After
the Elemental Titans' rise to power, the Kal'Mar reached out to the
wisest and most intelligent Primordials, who they elevated to Wildgods
and Earthen Gods. The Earthen Gods were former stonegaerm Primordials;
creatures made of earth and stone, who had shaped the ancient mountains.
The most powerful of the stonegaerm became the Earthen Gods, and over
time they developed flesh instead of stone, yet some remained
rock-bodied. Of the forces that fought the Elemental Titans, the Earthen
Gods were always the ones who were at the the forefront, and many would
die until the arrival of the Creators, and the end of the War of Titans.
Very
few Earthen Gods remain in the world, and no one has truly seen one in
many ages. The majority of Earthen Gods went underground, where they
guard the Worldsoul, and after the War of Eternity they would also end
up guarding the Creator Gaerdras; a promise they made to the Creators, in return for the Creators having aided in defeating the Elemental Titans during the War of Titans.
Those
who didn't go underground are said to have entered a slumber and become
mountains, although which mountains specifically is unclear and only a
few are known. Sometimes certain mountains seem to spawn rich veins of valuable minerals at will, and tribal cultures see this as a sign of an Earthen God's presence. Some Earthborn cultures worship certain mountains that
are strong in natural energies, and tell tales of how their people once
spawned from these mountains.
These are ancient stories, but races who
were once of the Earthborn trace their origins to the Earthen Gods, and
the likelihood that their people originally came from these ancient
mountains, or even from the Earthen Gods of the Underground Realms, is
not entirely unbelievable.
Various tribal cultures, like orcish, troll, goblin or the general Folc worship the Earthen Gods; making long pilgrimages to various mountains said to be sleeping Earthen Gods. The Earthen Wake, a shamanistic order of shamans from various races, tribes, and clans, directly assist in maintaining the safety of these mountains; traveling the lands, communicating with the spirits of these mountains, and teaching the many peoples of the gifts and powers of the Earthen Gods.