In the beginning...

There was the One, the Creator of all things. But loneliness set in the Creator's heart, and the desire to have others around it... to serve... play with... even contend with...

And so, the Creator created the ghods and ghoddesses. Beings that had free will, their own desires and needs, and their own abilities to create...

But the Creator found that each ghod was predictable. They had individual needs, but none of them were really that interesting. In fact, some of them were downright boring in monotony of their desires. And so, the Creator took a great chance and created other beings.... Players...

The Players truly had souls. The ghods were powerful, but there was no soul, no desire to worship; no awareness of what is good or bad. These new Players had souls, and could make choices as to how they would live.

When first the Creator made these creatures, the ghods laughed. They saw only puny little beings with little power. And they didn't understand nor believe that such small things could "choose"... a concept that not even they fully understood.

And so, the One created a test of the Players; a demonstration for the ghods and all beings that these Players were special...that they could discern between ethical choices. The One created a great Dragon, the first of its kind. This Dragon was incredibly powerful, and curled itself up around a tree that the One created. A very special tree with the most beautiful and glowing fruit hanging from its boughs.

The Creator offered all beings there in the Universe the opportunity to eat the fruit of this tree. The beings were told that eating of this fruit would bring quick power, also known as P'ua, Ru'ach, Chi, Prana, and other names as well. All of the ghods immediately ate the fruit as they were not beings that could even conceive of the idea that quick power may not be the most wise or useful to Creation itself. The ghods became even more powerful than they had been, and laughed at all things other than themselves.

Upon seeing the example of the ghods, most of the Players chose to eat of the fruit as well. But for them, they only received a limited amount of power in comparison to the ghods. But there were a few Players who were different...

These few looked at the effect of the fruit, but they also looked deeply into the souls that the One had given them. They looked at the eyes of the great Dragon, and saw the delight he took in the other Players' eating of the fruit...and something inside their spirits said this was not the best way to serve Creation. And so these few Players stepped away from the rest...the ghods and the other Players. They looked in revulsion as the others gorged themselves and remained apart from all others. And they continued to stay separate as a mist came over the Dragon and the Tree.

The Dragon began to inhale, and as he did, each Player who had eaten of the Tree lost a small part of his soul. And with that loss of soul, the conscious connection to the Creator was also lost. This had been the test of the One. An opportunity to make a choice based on nothing except an inner knowing that there is always a choice between quick power, and a connection to the Creator. And most had chosen quick power over faith... fast strength over enduring honor, respect, and love.

At this time, the One spoke to all his creations. "There was a choice for each of you to make. A choice between a seemingly easy path and a path that showed nothing and was veiled. But not all choices are as they seem. I will now create worlds. Yea, I will even create whole Universes. And you Players will occupy these lands. Different they shall each be, yet they will all ultimately be controlled by my hands. In these lands you will be born, and you will die. You shall struggle against forces greater and lesser than yourselves, and your contests will be watched by my other children, the ghods and ghoddesses here that they may delight and learn through your experiences.

For most of you, power and strength will come quickly and easily. Yet for these Players, they will never truly feel the connection of my Presence in their lives. They will never really understand my Creation; nor will they ever really reap the fullest rewards of Life. But for you few who had the awareness to stay away from the easy temptations of quick strength...you will have the greatest rewards.

You too will be born in these lands, yet you will find yourselves apart. Your souls will sing to a different melody for you will hear in your hearts the song that is my expression of love. My connection to you will never be lost. Power and strength may seem to come slower to you than to others, but it will ultimately be much stronger...more vibrant...deeper and wiser than those around you. You will find yourselves leaders among the other Players, and not understand why others come to you for your guidance, wisdom, and support. But it will be because you have the direct connection to me, the One, that they all seek as well. That connection that all beings seek, yet only you possess deep inside your souls.

Because you have seen the truth of the test of the Dragon, you will be referred to as Dragon Maw.

I will place forgetfulness upon all players as to the true history of their souls and spirits, even my beloved Dragon Maw. But the Dragon Maw will have a special blessing from my love. As you grow in your wisdom and strength, you will seek each other out. You will recognize each other, your brothers and sisters of Dragon Maw, by the respect, honor, faith, and playfulness that you share. And as you recognize each other, you will begin to band together...

It is only when all Dragon Maw have recognized each other and banded together again; as you did for the first time here in the Trial of the Dragon, that the Universe will again be whole. It is only then that all others, even the ghods themselves, will be able to see the real strength of my love... a strength that you Dragon Maw will have in the depths of your souls that will be admired and respected by all..."

And so, the One created worlds and universes, and placed the Players in them. Some were worlds based on mechanics and science; some were based on magic and nature; some were places of war; some worlds of peace; and some were a combination of all these qualities. And the ghods watched the Players in these worlds, and occasionally took part in their struggles for their own amusement.

But as the souls were being placed in each of the worlds, those of the Dragon Maw heard a voice inside...

"Remember! O my beloved Dragon Maw, remember that you are special. For you have recognized the truth of combining strength and wisdom through faith, honor, respect, and love. Others will seek me in books and rituals. But I say to you, look in the hearts of the faithful. If you seek me, seek in these hearts.

Find each other. And together in unity you will grow strong...

Seek for each other, my beloved ones. In your seeking...you will find each other... and you will find Me."

The ghods have a saying that the Creator does not shout, he whispers. And the whisper in the hearts of the Dragon Maw goes back to their first choice of love over power; faith over fist; honor over betrayal. And in that choice... all is opened to them.

In worlds and universes, the Dragon Maw recognize each other. Some deep stirring takes place in their hearts when they meet another brother or sister. And they come together in physical form; championing the true dreams of the One...still hearing the echoes of his words...

"Seek for each other, my beloved ones. Seek... "