Children of Sin

In an alternate world at the dawn of civilization, an ancient culture struggles at the center of a war beyond their understanding.

Setting
Ahm'falis is the birthplace of life itself. There was nothing before it. Now the city stretches to either horizon, a mecca of trade and learning as well as the home of the gods. Its technological advances can be compared to those of ancient Egypt in its prime. The people are mainly workers, though among them are also great thinkers, alchemists, and architects. For hundreds of years the city has grown and prospered under the careful watch of the gods they worship. Guardians are chosen by divine appointment to lead and protect.

The land is an oasis, extending for miles in any direction. A chain of mountains taller than the sky borders the city. All life flows from these peaks. Covered in lush green forests and creatures of unimaginable beauty, it truly is the land of the gods. Resources are carefully gleaned from the sacred estate and put to use in the valley below. Beyond the city vast farms lead finally to a world less blessed. The barren land beyond the city supports little life if any at all. Strange, monstrous creatures roam the wastes, making expeditions near impossible. Even the strongest find it hard to survive where there is no food or water and mysterious beasts haunt the edges of their eyes with each blink. The only evidence of civilization beyond Ahm'falis lies in the strange exotic crafts carried into the city by shrouded nomads who deal only in secrecy.

Though lore speaks of a time when the city was beseiged by magical enemies, the stories have become nothing more than whispers and cautionary tales. The Ahm'fali place their faith in the guardians appointed by the gods themselves. The Archons are hand picked by divine authority to guide the people of the land and hold complete power over the fate of all. Their role is honored and celebrated. The Archons have risen to a level of godhood all their own. Children are chosen at a young age to leave their families and make the journey to the temple in the mountains to begin their ascendance to the role of Archon. Though the family loses their child, it is considered a great blessing to have their young chosen to lead the people; uncommon fortune comes to families who honor the will of the gods.

The Ahm'fali are a family oriented people. Typically they learn the trade of their fathers and carry on the same legacy. They live in their family home the entirety of their lives. Adhering strongly to custom and time honored beliefs they tend not to challenge the social rank they were born into. Instead they believe that their place in life was granted by the gods and thus a blessing not to be questioned. The Archons are chosen from all stations and thus there is little distinction between levels of supposed position. Instead of seeking to be something else, the Ahm'fali simply work to achieve an experts knowledge of their field, continuously improving on the art that has been passed down through their ancestors. Though there are families which have more than others, no one goes without. There is not a beggar among them. They are a peaceful people, always faithful that their gods will continue to bless their homes and land with safety and bounty.



The Archons
The shepherds of Ahm'falis are chosen from the populace and taken to the sacred temple that stands high above the city. The will of the gods has always guided the selection of the children who will grow to be great leaders. Once separated from their families, they may never reunite again; this fate is accepted and even invited. A great celebration sweeps the city when a new Archon is chosen and the family is exalted for their contribution. It is also said that the mother who gladly gives her child to the service of the gods will be blessed with comfort beyond her pain, a gift from the unseen for her selfless sacrifice. The Archons are commonly seen in the city, but by the time they have finished their learning they have been so far changed that they are often unrecognizable to their own blood.

Once welcomed into the temple, each child begins their transformation. No two are alike. Each child is reared by the gods themselves, sculpted into the guardian they are to become. Their growth is neverending. Even once granted the title of Archon, they continue the path of ascension. There is a hierarchy among them, usually dictated by their length of service, but the will of the gods ultimately decides. A number of sub-sects exist for various purposes. A council of elders whom the gods have previously spoken though tends to decide all matters that have not received divine edict. It is led by the last Archon to have issued the voice of the gods.

The gods themselves are unseen and as mysterious as the unreachable ends of the earth. Some are more prominent while others have all but faded into lore. Temples for these deities dot the landscape; offerings and sacrifices are regularly made in thanks and to ensure prosperity. The Archons tend the temples and are careful to ensure proper protocol is followed when addressing the gods.

The gods make their will known in many strange ways. As expected they may visit dreams, give visions, or otherwise offer signs that show whether or not they are pleased. Though distant and aloof, the gods are commonly experienced by the Ahm'fali. Usually at least one member of a family can say they've at least felt the distinct presence of a god. Though some claims have been exaggerated or made up, very few claims are ever completely ignored. Still, most contact occurs through the Archons. The Archons remain the ones with the final say in any matter.

The Archons themselves are often guided internally by one god or another and many rightly claim to feel their presence more often than not. Regardless of this however, very few Archons can claim to have been a vessel for the voice of a god. It could happen for any reason, but generally this only comes about when information of high importance is passed to the guardians. Similar to the honor of being chosen as an Archon, being chosen to issue the words of heaven itself is one of the highest privileges. Any Archon to receive this distinction instantly becomes an elder and is made privy to the deeper secrets of the temple. Their own voice from then on carries more weight and their decisions together with the other elders can make a much greater impact. The number of elders tends to stay the same due to the gods favoring the same elder to convey their voice.

The Typhons
Well past the borderlands of Ahm'falis live the demons called the Typhons. Eons ago they coexisted with the Archons, serving as their other half. The Archons were created to be the shepherds of the people, teaching and leading them. The Typhons were intended to be the sentinels of the people, powerful and protecting. Something happened though, that split the two sides as far apart as day is to night. There was a battle between them that happened in the sacred mountains high above Ahm'falis. No one is alive to recall the day, but stories have been passed down by generations telling the tale of the day the earth shook, the rivers boiled, and the children of the gods fell dead from the sky. The Typhons were annihilated by their brothers, survivors fleeing to the edges of the world where the shadow of night began. Proud and assured, the Archons accepted their victory, and took their places in the hallowed halls of the temple, sole rulers of the Ahm'fali through the power of the gods.

The story of the war changed throughout the years. Only the eldest of the people believed that it had truly happened. The younger generations believed it an exaggeration at best. After all, the story has been told differently for each family for so long that no two accounts are the same. It brings up too many questions, questions that most mortals can't comprehend. The Archons will not speak on it. They acknowledge that there is yet a deeper evil in the world that refuses to be forgotten. They warn the people of allowing their faith to waiver, and caution them to mind themselves when near the borders of Ahm'falis. An ancient evil lurks beyond that will return one day.



Plot
Already the stories have begun to circulate among the populace again. Some claim to have witnessed fiery demons bourne of the sky with flames at their back, licking from their eyes and shooting from their fingers. Most of these tales have been dismissed, but they keep coming. The city has returned to the Archons for protection and answers. But if the temple high on the mount contains any information, it isn't sharing. Cults are springing up among the people, groups devoted to discerning the origin of these dark beings, not content to continue to wait for their guardians to speak.