Every storyteller begins the story of the Immortalium with the same line. “It all began with the First Immortals.” But that first line is also the first lie. How could it all begin with the First Immortals when they only ever belonged to this world?

Our world is not alone. It is one of countless others. Countless worlds existed before us. Countless worlds exist now. Countless more will come long after we are gone. And between these worlds, traveled The Ancient One. He traveled from one world to the next as easily as you or I might travel the road between towns. But this was not always the case.

Once, countless ages ago, The Ancient One was not The Ancient One. He was born as a mortal on a world not so very different from this one. But as he grew in magic and wisdom and might, he did something that none on his world had done before him. He learned the magic of life itself, and with that magic he became immortal and gained the power to leave his world for the stars beyond. And thus, he became The Ancient One.

With an eternity before him, The Ancient One began to explore. He found entire worlds made of smoke, and ice, and stone, and fire, and even diamond. He saw worlds of vibrant colors and incredible light, and other worlds of unfathomable darkness. He studied structures smaller and more intricate than a snowflake, and witnessed mighty storms so large they could engulf a thousand worlds a thousand times over.

But throughout all this endless variety and beauty, the worlds that The Ancient One most sought after were those rare worlds with life. Some of these worlds contained life that was beautiful but strange, and very unlike the life on the world of his birth. A few worlds contained races and people that were not so unlike his own, but each was different in its own way.

One of these worlds was so large that the very sky grew heavy, and the people had become short and sturdy and burrowed underground to survive living under such a heavy sky. He called this people the dwarves. Another world was much smaller and the people grew slender and agile, and lived in trees that seemed to grow to the top of the sky. He called this people the elves. Another world was filled with lush jungle, and The Ancient One found a people who had grown cunning and strong in order to survive among the savage predators and other beasts on their world. Even their skin had turned green to blend in with the jungle. He called this people the orcs. On an even harsher world, he found a small and tenacious people who formed tightly knit tribes in their struggle to survive, each tribe adapting to the needs of their environment in a hundred varieties. He called this people the goblins.

If each world the Ancient One visited were a single grain of sand, then finding a world with life and magic was like finding a single fleck of gold among all the sands of the sea. And if each world with life were a single grain of sand, then finding a world with its own people was like finding a speck of diamond among an endless shore. Yet despite the incomparable rarity of these worlds, so long did The Ancient One travel among the stars that he discovered dozens of them. To put it mildly, The Ancient One valued these worlds above all others, and he devoted hundreds of mortal lifetimes to studying each one.

The Ancient One used his magic to change his form and conceal his true identity on each of theses worlds so he could live among their people and learn their histories, languages, and cultures. He also spent much time and effort studying the magic of each world, personally connecting with their magical energies and increasing his already unimaginable power. From time to time he would act as a mentor to a favorite individual or two on a world, sharing key knowledge or skills that he believed would benefit their people. And yet, notwithstanding his great devotion and affection for those worlds, The Ancient One was always keenly aware that he was merely a visitor and ever an outsider. With this awareness, a great loneliness grew within The Ancient One.

It was this growing loneliness that gave The Ancient One pause when he discovered our world. At that time, this world was devoid of both life and magic, and yet it reminded him of the world of his birth. It circled a star of similar size and color as the sun of his childhood. It was covered with great oceans of water and large continents made of rock and ore. It even had a beautiful silver moon not unlike the moon he used to gaze up at with such wonder as a child.

The Ancient One decided to use his magic to cover this world with life. He began as a gardener. He planted grasses and trees, flowers and thorns, mushrooms and ferns, and everything in between. He used his magic to recreate his favorite plants from the world of his birth, as well as many beautiful and fascinating plants from the worlds that he visited.

Once his work as a gardener was complete, he became a shepherd. He introduced creatures large and small to the world. Again he borrowed inspiration from his childhood home as well as the other worlds he had witnessed. Some animals were simple and familiar, like the sparrow, the rabbit, the deer, and the horse. Some were delicate and beautiful, like the butterfly and the flittersnipe. Some were mighty hunters like the lion, the griffon, the wolf, and the falcon. Some were so large and mighty that they were practically forces of nature, like the behemoths who walked among the mists of the mountains and the leviathans he placed in the darkest depths of the seas.

