The Faerie
The Age of Dreams, when Men yet slept were these. At this time many creatures who today Men call 'Mythical' roamed the earth. Centaurs, Satyrs, Fauns, and several others were among the sentient creatures, and many fantastical beasts existed at this time too, from Griffons to Pegasi to Unicorns.
Although no sentient Faerie creature ever would die of age or disease, the Twins' hands could be seen in this land, and it marred the perfect beauty. Animals would slay other animals for food, and even at times attack the Faerie themselves when hungry, for the Twins had cursed the world with Hunger, and with Hate.
For even as there were the Faerie, there were the Children of Darkness as well. However, the Twins were blind in their curses, and their creations were equally blind. As terrible and powerful as these creatures were, they were also quite stupid. The Elves in particular found little trouble in subduing these monsters, from the mighty Trolls and Ogres to the lowly Goblins. Eretha for this time was a peaceful place marked with only brief incidents of war and death.
The First Rift War
The Dragons had come, and the Ananhel had formed their bond with the great creatures. It was not long thereafter, however, that their enemies came forth, even as the Dragons had foreseen. Raughir, and his Fiends, and many other hideous creatures, far worse than any monster yet seen on the face of Eretha, stormed through the opened Rift, and many great Elven cities were laid waste. Entire species were wiped out in this War, and never seen again after this War were either the High Elven King or the Queen.
This was one of the most bloody times in the entire history of the World, and those who experienced it speak seldom of it. Historical tomes kept by the Elves are never opened to strangers. What is known, however, was that this was an era of nearly incessant warfare, and that it lasted for nearly an entire millennium. So it is that there is no timeline for the events of this War, and its heroes and villains are unsung, save by its survivors. These songs, heard only ever from a distance, are said to be so beautiful and sad that the most cold-hearted of dour Men would break down and cry upon hearing them.
The Second Awakening
The War was over, and the remnants of the Faerie and Elves had banished their dreadful foes. Many of the cities they had built were destroyed, and many of the Faerie with whom they had shared the once beautiful world. Of all the peoples from the Era of the Faerie, only the Elves were still strong after the First Rift War. The sons of Indrejan each took to themselves as Kingdoms their respective lands: Khendrajan and Tarindal each kept their own cities and lands, and Alandriach became the King of Anheldamar.
During the time of the Second Awakening, the land was once more in peace. Both sides from the First Rift War had been ravaged by death and destruction, and the time for rebuilding was at hand. Only the largest, most well-defended of the cities of the sons of Indrejan had somehow escaped destruction through a thousand years of warfare, and even these were not unscathed.
First to awaken during the Second Awakening were the Dwarves, the creations of the Craftsman, whom the Dwarves call Araw. Next came Men, the Holy Father's creations, masters of their own fate, and untied to anything. Whereas all other sentient beings had some tie, whether to the earth as Dwarves, or to Nature and Life as the Faerie, or to Darkness as the Twins' People, Humans had no ties whatsoever.
Hunger and Hatred were not sufficient curses, the Twin Gods decided, and for the first time in millennia, they acted directly, creating both Inescapable Death and Cursed Undeath as banes for the Mortals, likely with some help from 'The Temptress'.
This proved to be a critical turning point in more than one way, for one of the Twins repented his ways, and was granted dominion over the Dead, to rule as a just and unbiased Judge. The other, however, refused. He is now named 'Rhintrah' and is the God of Undeath, and is the Temptress' eternal escort.
Early Mortal Years
From the beginning, the Elves did not know what to make of these new creatures who had arisen on the Earth's surface. The Sons of Indrejan themselves could not come to an agreement, and each Brother and his People treated the Mortals they came into contact with differently. Alandriach, the Eldest, felt some amount of Duty for these creatures, for certainly they were inhabitants of the Earth and as such were charged to the Elves for care taking. Khendrajan felt no duty or obligation toward the new people, and Tarindal loved them from the beginning. This marked the first real sundering of the Elves.
