Fate of the Forbearers

The ancient text 'Fate of the Forbearers' is a tale of a an ancient civilization, possibly an early Astran civilization, or perhaps even older. The text describes the story of how these people came to worship the goddess Anuitac, their connection to her powers, and the gifts she bestowed and took away.

Summary

Introduction. In the early days of the world, when mortals still grappled with the mysteries of life, death, and the afterlife, a great fear took hold of a people who dwelled in the jungles of Ankoya. Uncertain of their fate beyond death and desperate for knowledge, they looked to the heavens and prayed to the stars for guidance. Their cries reached the ears of Anuitac, the Weaver of Fate, the goddess who spun the threads of destiny, death, and divination. Seeing the sincerity in their plea, Anuitac decided to test their worthiness to receive the knowledge they sought.   Chapter 1: Worship. Anuitac sent forth an angel, a divine being tasked with presenting the mortals with their first trial. The angel commanded them to build a grand temple in honor of Anuitac, a sacred place where they could worship the Weaver and honor the delicate threads of fate she controlled. The people, driven by their desire to gain divine knowledge, labored with unyielding dedication. Stone by stone, they constructed a temple that would stand for generations. Upon its completion, Anuitac was pleased and blessed them with the gift of divine magic, a power that allowed them to glimpse the threads of fate and understand the deeper mysteries of existence.   However, this gift came at a cost. The mortals, now imbued with divine magic, grew prideful. They began to wield this power not in service of the goddess, but for their own gain. Their actions disrupted the balance they had sought to understand, betraying the worthiness they had once demonstrated. In her wisdom, Anuitac saw that they needed to be tested once more to reclaim their honor.   Chapter 2: Sacrifice. A second trial was sent, this time far more severe. The angel returned with a new challenge: the mortals had to make a sacrifice to atone for the lives they had destroyed through their misuse of divine power. Failure to fulfill this task would bring ruin upon them all. Humbled by their previous arrogance and fully aware of the dire consequences, the people undertook the trial with renewed humility. They gave up that which was most precious to them. Those that had transgressed most were ritually sacrificed upon the altar of the temple, and all other followers of Anuitac relinquished their divine powers. They devoted the rest of their lives to nurturee the lands they had destroyed, make peace with those they had waged war with and aid whomever they could. They taught the generations that followed to live by the same values. Over decades of this hard work and sacrifice, they proved their worthiness once more.   In recognition of their repentance, Anuitac chose not to bless them again with divine power but instead granted them the knowledge to create and use the sacred Balm of Anuitac. This divine substance, crafted from oil and clay was to be used in the preparation of the dead, ensuring that their spirits would ascend to Anuitac’s plane of existence after death. It was a gift of immeasurable value, promising that their souls would be guided to the afterlife under the protection of the Weaver.   Chapter 3: Abomination. Yet over many years, the mortals fell into complacency again. The Balm, meant to honor the dead and guide them to the afterlife, began to be misused. They applied it to the living, seeking to extend life or alter fate, defying the sacred rites. Anuitac, seeing the chaos that was unleashed by their actions, sent a third messenger, another angel, this time with a stern warning. The angel revealed the perilous consequences of their folly through a vision. If the Balm were to continue to be used outside the bounds of the sacred rituals, it could bind souls to dark and chaotic forces, unraveling the threads of fate and dooming them to a cursed existence. The angel offered them a choice, to heed the warning or face the consequences of their actions without the aid or wisdom of Anuitac. He remained on the mortal plane to advise and observe them for 100 years.   Chapter 4: Mending. Struck with fear and guilt and guided by the angel, the mortals realized the magnitude of their transgressions. They understood that Anuitac held the power to end their existence entirely, to sever the threads of their spirits and those of their ancestors. Heeding the warning, they sought to mend their ways, returning to the sacred practices and using the Balm only as intended, with reverence and caution. When the angel had observed the people's newfound respect for the balm, he returned to Anuitac, who bestowed a divine gift of knowledge upon the people; a method to cure those that whad been affected with the balm of Anuitac.   Chapter 5: Warnings. Hundreds of years after bestowing the cure, Anuitac, the Weaver of Fate herself, descended upon the mortal plane with a host of angels to deliver a series of dire prophecies. During this moment, the angels collected all sorts of things from the mortal plane and received sacred offerings and artifacts, symbolizing the bond between mortals and the divine. Anuitac warned her followers of the emergence of wild magic, devastating wars between mortals and gods, and the a barrier which would sever direct divine connection. She also foretold of changes in time that could erase their culture, the decay of mighty pillars of creation that maintain the balance between the planes of existence, and a night without stars that would mark a pivotal shift in history. These prophecies were a call to vigilance, reminding the people that the future was theirs to shape, even as the Divines would become distant.