The Echoes of Creation

Forged in divine crucibles from the Dawn War to Divinity's end, Echoes are godly essence given form, true artifacts of immense power.
Crafted for First Champions by Deities, Ascendants, Primarchs, and the Triad, they were direct conduits of will in a world once walked by gods.

Scattered by time and the Upheaval, these indestructible relics now lie dormant or guarded, their re-emergence heralding events of great import.

To wield an Echo is to grasp a fragment of myth, a perilous link to divine legacy, and the potential to reshape Eldareth's fate.

Introduction: Tangible Divinity in a Mortal World

Beyond the fleeting touch of miracles or the subtle guidance felt through faith, the gods of Eldareth have, throughout the world's tumultuous history, poured fragments of their very essence into physical forms—artifacts of immense power known collectively as the Echoes of Creation.

These are not mere enchanted objects crafted by mortal hands; they are manifestations of divine will, relics forged in cosmic crucibles during ages when gods walked among mortals and the fate of reality hung precariously in the balance. Each Echo resonates with the core nature of its creator, serving as a tangible link to the divine, carrying whispers of their power, purpose, and sometimes, their terrible wrath.

Many possess latent potential, often found in dormant states until awakened by worthy bearers or pivotal events, capable of eventually reaching elevated states of power. What follows is an attempt to chronicle their history, nature, and legendary status, pieced together from fragmented texts, epic poems, and the rare, often contradictory, testimonies of those who claim to have brushed against their ancient might.

The Age of Forging: Dawn War and Divine Arms Race

The origins of the Echoes stretch back to the very dawn of recorded history, beginning in the fiery chaos of the Dawn War and continuing robustly through the Age of Divinity, finally ceasing near its end. The earliest Echoes were forged out of necessity, divine tools required to combat the overwhelming might of the Primordial Titans.

Legends speak of Myranthus's Dawnbreaker blazing against elemental foes, and Io's Hourglass of Eternity being gifted to a seer. These first artifacts armed the gods' earliest champions, mortal or otherwise, enabling them to stand against world-ending threats.

As Eldareth settled into the Age of Divinity, the creation of Echoes continued, becoming more deliberate. The established Prime Deities forged artifacts for their First Champions, mortals chosen to embody their ideals and carry out their will directly in the world.

Simultaneously, and perhaps more chillingly, the Triad, upon their emergence during this same age, immediately began crafting their own dark Echoes – Malgathar's Iron Crown, Vorandor's Withered Grasp, Lessarith's Masque of the False Court – bestowing them upon ambitious or corrupted mortals eager to serve their ruinous agendas. This period became a silent arms race fought through divinely empowered proxies, with Echoes representing the pinnacle of divine investment in mortal affairs.

It was also during this era that the four Elemental Primarchs – Durnathar, Kyrion, Nerissa, and Velora – forged their respective Elemental Bands, as tools to help maintain the balance they had vowed to protect after the Dawn War.

Dragon Ascendants and Elemental Mysteries

Following their ascension after the Dawn War, the Dragon Ascendants also created their own unique Echoes – the Scepter of the Sunfire Sovereign, Skyfang, the Starveil Diadem, the Shroud of the Morass Monarch, and the Glacier's Grasp. These powerful artifacts, infused with draconic might and elemental power, became symbols of their authority and guardianship over their respective domains and aspects of the world.

A significant enigma within the history of the Echoes involves the Elemental Bands. While the four Primarchs demonstrably forged rings corresponding to their domains (Earth, Fire, Water, Air), a fifth ring, the Quintessence Band, exists. Its origins are unknown. No known deity or primarch claims its creation; some esoteric texts speculate it predates even the gods, while others suggest it is a manifestation of the Weave itself or some fundamental cosmic principle of Aether or Spirit. What is known is that this Aether Ring is intrinsically linked to the others. The five Elemental Bands are the only known Echoes explicitly designed to synergize, their combined power potentially capable of altering reality on a fundamental level, hinting at a deeper purpose or connection behind their disparate origins.