Humans during this time were of many various bents. Some were nomadic, following herds across great plains. Some settled by rivers and fished, fashioning small villages here and there. Others lived in established settlements in forests, and others by the sea. There were no cities erected during this time, and the wars between men were usually over lands and property. These wars caused even the People of Traindal to be wary, and there was little interaction between Elves and Men.
Dwarves during this time were very different from Men. They almost immediately began digging their holes in the ground, and making them wondrous. In fact, it was not known to the Elves that Dwarves existed. Dwarves wanted little to do with any other people whatsoever, and were remarkably capable when it came to avoiding both Men and Elves. During these years, after their Awakening, was when the Dwarves first met who was to become their eternal enemy: the creatures who called themselves 'Grunlings'. The First Grunling Wars, fought almost entirely underground, resulted in great loss for the Dwarves at first, and many of their magnificent fortresses and mansions were destroyed.
During this same time, the Elves had many cities throughout the land, but none were as grand as the three cities of the Sons of Indrejan. During this time those great cities were completed, and called the capitals by the Kings who lived in them. Every lord of any other Elven city swore fealty to one of the Sons of Indrejan, and this was the beginning of the Elven feudal system.
Wars broke out occasionally between Elves and wild, ravaging monsters who had broken free of Raughir's reign in Uruadum, but during this time no major offensives were launched by either Raughir or the Sons of Indrejan. It is said that Raughir was taken completely by surprise by the new inhabitants of the world, and sought to learn as much as he could about the Mortals that he might bend them to his will, and spent this time reinforcing his own lands in the South, unable to launch offensives due to the might of the Elves and the Dwarves.
The Goblin Wars, however, never truly ceased for the Dwarves. Every great cavern, it seemed, was inhabited by the monsters, and the Dwarves fought for every inch that they possessed. It was during one such war that the Ananhel, the kin of Tarindal, allied with the Dwarves to defeat the Grunlings. But at the end of this war no great alliance was formed. The Dwarves were utterly unwilling to ally with the Elves, who they felt coveted the magnificent caves. This was not the case, but alliance between these two people was set back by thousands of years by this alliance.
AD History: Ancient
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TetNak
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Re: AD History: Ancient
First Great Migration
With the end of the War of Elves, Dwarves, and Goblins, the Dwarves and Elves went their separate ways, and both had all but forgotten about the youngest race: Mankind. During all of this, Men lived in relative peace, warring with each other only rarely. Raughir spent his time watching and learning, meddling only rarely and with great carefulness.
What it was that caused Mankind to first travel over the World's Spine none truly know. No Human records yet remain from that day, and only a few tales come from the oral traditions of Rathain, Caldera, Miranis, and Uruadum. Needless to say, no two legends are exactly the same. Regardless, during a span of about two hundred years, Men first crossed the Terraspinum Mountains, en mass.
Era of Hospitality
The Sylvanhel in what was to be Caldera:
During the time between the first and second migrations, the Sylvanhel Elves allowed many Men to live within their cities with them in an area of Eretha which was to become Caldera many hundreds of years later. The Men swore fealty unto Alandriach, and were for a time at least considered to be vassals of the Firstborn of Indrejan, living as equals in the cities of their hosts.
This did not last long, however. Mankind is a naturally proud race, and did not take kindly to what they believed to be a position of servitude, though truth be told, the Sylvanhel did not see the Men as servants. The Men wished to have their own Kings, and when Raughir's servants learned of this, they came to the Elven cities in disguise, promising a kingdom of their own to the Men. Many Men left the cities, and went South, into the land of Raughir, but many others simply left the Elven cities and designed cities of their own in the nearby areas, with the reluctant blessing of Alandriach.
The Nomanhel's and Valanhel's Role in Rathain:
Khendrajan was of a different heart than his older brother when it came to Mankind. He did not feel a duty to rule them, and he did not truly love them as his younger brother did. But when Mankind spread to the River Rathain and set up their villages, Khendrajan's heart was moved. He saw in the future the move that the Sons of Indrejan's enemy would make, and saw great devastation along the River Rathain, which his people would be unable to defeat by themselves.
Khendrajan became an unhappy teacher to the Humans in Rathain, teaching them a little of warfare and defense, but made certain that these Humans would not be able to threaten his own nation.
