A Risus supplement by Zach "Grimmy" Lazarus

Esi'darap is the underworld of Terra- the opposite of the so called Promised Land. However, until recently, it didn't even exist...

At one time there were two gods- Phoenix and Paragon. Phoenix was a colossal bird with a magnificent red and gold coat, which provided the equivalent of sunlight to the lands of Terra. This was the first quarter of the day, as Paragon rested. In the next quarter, Paragon would come to visit with Phoenix, tinting the sky with a relaxing deep orange. Paragon was equally as magnificent as Phoenix- but with a blue and white plumage. The third quarter of the day, Phoenix rested while Paragon lit up what would be a black canvas of sky- with a beautiful white ambiance, blue reflecting off of his majestic feathers, the sky turning to a subtle dark navy color. In the final quarter of the day, Phoenix would awake and visit with Paragon, the sky becoming a tranquil purple. After the quarter was over, Paragon would go back into rest.

Terra was a paradise- people worshiping their god of choice, living in harmony. However, the gods one day got in a fight over whose coat shown more majestically. The argument went on for 3 whole days and drove Terra into sort of a mass hysteria; regardless of it being a somewhat trivial dispute, the Terrans didn't know exactly what was going on, the tongue of the gods being inaudible to their ears. The more brash worshipers of Phoenix eventually started an underground movement to decimate the worshipers of Paragon in swift attacks, banishing them to a giant, abandoned maze of caves known as the Abyss.

They succeeded and overthrew the church of Paragon, and eventually the god became weaker and weaker- until he finally fell onto the earth, where headstrong Phoenix worshipers restrained him and discarded him into the Abyss, with the rest of the Paragon worshipers.

However, the remaining Paragon worshipers managed to keep him alive with devout worship and meticulously handled care- all of them barely finding ways to survive in the deep abyss, living off of foliage which appreciated the dank atmosphere.

Those trapped beneath the earth eventually became accustomed to the new atmosphere- where Paragon would stay awake all day, every day, to care for his worshipers to his highest extent. The entire cave system was lit up with a somewhat melancholy yet powerful teal, more on the blue side than the green. The larger chambers of the caves would have cloud like mist delicately hanging from the ceiling, sort of negating the inhabitants of feeling like they were confined to a dark hell. They all began to make their own cultures, rivaling that of the world above. Not soon, but one day they will overthrow the order of the Phoenix- even if that meant destroying the god himself. One day, they will escape their new "home"- Esi'darap.

-RACES-

The Imps

A pet project of Paragon's back before he and Phoenix made the Terrans- the first experiment with sentient beings. The Terrans may actually have never been made if Phoenix didn't remark on his distaste for the Imps. Favoring dark places, Paragon crafted the Abyss for them and they lived happily in seclusion from the Phoenix's brilliant shine oft visible on the surface. When the Forlorn arrived, they happily accepted them as brethren.

The Forlorn

The humans banished to the Abyss now known as Esi'darap. All of them devoutly worship Paragon- striving to keep him full of power from their hopes. They wear long cloaks and thick clothes to help keep them warm, and practice using scythes oftenly in hopes that, in the hands of skilled masters, they could trump the more commonly seen above-ground swords and spears.

The Magi

The most tender carers of Paragon in his darkest days were blessed with some of the restorative power of Paragon- their skin turned a gentle blue and their hair an impossibly light white, both colors imitating parts of his own palette.

-POINTS OF INTEREST-