Porchãgadon – The Era of the Earthborn Behemoths (Later US)
As the ancient ages drifted into their later years, something deep within the heart of the earth stirred. The land, once tranquil and unchanging, now quivered with tremors, and the air thickened with a sense of impending doom. Beneath the surface, creatures far older than time itself began to awaken—massive beings whose very presence reshaped the world. The Porchãgadon, the Great Awakening, marked the moment when the land was torn asunder, and the remnants of ancient gods and creatures of primordial power returned to the surface.
The Awakening of the Jarga – The Twelve World-Shapers
At the core of this upheaval were the Jarga, twelve colossal beings, each an embodiment of the raw forces of the world. Some believed them to be the remnants of an ancient order, while others whispered that they were the very first children of the primordial forces that had shaped the universe. Regardless of their origins, the Jarga emerged with a singular purpose—to reshape the land, molding the world in ways incomprehensible to the mortals who lived upon it.
Each Jarga was unique in form and nature:
- Rhul’garn, the Mountain Walker – A behemoth of living stone, whose every step raised mountains and shattered valleys.
- Veylthos, the Abyss Caller – A creature of deep shadows and fathomless depths, who tore open chasms that swallowed entire cities.
- Maeralith, the Verdant Beast – A moving forest, its body composed of ancient trees and vines, bringing both life and destruction in its wake.
- Nyxidra, the Shroud Serpent – A sinuous entity that slithered through the seas, reshaping coastlines and birthing new islands.
- Korthun, the Molten King – A titan of flame and fury, whose form bled lava and ignited the land wherever he moved.
- Zarokh, the Thunderborn – A storm given form, his voice the roar of endless tempests.
- And the rest, whose names have been lost to time…
These twelve Jarga were not creatures of simple destruction. Some saw them as the architects of a new world, their movements carving out the landscapes that would one day define civilization. Others viewed them as calamities, uncontrollable forces that wiped away entire nations before they could truly begin.
The GlastrasGlastras – The Lesser Giants of the Old World
Though the Jarga were the greatest of the Earthborn, they were not alone. The Glastras, ancient giants of lesser stature, also rose during this age. While nowhere near the size of the twelve Jarga, the Glastras were still towering colossi—each unique, each bound to the land in their own way.
Some Glastras wandered the world freely, claiming territories and becoming the silent guardians or hidden threats of their domains. Others, weary from the ages, buried themselves beneath the mountains or slumbered deep underground, waiting for the time when they might rise again. Unlike the Jarga, who embodied the very forces of creation and destruction, the Glastras were remnants of an older time, some even predating the first mortal civilizations.
Legends tell of great encounters between mortals and these smaller giants:
- Gorhim, the Sleeping Sentinel – A Glastra whose massive form lies partially buried in a canyon, mistaken for a mountain by those who live nearby.
- Eldros, the Hollow Lord – A towering Glastra of living stone, whose chest is an open cavern filled with forgotten ruins.
- Silkaari, the Cradle Walker – A gentle Glastra who roams the northern tundras, carrying entire ecosystems of flora and fauna upon her back.
While some Glastras were benevolent, others were vengeful, seeing the rise of mortal civilizations as an insult to the ancient order. They would defend their domains with terrifying power, capable of wiping out armies single-handedly.
A World Reborn in Chaos
As the Jarga and the Glastras awoke, entire civilizations were erased before they could take root. The land itself was reshaped—rivers were redirected, forests torn asunder, and mountains raised to touch the sky. Entire cities that had just begun to flourish were swallowed by the earth or obliterated by the volcanic fury of the Jarga. The world was torn apart, and those who survived found themselves in awe and fear of the forces now dominating their world.
The very shape of the land shifted. Vast plains were turned into jagged cliffs, while deep valleys and gorges opened where rivers once flowed. Survivors fled, seeking refuge in the few untouched corners of the world. Cities once proud and bustling were reduced to rubble, swallowed by the earth or burned away by the wrath of the Jarga.