During this time the Valanhel also dwelt in the city of Khendrajan, and they saw the way that the Elvenking was treating humans. But this was not to last.During this time the founding of Uruadum was taking place, very rapidly, and it was not long after that that Khendrajan's city would fall, to the very people who Khendrajan was most wary of: Mankind. The split that was to follow would never be healed.
The Ananhel in what is now Durnalis:
When Tarindal first saw Mankind, he marveled at them. He saw them before Death had taken them, alone of the Sons of Indrejan to see them in their immortality, and he wept at their weakness and loss when it was given to them. He learned over time that Man's freedom, which he did envy, was as much a curse as it was a blessing. He carefully watched Men as they lived their short lives, and many of his people served as advisors to Humans, in disguise. The Ananhel never did build another city on the mainland, at Tarindal's command, for their King reasoned that if Man were to be free, as the Gods clearly intended, then it was not the Elves' place to meddle, but rather to aid.
Even the Dragons respected the Ananhel King's desires, and so it was that during these times, unbeknownst to Mankind, Elves and Dragons walked in their midst as teachers and unheralded champions, teaching virtues and all about the wonders of the world, giving them peace, and, more importantly, defending them against Raughir's minions in complete secret. It was during this time that the first Human city east of the Terraspinum was founded by a man named Miranis, a name which has never been forgotten and still symbolizes the great ideals upon which the great city was founded and still stands.
The Founding of an Empire
As the Humans marched from the Sylvanhel cities, many of them went south into Uruadum, the Land of Raughir. What they found there both amazed and horrified them. Unimaginable power was everywhere, but the Lords of the Land, who were in fact the Great Fiends of Raughir, held back the horrors from the Humans, asking only a small tribute of sacrifice in return. The Fiends gave those who would follow them great power, power far greater than these Humans had ever imagined, and made them rival even the Elvenkings themselves. So it was that Black Magic first found itself in the hands of Humans, and a new Era was begun in Uruadum, the Land of Demons.
Flight to Alazandra
In the infancy of Uruadum...
Not all men who came to Uruadum liked what they saw, but believed that if they were to work together they could forge their own city-state, just as they had set out to do. These men lived in peace in Uruadum, but refused to submit their wills to that of the masters of the land.
Raughir attacked, and fiercely. City after city was destroyed with ruthless efficiency. Undead rose to fight under the Demon Lord, and victory seemed hopeless to these men who dared to face the wrath of Raughir. What came next was one of the most remarkable achievements Mankind had ever accomplished.
The men and women grouped together in one city, which was to be their last defense. Raughir's minions had it almost completely surrounded, and settled in for the siege. The men made ostentatious shows of defiance, and Raughir's forces waited and waited. No sorties came forth from the city, though it was completely choked off and in desperate need of supplies.
Finally, the Demon Lord attacked. But to the surprise of the commanding generals, not a single living creature was left within the city. The denizens had somehow managed to even save their pets, in what was one of the greatest vanishing tricks ever pulled off.
With the end of the War of Elves, Dwarves, and Goblins, the Dwarves and Elves went their separate ways, and both had all but forgotten about the youngest race: Mankind. During all of this, Men lived in relative peace, warring with each other only rarely. Raughir spent his time watching and learning, meddling only rarely and with great carefulness.
What it was that caused Mankind to first travel over the World's Spine none truly know. No Human records yet remain from that day, and only a few tales come from the oral traditions of Rathain, Caldera, Miranis, and Uruadum. Needless to say, no two legends are exactly the same. Regardless, during a span of about two hundred years, Men first crossed the Terraspinum Mountains, en mass.
Era of Hospitality
The Sylvanhel in what was to be Caldera:
During the time between the first and second migrations, the Sylvanhel Elves allowed many Men to live within their cities with them in an area of Eretha which was to become Caldera many hundreds of years later. The Men swore fealty unto Alandriach, and were for a time at least considered to be vassals of the Firstborn of Indrejan, living as equals in the cities of their hosts.
