Table of Contents

Ur-Kal-Dûhn: The Wandering Gods

Background

The UKD are forces of nature in the truest sense, for they observe their own rules, obey their own physics, and can ignore almost anything. For comparison, consider how ants might perceive Humans. The scale of physical difference is staggering, but likely impossible for the ant to gauge. Rather the ant is only aware of the effects of the human as it intrudes upon their world. The ant has almost no chance to interact with the human, and in the rare instances where it does, there is no ability to communicate. How would a human describe computer programming to an ant or watching television? Such is the scale of difference in experience and intellect of the UKD and humanity.

The UKD are not gods in the classical mythos sense of creators of the universe and all things that in them are. However, they are divine in the sense that they have Power with a capital P and for all intents and purposes are deity to normal mortal beings. Consider a hurricane. While humanity would not call a hurricane “divine” or “deity”, they possess a power and force that we cannot really stop with current technology, we can only “weather” (pun intended) their passing. We can’t really harm a hurricane, but we don’t think about it in that context, because it is a power to be endured, never one to be corralled. The sheer power of a hurricane is such that to be in its mere presence is life threatening. We hunker down where we are or flee its wrath. But what if a hurricane never left? How would humanity react to the destructive power of a hurricane as it perpetually marched across our land? How would we adapt to its existence and destructive power? Complicating things further, what if the hurricane did not always blow with gale force winds except every now and then? What if we had no way of knowing what caused it to blow with such force or whether it was truly random? Now, add in that we know that the storm is intelligent and is sentient, but might not even see us. How would we react to such a being?

Communion

A few brave souls have managed to commune with the UKD and have come to be known as sages. Every race has been known to have at least one sage, except the Orcs. Sages have been tremendous sources of knowledge and inspiration, often catapulting their society into a new level of understanding on some key issue. Most sages have died within one year of their awakening, though some have lived longer. Important advances found through sages have included metallurgy, crop rotation, herbal wisdom, magic, and ki.

Known Ur-Kal-Dûhn

Stormbringer

A powerful being that often transits between the Sobek River Basin, The Riven Hills, and the Akhet mountains, leaving mild breezes to hurricane-powerful storms in its wake. Where it goes, storms generally follow. He regularly visits the far side of the Akhet mountains, ensuring rainfall comes in due course to the Sobek River Basin.

Sey-Hûn, the Evertorch

A being of living fire. Though not always surface of the sun hot, sometimes it provides a gentle warmth on a chilly night. This being leaves a path of fiery hotness in its wake. The first sage, a Tabaxi named Elegant Flame of the Spirit, from the Murmuring Crags Clan, made contact with Sey-Hûn, bringing the world knowledge that the UKD could be communed with, and provided the world with open knowledge of metallurgy, also ushering a stronger measure of respect for the Tabaxi among the other races.

Baalim

The Death God, Destroyer of Navah, Dream Killer, and Bringer of Ruin. Baalim at one point did wander the land, and caused moderate destruction, raining debris and brimstone down upon the land, similar in size and scope to a volcanic eruption from the sky, indiscriminately harming villages and animal life alike if he stayed too long in one place. Unlike the other UKD, Baalim stopped in Navah and never left, establishing a shrine of death that remains to this day. Also, unlike other UKD, his effects changed once he settled over Navah, no longer bringing down fire and brimstone, but does kill those who disturb his shrine without his leave. Those who have observed these deaths indicate they simply collapse where they stand, never to rise again. As far as has been observed, inside of Baalim’s domain, there is no life, nor corruption, but stasis.

Duat Hedjet

The Sky Whale or the White Whale. Often seen near the Ashmounts and Akhet Mountains, Duat Hedjet is a creature of the sky, in the appearance of a great fish. Often surrounding its movements is a thick fog. The Sky Whale is often only seen at dusk or dawn, at the rising and setting of Kâzon, the Trickster Star or Evil Eye. Duat Hedjet does not often interact with humanoidanity, but fragmented reports suggest that the fog is deadly to humanoids.

Netjer-Dûhn

Netjer-Dûhn is most often found in the outskirts between the Riven Hills and the Deep Sand of the west. Where Netjer-Dûhn goes, life is intensely spawning and abundant, but any such new life dies after Netjer-Dûhn moves on, no longer there to sustain it. Some have reported that they have been miraculously healed in Netjer-Dûhn’s presence, but just as many report dying in equal measure. Regardless, most agree that seeking the presence of a UKD, regardless how benign they are normally, do so at extreme risk to their well being.