[center][h1]Kalla[/h1][/center][center][i]"Gaea is our responsibility. We must care for it, defend it, and help it heal. Anyone who cannot see that is dangerous, and I will treat them accordingly."[/i][/center]
[center][img]http://oi54.tinypic.com/25kplpt.jpg[/img][/center]
[center][i] The Eternal, the Everqueen, the First Mother, the Horned Goddess and the Patient[/i][/center]
[center][b]Domains[/b]: Nature, Plants, Beasts, Love, Life[/center]

[hider=Powers]Kalla's abilities mainly involve controlling plants and animals. Calling forth roots from deep within the earth, making wild beasts do her bidding, and bringing new life to desolate areas are all within the First Mother's purview. Unlike most divinities, the Horned Goddess' powers are primarily derived from a mysterious language she was born knowing. A language known as [i]urdalaar[/i] or the "wild tongue." Considering how integral the wild tongue is to Kalla's divine abilities, the goddess rarely speaks this language in front of her siblings. The thought of what could happen if [i]urdalaar[/i] became common knowledge often keeps Kalla awake at night. Those whose actions or prayers please the First Mother, however, are occasionally rewarded with a short phrase of [i]urdalaar[/i], allowing them to wield a modicum of the goddess' power.

Of course, there are limits to what the wild tongue can do. In order for this mystical language to work, the speaker must be able to mentally picture their intended tools before uttering the necessary words. For example, a human using [i]urdalaar[/i] to defend his farm from catfolk raiders needs time to bring the image of the roots beneath his apple tree to the forefront of his mind. Only then can he speak the wild tongue and command those roots to spear through his attackers' furry hides. In addition, the further the plant or animal is from the speaker the more energy it takes to control them through [i]urdalaar[/i]. The same farmer attempting to order the spruce trees on the other side of his property to send their leaves rushing towards the catfolk would quickly find himself too exhausted to stand. It is entirely possible for a mortal speaker to overextend themselves and die due to a misuse of [i]urdalaar[/i]. Finally, the most obvious rule of using the wild tongue is you must know what words to say in order to achieve your desired result. 

Kalla can accomplish almost anything with [i]urdalaar[/i]. As long as she says the correct words and can sense the life energy of her desired tools, she can unleash the full power of the wild tongue on her enemies. Only a desperate or crazed person would dare challenge the First Mother using the wild tongue. Any speaker of [i]urdalaar[/i] attempting to utilize the same plants or animals as Kalla would find themselves overwhelmed and on the verge of collapse. Unless the other speaker was a god or goddess, of course.

The wild tongue notwithstanding, the Everqueen can also possess any beast that isn't a bird and use it as a temporary vessel. This talent also extends to any of her creations, including the Colossus, kobolds, and sylvan. Both her physical and spiritual forms have this ability, and [i]urdalaar[/i] is still accessible to her as long as her vessel has a mouth. If her vessel is slain then Kalla instantly finds herself transported to the World Tree Glade. In addition to these gifts, the Horned Goddess' physical form is three times as strong and twice as fast as the most formidable mortal, though she prefers to find nonviolent solutions to her problems. Due to her understanding of the wild tongue and her other talents, Kalla views combat as a waste of time unless it serves a specific purpose. The Everqueen also has the power to bring life back to dying things with a touch, though she cannot resurrect something that is already dead. The soil of a demonically tainted wasteland might contain lingering sparks of life, but a dead man must remain dead. That is part of the natural order, and Kalla respects such things.

Another useful talent Kalla possesses is the ability to travel through the roots of any plant as easily as a human might walk down a hallway. Arborealus, a legendary forest rumored to contain Kalla's World Tree, has roots running across Gaea and the divine realm. This means the goddess can slip into a root and follow it as far as it goes, crossing vast distances in the blink of an eye. If the root is cut or damaged, however, Kalla is forced to either emerge or return the way she came. Finally, the First Mother projects an aura of unconditional love wherever she goes, though she can turn this power off and on at will. This aura is incapable of making someone fall in love, but it can make a person feel as if they are loved. Out of respect for her divine brothers and sisters, Kalla dims this aura in their presence, though she also knows deities are rarely affected by it in the first place.[/hider]

[hider=Vulnerabilities]Kalla isn't fond of fire, especially since so many of her creations are extremely flammable. Fire can be useful, and the goddess understands it's important to the natural order, but it also has the potential to wreak untold havoc. Though it happened over five hundred years ago, the memory of the Cataclysm is still fresh in Kalla's mind so she also has an intense fear of demons. The image of the kobold kingdom of Barindur burning while demons capered among the corpses haunts Kalla's dreams to this day. In the end, the First Mother's greatest weakness is her creations, her children. She will do anything to keep her loved ones safe, and her fondness for her offspring could be used to manipulate her.[/hider]

[hider=Appearance]Numerous races have seen the First Mother's physical form over the years. While artistic depictions of her often vary in small ways, the main characteristics remain the same. She has the body of a green-skinned human woman, no older than twenty years of age, with a shaved head and white antlers sprouting from her forehead. Perhaps her most notable trait are her vivid amber eyes, which are capable of shining with love beyond measure or gleaming with unrelenting hatred. Normally, Kalla wears leather tunics dyed in various shades of green and simple leather breeches when in her physical form. For more formal events, such as meetings with her siblings, she dons a white linen dress and ties a length of vine around her waist like a belt. She never wears shoes. 

