On the Subject of the Origin of Satyrs
As the group smokes beside a fireplace at the satyr homestead, the eldest
satyr brother, Terry, regales the party with a story.
"In a time long past, when the world was still being shaped by the Old
Magic, when the humans were still swinging through the trees and the
Orcs were dining on reptile flesh, the beast god Xengral dreamed a dream
that took root in the fertile fabric of our plane. Beings were dragged
into existence, created in his ephemeral image. These beings had the
ability to take any shape they pleased. Sometimes they chose to exist as
stones, rivers, and trees, enjoying the wisdom of simplicity. Other
times they existed as mortal creatures. Grazing, hunting, dying,
rebirth. They were reflections of the gods' masterwork. These were our
ancestors.
This age lasted for millennia, but over time the world began to settle,
and the Old Magic began to disappear. Those with foresight saw that the
death of the Old Magic would drain them of their ability to change form,
so they gathered their kin and prepared to make the hard decision: chaos
or order. Some decided to remain faithful to their patriarch, Xengral,
and take forms that reflected the chaos of the wilds. These are centaurs
and beastfolk of the southern continent. Some saw order and civilization
as the path forward, emulating the intellect of the elves and dwarves.
Among them are the infernals, who adapted their forms to the bitter cold
of the north. And still others were unable to make up their minds. These
were the last to take permanent shapes, long after all the fertile
regions of the world had been claimed by others. These are the satyrs: a
people both blessed and cursed with true freedom."