The deepest mystery of Arcanis is in the Introduction to the original Codex Arcanis: the Gods' War and the Other. Below is a summary of my deep theory that explains everything coherently. I invite discussion, both privately and on this forum.
The Cosmic Dragon (CD) is the most powerful divine being in the Cosmos, and it may have been the original Creator of all Creation. The CD wants the Cosmos to continue to exist in an endless cycle of Creation and Destruction. The CD has multiple incarnations and aspects. The CD eventually learned about the existence of Entropy, a malevolent force that seeks to annihilate all of the Cosmos utterly and permanently. Entropy is opposed to Gods and has many mortal servants in the form of the Silence.
The CD hatched a secret plan to stop Entropy forevermore. First, the CD's aspects of Kassegore and Yig appeared to depart Onara in order to convey the outward appearance of the traditional cycle of Gods replacing Gods as civilized species replaced species on Arcanis and yet permit their reptilian mortal children to continue to exist. Then the CD sent one of its aspects, known as the Other, to speak with the lesser divinities known as the Gods of Man. The Other did not openly divulge His plan to the Gods of Man but hinted about it and hid away the Goddess of the Mind before luring the other Gods of Man to Arcanis via the Gods' War. When the Other returned to Onara, He created the Black Moon Aperio, which protects from magic scrying sufficiently to enable him to freely tell Belisarda about His plan against Entropy. When the Gods' War reached Onara, another aspect of the CD told the Gods of Man to consume the Elemental Lords and thereby absorb their power; meanwhile the Other hid Belisarda. Eventually, the Gods of Man confronted the Other on the Black Moon, where He was able to freely tell Them His whole plan. The Gods, especially Cadic, assisted the CD by separating His aspects to keep Entropy from realizing that He still existed. One aspect of the CD was trapped in the Dark Moon, and the Gods of Man told their followers that the Other was the worst foe They had ever faced. Another aspect of the CD was kept asleep beneath Lake Quesselan by the lullaby of Cadic's Endless Choir. The Gods of Man accepted Anshar into their fold even though They know She is secretly an aspect of the CD. The Gods of Man created Vals and left Arcanis so that it would appear to the Silence that Arcanis is a world that is divided, contested by nations and races, full of religious disagreements, free of direct divine intervention, and ripe for the taking.
Today, it appears to outsiders that the Ssethrics, Elorii, and Men are all enemies and that Their Gods have fought each other over the eons. In truth, Their Gods have been working together in a secret plan that neither Their worshipers nor Their Valinor know. When the full malignance of Entropy is lured to Arcanis, the trap will shut and the CD will reform to flight alongside Belisarda, the Goddess of the Mind, the other Gods of Man, and Their assembled allies in the End Times to preserve the cycle of the Cosmos.
Other details in the story involve the Chalice of Midnight, the return of Kassegore in the form of the Fire Dragon and His Black Talons, the Cult of Hromu, the val'Holryn, the Celestial Giants, the Voiceless Ones, psionics, prognostication, time travel, the Obsidian Masks, etc.
What mortals know of the Gods and the Gods' War is 99% what the Gods specifically told us and <1% traditional stories passed down from the events witnessed in the mortal world of Arcanis. Very few mortals know any details of the truth, and even the Valinors are ignorant. The Mother Church does not know but is complicit in keeping certain secrets labeled heretical. The Obsidian Masks and the Lifewardens know some parts of the plan. In a world full of politics, mysteries, and secret societies, having one more deep secret seems par for the course, and the full depth and nature of the Gods' plan remain obscure. The overt clues are intentionally planted so that the Silence will fall for the trap, and just barely enough subtle hints remain to enable diligent natives to uncover the true plan.
_________________ David Thomas Chappell Sestius Ovidius val'Mehan Comma and Khamat - psion patrician diplomatic legate and his Myrantian tutor Quintus Ovidius val'Mehan - patrician military tribune Amadi val'Abebi - Monk of Althares Talathos - choleric Kelekene dabbler
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