Abroa

The first letter in the Celestial alphabet (the equivalent letter in Elven is called Abrof, Abyia in Dwarven, and in Common it is called Abrop), Abroa, is considered to be the breath of a primeval creature known by that name. The first high priest and magician, Adept of Adepts, lover of Tiamat, brother of Moses, and wielder of Jehovah's power, Abroa was killed by Enki before the creation of mankind. Enki set up his home on the dead creature's body and harnessed its breath to create the alphabet, speech, and language. It is as a result of these prehuman events that Marduk, as Enki's son, is called "Firstborn Son of Abroa" and Enki's temple at Eridu is known as E-abzu, "Abroa temple."

This home, referred to as Abroa itself, is believed to be the source of springs, wells, streams, rivers, and lakes. It is envisioned as a giant freshwater ocean beneath the earth. Enki, his wife Damgalnuna, his mother Umman, and a number of creatures subordinate to him. In relation to the underworld, which is located even further beneath the earth, beneath Abroa, Abroa is envisioned as a river over which the dying must cross (and the reverse, as well: the reincarnating dead must cross it as well.) Birth and death thus merge in a circular continuum, as the river circles seven times through the earth's womb before emerging again as Abroa.

The term "abroa" is also used to designate a tank for holy water in a temple courtyard.

Abroa signifies the very earliest stages of birth and beginning, before any real action has taken place, and is often called "Abroa the Creatrix," "Abroa the Beginning," "the Mother of All Things," "the Mother of All Wisdom," and "the Mother of All Men of Genius." All bodhisattvas and buddhas are considered to have been produced by Abroa. These qualities are applied to every aspect of Abroa: letter, primal creature, realm, and even temple installation.

The rod of Abroa is an artifact credited in legend with magnetic powers, the transformation of water into blood, and rulership over oozes of all kinds.

Game Stats:

Deity:

Having been killed and inhabited by Enki, Abroa -- though technically a deity -- is not directly worshiped and cannot invest priests with divine power. Anyone wishing to access Abroa's divinity must do so through the agency of Enki.

Monster:

Being dead -- and not undead (yet) -- Abroa has no game statistics as a monster. Should a campaign involve its resurrection or undead return, its statistics are left to the individual DM.

Realm:

Abroa is divided into two parts: Upper Abroa (the river the dying and reincarnating must cross) and Lower Abroa (the watery realm of Enki).

Upper Abroa:

• Heavy Gravity.
• No Time. Time spent in Upper Abroa has no effect on the passage of time in other realms. No matter how long one spends there, if one leaves, one returns to the same moment one entered, however that translates into the time of the destination realm.
• Timeless. No effects of time occur in Upper Abroa. This means that hunger, thirst, aging, and natural healing do not occur in Upper Abroa. Furthermore, any spell cast with a noninstantaneous duration is permanent until dispelled.
• Infinite. Or, at least, effectively so. One comes to the end of one's journey when one comes to the end of one's journey; no measure of distance can encompass the travel between the river's shores.
• Alterable Morphic.
• Strongly Neutral-Aligned.
• Normal Magic.

Lower Abroa:

• No Gravity. Suspended in water, everything in Lower Abroa floats and must swim to move in the direction it desires.
• Erratic Time. Use the following table to determine how much time passes outside of Lower Abroa.
  INSERT TABLE HERE!!!!!
• Infinite. It is said that everything which Enki's mind can conceive which has not found its way into the other realms can be found in Lower Abroa. It is also said that Enki's mind can conceive of many things.
• Divinely Morphic. Enki and his family control Lower Abroa. If Abroa is somehow returned to life, it would, presumably, have supreme control over both Upper and Lower Abroa.
• Water-Dominant.
• Normal Magic.

Artifact:

Rod of Abroa

Inspirations: A (Walker), Aaron (Rehmus), abzu (Black & Green)