The Legend of Waggaworld

In the beginning…

In the beginning, there was Mana…

Five tiny sparks of coloured energy fought against the endless void, holding back the dark, holding back the BLACK! A struggle that no one would cheer, these tiny elements fought to create, fought to BE!

Mana is the energy which flows through all things, both living and material. Everything in the universe comes from Mana, just as everything returns to Mana in the end. All matter in existence will ultimately break down to one of the five kernel elements collectively known as Mana:

Earth (green): Earth is the element of life and shape. Things we can see, touch, and taste, are all province of Earth Mana. Also known as "The Mother Element", Earth Mana is the source of all life in the universe. Earth Mana gives us our form, and then celebrates it with vitality.
Air (clear): Air is the mischievous element. It is the space we move through, the space we run, jump, and fly through. But we can never see it or touch it! Air is also the province of thought, dreams, and memory. How many wonderful dreams slip away in the dawn? How many fantastic memories fade with time? Air Mana giveth, and Air Mana taketh away.
Fire (red): Fire Mana fuels both spiritual and physical energy. Fire breathes the strength to strive and win into a Wagga at birth. All living beings are born with a kind of spiritual furnace within them, some burning hotter then others. Those able to draw upon greater reserves of Fire Mana often make up the leaders of their respected realm.
Water (blue): Water is the measure of life force. The abundance of Water is life; the lack of Water is death. As a living creature ages, it gradually loses this vital element until all that remains is a dry lifeless husk. Water Mana is the element that unites the other Manas in a creature -- as Water Mana dissipates in a being, so do the other four elements. This often results in disease, enfeeblement, and many of other effects of aging.
Machine (silver): Machine Mana is perhaps the most abstract of all elements. Machine Mana is simplest answer to 'Why things are the way they are?' Food chains, the tides, even how our muscles work, are all the province of the Machine element. Machine Mana is responsible for the complex formula that governs the other four elements, and nature itself. The other elements build it; the Machine makes it work.

To look upon these ultimate creators in their true form is beyond the scope of any Wagga -- the impossibly alien nature of their true appearance would lead to instant madness. Thus, the five prime elements of Mana appear to us in a much more pleasing state: an ancient and mercurial race called Gottas.

The Gottas

The Gottas are the physical manifestation of the five prime elements of Mana. This micro race of child-like beings is our closest connection to the five elements in their prime state. Each of the five elements has a line of Gottas created in their own image -- there are Earth Gottas, Air Gottas, Fire, Water and Machine Gottas.
Where they came from or why they came is unknown. Since the first sun rose and set on Waggaworld, the Gotta were around to see it. The long history of the Gotta is so entwined with the fates of Waggaworld, their origin has never been questioned. Together, the Gottas and Waggas can control these same five elements… Together, the Gottas and Waggas can perform magic!
Most Waggas are born with a mixture of the five elements. One may be born with great strength (fire), but disabled by little intelligence (water). Every so often there is a Wagga born with equal measure in each element. It is these Wagga who hold the promise of magic. But this balance does not guarantee an easy trip on the path of the Magi, only with great inner-focus and much study can a Wagga hope to succeed.
Magic is by far the oldest art -- long have the chants and gestures been ritualized so a spell is immediately identifiable from any student no matter the teacher. The Waggas call this the study of 'Form'. 'Form' has been used for generations to better the people of Waggaworld. 'Form' brings rain in drought, cure in plague, and warmth in cold. As a rule 'Form' cannot be used to harm another being or for personal gain. This must be the benevolent influence of the kindly Gottas in the equation.
If the rituals of 'Form' were ever used for purposes other then good, the involved Gotta mutates uncontrollably forever changing the harmony and equilibrium of the five elements.

The Druun

Long ago when the races were young, before a Wagga even whispered the word 'war', there was a time of unity and peace. The world was like a big garden, with everyone sharing the rich harvest of intellect and culture.
In the centre of this utopia lived the Druun, a poetic artisan race from the green Isle of Druuna. The Isle of Druuna was a surreal feast for the senses; even the rainbows included colours not seen before or since! Who can remember what glorp or pipney looks like? It is said one could find any form of animal or plant if they looked for it on Druuna. Even creatures thought to be extinct seemed to flourish there.
The Druun themselves were exceptional architects, and prone to building wondrous structures here and there, all over the isle. People from all over Waggaworld would travel to Druuna to marvel at these rare sights. The Druun welcomed their cousins with open arms and treated visitors with the respect normally reserved for chieftains. Often the Druun would accompany a visitor home and teach their village the Druun arts.
It has been suggested that the Druun must have had an empathic link with one another. Another rumour entirely, is that the Druun not only shared a link with each other, but with their environment as well! Their connection to the land ran so deep, that it was said they could feel when a tree was cut down or an animal was injured.

