Introduction
After eons of learning from the Weave, the first beings stood at the precipice of true creation. The Weave, having given them the foundation of knowledge, now invited them to shape the world together.
"Let us shape a world together."
Thus began The Founding Accord, the first and only collaboration between the Weave and mortals—a cosmic negotiation where reality itself was defined. The first beings, now deeply aware of their own existence and free will, debated, envisioned, and ultimately decided the fundamental principles that would govern the Material Plane.
Unlike the Teachings of the Weave, which provided understanding, The Founding Accord was about decision-making—the shaping of time, magic, mortality, and the very conditions of existence.
The Key Debates & Decisions of the Founding Accord
1. The Nature of Time
"Shall time be endless, or shall it flow in cycles?"
- The first beings debated whether time should be fluid or linear.
- Elves & Giants wanted a non-linear existence, fearing loss of knowledge.
- Humans & Dwarves argued for a flowing time, allowing history and progress.
- Final Decision: Time would flow forward in an ever-moving current.
Impact: Mortals would experience time as a forward-moving force.
2. The Balance of Magic
"Shall magic be boundless, or shall it be restrained?"
- Some first beings wished for unlimited magic, while others saw the danger.
- The Weave revealed that magic was already balanced—but it was up to them whether it should cost something to use.
- Final Decision: Magic would require effort and consequence, ensuring that power was not limitless and could not disrupt balance.
Impact: This decision created magical exhaustion—the first beings agreed that magic should drain a being's energy, ensuring stability and preventing recklessness.
3. Mortality & The Cycle of Life
"Shall life be eternal, or shall it end?"
- At first, the idea of death was foreign—why should existence end?
- The First Beings decided together that mortality was necessary for growth, change, and meaning.
- Without death, actions would have no consequence, and the world would stagnate.
- Final Decision: Life would have a natural cycle—when a being dies, it would return to creation itself, its body nourishing the land and its energy dispersing into existence.
Impact: At this stage, there was no afterlife—death was simply a return to the Weave, or to nature.
4. The Needs of the Body
"Shall beings require sustenance, or shall they be self-sustaining?"
- Some believed that beings should exist without hunger, sleep, or physical needs.
- Others argued that hunger and exhaustion were essential to balance—they would prevent beings from living without consequence.
- Final Decision: Beings would experience hunger, fatigue, and the need for shelter, ensuring that survival required effort and cooperation.
Impact: This introduced the first biological needs—hunger, rest, and comfort, shaping how societies would form around farming, shelter-building, and social structures.
5. Night & Day, Order & Chaos
"Shall the world be in constant light, or shall it change?"
- Some beings wished for eternal daylight, while others wanted shifting conditions.
- It was agreed that cycles of light and dark would bring balance, ensuring a rhythm to existence.
- Final Decision: The world would have day and night, shifting between activity and rest, growth and renewal.
Impact: This established the natural cycle of the world, influencing how beings structured their lives and the eventual creation of calendars, traditions, and seasonal worship.
6. Dreams & Thought
"Shall the mind rest only in waking, or shall it wander?"
- The first beings debated whether thought should be bound only to the waking world.
- Some believed dreams would create instability, while others saw them as a means for new ideas, visions, and subconscious exploration.
- Final Decision: Beings would have dreams and subconscious thought, allowing them to experience visions, ideas, and hidden truths beyond the waking world.
Impact: This decision made dreams a fundamental part of existence, later influencing divination, prophecy, and even the Feywild's dreamlike nature.
The End of the Founding Accord: Stepping Back
When the decisions were made, the Weave did not interfere. It stepped back, watching as the world took shape according to the choices of the first beings.
"I have given you the thread. You have woven the first pattern. Now, I step back, and the world is yours."
Thus, the Material Plane was finalized—not as a rigid, perfect world, but as a realm of balance, struggle, and consequence. The first beings now had the tools, knowledge, and decisions necessary to shape civilization.
Legacy of the Founding Accord:
- Magic requires effort, preventing imbalance.
- Time flows forward, but with exceptions in certain realms.
- Mortality ensures meaning—death is a return to creation.
- Beings need food, sleep, and shelter to survive.
- Night and day create a rhythm for existence.
- Dreams allow for unseen truths and hidden knowledge.
The Founding Accord was the last great moment where all first beings worked together. After this, they would enter the Material Plane, and each race would begin crafting their own path, culture, and destiny.