The Survivors: New Ways of Life
Life for those who endured the Porchãgadon era was one of constant adaptation. New civilizations rose in the aftermath, and old ones fled to find new homes where the Jarga and Glastras Glastras had not yet wandered.
The Oratai, a hardy mountain-dwelling people, came to see the Earthborn as divine forces—gods that shaped the world through sheer power. They revered the ancient creatures, believing that those who survived under their shadow would inherit their strength. Others, like the Mirethari, a seafaring civilization, learned to predict the movements of the oceanic Behemoths, navigating the ever-changing tides with newfound respect for the sea’s capriciousness.
Yet, there were those who saw the Earthborn not as gods, but as obstacles to be overcome. These survivors became the Earthshapers, people who had learned to manipulate the land itself through ancient techniques, binding magic with geology. They could calm volcanic eruptions, redirect rivers, and even use the remnants of the Jarga and Glastras’ bodies to forge tools and weapons of great power.
The Fall of the Earthborn
With time, the Jarga and many Glastras began to fade from the surface. Whether through exhaustion or the passage of ages, many of these colossal beings sank back into the earth, returning to their primordial slumber. Some of the creatures, after countless millennia, had become too worn to continue their destruction. Others, having fulfilled their purpose of reshaping the land, simply faded into the depths.
However, their legacy remained. The land they had reshaped would never be the same. New mountains rose where none had been before, and great chasms opened up to reveal treasures and horrors buried deep within the earth.
The Legacy of the Porchãgadon
- Ruins of the Past: The remains of cities and settlements, buried under layers of rock, serve as silent reminders of the time before the Porchãgadon.
- Artifacts of Power: The bones and remnants of the Jarga and Glastras—whether from their stone exteriors or the molten remnants of their bodies—became powerful artifacts, sought after by adventurers and scholars alike.
- New Civilizations: New societies grew from the ashes of the old, and the survivors learned to live in harmony with the land, honoring the Earthborn while still fearing their return.
- The Restless Earth: While the Jarga no longer roam, many believe they are merely sleeping, waiting for the right moment to reawaken and reshape the world once again. The land still shifts occasionally, and the legends of their return persist in whispered tales.
The Jarga were not mere beasts, nor gods, but ancient forces of nature given form. Each was a titan of creation and destruction, embodying the raw, unyielding power of the world itself. Their movements were slow yet inevitable, their passage rewriting the land without care for the mortal civilizations that attempted to rise in their shadow. Before cities could be built, they were buried. Before kingdoms could claim dominion, the land itself had changed.
Lesser but still mighty were the Glastras, ancient giants born of the same primordial essence as the Jarga, yet much smaller in comparison. Unlike the great Jarga, the Glastras were often singular in nature—each a unique entity, bound to its own domain. Some still wandered their ancient territories, while others rested beneath the surface, their slumber undisturbed for ages.
Legends among mortals whisper that the Glastras are the precursors to dragons, their essence giving rise to the great winged beasts of later ages. Some claim that in the deep places of the world, where fire and stone meet, the first dragons were shaped from the remnants of sleeping Glastras—fragments of their power coalescing into creatures of scale, flame, and flight. Others believe that certain dragons are the direct offspring of the Glastras, inheriting their immense strength in a more compact, adaptable form. Whether truth or myth, the connection remains etched in ancient lore, and those who revere dragons often speak of the Glastras in hushed, respectful tones.
For those who lived through Porchãgadon, survival meant adaptation. The world was not theirs to shape—it belonged to the Jarga, and to exist within it was to live at the mercy of their will. Some mortal races revered them as divine beings, offering tributes in hopes of being spared. Others fled to hidden places, seeking refuge in high peaks, deep caves, or distant lands untouched by the Jarga’s path.
It was an age of uncertainty, where the land itself was alive, shifting and evolving beyond mortal comprehension. And in the wake of the Jarga’s movements, the world as it was known would never be the same.