The Scattering and Dormancy: Eras of Silence and Upheaval

The creation of new Echoes effectively ceased with the end of the Age of Divinity, coinciding with the banishment of the Triad and the establishment of the Sanctified Archway. As the Prime Deities withdrew behind the cosmic veil and the direct conduit of their power was filtered, the purpose and prominence of the Echoes began to shift. Their First Champions, figures of myth by now, eventually passed, their lineages dwindling, and their sacred charges forgotten over long centuries.

The subsequent ages brought new conflicts, mortal wars, and eventually, the catastrophic Upheaval. This era of magical instability, fractured ley lines, and destabilized planar boundaries proved devastating for the legacy of the Echoes. Many were lost: swallowed by shifting earth, consumed in magical explosions, buried in the ruins of fallen kingdoms, or dragged into other planes. Some were deliberately hidden by guardians seeking to protect them from misuse, sealed in vaults forgotten even by their keepers. Others might have been claimed by powerful entities hoarding their divine power.

Crucially, however, the Echoes themselves are believed to be indestructible by conventional means. Forged with divine essence, they endure even when their wielders fall or civilizations crumble. They may lie dormant, their power seemingly faded, waiting for a new bearer of sufficient will or resonance to reawaken them through trials or moments of destiny. Their power often manifests in stages – a dormant state holding a whisper of their potential, an awakened state revealing greater capabilities, and an exalted state unleashing their full might, achievable only through profound connection or cosmic events.

The Echoes Today: Lost Legends and Guarded Relics

In the Age of Resurgence, most Echoes of Creation exist primarily as legends, entries in dusty chronicles, or the desperate goals of ambitious quests. Knowledge of their true nature and whereabouts is fragmented and rare. Yet, rumors persist. A glint of impossible metal in a dragon's hoard, whispers of a crown that commands absolute obedience, tales of a weapon that burns with the light of dawn seen in a forgotten tomb – such stories fuel the imaginations of heroes, scholars, cultists, and kings alike.

However, not all are lost. The Echoes of the Dragon Ascendants represent a significant exception. These five artifacts are known to be currently housed within the Aldramar Isles, carefully guarded by the Dragonborn Clans in the aftermath of the Incursion. They serve as sacred relics and symbols of the Dragonborn's enduring legacy and connection to their ancestors, rarely seen by outsiders.

The mystery of the Aether Ring persists, its location and current status unknown, perhaps appearing only when the cosmic balance requires it, drawn to individuals or events of great significance. The other Elemental Rings are likely scattered across Eldareth or even other planes, their potential synergy unrealized, lying dormant in ruins related to elemental upheaval or ancient civilizations. The dark Echoes of the Triad are undoubtedly objects of immense evil, wielded in secret by hidden agents of darkness, or actively sought by cults hoping to reclaim their power and unleash their patrons' influence.

Thus, the Echoes remain potent forces in Eldareth. Most are lost threads in history, waiting to be rediscovered. A few are known and guarded, representing living history. All are indestructible, powerful, and carry the weight of divine purpose, capable of changing the world should they surface once more.

Catalog of Known Echoes

What follows are descriptions of the most prominent Echoes of Creation, grouped by their divine origin.