Her spiritual form is quite different. One of the Horned Goddess' earliest creations was the World Tree. Whenever she enters the mortal plane from Valhalla, she first passes through this tree before going about her business. The tree looks like a colossal oak with bone white bark and black leaves, though the location of this magnificent specimen is known only to Kalla. At any rate, the First Mother's spiritual form looks like the World Tree and, probably due to how limiting it can be, she prefers to spend time in her physical form.[/hider]

[hider=Creations]
When Kalla first opened her eyes, finding herself on Gaea in the middle of a barren plain, thousands upon thousands of wild beasts sprang from the spot where she lay. Grasses, trees, and plants of all shapes and sizes also began to bloom. While the First Mother didn't intentionally bring these creations to life, she treats them like her first children. But more would come...

[b]The Colossus, also known as the First Son and the Earthshaker[/b]
[img]https://hydra-media.cursecdn.com/hearthstone.gamepedia.com/thumb/9/9e/Ancient_of_War_full.jpg/500px-Ancient_of_War_full.jpg?version=cf6ee6449d2be0fbd077c4e01b0923fd[/img]

After Kalla awoke on Gaea, she wandered the mortal plane, reveling in its beauty and looking for a place to call her own. She was walking through a lush, and unusually warm, valley when she heard a loud bellowing sound. She looked up and was shocked by what she saw. One of Kilgarrah's dragons, a massive beast with glittering red scales, flew over her head, roaring proudly as he soared through the sky.

The First Mother fled back to the field where she'd woken up, her mind spinning as she tried to think of something that could protect her future creations from such a deadly hunter. Seven days and seven nights passed before the goddess devised a solution. On the eighth day, the First Mother created the World Tree and Arborealus, the Forest Between Realms. She also made something else. Something huge.

A titanic construct, taller than most mountains, now walked beside Kalla, his immense granite body covered in flowering plants and mighty trees. His footsteps made the ground shake. His eyes, two pools of raw green energy, made women faint and men wail like infants. His silver tusks, which could pierce even dragon hide, shimmered in the sun. He was the Colossus, and he was the first son of Kalla. Luckily for the rest of Gaea, the Colossus mainly exists to protect the World Tree, though the Earthshaker is strong enough to give even a god pause. He probably couldn't kill a deity, but the wounds he inflicted would give Kalla a chance to finish the attacker off. 

When the Colossus walks Gaea, all who venerate the First Mother know the situation is dire.

[b]The Kobolds[/b]
[img]http://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/normal/293636.jpg[/img]

Amusingly, the kobolds are Kalla's response to humans. After witnessing all the wondrous and horrific acts mankind was capable of, she created what she believed humans should be, an inquisitive and childlike people full of boundless enthusiasm. The kobolds are the result. They are a short people, most of them standing at a little over four feet, and appear to be a bizarre combination of rabbits and mice. They look like rabbits standing upright, with fur ranging from grayish black to white in color, but they also have stubby tails. While the Horned Goddess gave them enough intelligence to survive Gaea's many perils, she was surprised to see the kobolds actively learning from humanity, crafting stone tools and weapons within a few weeks of their creation. As the years passed and the kobold population grew, the beastmen became skilled tinkers and engineers, assisting their allies by building siege weapons and immense stone walls.

Kalla was displeased by how the kobolds seemed to be turning away from nature, though she couldn't deny the pride she felt seeing her little ones achieving so much.

And then, less than a hundred before the Cataclysm, the kobolds founded a nation of their own and abandoned the Horned Goddess altogether. Instead, they chose to venerate the king they'd chosen to lead their new kingdom, an act that filled Kalla with disappointment and sorrow. She was inconsolable and refused to leave Arborealus for decades. When the Cataclysm descended on Gaea, however, she emerged briefly to create the twelve sylvan, mighty warriors with orders to keep the kobolds safe. In the end, this proved to not be enough, and seven kobolds, including God-King Tharbek, traveled to Arborealus to seek Kalla's aid. What happened next is a tale told time and time again by modern-day kobolds. But such stories must wait for now.

The beastmen now live in nomadic tribes that wander Gaea, exploring and doing their best to survive in a shattered, godless world. A primitive society based around hunting and gathering has emerged over the last hundred years, though there are many kobolds that long to reclaim the land of their ancestors. Others wish to recreate the lost kingdom of Barindur. Thankfully, both of these groups are outnumbered by those that derive comfort and solace from their new lifestyle. Led by elders known as greatmothers or greatfathers, Kalla's loyal beastmen are focused on living life to the fullest and spreading the doctrine of the Horned Goddess.

While they may not seem like much, with their stone weapons and undeveloped society, kobolds can be dangerous in large numbers. Using their teeth and claws, these furry creatures can rend flesh and carve through leather armor with relative ease. Of course, they'd much rather trade or play with the people they encounter. Nothing establishes lasting friendships quicker than a good prank. Or so the kobolds believe. Lastly, kobolds will occasionally confer titles on those they feel deserve them. The greatmother or greatfather, elders, and greenblood warriors of the tribe are responsible for bestowing these titles. It is considered an incredible honor to be given a title, and those lucky enough to receive one are expected to accomplish great things during their lifetimes.