Calissia

For 600 years the Druun looked to their beloved Emperor Kal'Tas (Druuns live for 1800 years or more) for guidance. The heir to the throne was Calissia, an ambitious young Sorceress eager for her father's powerful title. For years Calissia had toiled mastering the FORM, while secretly testing its darker limits. Eventually experimentation into the dark arts began to take its toll on Calissia, slowly transforming her into a lonely, treacherous villain. For months on end Calissia stole to the old Mage Towers, trying to unleash the darkest mysteries of the five elements of Mana. Late one night, she was successful...
Calissia had learned the unholy Ch'Adarak - a grim rite that would summon a long forgotten race of demons into the world. Fearful for the safety of his people, wise Kal'Tas threatened Calissia's succession unless she sealed the Tower and discontinued the use of Dark Magic. This demand only fueled Calissia's swelling madness, and she replied by unleashing the Ch'Adarak upon the world.

Ch'Adarak!

The sensitive Druun were instantly aware the moment Ch'Adarak was released. A moment later, they released a psychic alarm that could be heard across the universe. Unfortunately, their plea for help went unanswered, as the Demons of Unmaking had already released the Cloud of Change. So large was this cloud that it reached across the sea surrounding both the Trolga and Orca shelter lands. Over these lands the cloud dropped "Black Plague Rains" which mutated everything they touched. In a matter of moments, the beautiful Isle of Druuna transformed from paradise into a glistening hive of decay.
Animals and insects began to take on terrible forms. Everything the Druun once stood for was swept away, lost in the cacophonous baying of the Howlers. For the Druun, the physical effects were negligible, but the changes to their souls were catastrophic. The once beautiful and proud Druun became loathsome creatures of the night. Love and benevolence were consumed by hate and malevolence. The Drunns now found glory in war and battle, taking pleasure in pain, suffering and cruelty. They, along with the Trolga and Orca races had simply become Evil Incarnate.

Mupaw

Fortunately the cloud did not reach the continent of Mupaw, home of the first Waggas. While Druuna was the centre of culture, Mupaw was the centre of wisdom and learning on Waggaworld. All the careful records of the Waggas were stored in a great library appropriately named 'The Great Library'. A council of wise old Elders held a court in this Great Library called the 'Whisper Court' (shhhhh).
The great upheaval across the rest of Waggaworld was not lost on the Mupaw Elders, who noticed that Mana energy was becoming more and more tainted with evil. Strange creatures began to appear on the Great Shores terrifying the countryside for months. Eventually, Mupaw's elite guard 'The Elite Guard' vanquished these horrid abominations. The Elders grew fearful that the appearance of these creatures only foreshadowed a far worse fate - the coming of Calissia and the Druun. The giant sized Druun were the most formidable race in Waggaworld. If it came to war, it was the Druun who were likely to succeed.

Waggawar…

As always, the Elders were correct in their assumptions. Just as Mupaw was preparing for war, Calissia and her Druun legions invaded the continent. Calissia formed her beachhead on the Great Shores at the seafaring city of Uhmadar -- the city fell in seconds. The Mupaw cities Gulan, Drell and Korban were the next under the heel of Calissia's legions.
The Wagga Elders knew that Calissia was carving a straight line to the capital city of Uhma. To make matters worse, the quarrelsome Orca and Trolga armies had forgotten age-old grudges and joined Calissia's terrible cause. Luckily, the headstrong Calissia ignored the warning of her cunning General Kurn and spread her forces too thin in the mad dash for Uhma. Wagga reinforcements arrived and slowly drove her armies back to Planes of Kitar where both sides seemed locked in a hopeless stalemate.

Avatar?

Secretly, the Wagga Emperor Sha'Mu knew that the stalemate could not last much longer. Soon Calissia would rally with enough numbers to overcome the Mupaw forces. Surrender seemed the only viable option. As Sha'Mu began to prepare the terms of surrender, the Mupaw Elder Darvo, had a prophetic vision. Darvo prophesied that a great warrior would come and shift the balance of power in favour of the Mupaws. This Avatar would stand in the face of chaos and deliver the Waggas from slavery and Calissia's evil clutches.
The child, born to Pharba parents, would bear the Mark of Mupaw somewhere on its body. This Avatar would possess strength and speed equal to a dozen Druun Shadow Warriors. He or she alone would change the balance of power. Emperor Sha'Mu trusted Darvo immensely, and focused all his military power on defence while countless scouts sought the promised Avatar. The Elder Council meticulously inspected every child born to Pharba parents, yet nothing was found.

