Figures of Legend

Many of the legends of our ancestors were, I believe, based on the actions of real individuals. I am loathe to spend very much time on this section, as I believe it will require a book in its own right, and will involve many, many years of painstaking investigation.

I will note that it is very likely that those Gods whose legends describe as originally being mortals, such as the Dannan Lugh, are probably true. This practice intensified in the early and middle stages of the Pantheon War, as each side attempted to increase their number, and reward loyal mortals. I imagine that the practice of elevating 'worthy' mortals to godhood ceased after the Pantheon war.

A figure of interest in pre-historic Earth is the human known as Mathias. The heroic accounts of the mysterious young human named Mathias, Mattius, Mafis, Mathus, and various other spellings exist within almost every Earth culture/racial group. In addition, very few of these legends overlap; instead they tell of how the human came among them, achieved a great feat or defeated a dangerous threat, some of which included gods, and moved on.

They describe him as tall yet thin, dark hair, determined, honorable (within those cultures where the concept of honor had recently been developed), brave, selflessÏ the list goes on, each legend singing the praises of the human able to wield what, if descriptions are correct, had to have been extremely powerful magic. I suspect that Mathias may have been one of the first Magi, wielding the fields of magic in its totality.

The legend of his death was widely told among the Dannan until the Wardens' war. It is said that he came upon the frigid Dannan clans, and fought a powerful demon described only as an Arch-Fiend, It was in this battle that Mathias is said to have died as he killed the demon.

It would certainly make sense that when the Warden known as Mathias appeared, many would link this warden and the man of legend. At the very least, the two Mathiases shared many of the same attributes of honor and courage. With Mathias' betrayal, however, the legendary exploits of the human were no longer told.

Updated August 16 2002
By Moderator/Group Owner Senidel - [email protected]