[b]The Seven Tribes:[/b] -[i]Tribe Tharbek-2,000 kobolds[/i]
-[i]Tribe Varrosh-575 kobolds[/i]
-[i]Tribe Redfang-700 kobolds[/i]
-[i]Tribe Drogar-1,000 kobolds[/i]
-[i]Tribe Gordul-600 kobolds[/i]
-[i]Tribe Pardra-250 kobolds[/i]
-[i]Tribe Krom-850 kobolds[/i]

[b]The Sylvan, also known as the Twelve and the Hands of the Everqueen[/b]
[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/ec/cf/a9/eccfa95283a5b0112425bacb84b95e43.jpg[/img]

During the Cataclysm, Kalla desperately wanted to protect the kobolds despite their lack of respect for her. In truth, if the First Mother hadn't acted in those first days of smoke and madness the beastmen would've perished. Luckily for the furry creatures, she decided to create a race of twelve powerful beings called the sylvan, blessing each one with a thorough understanding of the wild tongue and bodies made of unyielding ironwood. Before being sent out into Gaea proper, each sylvan was given a task relating to the kobolds. These tasks would become their titles as the years passed. For example, Bardolan was commanded to patrol the borders of Barindur to ensure no demons slipped through. While he couldn't keep them all out, Bardolan's use of [i]urdalaar[/i], augmented by a natural talent for swordplay, resulted in the deaths of countless invaders. Now, he is known as the Watcher or Bardolan the Watcher. 

With bodies and weapons made of ironwood as well as an unrivaled mastery of [i]urdalaar[/i], the immortal sylvan exist only to serve Kalla and ensure her desires become reality. The kobolds view them as demigods, mouthpieces of the Horned Goddess, which is precisely what they are. After the Cataclysm, the sylvan were recalled to Arborealus and fell into a deep slumber, only awakening when the Everqueen called them. They are skilled fighters, despite their lithe figures, and can move faster than any mortal in existence. Their strength lies in quick, decisive attacks intended to end a battle quickly since prolonged conflict is anathema to the sylvan. Lastly, the sylvan are quite flammable since their weapons and bodies are pure ironwood. While this is a major weakness, the sylvan's ironwood bodies also make them impervious to aging or pain. In truth, they are little more than wooden statues animated by the power of the wild tongue.

[b]The Twelve Sylvan:[/b] -[i]Bardolan the Watcher[/i]
-[i]Myrande the Seeker[/i]
-[i]Kelestra the Calculator[/i]
-[i]Quithas the Diviner[/i]
-[i]Darondis the Provider[/i]
-[i]Rana the Hunter[/i]
-[i]Elara the Protector[/i]
-[i]Terisen the Seer[/i]
-[i]Zalatheon the Warrior[/i]
-[i]Sagrell the Teacher[/i]
-[i]Velanni the Messenger[/i]
-[i]Kirin the Healer[/i][/hider]

[hider=Religion, Worshipers, and Culture]Due to both the Cataclysm and the Silence, Kalla lacks an organized religion among any living race except the kobolds. Most civilized peoples used to ask her for a rich harvest or healthy babies, and she usually granted these requests. Occasionally, she would refuse to do so if a particular group had done something to corrupt or harm an area of unspoiled wilderness. In the past, she would send the Colossus to destroy entire cities because their logging operations cut down more trees then they could possibly use. Kalla can be temperamental at times, and she has a habit of overreacting to situations like these. While she normally tried to mend whatever damage she'd caused, the Horned Goddess would almost always leave those that harmed the Colossus, kobolds, or sylvan to perish.

Every now and again, maidens or lovesick young men, hoping to catch the attention of their beloved, would offer baked goods or fine jewels to Kalla in an attempt to gain her blessing. These gifts always amused the goddess. What need did the First Mother have of a sweet roll or a ruby the size of a kobold's fist? Her mirth aside, Kalla is a kind, peaceful goddess, and she typically supported those that took the time to pray to her or leave offerings at her shrines. In fact, before the Cataclysm, there was a holiday known as Kallamas that was celebrated by several different nations. It was a simple holiday based on giving and receiving gifts while asking Kalla to protect your loved ones. Unfortunately, all record of this tradition was lost during the Cataclysm.

The kobolds, on the other hand, still take worshipping Kalla quite seriously. It might be the only thing they take seriously besides ensuring their tribe's survival. Each tribe's leader, known as a greatmother or greatfather, is normally a white-furred kobold with a talent for wielding the wild tongue. This individual acts as a spiritual guide and advisor, leading the tribe in prayer at sunrise, noon, and sunset every day. It's also considered good manners among the kobolds to leave a plate of food and a cup of water for the First Mother whenever they eat a meal. You never know when she might appear or send one of her sylvan to join the tribe's feasting. Due to their role in saving their ancestors from destruction, the kobolds view the sylvan as speakers of the goddess' will and treat them with the utmost reverence.[/hider]

[hider=Region or Location]Being a goddess of the wilds, Kalla doesn't have a specific place she calls home. Whenever she physically visits the mortal realm, she spends most of her time exploring the untamed places, using the roots of various plants to travel from one end of Gaea to the other. Wherever life, wilderness, and love exist, Kalla is there, watching with amber eyes and a delighted smile on her green face.

The only exception to this rule is the immense forest known as Arborealus, the Forest Between Realms. Some say this place exists partially in the mortal realm and partially in Valhalla. Others whisper that a terrible evil is trapped beneath an ancient oak growing in the center of the forest. Still others claim Kalla holds debauched orgies among the trees. Two of these three statements are true, and Arborealus' extraplanular nature is one of the reasons it's so hard to find. By allowing it to grow between two realms, Kalla has effectively ensured only another deity can consistently find Arborealus. The main reason the Horned Goddess keeps the woodland's exact location a secret is because the World Tree can be found there. It's her gateway to the mortal realm and must be protected. Can she enter Gaea without the tree? Yes, but she would be much weaker if she did. The World Tree acts as a resting place of sorts, giving Kalla an opportunity to regain her strength after crossing from one realm to another.[/hider]

[hider=Personality]Kalla is remarkably even-tempered. She enjoys adventure and dangerous situations as much as the next divinity, but she tends to be calm, methodical, and pleasant no matter the circumstances. Unlike her more vindictive siblings, the Everqueen finds quarreling tiresome and would prefer to spend her time having long talks with her fellow deities, trading stories and sharing a cup or two of ambrosia. Maybe three cups. Her love of drinking notwithstanding, Kalla treats almost everyone she meets with warmth and respect.