He cared for the creatures for many generations, working to find balance and harmony between large and small, predator and prey. When he was finally satisfied with the vibrancy and variety of his flock, he decided to change his role again. This time, he would undertake the most difficult job he would ever face, though he did not realize it at first. Once his work as a shepherd was complete, he became a parent.

The Ancient One created a new people, and named them the Nishpari. Once again, he drew inspiration from the worlds he held most dear. The Nishpari looked like the people that The Ancient One had grown up with, but he also gave them gifts from other worlds. He made them durable and tough like the dwarves, quick and agile like the elves, strong and cunning like the orcs, and tenacious and curious like the goblins. He also gave them exceptionally long lives, for while they were not truly immortal, their bodies did not succumb to illness, infirmity, or age.

The Ancient One gave the Nishpari thought and reason, and he taught them his language. He shared with them his knowledge of science, morality, industry, and governance. But he did not teach them of magic, for he had not yet cultivated magic on the world. He was proud of the Nishpari’s strength of body and mind, and he placed them on every continent to spread forth and grow.

Now that he had been a gardener, a shepherd, and a parent, he looked at the world and was pleased with the fullness of life he had placed on it. He then named the world Reulla, because it was the culmination of all his travels and wisdom. Satisfied with the life on Reulla, The Ancient One resolved to then cultivate magic on the world to thrive just as well, and so turned his attention away from the Nishpari for a time.

The work of cultivating magic on Reulla proved to be a more difficult and delicate task than creating life had been. The Ancient One had crafted, mastered, and multiplied magical energies on many worlds throughout his journeys, but those other worlds had all had their own magic to begin with. With no magic of its own, he endeavored to use his own magic to conjure a plethora of wonders and creations in the hope that they would inspire and ignite new magic, independent of his direct influence. He created winds of music, stones of light, islands where time stood still, fountains of healing, and many other wonders. He moved through the world with the creative fervor of a newly inspired artist, covering the land with his magic.

Generations passed as The Ancient One nurtured the budding magical energies of our world, but his work was cut short by a great war. When he turned his attention back to the Nishpari, The Ancient One saw that they had grown large and mighty as he had hoped, but they had also turned against one another in conflicts over land, resources, riches, and pride. These conflicts culminated in a great war, and many of the Nishpari fell in battle. The Ancient One was saddened to see so many of his children die.

The Ancient One ended the war by creating the Celestial Guardians. He created five male and five female, and endowed them with a portion of his own life magic to make them mighty as well as immortal, for to end the bitter war they would need to be impervious to injury and death. The Celestial Guardians looked like the Nishpari, but The Ancient One also gave them the golden eyes and wings of eagles so they could soar high above Reulla and see all sides of the conflict.

The might of the Celestial Guardians ended the war, but they could not stop the Nishpari from killing each other. Their golden eyes saw only truth, and they told The Ancient One what they saw. They told him that all the gifts he had given the Nishpari had made them an impressive people, but they had also intensified their passions and pride. This pride meant that the Nishpari would always seek another people to conquer, another victory to declare, and another contest to win, until they had killed themselves off.

The Ancient One grieved at his folly, and sought a way that he might restore the balance of life on Reulla. He told the Celestial Guardians a plan wherein he would place new children on Reulla, but this time he would spread out his gifts among many races, instead of giving them all to one people. He would create a race of people that looked and behaved like the people of the world that he came from, and he would call them human. He would also create races of dwarves, elves, orcs, and goblins, with each of their individual strengths. He would alter the forms and appearances of the other races to resemble humans, while still retaining some features and characteristics of the original people they were named after. He would give the races finite lifespans and enable them to intermarry and mate, in the hope that after generations of children conceived across the races, he might more naturally fulfill his hopes for the Nishpari.

After telling them of his plan, The Ancient One instructed the Celestial Guardians to find a suitable place on Reulla for him to raise these new races. They looked upon all of Reulla with their golden eyes, and when they returned to The Ancient One, they informed him that there was no safe place for them. For, with the gifts evenly distributed among the new races, the proud Nishpari would surely conquer and kill them. They told him that in order for his plan to succeed, he must first destroy all remaining Nishpari.

The Ancient One could not bear the thought of killing his first children, despite their contention and pride, and so he altered his plan. He created a male and female of each of the new races, and endowed them with a portion of his life magic to grant them immortality as he had done with the Celestial Guardians. He directed each pair to conceive children together and grow their respective races. He taught them how to use the magic he had given them to protect themselves and their children from the Nishpari, for although he had given his magic to the first generation, their posterity would be mortal. The Ancient One called these beings the First-parents, but today we know them as the First Immortals.