This did not last long, however. Mankind is a naturally proud race, and did not take kindly to what they believed to be a position of servitude, though truth be told, the Sylvanhel did not see the Men as servants. The Men wished to have their own Kings, and when Raughir's servants learned of this, they came to the Elven cities in disguise, promising a kingdom of their own to the Men. Many Men left the cities, and went South, into the land of Raughir, but many others simply left the Elven cities and designed cities of their own in the nearby areas, with the reluctant blessing of Alandriach.
The Nomanhel's and Valanhel's Role in Rathain:
Khendrajan was of a different heart than his older brother when it came to Mankind. He did not feel a duty to rule them, and he did not truly love them as his younger brother did. But when Mankind spread to the River Rathain and set up their villages, Khendrajan's heart was moved. He saw in the future the move that the Sons of Indrejan's enemy would make, and saw great devastation along the River Rathain, which his people would be unable to defeat by themselves.
Khendrajan became an unhappy teacher to the Humans in Rathain, teaching them a little of warfare and defense, but made certain that these Humans would not be able to threaten his own nation.
During this time the Valanhel also dwelt in the city of Khendrajan, and they saw the way that the Elvenking was treating humans. But this was not to last.During this time the founding of Uruadum was taking place, very rapidly, and it was not long after that that Khendrajan's city would fall, to the very people who Khendrajan was most wary of: Mankind. The split that was to follow would never be healed.
The Ananhel in what is now Durnalis:
When Tarindal first saw Mankind, he marveled at them. He saw them before Death had taken them, alone of the Sons of Indrejan to see them in their immortality, and he wept at their weakness and loss when it was given to them. He learned over time that Man's freedom, which he did envy, was as much a curse as it was a blessing. He carefully watched Men as they lived their short lives, and many of his people served as advisors to Humans, in disguise. The Ananhel never did build another city on the mainland, at Tarindal's command, for their King reasoned that if Man were to be free, as the Gods clearly intended, then it was not the Elves' place to meddle, but rather to aid.
Even the Dragons respected the Ananhel King's desires, and so it was that during these times, unbeknownst to Mankind, Elves and Dragons walked in their midst as teachers and unheralded champions, teaching virtues and all about the wonders of the world, giving them peace, and, more importantly, defending them against Raughir's minions in complete secret. It was during this time that the first Human city east of the Terraspinum was founded by a man named Miranis, a name which has never been forgotten and still symbolizes the great ideals upon which the great city was founded and still stands.
The Founding of an Empire
As the Humans marched from the Sylvanhel cities, many of them went south into Uruadum, the Land of Raughir. What they found there both amazed and horrified them. Unimaginable power was everywhere, but the Lords of the Land, who were in fact the Great Fiends of Raughir, held back the horrors from the Humans, asking only a small tribute of sacrifice in return. The Fiends gave those who would follow them great power, power far greater than these Humans had ever imagined, and made them rival even the Elvenkings themselves. So it was that Black Magic first found itself in the hands of Humans, and a new Era was begun in Uruadum, the Land of Demons.
Flight to Alazandra
In the infancy of Uruadum...
Not all men who came to Uruadum liked what they saw, but believed that if they were to work together they could forge their own city-state, just as they had set out to do. These men lived in peace in Uruadum, but refused to submit their wills to that of the masters of the land.
Raughir attacked, and fiercely. City after city was destroyed with ruthless efficiency. Undead rose to fight under the Demon Lord, and victory seemed hopeless to these men who dared to face the wrath of Raughir. What came next was one of the most remarkable achievements Mankind had ever accomplished.
The men and women grouped together in one city, which was to be their last defense. Raughir's minions had it almost completely surrounded, and settled in for the siege. The men made ostentatious shows of defiance, and Raughir's forces waited and waited. No sorties came forth from the city, though it was completely choked off and in desperate need of supplies.
Finally, the Demon Lord attacked. But to the surprise of the commanding generals, not a single living creature was left within the city. The denizens had somehow managed to even save their pets, in what was one of the greatest vanishing tricks ever pulled off.