This all changes the moment someone decides to threaten her creations. The Horned Goddess transforms into an unstoppable force of nature, destroying everything that shows even the slightest interest in harming her children. Only the total destruction of the perceived threat will quench the First Mother's fury. Fortunately, Kalla doesn't anger easily, but she also doesn't calm down easily. In truth, she'd much rather run through a forest in her bare feet, whooping and hollering for the sheer pleasure of it, than hurt anyone.[/hider]

[hider=Opinions][i]Kilgarrah[/i]
Kalla is wary of Kilgarrah, like a she-wolf eyeing an alpha from another pack. She admires his scaly progeny for being efficient predators, but she's never forgotten how intimidating it was to stare at the belly of a dragon as it flew overhead. The Colossus wasn't solely created to watch the World Tree, after all. Nevertheless, the Horned Goddess often defers to Kilgarrah and treats him like a stern older brother. As long as his knights and dragons don't wantonly destroy her creations, she's content to let him do what he wants.

[i]Nahargu’ul[/i]
Kalla enjoys many things in life, but teasing and playing harmless pranks on Nahargu'ul are two of her favorite pastimes. She's careful not to antagonize the Sea-Fiend too much, but the water god can be so dramatic at times. In truth, Kalla just wants to get to know her enigmatic brother better, though she understands his desire for privacy. She's also grateful for Nahargu'ul's revitalizing waters and the fish swimming within them. Her kobolds enjoy fishing, though they aren't particularly good at it.

[i]Yigzavath[/i]
Kalla is well-acquainted with the natural order. She knows death must always follow life. It's inevitable, and so are things like natural disasters and plagues. She views Yigzavath as a necessary evil, though he's one of the few gods she doesn't enjoy talking to. It's not because he looks like the spawn of some hideous monster and a centipede. It's not because the Acolytes of Yigzavath are so dangerous when left to their own devices. It's not even how foul he smells. It's all these things combined.

[i]Nahash[/i]
The Horned Goddess considers Nahash to be something of a kindred spirit. The Albino Gorgon values freedom almost as much as Kalla does. In addition, change, especially unexpected change, is a vital part of the natural order. It weeds out the weak and unprepared. However, there have been times when Kalla and Nahash disagreed due to the Beguiler intentionally making a difficult situation worse. Furthermore, the First Mother would never knowingly hurt a mortal unless she had a good reason. A love of chaos for its own sake is one part of Nahash's personality that Kalla finds worrying, if not outright unnerving.

[i]Dormammus[/i]
The Everqueen doesn't have much of a relationship with or opinion about Dormammus. Some might call the wild tongue magic, but it's nothing of the sort. It's a language that, when spoken aloud and accompanied by certain mental images, can cause changes in one's surroundings. All this aside, Kalla does value the god's council and believes he's one of the smartest deities in existence. She's also impressed by how willing he is to explain certain things to mortals. Of course, Dormammus' longer lectures are usually enough to send Kalla running back to Arborealus.

[i]Iuppiter[/i] 
Without a doubt, Iuppiter is Kalla's favorite divine sibling. His jovial personality, not to mention the responsibility he feels for his worshippers, has convinced the First Mother he's someone worth following. If she didn't have responsibilities of her own, the Everqueen would spend as much time with Iuppiter as possible, dancing beneath the open sky and inviting any mortals that stumbled upon them to join the fun. In Kalla's opinion, the world needs Iuppiter now more than ever in the wake of the Cataclysm and the Silence. Also, she once drank too much ambrosia and vomited on Iuppiter's shoes. It was a wonderful night.

[i]Ha[/i]
Similar to Kilgarrah, Kalla has a healthy respect for Ha, though this respect is mixed with something else. Disdain. Kilgarrah's dragons are predators without peer, monsters without any natural enemies. Knights and chivalry, on the other hand, are civilized nonsense that Kalla wants nothing to do with. Besides, the hulking god knight is clearly more interested in spending time in his forge than anything else. Like Dormammus when he's ranting about something dull, the Everqueen tends to avoid Ha unless she has no other choice.

[i]Ashevelen[/i]
Kalla doesn't know much about the goddess of luck, though she's heard from Iuppiter that she's a joy to spend time with. The First Mother also appreciates any deity that treats her worshippers with kindness and decency. Kalla just wishes she had an opportunity to get to know Ashevelen better.

[i]Asivar[/i]
Kalla's relationship with Asivar is complex. On one hand, she feels a connection to him unlike anything she's known with her other siblings, including Iuppiter and Nahash. The hunt is essential to the natural order, and the First Mother would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy watching a predator stalk its prey. The pursuit, the bloodshed, and the satisfaction of the kill are incredibly enticing. There is a part of the Everqueen that wants to court Asivar, to make him her divine lover. What's a little incest between two deities unbound by civilization's petty morals? However, the Divine Huntsman's love of violence and attitude towards mortals are off-putting enough to keep Kalla away from him. Whenever they are forced to speak or work together, the First Mother often feels irritated and flustered.

[i]Kulorerstus[/i]
Kalla finds it difficult to say or spell the god of fear and death's name. It's irritating. His name aside, she views Kulorerstus as little better than Yigzavath, though she appreciates his role in the natural order more. Life would be meaningless without death. The First Son and sylvan are constructs given life by [i]urdalaar[/i], but they are not truly alive. Only the kobolds are. Kalla has seen her little ones die in droves yet she still understands the necessity of death. She treats Kulorerstus courteously, though there's an audible note of distrust in her voice when she talks to him. He is her opposite and that means they can never be friends.