When the Nishpari learned of the new races, they were jealous and tried to destroy them as the Celestial Guardians had foreseen. But the natural might of the Nishpari was no match for the magical powers of the First-parents. After a time, the Nishpari withdrew altogether from such conflicts, and their pride and prominence diminished. The Ancient One was pleased to see that his plan had worked and his first children had been humbled, and so decided to resume his work of cultivating the magic of Reulla.

This time his efforts included placing creatures on the world whose very beings were infused with magic. He distilled the passion and vitality of the fiery sun into the form of great birds to create the phoenix. He created the unicorns to reflect the beauty and mystery of the moon with the healing and purifying magic of their horns. He created the cockatrice with its withering touch and petrifying gaze. He created the indomitable dragons, ensuring that no two looked exactly alike and each varied by the land of its birth. He created hundreds of magical creatures, each more stunning and wondrous than the last. He would have continued to make hundreds more, but once again his efforts were interrupted by the pride and discontent of his children.

Sweat was beading on Seth’s forehead and his heart was pounding in his chest as he looked at the mass of faces that were staring at him. When he had promised himself earlier in the evening that he would tell Tarun and Shon the truth about his mission, he hadn’t expected to also share it with an entire crowd. He especially hadn’t planned to share his story with a crowd that happened to include the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

Seth cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably on the log where he was sitting. He felt like the campfire next to him was burning significantly hotter than usual. “Well, it’s uh, it’s hard to know where to start,” Seth stammered.

“When singing,” Aluanna said softly, “I generally find it best to start at the beginning.” She gave Seth a little smile, which seemed to melt away much of his anxiety. The sorceress appeared to be about the same age as Seth, but there was something so soothing about the sound of her voice that made her seem wise beyond her years.

“And if that doesn’t work,” added Toj, “just start wherever you remember the lyrics and pretend that’s where the song was supposed to start!” There was a burst of laughter from the gathering, but it seemed to Seth to be friendly and encouraging, rather than mocking. The message was clear; everyone there was looking for a good story, not perfection.

“Heh, very well,” Seth said with a chuckle. “I’ll do my best.” Seth was relieved to hear much of the tension leave his own voice. “I suppose I should start with a question,” he said to the crowd. “How much do you know about the beings known as the Immortals?”

There was a quiet murmur throughout the crowd, and Seth saw most of the expressions he was used to seeing whenever the topic of the Immortals was brought up. Some in the crowd looked surprised at his question, some appeared bored, some looked at Seth skeptically, and a few even looked offended, but none answered him directly until Aluanna spoke.

“My father knows nothing of the Immortals, and my mother has little regard for them,” Aluanna said, matter-of-factly, “so I learned nothing about them in my childhood, when it seems their stories are most popular. But there are many songs written about them, and I have learned many of those songs since I began my travels.”

“I only know what Shon’s uncle told me about them,” said Tarun. “I know that in the early days of this world there were immortal couples of every race, and that they were the progenitors and rulers of their respective races. And I know that at some point each of those couples was overthrown by a second group of immortals. From what I remember, the Second Immortals acted less like rulers and more like protectors for mortals, but nobody has seen any of the Immortals for a very long time.” Tarun then stared down at a black stone dagger in his hand and added hastily, “Except maybe in a dream.”

Seth smiled and let out a single, quiet chuckle as Tarun finished speaking. Tarun immediately looked up with an expression of anger on his face, gripping tightly on the black dagger in his hand. “Did I say something funny?” Tarun demanded.

“No, not at all,” Seth said quickly, raising his hands. “My apologies Tarun, I meant no disrespect. It’s just rare to hear someone give such a succinct and straightforward summary of the Immortal’s existence. I merely smiled because I thought it was refreshing to hear it without all the usual flowery language.”

“Well,” interrupted Shon, “at the risk of sounding like a child, I’ll admit that I’ve always loved stories about the Immortals, and still do.” The volume of Shon’s voice gave Seth the impression that the wizard was trying to ease some of the tension, and Seth was grateful for it. “I could probably name off at least twenty of the most famous of the Second Immortals,” Shon continued, “and the Immortalium, the story of how Caster and the Second Immortals overthrew the First Immortals, has got to be my favorite story of all time. When I was growing up, every time a traveling storyteller would come visit us in Life’s Edge, I would beg them to recite the Immortalium.”

