In the time before time, when reality itself was but a canvas of infinite possibility, there existed a place between all worlds—a nexus where the threads of every realm intersected. This was the Creative Forge, a sanctum of pure creative energy that pulsed with the heartbeat of existence itself.
The first Dealers were not warriors or wizards, but artists and dreamers who stumbled upon tears in reality. Through these rifts, they glimpsed the Creative Forge—a crystalline sanctuary floating in the void between dimensions, its walls shimmering with the light of a thousand possible futures.
Within the Forge, they discovered the Sparks—fragments of pure creative essence that fell like luminous rain from the sanctuary's infinite ceiling. Each Spark contained the potential of unborn worlds, the memories of futures yet to come, and the echoes of pasts that might have been. The Dealers learned to gather these Sparks, feeling their warmth pulse with possibility in their palms.
As more Dealers found their way to the Forge, they discovered the Sapphires—crystallized time itself, formed where temporal streams crossed within the sanctuary. These azure gems held the power to stabilize and channel the wild energy of the Sparks, allowing Dealers to forge them into something tangible: the Art Cards.
The process was revelatory. By combining Sparks with Sapphires within the Forge's mystical anvils, Dealers could pull images from the collective unconscious of all realms—creating cards that were more than mere pictures. Each card became a living fragment of possibility, imbued with abilities that defied the laws of any single universe.
As word spread across the realms, Dealers of all kinds made pilgrimage to the Creative Forge. Five great factions emerged, each drawn to different aspects of the sanctuary's power:
Within the Forge, time moved differently. A day outside could be a year within, or a century could pass in moments. The Dealers discovered combat circles etched into the sanctuary's floor—ancient arenas where they could test their creations against one another without fear of true destruction.
The first great tournament arose not from conflict, but from curiosity. Dealers wanted to understand the limits of their newfound power. As cards clashed in the arena, something unexpected happened: the battles generated new Sparks, creating a cycle of creation and competition that enriched all participants.
As Dealers grew in power and number, they began to uncover disturbing truths. The Creative Forge was not merely discovered—it was awakening. Ancient mechanisms, dormant for eons, hummed to life. Passages that led nowhere suddenly opened onto impossible vistas. Most unsettling of all, some Dealers reported seeing their own faces in cards they had never created, as if the Forge was showing them futures they had yet to live.
The sanctuary began revealing deeper chambers, each one a puzzle of space and time. In these hidden halls, Dealers found evidence of previous inhabitants—tools of incredible sophistication, half-completed cards that seemed to depict events yet to occur, and crystallized Sapphires of impossible size that pulsed with barely contained power.
On a day that would be remembered as the Alpha Dawn, every Dealer in the Forge experienced the same vision simultaneously. They saw themselves not as individuals, but as part of a greater pattern—threads in a tapestry that stretched across all realities. The vision showed them that their cards were not mere creations, but seeds of possibility that could reshape the very fabric of existence.
With this revelation came a warning: something was coming. The Forge's awakening was not random but a response to an approaching threat that existed outside of time and space. The Alpha Set—the first true collection of cards forged with this knowledge—would be their preparation for what lay ahead.
Now the Creative Forge stands as a beacon across the realms, its doors open to any with the courage to enter and the wisdom to create. Dealers continue to arrive, drawn by the promise of Sparks and Sapphires, by the thrill of competition, and by the mystery of what they might discover within themselves.
The sanctuary exists in a state of perpetual dawn, always on the cusp of some great revelation. Time flows in eddies and currents through its halls. Realm barriers thin and thicken like breathing. And in the deepest chambers, where few Dealers dare to venture, ancient machines continue their mysterious work, preparing for a genesis that only the cards themselves might foretell.
Thus begins the Chronicle of the Creative Forge. The Alpha has been sparked. The Genesis awaits...