[i]Del Sombra[/i]
Kalla may be a compassionate and friendly goddess, but she still has secrets. The exact nature of Arborealus and the location of the World Tree. The full extent of the wild tongue’s power. The longing she feels for the Divine Huntsman. Del Sombra may know the answers to these unspoken questions so Kalla tries not to upset her. Besides, the Black Cat is a generally pleasant deity and also seems to bring out the best in Nahash. Kalla, as the goddess of love, often tries to create situations where the Albino Gorgon and the Silent One wind up alone together. In the end, despite her irritation with cats and their reticent attitudes, the First Mother is fond of Del Sombra, though she does wish she’d stop using the moniker “Dungeon Master.” It sounds so gaudy.

[i]Thu-mmok[/i]
Thu-mmok and Kalla have never gotten along. While the Everqueen treats the Keeper of Gates respectfully in public, any interaction between them usually ends with her stomping through Arborealus alone, cursing his name and wishing him nothing but misery. Why can’t he understand that covering Gaea in sand will result in the deaths of numerous plants and animals? Plants and animals most mortals need to survive. And a world without mortals is a world Kalla doesn't want to live in. Thu-mmok is one of the few gods capable of shattering Kalla’s calm veneer and revealing the vicious savage within. In truth, the Everqueen does admire the way Thu-mmok protects those that walk the desert, but she finds his inability to accept the natural order alarming. Now that the Silence has ended, Kalla firmly believes the Blight of Earth is the greatest threat to Gaea’s recovery. She’s already pondering ways to curtail his influence in the mortal realm.

[i]Erisbili[/i]
Kalla pities Erisbili, and she always spends at least a few minutes with him during family gatherings. “Insanity,” as the Anselmite philosopher Hesperus wrote during the first days of the Cataclysm, “is the last refuge of a twisted, broken mind.” The Everqueen wholeheartedly agrees with this sentiment and treats the Outsider with courtesy, kindness, and caution whenever they meet. Part of Kalla wants to heal whatever damage was done to Erisbili’s psyche, though she knows this would probably destroy him. What would become of the mad god if he wasn’t mad? Another part of her believes the rewards outweigh the risks, especially in light of Erisbili’s relationship with Yigzavath. The Filthmonger doesn’t need more allies, and perhaps the Stranger would be happier if he was sane. In the end, Kalla often seems like she’s patronizing Erisbili, but her behavior towards him is motivated by genuine concern for his well-being.[/hider]

[hider=Tales]
She shaped us, brethren.
Gives us our sacred tasks.
We belong to her.

The Everqueen sees.
The Everqueen knows us all.
The Everqueen waits.

Fear not the dragon.
We are the will of Kalla.
Fear not the dragon.

I wake from slumber.
Her voice echoes in my head.
My next task begins.

Trees shaking like leaves.
Each footfall like an earthquake. 
The Colossus comes.

-[i]Inscriptions found on a basalt pillar located near the southern entrance of Drake Valley. Although the monolith is cracked and falling apart, the words are still legible. Nobody knows who wrote these poems or why.[/i]

[b]The Last God-King of Barindur[/b]

"Gather round, children, and heed me for the sun has set and now is the time for tales. And what story is more appropriate for these dark, godless days then the legend of Tharbek, the last God-King of Barindur, hm? No, I will not tell you about the Battle over the Sweetwater, where Greatfather Redfang killed three demons with only an acorn and a rusty spoon. I've told that story at least five times this week. Now, hush and pay attention! 

About fifty years before the Cataclysm, our fathers' fathers founded a mighty nation and called it Barindur, a word that means "safe land" in the First Mother's wild tongue. Our ancestors were proud, perhaps too proud, of everything they'd built for themselves. From mighty walls made of limestone bricks to battering rams with iron caps, we created wonders fit to make the gods green with envy. We began to build towns, turning away from the nomadic lifestyle we once enjoyed, and settled down to farm the land. After a few years of this, our people realized they needed a leader. They asked the elders to find someone fit to lead our thriving nation. The next day, a worldly and cunning kobold named Shagrod the Bold became the first God-King of Barindur. Our ancestors loved and admired Shagrod so much they began to worship him, allowing the Cult of the God-King to form and gain prominence.

Do you understand what this means, my squirmy runts? Our fathers' fathers abandoned the First Mother, the Everqueen, the Eternal to worship a mortal just like you and me. Shagrod was no god, though our ancestors were too blinded by prosperity and success to realize this. Despite his shortcomings, however, Shagrod's reign as god-king is still viewed by many as a golden age for our people. Within a few years of donning the god-king's silver crown, Shagrod managed to negotiate an alliance with Anselm, a human kingdom that shared Barindur's eastern border. It was a time of unbelievable luxury and safety for all, but we'd forgotten something important, children. We'd forgotten where we came from. We'd forgotten Kalla. 

Now, Shagrod, worthy Shagrod, had seen nearly fifty summers when he was chosen by the elders to wear the silver crown. He knew the time would soon come when he'd have to pass his title to another. Luckily, he had two sons. The eldest, a brown and white-furred runt with a stout heart, was called Tharbek and his brother, a black-furred child with a talent for fighting, was known as Redfang. Yes, that Redfang! Stop interrupting me or I'll end the story here. Annoying little...anyway, during the winter of Shagrod's fifteenth year as god-king, the First God-King of Barindur was slain while hunting a boar with his closest companions. Shagrod's friends claimed he'd ordered them to stand aside so he could kill the boar himself, and they'd tried to stop him in vain. The boar was old and more cunning than they'd expected, easily dodging Shagrod's clumsy spear thrusts before gutting him like a trout. The funeral pyre for the first god-king had barely died down when the elders decided that his oldest son, Tharbek, would succeed him. 

