Before the River's Dawn

"Before the River's Dawn" was one of the books in Taryon Darrington's personal library, kept in his room in the Darrington Estate in Wildemount. The book was a continuation of the creation myth of Wildemount, which takes place during the Founding of Exandria (the first age of the world).

The story was about two spirits of the gods (in the form of Fauns) who fell in love. However, the Fauns could not be together, because the dawn had to rise and the sun would shun them.

This book was one of many books read by Tary's mother, Mariya Darrington, who used them to pass the time after he had ran away from home. They both described the story as "very beautiful, but also heartbreaking at the same time". It was Mariya's favorite because it reminded her of Tary. It was one of Tary's favorites as well.

Trivia

 * The title and plot of "Before the River's Dawn" were completely improvised on the spot by Matthew Mercer. Additional details are unknown, but what information is available suggests that the fauns were spirits of Avandra, Pelor, Erathis, and/or Melora. As Fauns usually worship gods of nature and woodlands, the Changebringer and/or the Wildmother seem the most likely.  However, it is unknown why the Dawnfather would shun the fauns (Pelor is the god of the sun).
 * Fauns are a race in Dungeons & Dragons. They are identical to Humans except they also have the ears and tail of a cow, and the horns and legs of a goat.  Like the Elves, they have Fey Ancestry.
 * It is unusual how this book came to be in the possession of the Darrington family, as the Dwendalian Empire has a disdain for religious practices. This suggests that the book actually predates the founding of the Dwendalian Empire, back during a time when the peoples of Wildemount were still rebuilding after the devastation of the Calamity.