Proteans were the first beings to exist in the Maelstrom, which predated the presence of the other planes in the Great Beyond. Their first contact with other planes came when they accidentally created rifts in the fabric of the Outer Sphere which opened into the Abyss. The proteans soon came into conflict with the qlippoth who dwelt in the Abyss. While this war continued, other planes started to appear in the Maelstrom such as Axis. The axiomite natives of Axis also came into conflict with the proteans and the two have been locked in attempted mutual genocide for some time. According to the imentesh historians, the gods appeared from "somewhere else" after the planes had coalesced. Proteans deal with the gods warily and on a case-by-case basis.