CHAPTER 1- darkness encroaching

IN THE BEGINNING…

In the beginning, long before the jammers we know today began to be able to visit the world of Jamaa, it was home to a variety of different species of animals. They spent their days playing together and having fun, and enjoying the world as friends. Jamaa was protected by two Guardian Spirits. The first was Zios, who took the form of a brilliant golden mask. The other was Mira, taking on the form of a beautiful blue heron.

Each species in Jamaa has a Heartstone given to them by the universe. These magical gemstones contain the essence and secrets of their species. They are a physical manifestation of the collective spirits of each member of the species. Zios and Mira allowed the animals to do as they wished with their Heartstones, giving them ownership of them. As the animals’ society began to form, they all agreed to store their Heartstones together in a chamber under the Temple of Zios. Any animal could visit this archive and learn about the unique gifts that each species brought to Jamaa.

However, as generations passed, things would change. Animals began to fear and mistrust other species. Friendships were broken, and the animals of Jamaa stopped living together as a united community. They built villages for their kind only. The different species of Jamaa no longer spoke or worked with one another. Many animals took their Heartstones from the Temple of Zios and hid them away within their new villages. This period lasted for some time, over at least a couple thousand years.

It was during this era of division and paranoia that the dark Phantoms appeared.

The Phantoms came from dark portals, and they quickly spread throughout uninhabited areas of Jamaa. Wherever the Phantoms went, they were sure to spread a trail of destruction and pollution. Rivers turned to toxic goop, plants turned purple with corruption, and the air was filled with noxious fumes. They consumed everything beautiful that they found.

Because the animals were spread out in smaller, isolated villages, the Phantoms were able to easily conquer them and leave them in pieces. It was soon discovered that if the Phantoms were able to steal a Heartstone, they could imprison the animals of that species inside of it. With each captured Heartstone, an entire species disappeared from Jamaa.

Mira and Zios watched in horror as the Phantoms wrecked havoc across Jamaa. They were hurt to see the land they watched over become corrupted. But they knew that they could bring back Jamaa to its former state of beauty and harmony. They began to attempt to restore the world of Jamaa and retrieve the Heartstones, but the power of the Phantoms grew stronger.

SEALING AWAY HISTORY

During this time where the Phantoms were conquering Jamaa bit by bit, they set their eyes on the home of the sabertooth and direwolf tribes. The tribes were led by Fang the sabertooth, and Star the direwolf. Strangely, among those two species was a singular, heroic arctic wolf that went by the name of Juno.

Powered by crystal technology, their city was advanced, prosperous, and stood for thousands of years. The citizens knew that one day the Phantoms would descend onto the city, and it was fast approaching. The tribes discussed how they should approach the issue, but they both had different, conflicting ideas. Without time to properly communicate, a hasty decision was made:

The direwolves and Juno wanted to leave the city behind, and seek out a new home. They could rebuild somewhere else, away from the Phantoms’ gaze. On the other hand, the sabertooths wished to sink the city and seal it away to try and prevent the Phantoms from taking over. They didn’t want to leave everything they had worked so hard for behind.

In the end, the direwolves and Juno departed the city on good terms with the sabertooths, saying goodbye and wishing them well. They took their Heartstone and would go on to become refugees in search of a new home. The sabertooths, one way or another, did manage to sink their city as they wished. No one knows what exactly became of it, though it would be rediscovered much later on.

The wolves would find their new home in Balloosh: a wetland in northwestern Jamaa. Although they were able to temporarily build up a new village, including a temple and other structures, the location would not be hidden from the Phantoms for very long. The Phantoms managed to track the animals through the riverlands to their new home. They aimed to take the direwolves’ Heartstone and all of Balloosh as well. They fought with all their might against the invasion, but it was not enough. The Phantoms were at the city’s entrance.

Juno decided to take matters into their own paws. They felt that to protect Balloosh, they must use their power to seal it away like the old city. Perhaps the sabertooths were right after all. Juno would create the seal so that it would only be broken once the sabertooth Heartstone was brought to Balloosh, and the two packs reunited. That would signal that the land was safe again.

Before beginning their spell they wrote a message explaining the reasoning for their actions. They wrote a goodbye to Star and Fang, and apologized, as this was the only thing they could think to do. Although using such a great power was risky, it was what they believed must be done.

Juno created the seal, and in the process, was turned into a stone statue. They stood at the top of the Temple of the Ancients, watching over their land. Their sacrifice would not be discovered for many years.

Remember their name.

A lesson for Future Generations

As the world grew darker, Zios could be found in his personal archive, under his temple. There he kept scrolls, books, and logs of the history of Jamaa and all its knowledge. It was his personal study, and also a library with a wealth of information. Knowingly or unknowingly, he had a similar idea to Juno’s: To seal away his archive so that future generations, if the animals were to come together again, would be able to learn from the actions of their ancestors and prevent history from repeating itself.

He did not know what would become of the animals at that time, but he had faith that they would persevere. He sealed away his archive, and the doors to his vault of knowledge would only open again once a great eclipse passed.