Echoes of the Prime Deities

The Hourglass of Eternity (Io, the Timekeeper): More than mere glass and sand, this artifact manifests as a crystalline structure seemingly carved from solidified temporal distortions. Within its form, countless golden motes, fragments of captured moments, flow not linearly but erratically—pausing, reversing, or accelerating in defiance of normal time. The frame, an intricate fusion of orichalcum and celestial alloys, bears engravings of constellations that subtly shift and rewrite themselves when unobserved, hinting at the ever-changing map of destiny. Arcane runes pulse rhythmically at its apex and base, like the universe's own heartbeat. Forged by Io in the Mythic Age to stabilize the flow of time against primordial chaos, it grants its bearer profound, intuitive insight into causality, allowing them to perceive resonant echoes of the past, fleeting glimpses of potential futures, and perhaps even subtly nudge the present. Its power is one of intricate temporal understanding and delicate manipulation, not overt force.
The Axis of Worlds (Ao, the Realmweaver): Appearing as a flawless sphere of seemingly solidified space, the Axis holds within its core an infinitely spiraling fractal pattern that defies geometry, hinting at the compressed vastness of the multiverse. Glimpses of distant realms or impossible cosmic structures flicker within its depths, ensuring no two perspectives are ever identical. It radiates a subtle, almost imperceptible hum, the background frequency of reality itself. Forged by Ao as the ultimate tool of cosmic stability and order, it allows the wielder to perceive the underlying structure of the planes, and the intricate connections between realities. It grants the potential to manipulate spatial dimensions, reinforce planar boundaries, or potentially even bridge the gaps between worlds, its mere presence causing subtle distortions in light and air, marking it as a nexus point of creation.
Dawnbreaker, Hammer of the First Light (Myranthus, the Dawnsinger): This majestic warhammer seems forged from the very concept of sunrise made manifest. Its massive golden head glows with the intense, unwavering brilliance of a star being born, radiating palpable warmth and dispelling shadows by its mere presence. The haft, crafted of polished celestial steel, is wrapped in luminous, flowing inscriptions that shimmer like liquid sunlight. Wielded by Myranthus himself during the Dawn War, it is imbued with the absolute power of celestial radiance – capable of burning away the deepest corruption, healing grievous wounds with restorative light, shattering darkness both literal and metaphorical, and inspiring unwavering courage. Even dormant, it carries the promise of renewal; awakened, it embodies the sun's righteous fury and awaits a champion to unleash its dawn upon the world once more.
The Moonveil Mantle (Lerathae, the Moonmaiden): Less a garment and more a piece of the night sky given form, this ethereal cloak constantly shifts between the silvery luminescence of a full moon and the deep, star-flecked darkness of a new moon. Its fabric appears woven from captured moonlight, solidified mist, and shimmering stardust, flowing like liquid shadow around the wearer. Faint astral patterns, like forgotten constellations, ripple across its surface, subtly changing with the phases of Eldareth's actual moon. Crafted for Lerathae's first guardians, it grants an intrinsic affinity for twilight, illusion, and the unseen paths, allowing the bearer to move like a whisper, perceive hidden truths, and perhaps even step briefly through the veil between dreams and reality, embodying the serene mystery and quiet power of the Moonmaiden.
The Verdant Crown (Yssarel, the Wildmother): This Echo is unique in that it appears less crafted and more grown, a living symbol of Yssarel's domain. It may manifest as a crown, staff, or circlet of ancient wood intertwined with perpetually living vines. Depending on the season, the bearer's mood, or the flow of natural energy, it might sprout vibrant, impossible flowers, sharp defensive thorns, or shed leaves of autumnal gold. Often centered with a large, uncut emerald or a crystal heart pulsing with a soft green light like the world's own lifeblood, it deeply connects the bearer to all living things. It grants communion with flora and fauna, the power to channel potent life-force for healing or growth, and embodies the untamed resilience, nurturing spirit, and sudden ferocity of the Wildmother herself.
The Shroud of Final Twilight (Eltharel, the Gray Lady): Woven, legends whisper, from threads plucked from the ethereal veil separating the living world from the Shadowfell, this solemn garment appears as a heavy shroud or cloak of lusterless, ashen-grey fabric that seems to absorb light and warmth. It feels unnaturally cold to the touch, carrying the profound stillness and silence of the grave. Runes of passage and finality might be subtly stitched into its hems with threads of spectral silver. The Shroud grants its wearer dominion over the threshold of death – the ability to perceive lingering spirits, resist the pull of undeath, understand the weight of mortality, and ensure the proper passage of souls, reflecting Eltharel’s role as the impartial, implacable guardian of life's final, inevitable transition.
The Gambler's Coin (Feonar, the Wanderer): Unlike the other Echoes, this artifact embodies not steadfast power but capricious chance. It appears as a single, worn golden coin, deceptively simple, yet its surface is never still, constantly shifting between myriad symbols – a laughing mask, a crossroads, a swirling storm, a serpent eating its tail, always just slightly out of focus. Said to be the first coin ever minted, imbued with Feonar's own restless, unpredictable essence, it doesn't grant control over fate but rather allows the bearer to gamble with it. Possessing it attracts strange coincidences, improbable luck (both good and ill), and moments where destiny seems to hesitate, offering a chance to seize fortune or fall victim to chaos, perfectly reflecting the Wanderer's own path.

