Vog's Reckoning

Plot Description

This singular tale, explains the upcoming campaign setting, known as the Age of Vog, a post-apocalyptic age of despair. There are many other myths and tales of the Divine Brethren, such as when Mokkus the Trickster stole "Tomorrow's Loom", the Skein of Fate, and escaped to the Great Grass Sea to give birth to Jul-Ghose the Prophet, but that is a tale for another time, as it occurred long after the Thousand Year Doom of the Age of Vog.

Secrets

After birthing the world and spreading the seeds of life throughout the gods, or the Divine Brethren, as they were known, rested and reflected upon their creations. Proudest of all their progenies was the race of Man. In order to truly ascertain how far Man had progressed after several thousand years, the gods sent Mokkus, one of their own, who later became known as the Trickster, to travel among the Kingdoms of Man and return to his Divine Brethren to report what he had witnessed. Mokkus rode the Roc-King down from the skies, and disguising himself as a man, made his way among the humans to contemplate their existence.

He beheld Despair. He reasoned that Man was a creature Doomed, for Mokkus witnessed unending wars, famine, and disease. Mokkus pondered for a time and decided, that since his particular forte was chaos and manipulation, this was the perfect setting for his provocation of lies and trickery. He chose to deceive the Divine Brethren, and upon his return to the Heavens, spoke of Mans Time of Bliss. He relayed that he beheld Man was content and thriving, that they had become masters of their environment and progenitors of a great and wondrous race. The beasts were plentiful, the hunt thus flourished, grains were grown in copious amounts, and Man grew fecund and multiplied!

Upon hearing of these falsehoods, the Divine Brethren were pleased with themselves and their creations. Avveid Father-Sky smiled at Oluu Sun-Disk and Oluu smiled back. Prassagua Grain-Giver swelled with pride. All was well they now perceived, for their own celestial natures were ones of detachment and hubris, preventing the Divine Brethren from simply scrutinizing the Kingdoms of Man themselves, for that was considered taboo among them and they had taken the word of Mokkus, for he was not yet known as the Trickster.

Having satisfied their egos and convinced of Mans present and future, the Divine Brethren slumbered and turned their thoughts to other worlds. All but Mokkus allowed the celestial veil to creep over their eyes. Mokkus was delighted at his successful mendacity, and returned to the Kingdoms of Man. His elation knew no bounds for Man was a simple creature to fool, and Mokkus fomented further bloodshed and wide-ranging chaos among the Kingdoms.

After several centuries of his baleful brand of mischief, Mokkus grew bored, and thought of a final humiliation for Mankind to endure. He roused Vog, the Lord of Volcanoes, who lay deep beneath the earth in smoldering hibernation and told him of the trick he played on the Divine Brethren. Vog was no friend of the Brethren and chortled with unabashed glee at Mokkus tale. When the Divine Brethren had first birthed the earth, they had asked Vog to spew and disgorge his flames and detritus, to rumble and roar, and help in shaping the earth. But once the earth was formed, the gods forbade Vog from evoking further explosions, and bid him sleep. Vog went from being an essential member of the Pantheon to a forgotten, unappreciated deity in a matter of a few centuries, or moments, in gods time.

Though Vog was bitter and enraged, he dared not defy the Divine Brethrens will, nor challenge their combined might. And so he slumbered, waiting for a new Time of Upheaval, when he could rise again, spew forth fire and ash, and shape the earth to his own whims again. That time was now. Mokkus, suffering from ennui, suggested to Vog that the Volcano Lord should wake and show Man his might, lest Man forget the Mighty Vog Mokkus played up to Vogs vanities, and unable to resist, Vog erupted, knowing the Divine Brethren were away and would not notice.

But even Mokkus underestimated Vogs wrath, after lying dormant for millennia. Vog now unleashed his full powers on the unsuspecting Kingdoms of Man. Volcanoes the world over, exploded in fiery ecstasy! The Kingdoms of Man experienced a cataclysm of unimaginable proportions. Fire spewed everywhere destroying entire civilizations, the earth rumbled, and the seas boiled!

Mokkus fearful of the Divine Brethrens retribution at what Vog had unleashed, and their subsequent judgment of his role in the destruction, escaped the confines of the earth and flew back to the heavens atop the Roc-King once more. Upon his return to the Celestial Void, he found Oluu Sun-Disk and Avveid Father-Sky, and spun a new tale of lies. He claimed that Man had changed while the Brethren were away, turning to vice, wickedness and iniquity. He claimed further that Vog had awakened on his own accord, and chose to punish Man in the Brethrens stead. The Brethren were horrified when they once again looked down upon the smoldering earth, but believed Mokkus tale, as he was not yet known as the Trickster.

After some deliberation, Avveid Father-Sky had settled on a course of action. Man would not be rescued from Vogs destructive forces. He deemed Man guilty of transgression and deserving of the fate, which Vog forced on them. Avveid also saw this, as an opportunity to placate Vogs original fury at being ostracized by the Brethren millennia ago, after his role of earth-shaping was complete. The Divine brethren decided to let Man suffer for a thousand years, and Mokkus smiled, for he was viewed as a hero among the gods.

Meanwhile below, Vog cared naught for the edicts of the Brethren. After years of spewing and fiery destruction he at last abated his efforts and rested, returning to his dormant sleep. Half the race of Man had perished during the Time of Vogs Fury, and the world was forever changed. Now, after the fiery explosions of the earths volcanoes had at last subsided, Man truly entered an era of nightmare, for something far worse than fire and destruction had now dawned, the Breath of Vog had covered the skies. The ash, smoke, and detritus had formed a gray ring around the earth, masking the glow of Oluu Sun-Disk, and plunging Man into a new dark age. Neither Oluus light nor warmth could reach the earth, and an apocalypse occurred. Beasts and Plants of the earth perished from the cold and lifeless air. Man struggled to survive and civilization halted. The Age of Vog was upon them. The Unending Winter of Discontent, the Epoch of Smoke and Ash, The Time of Gray Skies.

Expanding the scenario

This scenario will be expanded in an upcoming submission detailing the unique world of the Age of Vog.