere was this prophecy of a New Generation of Celestials heralded by an Angel with black wings, who would come when ‘the time has come for me. The time to overcome and do what is right for the world to see. And from the ashes of the dawn I arise.’ I can only assume that meant that Amaunator Izayoi came here during an eclipse. It certainly is his speed. That, and his wings are black.

Others came with him, filling up the ranks left by the First Sundering, as new cities, kingdoms, and cultures were spawned. Most of these civilizations rose in a single continent that most of the survivors found refuge from the First Sundering. A continent they named Refugina.

Will the people, Mortal and Celestial alike, learn from the mistakes of the past, or will my worst fears come ta pass? You see, it’s called the First Age and the First Sundering, because too many people know there’s going t’ be a second Age…and we fear a second Sundering. We’re in a cycle, and it’s a cycle not even Yeshu could overcome with His own world.

Refugina is a varied land with multiple countries and kingdoms, with various styles of governance an’ varying levels of success and temperament. We have our fair share of political intrigues, and what we call ‘Games of Thrones’. Rivalries were formed over land, resources, petty disputes, and whatever counted as justice in some fool’s eyes. One kingdom, Brayhow, was almost lost when nobody was left to claim the throne. But someone there discovered a scroll written by an anonymous hand known as the Manga Carta, a template for a democratic republic that several countries started to implement. The draconic lord of Arcavois in his ever-constant quest for magical perfection founded Winterhaven, the primer magic university where most prospective spellcasters go to learn the arcane arts (See Footnote 4.) The Ormalth Province is still a vast untamed land, with few small civilizations as points of light in the darkness. And the Mulnir Principality, a sea-faring land run by the military, home of the city of Watercradle at the mouth of their largest river, important in more than just a port town, there’s quite a lot of tales t’ tell in that city alone. And then there’s Chronicla. Wait til you hear about that Barony.

And then dere’s my first claim to fame, the discovery of the Modern Era, some say. What was once mere legend appeared before me eyes in that most desolate northernmost tip of Refugina. Mount Purgatorio exists! The fabled mountain with th’ ultimate test of a person’s body and soul, where an eternity in Paradise awaits. But we would never know fer sure; nobody who has ever ventured there had returned to tell the tale. They say the spirits of those who perished haunt the mountain still.

Penumaria is a world in change and transition as she continues her recovery and into that Second Age. A time I hope would be far greater than the first. This is a time of great potential, and I like ta see a future as bright as stars. But there’s still beings out there seeking civilization’s destruction, as they will always be. Praise the Celestials, there be also heroes and champions who rise up and meet them, to be a force of good, protect the fragile Balance, an’ bring the realm back to a golden time. I just hope I could be named among them.

Footnote 1: I heard dere was a more detailed account of the Angels who ended up aiding Yeshu in creating Penumaria in the article ‘Introduction to the Substack.’ Unfortunately, we in Penumaria don’t got computers or an Inter-Net. Yet.

Footnote 2: Yeah, yeah, I know Corellon is known t’ change ‘er gender more than I change my underwear. Fortunately, d’er not a stickler on Pronouns. And it’s here where I feel glad not havin’ this Inter-Net where Davey lives.

Footnote 3: A little explanation here: Yeshu is Amaunator’s Lord. Lathander, the Morninglord of Toril—and one-time Angel of Light under Yeshu himself, is Amaunator’s Dad. Dere’s more to this than I know, but I’ve met elves with less loose lips than The Angel of Shadows.

Footnote 4: While I can attest to the accreditation, bein’ one of the first who have a BS degree in Arcane Artifice, I’d strongly suggest ye weigh your options. If you can become some wizard’s apprentice, by all means consider that. Even though I’ve been blessed by having all th’ coin I need ta get there, I heard of Liches who are still paying off their student loans. Folks, if yer pondering cheatin’ death to keep yourself from becoming bankrupt, give it up. It ain’t worth it!

Even before I started this Substack, I already had a small collection of worldbuilding material: A framework origin, a small global timeline, an incomplete pantheon, and a partially filled continent.

It’s not much, but it’s something I can work up from, and it’s in a format that I can share with you.

The link to the Initial Worldbuilding document is here: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AjNYReLtj6OIng-ADW4CxU6gFdy2

This is the cornerstone where I intend the build the remainder of Penumaria. This is stuff I can start off with and progress from there, and each additional chunk of info will appear in future documents and ultimately compiled into that Microsoft OneNote book I told you about earlier.