Echoes of the Triad

The Iron Crown (Malgathar, the Destroyer): A terrifying symbol of absolute authority achieved through brutal conquest and unyielding order. Forged during the Age of Divinity and bestowed upon Malgathar's first Orzhun conqueror, this massive crown is wrought from blackened iron, impossibly heavy, its surface scarred but unyielding. Cruel, barbed spires jut upwards, each tipped with a point that glows with faint, infernal embers as if perpetually heated in the forges of the Hells. It radiates an almost physical pressure, an aura of command that instills dread in enemies and unwavering, fanatical discipline in allies. It grants strategic brilliance in warfare, compels obedience through fear, and embodies Malgathar's vision of a perfectly ordered world subjugated beneath an iron fist.
The Withered Grasp (Vorandor, the Defiler): This grotesque gauntlet is a chilling fusion of corroded iron, yellowed bone, and strands of petrified sinew, wrapped haphazardly with tarnished silver wire. Its claw-like fingertips are perpetually stained with something that looks disturbingly like dried ichor, and sickly, unnatural vapors constantly curl from its joints, carrying the faint stench of rot and grave dirt. Crafted during the Age of Divinity to empower a chosen agent of decay, it allows the wielder to channel entropy itself – spreading disease, sapping vitality with a touch, accelerating decomposition, and inflicting slow, agonizing corruption. It is a tangible manifestation of Vorandor's power over the inevitable decay that awaits all living things.
Masque of the False Court (Lessarith, the Deceiver): A masterpiece of illusionary craftsmanship, this gleaming, silvered mask is inlaid with iridescent gemstones that seem to shift color and depth depending on the viewer's own desires or fears. The mask's actual shape subtly alters when perceived from different angles or by different individuals – appearing alluring, trustworthy, authoritative, or sinister as needed. Created during the Age of Divinity, it empowers its wearer with an almost supernatural mastery over deceit, manipulation, and illusion. It allows the crafting of flawless falsehoods, the projection of convincing facades, the subtle influencing of thoughts and emotions, and the ability to weave intricate webs of intrigue, turning truth itself into just another tool for Lessarith's schemes.