Tharbek was clever and quickly bestowed the title of Second, a position of honor and respect, upon his brother, Redfang. Nobody wanted Barindur to collapse into civil war should Shagrod's younger son decide to fight for the silver crown. As his brother's Second, Redfang would be given control of our nation's armies and this pleased him greatly. For the next forty years, Barindur and Anselm flourished, though many claimed life was never quite as good as it had been during Shagrod's day. The harvests seemed smaller, game was less plentiful, and our finest craftsmen produced fewer high-quality goods. It was an omen, a sign of what was to come. 

On the third day of Tharbek's forty first year as god-king, the Cataclysm struck. At first, when the madness and smoke descended on Gaea, the humans of Anselm seemed unaffected. Our two nations worked together to find plants that could grow with minimal sunlight, bodies of water that hadn't been tainted by smog, and better ways to defend our settlements. Sadly, it didn't take long before the various Anselmite factions began arguing about the best way to endure what promised to be many years of difficulty and hardship. The tension reached a boiling point in the forty second year of Tharbek's rule, and the kingdom of Anselm erupted in a brutal civil war. Brother killed brother and rivers of blood flowed through the streets.

God-King Tharbek, fearful of losing those kobolds living in Anselm's cities and villages, sent messengers into the beleaguered nation with a simple plea. All kobolds should return to Barindur to avoid getting tangled up in this madness. Many refused to abandon their homes or perished in the bloodshed consuming Anselm. Fortunately, over half the kobolds living on Gaea during this time made it back to Barindur. Our kingdom became an island of relative peace and calm floating in a sea of insanity and death. 

A week after the last messenger returned home, things took a turn for the worse. 

Massive, fiery holes leading to some chaotic realm opened in the sky and disgorged waves of demons, monsters that lived to spread suffering and death. The fragmented kingdom of Anselm lasted three years against these abominations before collapsing. Seeing the utter destruction of our closest allies, Tharbek ordered Redfang, his younger brother and loyal Second, to send all able kobolds to guard Barindur's borders. Unbeknownst to our forebears, however, there were already twelve mighty warriors doing their best to defend the kingdom's outskirts. The holy sylvan, shaped by Kalla in the first days of the Cataclysm and sent to watch over us from the shadows, slayed as many demons as they could. But even the Hands of the Everqueen, and may Kalla forgive me for saying this, could not keep the enemy from entering our homeland. As the Cataclysm entered its twentieth year, the far flung settlements were overrun by the demonic hordes, and the lands that once nurtured us began to turn gray and wept a thick, foul-smelling sludge. Nothing grew where this demonic corruption took hold, and any animals living in these areas became bloodthirsty and crazed.

Fearing that our people would be destroyed, the second God-King of Barindur recalled his brother from the front lines and summoned his most trusted advisors to the capitol city of Agamand. He wanted to meet with them to discuss ideas to save the kobold nation. What he didn't know was this meeting would change the fate of our entire race. And don't you roll your eyes! It's true, you ungrateful piece of...erhem. Where was I? Oh yes, I remember.

"What can we do to save ourselves?" the god-king asked his friends as they gathered in Agamand's great hall. "What can we do to stem the tide of demons? Our warriors are dying in droves, and the Cult of the God-King has no answers. What can we do?" 

For several moments, nobody spoke, but then Pardra, an elderly woman with grayish-white fur, said, "We can look for Kalla, oh god-king. We can look for the First Mother. Our fathers' fathers turned their backs on her, true, but perhaps...perhaps we can convince her to save us. To forgive us for what we did. I fear there is no other force capable of stopping the demons."

The gathered kobolds were taken aback by this suggestion, but they all took a moment to consider it. There weren't many other options besides letting the demons destroy everything and everyone they loved. "I agree with Pardra," stalwart Redfang said, looking from one fearful kobold to the next. "We should find Arborealus, the forest haven of Kalla, and ask her to help us. My warriors are doing all they can to fight these...these monsters, but we are losing ground. If we don't do something then Barindur will fall." 

God-King Tharbek, seeing the determination in his brother's eyes, knew this was the only course Redfang would accept. Taking a breath to steady himself, he told his friends to meet him in the great hall the next morning with everything they might need for a long journey. They would leave at dawn to begin their quest.

As the sun struggled to pierce the smoke blanketing Gaea, God-King Tharbek and his six advisers rode east, towards the Celebron Fields. They'd spent the previous night preparing, frantically reading through the few tomes they'd found about Kalla, and reassuring the people of Agamand all was well. They were going to get help or die trying. It was Redfang who'd discovered that Kalla had created a great forest in the northern grasslands of the Celebron Fields. This seemed like the best place to start hunting for a gateway to Arborealus, the Forest Between Realms. After nearly two weeks of traveling beneath the forest's emerald boughs, however, our brave heroes emerged on the other side. There was no gateway to the Forest Between Realms here, not anymore. According to the fragmented stories they'd read, Arborealus had grown so large it actually grew between the mortal realm and the divine one. Any forest could serve as an entrance to Arborealus, but not all forests led there. Finding it was all a matter of luck.

Dismayed but undaunted by this first failure, the god-king and his friends journeyed north to the Runewood, an ancient timberland sacred to the god of sorcery, Dormammus. They saw many wondrous sights and nearly lost their lives to a hungry basilisk, but they didn't find an entrance to Arborealus. Desperate and longing to return home, the weary kobolds raced towards Wyrmclaw Jungle, a tropical rainforest located several miles south of Drake Valley. If they failed to find the gateway here they would return home and face the demonic onslaught with their loved ones.

