In the early days of his divine education, the Magi was walking in the Hungry Wood having a conversation with the Spirit of the Forest. Struck by a sudden curiosity about the fiercest beasts in the land, the Magi asked: “Spirit, where did the Rexxies come from?”
With a great rush of wind and leaves, the Spirit of the Forest bellowed a hearty laugh, and after several moments, replied. “Life in Anumün is as diverse as the plants of this magical forest. They are all my children, but the existence of the dinosaurs in the Primordic Grasslands is still a mystery to me. I know from whence they came, but why they came has always eluded my wisdom.”
The Spirit of the Forest proceeded to tell the Rexxie’s tale.
The Splintering was a disaster the likes of which the world had never seen. Mountains sprang forth from the land and sudden chasms split the earth. What happened in mere moments felt for me like years of agony, as I watched the unbridled suffering of my people, plants and beasts. Powerful time magic was at work; far beyond my skill, but also beyond the understanding of everyone in this world.
One most peculiar aspect of the Splintering which I remember vividly was the opening of the Great Pit. What started as a relatively small sinkhole in the south grew into the massive pit before my eyes. The displaced earth seemed to fall forever, leaving a gaping hole which led only to mysterious blackness. There was stillness for a second, then the dinosaurs came.
Crawling, scrambling, clawing for their lives, they began emerging from the Great Pit. Many of the dinosaurs were falling back into the abyss, and others were attacking each other in a frenzy of confusion. I was astounded at these beasts, for they had never been a part of my dream. Nonetheless, as soon as I laid eyes on them they were near to my heart, and I was deeply saddened by the hardships that greeted them as they entered this world.
Myself and Kron the Centaur are in agreement. The dinosaurs could only be a result of the foreign time magic that was involved in the Splintering. A portal of some sort was created deep in the earth, blessing our land with an entire displaced world of prehistoric beasts. Around the same time, monsters began crawling up from the depths of the Primordic Sea; to this day, they have never stopped.
In the beginning, there were too many types of dinosaur to count, but I always had an eye on the Rexxies. Combine their savage thirst for life with their impenetrable hide and razor sharp claws, and they are easily a formidable opponent for any creature. The flying dinosaurs headed south in the early days, leaving Anumün forever. Many of the more peaceful breeds of plant-eaters and scavengers were wiped out as Rexxie established himself firmly as the top of the food chain.
I saw the overpopulation of the Rexxies beginning to take its toll on my people, but I allowed them to continue to thrive. I was proud to call Anumün home to these majestic beasts. I pumped great magic into the southern grasslands, causing the grasses to grow immensely tall. This region of lush vegetation became a haven for the dinosaurs. The smaller species were able to hide from the Rexxies and a new ecosystem developed. In this wild realm, life begins and ends for many of Anumün’s beasts, and the Rexxies continue to thrive.
It did not take long for the Rexxies to venture out of the Primordic Grasslands, bringing terror and havoc with them wherever they roam. They are sure-footed and swift; they can go where they please, striking fear into the hearts of Anumites everywhere. I do not relish in this fear, but still I love the Rexxies with all my heart. They were torn from their world and brought kicking and snarling into this chaos. Yet here they belong, and here they will stay.
And with a sudden flash of light, the Spirit of the Forest was gone. She always took her leave with the suddenness of the wind. As he prepared for his long journey home, the Magi chuckled to himself about the Rexxies. “Perhaps She hasn’t all the answers.” As he stepped out onto the treacherous Isthmus of Ruin, the Magi heard a Rexxie’s roar in the distance, and smiled.
Images by @candycal & Serge!
Edited, formatted, and text dividers by @carrieallen.
Lore written by @chrisroberts. He and his wife @carrieallen have finished up the backstories and lore for all the Splinterlands, and working with @zipporah to complete the book. He will be offering sneak peeks, accompanied by brand-new artwork created by the Steem Monsters Team. Both Carrie and Chris prefer you refer to them as The Masters of Lore.😎
They are also releasing a website for all things lore-related. It's gonna be fun AND helpful. Bookmark it.😎
https://www.splinterlore.com/
New to Steem Monsters? Check it out HERE