Echoes of the Dragon Ascendants

Vyr'zax, Scepter of the Sunfire Sovereign (Nelashra): Crafted, it is said, from the fossilized bone of an ancient dragon and infused with veins of eternally molten gold, this scepter pulses with a palpable, radiant heat. The head is sculpted into the likeness of a roaring draconic maw, within which burns an unwavering light – the heart of a captured star. It constantly exudes waves of both searing, destructive energy and soothing, restorative warmth, embodying the Sunfire Sovereign's dual dominion over celestial fire's wrath and its life-giving grace. To hold it is to feel the potential for both total annihilation and boundless renewal, a symbol of draconic authority tempered by divine purpose.
Skyfang, Spear of the Storm Seraph (Ezavion): This weapon gleams with the cold, sharp brilliance of a lightning strike frozen in time. Its haft is polished storm-forged steel, etched with draconic runes that seem to writhe with contained electrical energy. The spearhead, a shard of flawless blue crystal, constantly crackles with faint static, and the air around it smells of ozone. Skyfang embodies the storm's focused fury and sudden precision – capable of being hurled like a thunderbolt, carrying the roar of the tempest, and piercing defenses with the undeniable force of heaven's wrath. It feels alive with barely restrained power, humming like the heart of a brewing storm.
Starveil, Diadem of the Astral Aegis (Nyladria): More a condensation of cosmic light than a physical object, the Starveil Diadem appears as a delicate circlet woven from crystalline starlight, shimmering with soft, shifting hues of amethyst, sapphire, and silver. Wisps of iridescent force energy ripple along its band like captured nebulae. When worn, thoughts feel unnaturally clear, and the wearer gains a profound sense of the vast, interconnected patterns of the cosmos. It radiates a gentle, protective energy, embodying Nyladria's role as a guardian and guide, capable of shielding the mind, projecting barriers of pure force, and offering glimpses into the celestial tapestry.
Morg'nath, Veil of the Morass Monarch (Syldaxa): This heavy, flowing mantle seems woven from shadow-darkened jade silk interwoven with iridescent serpent scales that shift color subtly in dim light. Its edges trail like whispering tendrils of black mist, and it perpetually carries the faint, cloying scent of damp earth, acidic decay, and sweet, poisonous blossoms. Intricate patterns resembling coiled vipers and strangling vines seem to writhe just beneath the surface. The Veil embodies the patient, hidden lethality of the swamp, granting its wearer mastery over toxins, acids, and concealment, allowing them to blend seamlessly into shadows and strike with the sudden, venomous finality of a predator hidden beneath still waters.
Glacier's Grasp, Gauntlet of the Bleak Baron (Ydesian): A massive gauntlet forged from polished white steel that seems to absorb light and ice-hardened iron etched with swirling runes that glimmer with a pale, soul-chilling blue luminescence. It radiates an unnatural cold, palpable even through thick layers, and its presence seems to dampen sound, creating an aura of profound stillness. Glacier's Grasp embodies the remorseless finality of absolute zero and the slow, creeping entropy of the grave. It grants power over ice and necrotic cold, the ability to freeze foes solid, drain warmth and life, and impose the silent, inevitable end that awaits all things.

Echoes of the Elemental Primarchs

The Adamantine Band of Durnathar (Earth): Appearing as a heavy, unadorned ring forged from a metal resembling dull, impossibly dense stone, this band feels immensely solid and grounding to the touch. It is said to be crafted from the very heartstone of the Elemental Plane of Earth, infused with ley-charged adamantine, making it virtually indestructible. It resonates with the power of unyielding mountains and deep bedrock, granting immense physical resilience, the strength to stand against any force, a deep connection to stone and earth, and the potential to command tremors and reshape the land itself, embodying Durnathar's absolute dominion over the element of Earth.
The Infernal Band of Kyrion (Fire): This ring appears forged from lusterless embersteel, its surface shot through with veins of ever-shifting molten light that pulse with fierce, internal heat. It feels perpetually warm, radiating energy like a banked furnace. Said to contain a spark of the Eternal Flame from the City of Brass, it grants its wearer mastery over fire in its purest forms – immunity to flames, the power to ignite their very being, command over destructive conflagrations, and the potential for fiery rebirth, embodying Kyrion's rule over the consuming, transforming power of the Plane of Fire.
The Abyssal Band of Nerissa (Water): Crafted from a flawless crystal of deepest sapphire, this ring seems to contain a miniature, shifting ocean within its depths, currents swirling and glinting with captured light. It feels cool and smooth, emanating the silent pressure of the abyssal depths. Forged from the essence of the primordial ocean, it grants its wearer mastery over water in all its forms – the ability to breathe beneath the waves, move with liquid grace, command tides and crushing currents, wield the chilling power of the depths, and embody the adaptable yet overwhelming force of Nerissa and the Plane of Water.
The Tempest Band of Velora (Air): This ring appears almost immaterial, like a loop of translucent sky-crystal capturing swirling gusts of wind and phantom sparks of lightning within its form. It feels nearly weightless and hums with a low, vibrational frequency. Born from the heart of the first great storm on the Plane of Air, it grants its wearer mastery over wind, weather, and electricity – bestowing incredible speed and agility, the freedom of flight, the power to command gales and lightning strikes, and even the ability to become as insubstantial as the breeze itself, embodying Velora's dominion over the boundless, volatile expanse of the sky.

