As a whole the builders were far from cruel or uncaring, making sure that the necessary preparations were devised to ensure that their creations had a means to find them, IF the need should ever arise. These lands were located in a region that would quite literally prove to be a place where the very heavens touched the earth itself - the realm of Kann (Rj. 'œpoint of origin'). Wishing to keep the true location of Kann a secret from those deemed to be unworthy, the builders would then fortify the surrounding regions and encircle them with a series of rather treacherous mountains. These jagged peaks would come to be known by the few select that guarded them as the Hryrggrfold (Rj. "the Spine of the World"). The lands that surrounded the Hryrggrfold were then transformed into a frozen wasteland; frigidly barren and void of any significant forms of life - thus further ensuring Kann's secret existence from the outside world. This barren wasteland would eventually become - unbeknownst to its inhabitants - known as the frozen continent of Thaele.
The builders would appoint the task of defending Kann to a select breed of humans, each blessed by builders' touch and collectively known as the Einherjar. The einherjar were a strong and proud people, forged and tempered by the harsh environment in which they dwelt, and took their roles as guardians to the gods seriously. The builders wished their children to remain true to their purpose and as thus, made sure that the surrounding lands were seeded with various forms of foul beasts and creatures; each designed to constantly test their children's mettle. These challenges would ensure that the einherjar would always remain ever vigilant in their role as guardians as well as to serve as further fortification to the Hryggrfold against any and all forms of 'curious' outsiders.
Over time the einherjar would prosper, growing in number and cultivating their homelands - eventually establishing numerous settlements and fortifications of their own. Amongst the most wondrous and renown of these was Himinndyrr (Rj. "Heaven's Gate") - a great fortress that was rumored to guard the very entrance to the lands of the builders themselves! Legends state that somewhere within these lands of Himinndyrr lay one of the builders' greatest contributions to the universe - Balskapa (Rj. "the Flame of Creation"). The einherjar would guard Himinndyrr and its secret fiercely and with utter devotion, for it was prophesized that anyone foolish enough to try and extinguish balskapa would also wind up snuffing out the very life of the world itself!
Now the builders were far from foolish and wished to keep balskapa's existence guarded carefully, and as thus, made sure to place numerous rumors and stories of Himinndyrr's existence in each of the histories of the known races. Along with these mythic tales, the builders would likewise interweave a commonly shared form of a 'prophecy' amongst the races as well.
The prophecy would simply state something along the lines of:
"...though that they might quarrel and battle amongst themselves for all of eternity - over what would appear to be a seemingly endless supply of petty racial and territorial disputes - ALL those of the lands of Aerth, would eventually heed the call of the Einherjar on the day that the walls of Himinndyrr were ever threatened..." It is here that our adventure begins...