The Beginning of All-That-Is - How the Demons lost all-that-is

When AO created all-that-is, it is written by some who are wise in such things, there were spirits and godlings and beasts and those-who-would-be-man who did not want to play the-game-that-is-All that AO first postulated as what-was-to-be."Why should we play this game, whose Rules are not ours to suggest and to create?!?" said some, who were outraged that they had had no say in the making of the rules-that-were-to-be that would govern them. "Why should we play this game, whose Rules are not to our liking at all?!?" said others, who grew discordant at the idea that all-that-is-to-be should have rules at all. "Why should we play this game, we who see no profit in this?" quietly said a third small group, who even in the great Beginning of Beginnings saw that there is profit, and loss, and that one of these things was, to their eyes, better than the other.

And AO looked upon AO's creations, and grew sad, for it was not even the End of Beginnings, and already there was dissension and chaos. But such is as it is, and so AO said unto the first group "In the times to come, there will be opportunity to modify and create rules - which shall be known as Laws - in some aspects and respects. And while some Laws will be immutable, and you may not change them, others you may arrange as you see fit, and all beasts and men and gods shall fail to follow them at their peril. Kun? (is this good?)"

And the gods and the beasts and the spirits and those-who-would-be-men looked on this, and most said "Paya-Kun". (this is good) for it was good. But some said nothing.

And AO turned then to the second group, it is written, and said unto them "In times the Laws shall grow over-bearing, and at times they shall be written poorly, for only AO has all-the-wisdom-there-is, and so is infallible. And in these spaces and in these places you who have no respect for rules-as-they-are-written shall flourish, and your disdain for them shall be a potent reminder that the Law is a tool to an end, not an End itself. And some of you shall live within the Law, but others beside it, and you shall bring Change to all things. Kun?"

And the gods and the beasts and the spirits and those-who-would-be-men looked on this, and saw that though this division would bring change - but also strife - but that it was better than a never-ending stasis, and many said "Paya-Kun." But some said nothing.

And so AO (who was ever so clever, it is usually said) turned to the third group, and said unto them "And you who seek only profit, You I give both profit and task. For you shall be able to use both the Law and Change to your advantage, and shall conceivably grow mighty, though ever small in numbers. And some of you shall oversee both Law and Chaos, and stand between them, seeking always Balance between the two, for this is your geas that I set upon you, and others shall seek to defend always my creations that have no voice, for this is the geas that I set upon you as well. But others shall wind the Engine of Commerce that you shall create, and use it to better those who have voice but no power - for that is the third geas I lay upon you, for as you desire to grow mighty, so shall you spend that power in my bidding. Kun?

And the third group looked about, and saw that their path might be the hardest of the three, but also the most interesting - and certainly the most profitable - and so most of the gods and the beasts and the spirits and those-who-would-be-men looked on this, and said - if reluctantly "Paya Kun." But some said nothing.

And so it was that there were those of Law, who set forth to creating rules and regulations, and those of Chaos, who set about creating dissension and change, and those of Neutrality, who depending on their geas created profit, defended those-with-no-voice, or sought Balance between all things.

But there were those who had said nothing, and thought themselves unbound by any agreements with AO. And some created Laws that were unjust, favoring only themselves, and others flouted all laws, not just those that were too stifling or too restrictive, and created abominations, and others sought only profit at the expense of others, regardless of their duties.

And in time word of this came to AO - as indeed all things did, in the Beginning - and AO gathered up all the gods and the beasts and the spirits and those-who-would-be-men, and AO's wrath was terrible, and AO separated out those-who-had-made-no-agreement, and AO said to them "You, who said nothing and did not Agree, now you do not play the Game-that-is-All by any rules save your own, and you create nothing that is great and mighty, but only that which is dark and twisted, and you do not fuel the Engine of Commerce with your profit, but horde it. And for this I banish you to the Places Beyond, and you may enter into All-That-Is only when invited, and must serve the whims of your invitee, and I name you Devils, you who twist the Law, and Demons, you who follow no rules and make no beauty, and Daemons, you who seek only your own aggrandizement. And I say to you that you shall have no taste of the pleasures of the Heavens, and shall dwell only in dark places!"

And so it was.

And to this day, those who did not Agree are called Devils, and Demons, and Daemons, and when summoned they must serve - if the summoner knows the words and the terms and the bindings and the Names. But few today can speak the Language of the Beginning in the ways it must be spoken. And fewer still know the Terms and the Bindings. And of those who speak the Language, and know the Terms and can perform the Bindings, few have more than a handful of Names - and often those names are only partially correct. And so demons and devils and daemons are often free to twist and even ignore the commands of their summoner.

And the hatred they bear for those who dwell in all-that-is is secondary only to the hatred they bear for those that dwell in all-that-is-Beyond, and for AO who sleeps.