The Enigmatic Fifth

The Quintessence Band (Aether): Standing apart from all other known Echoes, the Quintessence Band defies conventional understanding of divine artifacts. It does not appear as solid matter, but rather as a circulating loop of shifting, prismatic mist or pure woven energy, seemingly caught between the Ethereal and Material Planes. Its colors flow and blend like an oil slick on water under moonlight, occasionally coalescing into fleeting patterns that resemble nascent thoughts or cosmic nebulae before dissolving again. It radiates no heat or cold, but emits a subtle, pervasive hum – not of sound, but a deep resonance felt directly in the soul, attuned to the fundamental frequencies of life, spirit, and magic itself. Holding it, or merely being near it, grants the bearer an unnerving awareness, as if the unseen threads of the Weave, the flow of anima, and the whispers of lingering spirits are constantly brushing against their consciousness.

Its origin remains utterly unknown, a profound enigma even to the most ancient loremasters. Unlike the other Elemental Bands clearly tied to their respective Primarchs, no deity claims the creation of the Quintessence Band. Esoteric theories abound: some posit it predates the current pantheon entirely, a remnant from a previous cosmic cycle; others suggest it is not an artifact of the Weave, but a fragment of the Weave itself, somehow given form; still others whisper it is an echo of a power beyond the known cosmology, perhaps linked to the very spark of creation or the fifth element of Aether.

What is undeniably clear is its function as a conduit for fundamental forces. It connects the bearer intimately to the flow of magic, granting an unparalleled sensitivity to ley lines, planar fluctuations, and ambient magical energies. It enhances one's connection to the spirit world, allowing perception and interaction with echoes of the past and souls adrift. Furthermore, it resonates deeply with life force itself, potentially allowing the channeling or manipulation of anima. Its most significant known property, however, is its intrinsic link to the other four Elemental Bands. It acts as the keystone, the harmonizing element that enables their potent synergy, hinting that their combined power, unlocked through the Quintessence Band, holds the potential to influence reality on a scale far beyond their individual capacities.

Unlike other Echoes that might be lost and found, the Quintessence Band is often described as appearing, not discovered. Legends suggest it manifests only in times of profound cosmic significance, drawn to individuals or events critical to the balance of reality, seemingly possessing a will or destiny entirely its own. It is the ultimate mystery among the Echoes, a key to powers barely understood, representing the unifying fifth element that binds all others.

Conclusion: The Enduring Power of Divine Legacies

Thus stand the Echoes of Creation—more than mere artifacts, they are fragments of divine history made manifest, vessels carrying the potent will of gods and the weight of ages. Forged in the crucible of cosmic wars and gifted to champions of myth, their journey through Eldareth's long narrative mirrors the shifting tides of divine influence itself. From the direct interventions of the Dawn War and Age of Divinity to the filtered presence enforced by the Sanctified Archway, these relics have persisted.

Scattered by time, conflict, and cataclysm, many Echoes now lie dormant, lost to chronicles or guarded in secret repositories like those of the Dragonborn. Yet, their divine essence renders them indestructible, ensuring they remain potent, latent forces within the world. Their re-emergence, whether unearthed from forgotten ruins, reclaimed from monstrous hoards, or appearing inexplicably as dictated by fate, invariably heralds events of great significance.

To seek an Echo is to chase legend; to find one is to grasp power capable of forging kingdoms or sundering reality. They are coveted by heroes and villains alike, not merely for the strength they bestow, but for the direct connection they offer to the divine powers that shaped Eldareth. In this Age of Resurgence, where the gods watch from afar and the planar boundaries remain fragile, the Echoes of Creation represent both the greatest potential for mortal empowerment and the most perilous temptation. They are enduring reminders that the age of myths is never truly over, and the power of the gods, though perhaps distant, still sleeps beneath the surface of the world, waiting to be awakened.

As recorded by Archiviste Étienne Dubois of the Arcanthelion, Lorcionne