Aurion

The Cosmic Tree is a vast ever-expanding dimensional structure. The power of the tree transcends even the most powerful of beings.

Genesis
It is said that the tree has grown from a primordial seed, that contained elemental energies from which the first primordials were formed. These beings, despite lacking souls, gained consciousness and through their existence a flux of energies ignited life within the seed and it’s primordial shell was broken. A few leaves sprouted from the seed, the first celestial realms representing the principles of the worlds and ideals of the primordials. Followed by the roots, chaotic realms representing their unchained emotions. In the leaves the first Celestials were born and in the roots first demons spawned.

New planes
As these roots and leaves grew, the beliefs and hopes of the primordials created branches, upon which more celestial realms grew. The knot of all these branches and roots, the one point where they met, became the Prime Material Plane. And as the tree continued to grow, the branches and roots began to branch out and split. In these places new material planes were formed and Feywild along with the Abyss were born.

On these new material planes Celestials, Demons, Primordials and Fey created the mortals that would later worship them, using the energy flux within the tree to create the first mortal souls.

Corruption
But some of these beings used the power of the tree itself to fuel their creations and the tree suffered. But the Primordials were ready to stop them and defended the tree and the existence of the world itself. These selfish beings became maimed by the endless battles with the Primordials and disfigured by the power they could not withstand. Eventually they were banished, but to this day beings from outside the World Tree come to our world, many of them are the servants of these ancient beings the Elder gods that some call The Old Ones.

This conflict created strife and from it worries and fear gave rise to a new domain within the Cosmic Tree. The trunk of the tree began to grow, creating the Shadow Realm or Shadowfell as some call it. Shadowfell doesn’t represent only the fear and worry of the mortal races, but also their perseverance and will to live. In other words, Shadow Realm was created by the strife among the cosmic beings and mortals that followed them.

However this was not the end of it, by expelling certain beings from the world tree Celestial domains were destroyed and the leaves representing them fell down to the roots, to be replaced by others. But the roots and branches could not be removed so easily. They withered into a ruined form of what they once were and the mortal beings left in them turned evil. The dead branches formed into what is now known as Feydark and the roots have quickly crumbled to pieces, leaving only the corrupted evil fiends behind, along with strange fragmented worlds that they once lived in.

And thus the fears came true and strife and fear turned into malice. The most powerful of these new evil creatures tapped into this power and came to the roots of the tree, far away from the reach of the celestials. They have made their lairs inside the tubers growing on the roots, and from there they began their conquest of the lower planes.

Redemption
Some of the celestials managed to move from the rotting leaves back into the tree and they became known as the Devils, some of them serve their own purpose, others continue their duties, be it in a twisted form of what they once was, fighting against other fiends. The most rare of these creatures recognise their wrongdoings and attempt to change their ways and some are successful, returning to the upper planes restored.

It sometimes happens that instead of a leaf representing ideals and principles a flower grows on the branches. These flowers represent wonder and creativity of mortals and they allow access to other dimensions as long as they bloom. During this time the Primordials transfer elemental energy into the flower in order for it to form a new seed that can create another dimension afterwards.

The flowers of the tree are what the malicious beings are after, they seek to corrupt the flowers with their energy, creating a seed that would propagate them across dimensions, like a plague.

Our world stands as a barrier against this threat and by defending it we defend our own existence as well as the existence of other dimensions.