After the Shadow War, the Gods went wandering across the Planes.

They realized that the Mana within them had differences, granting the Gods a variety of Powers.

So they searched through the Planes, looking for places they could study their Magic.

And places to call home.

One of these Gods was Alva.

Her Mana was unique even amongst her siblings.

Attuned to Nature, she was able to create Life itself.

Wandering, she found a Plane to call Home and wished to create a Garden. But the flowers she created did not flourish, withering quickly.

One of the older Gods, Nur, with the Power of a Sun, saw what she had attempted, and granted his blessing to her Plants. With his Power, they grew and bloomed, dyeing the land with colors.

Other Gods observed and soon began to create things of their own. They made mountains, rivers and all other non-living things.

Soon the world was filled with beauty, but the Gods felt something missing.

They consulted with Alva, and she realized that while the mountains, rivers and plants were beautiful, they lacked the Life of Gods, being majestic but always at the same place.

So Alva made Spirits, granting them some of her Mana, so that they would gather at her Garden, and then told others of her creation. Upon hearing this, the Gods were overjoyed, creating Spirits of their own and watched over them.

But the Spirits could hardly interact with the world, and the Gods soon fell into melancholy.

So Alva began wondering again what to do, until Nur came to her and told her,

“Your Spirits are beautiful, just like your Garden, but they simply exist. Just as I give Light to your Plants, let you plants give Life to others!”

And Alva began to create animals that would tend to her Garden. The other Gods observed what Alva did, and began creating Animals of their own.

Thus the animals increased quickly and there were many kinds.

But with Life comes Chaos.

The Animals became beasts and began to wreak havoc on her beautiful flowers.

And Alva felt that they were a great blight upon her Garden.

Then Nur came to her again and told her,

“Shadow was a great danger to Light, then the Light made us, so that we may confront it. And we have confronted it and brought Peace to the Planes. You should make Guardians to confront the Animals and bring Peace to your Garden”

And so Alva looked to her creations.

And she understood.

Just as Mana fused to bring Life, making the Gods, so they may confront ‘Shadow’ and bring Peace to the Planes, so her greatest wonders, the great trees and the spirits, should fuse to become Guardians, confront the beasts and bring Peace to her Garden.

And she combined some of the trees with some of the spirits and created the first Race, the Guardians of the forest. And the Guardians of the forest began to herd the animals and tend to the Garden and Alva saw that all was well.

The other Gods saw that Alva had created something unlike before, and they begged her to show them how to create Guardians for their Gardens and Mountains and Rivers, to be Shepherds for their Animals.

Alva relented and taught whoever would come to her.

The youngest of the Gods, Bryg, who had made many of the Weapons used in the Shadow War, had great difficulty in creating Guardians of her own, so she begged and begged Alva to help her.

Alva wanted to play a little trick on her youngest sibling and teach her to depend on herself.

So she used stones from the mountains and fashioned them into little shapes of people.

Then she called to Bryg and told her

“Little Sister, these are your Guardians. So that you may not feel small, I have formed them to your height!”

Bryg was angered and saddened by her sister's prank, but as she could not create any better, she took the Forms Alva had created to her mountains.

She did all she could to alter them.

So Bryg made them sturdier and gave them great beards, but she could not make them taller.

Hoping that with the help of the fire spirits, her Guardians would grow, she granted them life, but they did not increase in size.

Bryg was saddened by this and hid deep within the mountains.

She raged with great fervor, so the mountain opened up and spew fire.

Her Guardian saw that their Goddess had hidden deep in the mountain and was raging within, so they dug tunnels so that they might find her and calm her down.

Along the way they found precious stone and ores, which they presented to her.

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This helped calm her anger and she was thankful for their gifts.

To thank her loyal Guardians, she taught them how fashion jewelry from the stones and forge the ores into metal.

Her guardians were greatly impressed by the skillful hands of their goddess and praised her.

But Bryg became solemn, apologizing for not being able to craft her guardians as beautifully as the jewelery and metals, and she told them of Alva's prank and how she tried to improve them.

But far from angry with her, they rejoiced in knowing what their goddess did for them, and they took pride in their stury bodies and their great beards.

But towards Alva and her guardians of the forests they felt great anger.

Alva wanted to apologize for causing her sister such grief and wondered what to do. One day Io, the goddess who governs the Light of the Moon, came upon her, sitting in her garden pondering.

Thus Io advised Alva,

“I have seen that Bryg enjoys the Guardians you have made for her. So surely you only need to give a small gift as recompense. I have seen a grain in your Garden that you could fashion into drink that should please both her and her guardians.”

Alva knew of the plant Io spoke of, and she gifted Bryg the brew she made from its grain.

Bryg forgave her sister with the brew, but to this day, the Guardians of the mountain hold onto their animosity, even if they continue to enjoy Alva’s Gift.

Alva’s Guardians saw that Bryg had taught her Guardians how to fashion jewelry from precious stones and forge ores into metal and they discussed amongst themselves.

After Bryg and her Guardians were granted Alva’s Gift, they went to her and asked,

“Alva, who we call great Mother for you have given us Life, we ask of you, are we not your chosen Guardians? We see you have spent much time with you Sister Bryg and taught her Guardian the secret to your Gift. So we ask, have we done something to displease you?”

And Alva realized that her Guardians, too, deserved a gift, for taking care of the animals and protecting her Garden. So she granted to them the knowledge of Farming the Field and how to fashion Tools from Wood. And after seeing her Guardians content, she spoke,

“You, who are my Guardians, who keep my Garden safe tend to my Animals and keep the beasts in check, I grant you the right to call yourselves by my name”

And thus the Guardians of the Forest became known as the People of Alva, the Elves.

Nur watched all this high from the sky and as he looked to his wife, Io, he saw that she enjoyed looking at the industrious hustle below. But there was a strange sadness within her gaze.

So Nur went to Alva and said,

“Alva, who her people call the Great Mother, I have given Life to your plants, as well as advice with your Spirits and your animals. And my wife Io, who governs the light of the moon, has given help to you and your sister Bryg.

Now that most of the Gods have Guardians of their own, I see my wife, Io, is saddened by not having some of her own.”

Alva was pleased that she could repay Nur and his wife Io and began to create Guardians for both of them.

And so she made the people of the meadow, so that they may bathe in the greatness of their God Nur and his Wife Io.

And she taught onto them the secrets of Farming the Fields and of Keeping of Animals.

She asked Bryg to teach them as well, so they may fashion jewelry from precious stone and forge ore into metal.

The other gods also wished to be of use to Alva and asked her if they could give Gifts to the people as well.

Among them Lugh, who taught them Arts and Music, Ptah, who taught them Architecture, Enki, who taught them to build boats and fish as well as Dagda, the god who uncovered the secrets of Magic, and many more.

Only one Goddess did not give her Blessing.

Eira, the goddess who governed Snow and Ice.

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