After three days of walking through Wyrmclaw Jungle, their surroundings began to change. The trees grew so close together it was impossible to see the sun. What glimpses of the sky our heroes did catch were strange. Even though these changes began just after sunrise, the sky overhead was black and full of stars the color of rose petals. All the while, a mysterious song, barely heard but always present, filled the air with sounds of longing and sadness. With a joyous cry, the kobolds fell to their knees and offered thanks to Kalla the Patient. They'd finally reached Arborealus, the Forest Between Realms! 

Racing down the only path through the trees, God-King Tharbek and his loyal companions found themselves standing in a circular glade surrounded by twelve trees with golden leaves. In the center of this clearing stood a colossal white oak with leaves the color of demon's blood. The nervous god-king stepped towards the legendary World Tree but froze when a massive shape walked around the tree and stood before him. The Colossus, his green eyes shining with rage, said, "What business do you have in this place, little kobolds?" The sheer force of his voice was enough to nearly knock the seven travelers off their feet.

"Please, mighty Colossus," God-King Tharbek said, his voice hoarse with fear and exhaustion. "We wish to beg Kalla to forgive our people for abandoning her. We wish to plead with her for mercy. We wish to ask the Everqueen to save us from the demon armies attacking Barindur. Please!" The party prostrated themselves before the titanic First Son, and waited for the giant's reply. 

The Colossus stared at them and said, his voice a distant rumble, "I know why you and your friends have come here, Tharbek, son of Shagrod the Bold. So does the First Mother. She is in the divine realm now and will remain there for many years. She asked me to give you this message on her behalf." Squatting down so he was closer to the cowering kobolds, the First Son said, "She has been helping your people since the Cataclysm began. The sylvan, twelve fighters with bodies of ironwood and the gift of [i]urdalaar[/i], have been spilling demon blood for years now. They did this without your knowledge, but now they will come forth to help your people hide from your enemies. You must never forget to thank Kalla for this gift or she will once again abandon the kobolds. But be of good cheer, little ones, for your people will survive."

Our heroes let out cries of relief and embraced each other upon hearing these words. Allies against the demons and a promise of their race's survival? What more could they ask for? But the Colossus was not finished. Growling and immediately regaining the group's attention, he said, "Also, the First Mother wants the kobolds to return to the ways of their ancestors. You shall form tribes and wander Gaea, living as Kalla intended." Glaring at Tharbek, the First Son said, "There will be no more god-kings, Tharbek, son of Shagrod the Bold."

Shocked by these demands, but realizing the alternative was much worse, Tharbek bowed low to show his acceptance. Raising one hand slowly, which caused the trees to part and a new  path to form, the Colossus said, "You may return to the mortal realm now, little kobolds. Tell your people what you have seen and heard today. Watch for the coming of the sylvan. They will show you what must be done to survive the Cataclysm and what will come after. There are dark days ahead for all of you." As the party gathered their remaining supplies and turned to leave, however, the Earthshaker said, "But you, second God-King of Barindur, must remain here. For Kalla has seen the end of your life, dying slowly on the road from grief and weariness. She wishes to spare you this torment and to remind all of you that she takes as easily as she gives. You will remain in Arborealus until your dying breath."

Although Tharbek had certainly not expected to spend his last days in the Forest Between Realms, he knew better than to argue with the First Son. After bidding a tearful farewell to the last God-King of Barindur, the six remaining champions left Arborealus and returned to Gaea. They reached Barindur just as a massive army of demons broke through their warriors and began marching towards Agamand, spreading death and corruption as they went. The six companions of Tharbek told their fearful kinsmen what had happened in Arborealus and each one formed a tribe, lending their names to the different groups. The seventh one was named after Tharbek, son of Shagrod the Bold. A few days later, the twelve sylvan, led by grim Bardolan and wise Sagrell, reached Agamand and herded our ancestors to safety as the demonic horde fell upon the city. Even then, in what was surely our darkest hour and during the Silence that followed the Cataclysm's end, we lifted our voices in praise to Kalla, thanking her for her mercy and love.

We will not disappoint her again, will we, my runts? No we will not. Now, where's my pipe, hm? It's getting late, and I can't settle down without a little longleaf."

-[i]A handwritten copy of an old kobold story called "The Last God-King of Barindur" found in a ruined hut within Anselm's borders. The tale is written on a bundle of partially burnt parchment sheets, though the writing is still easy to read. Considering how sturdy the hut is, there's a good chance a kobold family lived in this hut and were reading the story together moments before the demons killed them.[/i]
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[hider=Hero-The Colossus]
[center]Do not fear your end.
Fear the First Son's arrival.
Fear the Colossus.[/center]
[i]-Words etched into the base of a ruined basalt statue lying in the center of the Celebron Fields. The statue has been damaged beyond recognition, though it still makes onlookers feel vaguely uneasy.[/i]
[center][img]
https://hydra-media.cursecdn.com/hearthstone.gamepedia.com/thumb/9/9e/Ancient_of_War_full.jpg/500px-Ancient_of_War_full.jpg?version=cf6ee6449d2be0fbd077c4e01b0923fd[/img][/center]

[b]Name:[/b] The Colossus, also known as the First Son and the Earthshaker

[b]Age:[/b] Immortal

[b]Race:[/b] Construct

[b]Gender:[/b] Male

[b]Description:[/b] Standing taller than most of Gaea's mountains, the First Son is a massive construct made of granite and covered in thriving vegetation. His eyes are two caverns of crackling green energy, and the kobolds claim he can see everything his creator sees. These rumors aside, the Colossus is a work of art, handcrafted by the Everqueen when Gaea was young and newly formed. His face has been painstakingly carved into the image of a roaring kodlak grizzly, one of the most bloodthirsty predators to stalk the mortal realm's forests. Of course, most bears don't have massive silver tusks protruding from the corners of their mouths, but the Colossus does. These tusks are capable of piercing almost anything, including plate armor and dragon hide. 

