The Cycle of Aeons: The Beginning is The End is the Beginning
Designed by Magnific
"What came, came from somewhere else - where, I even now hesitate to assert in plain words."
- H. P. Lovecraft, "The Shadow Out of Time"
The Void Before
No one knows what the beginning of everything was like, though some dispute that claim. Since most universes began in darkness, some assume the first moment did, as well. But they weren't there.
The eldritch creature called Azathoth insists it was the First Maker. As the only true god, it created anything else of cosmic importance. Of course, for its brilliant work, everything else owes it fealty forever. In its infinite solipsistic narcissism, any other explanation is an offense. It feeds this view to cultists across the stars so they can teach others who the "Lord of All" is. But those who call it the Blind Idiot God are obviously not convinced. Mad as Azathoth is, was, and probably always will be, its views cannot be trusted.
No one knows the face or name of the First Maker, but many suspect it still exists. Something began the cycle of aeons, which may be the First Maker's grand experiment, but what its goals are is anyone's guess. No one remembers the first macrocosm but the many have followed since point to its existence. Just how many iterations have passed is a source of eternal debate.
The real void at the beginning of everything is the dearth of information that remains about it. Records and visions have proven false, making the search for clues seem doomed. Perhaps more alarming, even the longest and strongest memories become faulty over time. But there's plenty to be learned from past aeons, and as luck would have it, plenty of survivors to learn from.
The Cycle of Creation
The present universe is part of a repeating cycle, and among the greatest secrets of this cyclical system are these:
Aeons
An aeon isn't just one place but all places that exist during one version of the cosmos, not just in one era of time but all eras between the beginning and end of its existence. An aeon comprises a complete cosmic calendar.
Creators
Presiding over each aeon is an intelligence with incredible abilities - a newly-born being of great power who establishes the laws and shape of their universe. Precisely how and when it intervenes is up to the maker in question. Some move in the beginning and never again; others prune their gardens every moment they exist.
These entities aren't taught how to create or why, but they know what to do. They seem to have access to an inventory of ideas from before their birth; too many things are similar or unchanged from one iteration to the next to be chalked up to coincidence. From there, they can draw forth old forms and set them loose or change them to suit their whims. But they wouldn't be worthy of their title if all they could do was imitate or extrapolate.
It's impossible to catalog cosmic makers' abilities, but what distinguishes them from other potent entities is the power to create something entirely new. This means they can make something that has never existed before out of nothing at all, and they can do so at will. No other beings in existence can do this.
Some Restrictions Apply
Even supreme deities have rules, but how they learn these restrictions varies. Some are compelled to behave in certain ways while others receive oracular warnings and choose to heed them. A few encounter prior creators and learn the ropes from them. This means some are aware of their limitations early on while others learn later, and some never consciously realize them at all.
Innovation
The first rule of god club is: they cannot simply reconstruct a previous aeon. They must change something, however small, and allow other shifts to occur from there to make the universe unique.
Possibilities
A range of possible actions must exist in each iteration of the cosmos. Whether a species is sentient or not, whether they follow instinctual imperatives or coded commands, there must be a chance - however small or unlikely - for them to follow a different path.
Beyond Good & Evil
The previous rule contains an important sub-clause: If a creator defines good in a cosmic sense, they must also make room for evil and what falls in between, but fairness and balance are not required.
Sentience
Lesser forms of consciousness must exist, as well. It isn't enough to set up natural forces and let them loose on sterile worlds. Even they're rare and short-lived, beings of free will and thought, not simply instinct, are required.
Separation
During their tenure, creators cannot directly interact with lesser beings; they must act through avatars or special servitors. This secures the safety and sanity of others and prevents the cascading effects which inevitably come from such meetings.
Termination
Thus far, each maker has faced this truth: every universe ends. Extending one's tenure only lasts so long; eventually, somehow, time runs out. Usually, this destroys the reigning creator along with everything else - but not always.
Some make a desperate bid to survive and succeed, but never without a cost: The power to make something from nothing leaves them, as does the ability to draw from the well of concepts which have come before. They cannot respawn what they had or build a fresh cosmic playground. From then on, they must work with whatever remains and whatever the next creator makes.
How many have tried to save themselves and others and failed? They no longer matter. But the cycle of aeons has certainly been changed, complicated - or, as many declare, corrupted - by those who have refused to die.
Why do such rules exist? They could be the result of undesirable results in previous iterations. Perhaps they're a kind of evolution as new makers instinctively avoid what's been done before. Maybe the First Maker foresaw problems and imposed limits from the start. Either way, eldritch creators are no longer bound by these fetters, trading some of their fantastic power for a new and terrible freedom.
The Eldritch
Anything that survives its original aeon is known as "eldritch" thereafter. Some are saved on purpose; others escape by accident. Some survive only to meet their demise shortly after; others persist for many cycles. The motives of eldritch beings are as unique as they are, but none endure for long without a guiding purpose. Their means of survival vary widely, but none act with impunity in a foreign universe.
This doesn't mean the present aeon is safe from their influence - far from it. Eldritch forces can cause great damage and may be able to destroy a reigning creator or their universe. Destroying the presiding creator leads to the swift decay of their aeon, but many don't know this secret, some don't care, and others are counting on it.
Anything that originates in the present aeon but is influenced by eldritch forces may also be referred to as "eldritch" afterward. This can occur on purpose, such as through interbreeding and experiments, or by happenstance as objects and effects from old worlds find their way into the new. Most things will stand out from the rest once they're changed, for better or worse. Some influences are temporary, at least to a point, and can be reversed with distance, time, or magic; others are swift and permanent. However they begin, eldritch elements tend to affect their surroundings, regardless of their efforts and intentions.
Using the Cycle of Aeons
This cosmogony can be imported into a tabletop roleplaying game or fictional story at any time. However you place it - beneath, throughout, or at the forefront of your setting's lore - it can be tailored to fit the milieu by answering questions like these:
Are the deities of the present universe aware of what came before them?
If so, how do they react to eldritch remnants?
If not, how do they interpret eldritch presence in their lands?
How have everyday people explained the weirdness away?
Which secrets have they managed to uncover and record?
How are worlds even now being shaped by elements that come from beyond the stars?
How much your current setting and characters are affected is also up to you. Eldritch incursions and alliances may have changed the course of history. Cutting-edge technology could owe leaps in development to eldritch methods or materials. Characters may find those around them changed or desperately seek transformation themselves. They may never get near an eldritch "god" - or Yog-Sothoth could invite them to tea.
Atheist Alternatives
H.P. Lovecraft was a staunch atheist and his weird tales followed suit. His alien entities have incredible powers but they aren't gods. Power and strangeness set them apart, not concepts of good or evil. For example, Lovecraft established Azathoth as the First Maker of the universe his stories are set in. Though it's greatly feared, Azathoth is a primal, chaotic force outside of space and time. It's worshiped by others but doesn't show special interest in them. If it were a deity, it wouldn't be a very effective one.
We appreciate the atheist orientation in Lovecraft's work and what we present here isn't meant to repudiate it. Supernatural elements don't have to exist for this cosmology to work. Deification isn't necessary; a creator is a being who has primary influence over its aeon and adds new things to the cosmos. Outside of their universes, makers are potent but not as influential as they once were. Whether they're gods or not, and whether they're worshiped or not, is up to you.
The powers we refer to don't have to represent forces beyond the material world. They don't have to be wielded in spells or rituals; activating alien physiology or devices will do the trick. Advanced technology can seem magical, especially when it's been developed for time out of mind, but it could remain firmly in the realm of science.
The real power in storytelling is in our choices. Choose what works best for you and your audience.
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