“Actually,” said Shon, turning towards Aluanna, “I’ve heard that there is even a version of the Immortalium that was put to music. I’ve always wanted to hear it, but we never had many musicians travel out to Life’s Edge when I was growing up. Do you happen to know that one?”

Aluanna raised an eyebrow at Shon. “That,” said the sorceress, “is a very long song.” She then turned her eyes back to Seth’s. “Perhaps we should first let your friend tell his story,” she said.

“Thank you my lady,” said Seth. “Like Shon, I have always been fascinated by tales of the Immortals, and that is where my story begins. Ever since I was a young boy, I have tried to learn all I could about the Immortals in the hopes that by emulating their ideals I could create a new name for myself.”

“You see, unlike Lady Aluanna, the history of my family is not a proud one,” Seth said as he looked at the shillelagh in his hands. “To my great embarrassment, the only noteworthy stories of my forebears come from their acts of shame and disgrace. My father was so ashamed of those stories that he refused to tell me any of them, even on his deathbed, so that all that was passed down to me were their humiliating epithets. I decided that I wanted to define my life by devoting it to some higher purpose, and what could be higher than the Immortals?”

Seth let out a deep sigh before he continued. “But my journey wasn’t as simple as the stories about the Immortals I heard in my childhood. And it seemed that the longer I sought for answers, the more complicated those stories became. Tell me, are any of you familiar with the Unanswerable Questions?”

“Of course,” said Shon. “Those are questions about the Immortals that nobody knows the answers to. There are three of them. ‘Where did the First Immortals come from?’ ‘How did Lord Caster learn the magic that won his contest?’ and ‘Why have all the Immortals disappeared?’ Every storyteller recites them before they begin telling the Immortalium to keep little kids from interrupting with those questions during the story.”

“Actually, depending on who you ask, there may be as many as twenty seven Unanswerable Questions,” said Seth. “But yes, those three are the most common. Over the years I’ve met dozens of philosophers, madmen, and charlatans who claimed to know the answers to those questions, but I personally believed that no answers actually existed for them. That changed two months ago when I learned what those answers were.”

“You’ll have to forgive my interruption,” said Toj, “but what makes you any different from those other philosophers and madmen?”

Seth straightened his posture and slightly raised his voice. “What makes me different is that I didn’t learn the answers by finding some secret scroll or deciphering obscure clues. I learned the answers by speaking directly to The Ancient One.”

“The ancient what?” said Shon.

“Not what,” said Seth. “Whom. ‘The Ancient One’ is the name of the being who spoke to me. He is the one who created the First Immortals and all other life on this world. He is also the one who has led me to this land to act on his behalf.”

“Well, we’re all interested to hear about this quest of yours,” said Roj, “but you’ve got a lot to learn as a story teller. For one thing, you’re going to need a better name than ‘The Ancient One,’ if you’re going to introduce a character that important to the story.”

Seth’s heart pounded heavy in his chest and he gripped his shillelagh and struggled to keep his voice calm. “Interesting names only matter when the story is fiction,” he said. “I am not about to make up a name for the most powerful being in existence just to humor a sarcastic satyr.”

“Seth,” said Aluanna softly. Upon hearing her say his name, Seth’s anger completely dissipated. “Your story hinges upon a character wholly unfamiliar to any of us here. Any story, whether true or not, is a path that the audience must be able to follow if they are to continue to the end. If you would be our guide, then perhaps you can help us by illuminating more of the path. Tell us more about this Ancient One so he is more than just a name to us.”

“Forgive my outburst, my lady,” said Seth, bowing his head. “In truth, The Ancient One commanded me to spread his story after he shared it with me. Since then I have rehearsed that story to myself more than a hundred times, and I’ve attempted to share that story with others more than a dozen times. Never once have I been permitted to finish the story of The Ancient One, and I have become wary of starting it. The interruptions and objections always become quite… severe.”

“I will not promise to believe your tale when it is over,” said Aluanna, “but your words have intrigued me and I would hear this story for myself. I assure you that none from my band will speak or disrupt you until you have finished.”

“If this is the being that allowed you to hurt that creature Laronius, then I would hear his story as well,” said Tarun.

“Well,” said Shon, “it seems that you finally have the attentive audience you’ve been looking for. I suggest you begin.”

Seth
Art by Ryan Salway