The First Son's stone torso is vaguely humanoid, and his five-fingered hands are covered in thorny vines that he uses to brutally whip his opponents. In truth, the Colossus would much rather pound anyone foolish enough to challenge his mother with his overwhelming physical strength, though Kalla does her best to rein in these destructive tendencies. Two sturdy pillars of granite form his legs and what appears to be a small river runs down his back, flowing through the trees and vegetation clinging to his body. With a voice like the rumble of distant thunder, the First Son is one of the largest and toughest beings in the mortal realm.

[b]Personality:[/b] Unlike the sylvan, who are little more than empty containers waiting to be filled by Kalla's orders, the Colossus has a personality all his own. Despite his fearsome appearance, the First Son is a gentle creature that enjoys walking through the thickets of Arborealus, though he never lets the World Tree out of his sight. He knows what writhes beneath the tree and has no intention of letting it escape. The Colossus is defined by his devotion to Kalla and his sacred task. He would rather die than disappoint or betray his creator. There is one major point of contention that exists between Kalla and the First Son, however. The First Son is brimming with the raw, untamed fury of the wilds. Stories from before the Cataclysm paint the Colossus in a less than flattering light, blaming him for the destruction of no less than five major cities. While his mother attempts to fix the damage she causes during her temper tantrums, the Colossus makes no effort to clean up after himself. His anger is pure and uncompromising. The only person capable of bringing him out of this berserk state is Kalla, and even she finds it hard to connect with him when he's upset.

[b]Backstory:[/b] After waking up in a field on Gaea and seeing one of Kilgarrah's dragons flying overhead, Kalla was horrified. How could she keep her future creations safe from predators like these? Kilgarrah had shaped the perfect hunter, but Kalla knew he wasn't going to keep them on a leash and she didn't expect him to. The natural order demanded these creatures be free to do as their instincts bade them. Racing back to the now fertile plain where she first awoke, a region known as the Celebron Fields, the First Mother considered her options. She spent seven days and seven nights thinking of a way to protect her children from Gaea's many perils. On the morning of the eighth day, the Celebron Fields had changed dramatically. The southern grasslands remained the same, but the northern plains were covered by a verdant forest. This woodland was one of several temporary gateways leading to the legendary forest of Arborealus, the Forest Between Realms. Deep within its heart stood the World Tree, and Kalla spent the evening of the eighth day shaping the World Tree's protector.

Thus, the Colossus was born.

Regrettably, the First Son's actual deeds are shrouded in myth and hearsay, a situation made much worse by the Cataclysm and the Silence. One tale has survived, though the details are vague and often change depending on the storyteller. The tale, known as the [i]Dance of Olum[/i] for some reason, describes a vicious battle between the Colossus and an unknown enemy. Certain scholars believed this adversary was a monstrous dragon while others swore it was the first ziz ever born. The only thing the different versions of this story have in common is they all agree the Colossus triumphed, and Kalla sealed his wounded foe beneath the World Tree as punishment. Apart from the [i]Dance of Olum[/i], nobody knows what the Colossus does when he's not serving the Everqueen.

The truth isn't particularly interesting.

Whenever he's not meandering through Arborealus, following deer as they bound along or admiring hawks as they fly through the air, the First Son spends most of his time sleeping in front of the World Tree. Of course, all it takes is one word from the First Mother and, like his sylvan brothers and sisters, the Colossus will awaken. In fact, both the twelve sylvan and the First Son dwell in the World Tree Glade when they aren't completing sacred tasks on Kalla's behalf. Now, after the horrors of the Cataclysm and the Silence, the Colossus and the sylvan are almost always awake, preparing and training for their next sacred task. Gaea is still reeling from six hundred years of suffering, and Kalla considers it her responsibility to ensure the mortal realm has time to recover. Obviously, this means the Colossus and the sylvan view it as their responsibility as well.

[b]Motivation:[/b] The First Son was created to protect the World Tree and to heed his creator's wishes. 

[b]Why have they been chosen as a hero?:[/b] The Colossus is unerringly loyal to Kalla and rarely disobeys her orders. Besides his sacred task of guarding the World Tree, his only other reason for existing is to obey the First Mother's commands. The Colossus is Kalla's most formidable creation, capable of defeating even the twelve sylvan in battle. Why wouldn't he be chosen as the Everqueen's champion? No mortal worshiper, not even among the kobold tribes, comes close to the level of devotion the First Son has for his creator.

[b]Equipment:[/b] None

[b]Magic:[/b] Only the Colossus and the twelve sylvan understand [i]urdalaar[/i] as thoroughly as Kalla. Using the wild tongue and the vegetation covering his stony body, the First Son is capable of hurling entire ironwood trees at his foes, calling forth storms of razor sharp leaves, and sending vines lancing through his opponents' ranks. He typically prepares for battle by using [i]urdalaar[/i] to summon a coat of living armor made of sturdy ironwood. Stone can be easily shattered, but ironwood can shrug off blows that would fell a sphinx. In addition, the First Son has a permanent mental link with Kalla, allowing her to send him orders from anywhere on Gaea. The only limitation to this bond is the First Mother cannot command her son from the divine realm. She must be on the same plane as the Colossus.
[/hider]