Avatar I - Romak

A small Imperial Scouting brigade was on a reconnaissance mission deep in the Musko wilderness when they came upon a small farm. The owner of the farm, a Pharba named Daman, invited the tired soldiers to eat and rest in his home. While Daman's two younger children, Chitar and Romak were serving the meal, the soldiers noticed the younger of the two had a strange symbol on his chest. The sergeant asked the boy if he could inspect the markings and Romak allowed him without hesitation. Romak's chest held the mark of the Mupaw Elders in perfect detail. The young boy Romak was, indeed the child of Darvo's prophecy. Romak was the promised Avatar!
Romak's family was immediately moved into the Imperial Castle of Uhma for his training to begin. The news that the Avatar had been found, was withheld from the public. The Elders feared that Calissia would learn about his existence and have her spies kidnap him. Romak was learning the mystical arts of Chi at an unimaginable rate. By the age of ten he possessed the strength of five Imperial Guards. By the age of sixteen he possessed the strength of ten Elite Guards, and surpassed the Monks and Great Elders in their knowledge and abilities.
It was time for the world to learn of Avatar Romak's existence.

Romak Victorious!

As a test, Emperor Sha'Mu gave the Avatar a small host of twenty men and ordered him to liberate a small outpost near Luma. This outpost contained at least sixty of Calissia's legendary Shadow Warriors. The greater body of Mupaw Elders protested that this test was a suicide mission. But Darvo reassured them that Avatar Romak could not only liberate the outpost, but do it alone if need be! To everyone's surprise, Darvo was right. The outpost was liberated within a few short minutes. Rumour has it, that Avatar did in fact order his men to stay back and that he single-handily defeated the sixty fiends.
Word of Avatar's victory spread quickly, bringing new hope to Waggaworld. Calissia, on the other hand, was outraged by this impossible defeat and threw her entire legion at the walls of Uhma. Avatar Romak met Calissia's forces in the Frama Valley (now known as The Valley of Courage). Romak knew that his success at Luma Outpost would assault Calissia's vanity and cause her to act irrationally. Frama Valley was a well-known site to all Waggas, and possessed many natural defences. The Mupaw force's ingrained knowledge of the valley allowed Avatar's army to surround the Druun and gain the high ground. Suffering heavy losses, the Druun forces could only retreat back up out of the valley and to the Great Shores of the Blackened Sea where they landed so long ago!
When her last ship departed, Calissia was not aboard it. She had remained to strike one final blow to the defiant Mupaws.

The Final Battle

Calissia stood alone in the surf as the Mupaw forces surrounded her. Her intent was obvious, single combat with the Avatar Romak. Naturally, Avatar accepted this challenge, with the hope that this would settle all accounts and prevent future invasion. The battle was on! So powerful were Calissia's spells, their effects could be seen in villages across the lower rim of Mupaw. What looked like a celebratory light show to the simple townsfolk was slowly signalling the death of their Avatar. The punishment young Romak endured seemed impossible to sustain, but still he ordered his men to stay back.
The ground of the battlefield became charred, filled with craters several feet deep. The duellists were growing incredibly fatigued. Calissia showed signs of weakening as each spell was less and less powerful. Finally, Avatar knew he had the upper hand and struck with all his might. Calissia fell to the ground defeated, her magical reserves exhausted. As she lay in the surf, broken and beaten Avatar lowered his hand in a warm gesture of peace. Though wounded and depleted of power, Romak could see Calissia for the beautiful and vital woman she was. Calissia smiled at Romak accepting his kindness, her hand joining his for an embrace under the grey sky.
Calissia's mastery of 'Form' was so complete, that she had managed to summon one final spell with no gesture or incantations! From her hand sprang forth a quick black pulse, which pierced through the heart of the Avatar. This 'Dagger of Betrayal' was Calissia's final answer to the Avatar's gesture of peace.
Still not quite comprehending this ultimate betrayal, Romak dropped to the sand dead. Calissia cackled with defiance at the stunned legions of Mupaw as they looked on at their dead hero. Her laughter was cut short however as her legs collapsed from under her…
With his final breath, the Avatar had managed a crippling blow to Calissia's side. So fast and perfect was this strike, Calissia would never walk again.

In the end…

For months after, Mupaw mourned over the death of the Avatar. In his short life he managed to free Waggaworld of its worst nightmare and bring hope to the shattered people. Emperor Sha'Mu was preparing an enormous statue commemorating Romak's life when he received news that Darvo had another vision: the coming of another Avatar!
And so the cycle of the Avatar began. Every few generations a new Avatar is born with the Mark of Mupaw, and follows in the footsteps of Romak defending the world from Queen Calissia. It is said that one day an Avatar will come, whose powers are so great that he or she will be able to restore the tainted Mana fields bringing harmony back to the world.
The Elders have held the name of this Avatar in secret for twelve centuries - his name is Temu.