The Custodians
The Fall of Immu
In the first days of Mithrym, when Een had only just shaped its many mountains and valleys, had only just set the stars in the sky and when the sun still burnt its hottest, it was that the first of the Crafters was sent to the world. Een knew well that the finest details of creation could not be finished without a presence in the world and so Een created Immu (the first born).
Immu was tasked with the handling of the dragons. Great red beasts that flew at speeds unmatched by even the four winds. Immu road upon a particularly swift and beautiful dragon that was named Addu. For while it was the case that all of the Hammers of Een wore red scales, Addu’s were by far and away the most red and the most beautiful.
Immu and Addu together lead the dragons to all the corners of Mithrym and they sparked life from fire, shaping the trees and the grasses, the jungles and the swamps, the pastures and the plains. Immu looked upon the work they had done and was pleased.
The sun rose and set upon the world many times while Immu nursed its young gardens until one day when Een spoke to Immu in a dream.
“Build me a place that my children might live.”
Now, this confused Immu, for Een had no children save for the dragons and Immu. So, Immu thought “this world is for me, I shall build stables for my dragons and a hall for myself for we are the Children of Een.”
And so they set about the task and constructed an enormous hall with many great stables filled with soft hay beds for the beasts to sleep upon and a high tower from which Immu could look upon the world. But later Een spoke again to Immu in a dream.
“Why have you not done as I asked? Prepare a home for my children to live in.”
Immu was puzzled again, for if not the dragons or Immu then who were the Children of Een? “Perhaps there are to be more like me. I shall build more halls for my brothers and sisters to live in.”
And so Immu built a great city of houses for more of the Hands of Een to dwell in. Each was set with a high tower to look upon the world and speak with their neighbour. But again Een spoke to Immu in a dream.
“Why do you not do as I ask? You build only for yourself. Prepare a home for my children.”
This time Immu spoke back. “But who are your children if not me and my dragons?”
“You are my hand, the dragons are my hammer. My children shall come to live in Mithrym and they shall be custodians of it, for it was made for them not you.”
At this Immu became fiercely jealous. “For them? Then what is mine? I have worked so hard! Am I to have nothing?!”
“This world is not for you, Immu. Even now my children are waking.”
Immu looked in horror as from the Earth shapes began to form. Eyes opened and looked upon the world, with its beautiful trees laden with ripe fruits and newly formed hands reached out to pluck them. Lips tasted the first fruits of the young world and the Children of Een began to explore creation.
Immu burned with anger. “But this is mine! Not theirs!” The shouts echoed about the entire world. “They will not have what is mine!”
“You shall not harm them, Immu, I forbid it.”
And for all that Immu tried to hurt the Children of Een, it would not happen for Een’s blessing was upon them. “If I cannot hurt them then I shall teach them to hurt themselves!”
Immu then began to whisper into the ears of the Children of Een and told them lies and taught them evil. Some Immu even convinced to call themselves the Children of Immu and they did the dark bidding of their new master.
This saddened Een, who called down to Immu in the living daylight so that all would hear.
“Enough! Be gone from the world! Sit in your hall and be frozen! Leave my children be! I shall find Crafters more loyal!”
And so it happened just as Een commanded. Immu was banished to the frozen wastes and the Children of Een were left to live. But the whispers of Immu stayed with them. For an idea cannot be banished so easily.
And in that frozen hall it is said that Immu lives still, crafting monstrous children in mockery of the Children of Een. Goblins, Orcs, and many much fouler things.
It is said too that the Children of Een that called themselves Children of Immu did not die but instead became the slaves of the Corrupter, doomed to serve for all time.
The dragons then left the world of Mithrym. Called back to Een. Though it is said that Addu, proudest of the beasts, stayed behind to sleep at the feet of its dark master and wait for a chance to fly again.