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TetNak
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AD History: Ancient
Nomanhel Exodus
In what are now Rathain and Caldera, some small nations of Humans first began. Rathain was the first Kingdom to thrive, and it was not long after its rise that Caldera too began to unite. There was much bloodshed during this time, and the Elves watched in great sadness and horror as the Humans' passion for power often got the better of them. Kings were born, and Kings were slain. The Elves blamed Raughir often for this, but in truth his affect was not as great as the Elves still believe.
The Sylvanhel and Valanhel during this time were desperately seeking to find a way to stop the fighting between the various Men, and in the end wound up being drawn into the battles themselves, and many found themselves the brunt of hatred by both of two warring factions.
Raughir watched the struggles of Men in Rathain and Caldera, and the subsequent precarious positions of the Sylvanhel and Valanhel. The Ananhel too were busy east of the Terraspinum, and Raughir knew that his time had come.
The Demon Lord and his Captains, the Great Fiends, had been teaching many Men and Women the Dark Arts, and filled them with hatred for their 'former masters', the Elves.
Raughir struck swiftly and surely, at the very heart of Khendrajan's kingdom. The city fell within thirty years of warfare, and Khendrajan never forgave his brothers for their inaction. Hate swelled in the heart of Indrejan's second son for all Mortals, whom he also blamed for the War, but even that hatred was pale by comparison to his infinite hatred of all Raughir's minions. After the ruining of the Jewel of Eretha, as the Nomanhel called their city, the Nomanhel disappeared entirely. To this day they harbor their grudge deep in their hearts and patiently await the time when they can fulfill their own agenda.
Rise of Two Nations
After the destruction of Khendrajan's city, there followed nearly a hundred years of warfare in Rathain and Caldera. The Valanhel never gave up on Rathain, and when the wars ended, Rathain was united peacefully under one King.
Soon thereafter, Caldera too united, if for no other reason than the existence of a common threat, and a desire not to join Rathain under the rule of the Rathainian King. The Servants of Raughir were quick to capitalize on the short memories of the Humans, and the truth of the Sylvanhel's previous hospitality was warped, and the Sylvanhel in these stories became cruel masters who would have dominion over all Mankind. So it was that a war broke out in Caldera, Man against Elf. The Elves could have easily vanquished the Humans, but rather than do that, Alandriach ordered the evacuation of their city. The Calderans were quick to take the city as their capital, and they gave it a name which at times was synonymous with greatness, honor, and nobility, but now embodies the principles upon which it was founded. The city's name: Carnac.
The City-States
Throughout much of the land east of the Earth's Spine, things did not change much since the Era of Hospitality. Farming villages and fishing villages grew in size, but little changes were made. Boats became more sturdy both along the rivers and along the coastlines. In the mountains, very little changed for a very long time. Little skirmishes and wars broke out over territorial claims, but for the most part there was relative peace and tranquility. Caldera had not claimed any lands east of the Great Divide, and the people knew nothing of nations or nationality. The Elves and Dragons still walked, in disguise, through the lands, dispensing some knowledge here and there that would make the lives of the people easier.
Only along the seaboards did great changes take place. In Miranis especially the changes could be seen. King Orick of Gharin and King Carvis of Miranis had began trade with each other, and both nations profited enormously. Further East along the seaboard, fishing and farming advances were made, and it was not long before great cities of stone and wood arose, larger and grander than had ever been seen before in this part of the world. Land and sea became extremely valuable property, and wars broke out most frequently in this area.
The Unveiling
The wars between the city-states disheartened Tarindal and his people greatly, and their aid was given only rarely now. Were it not for the peace and prosperity of Miranis, it is doubtful that the Ananhel would have continued their aid any longer. Tarindal had long watched this particular city-state, and he admired the justice and mercy with which the Kings ruled.
Tarindal watched the city-states quietly, and saw that the violence would continue to increase, and all the while the threat of the South still remained. So it was that Tarindal decided to reveal his presence to the Men whom he had watched for so long.
To say it was a shock to the Men of Miranis to see the white sails come out of the North would be a severe understatement. At first, King Cartis the First of Miranis prepared for an attack, but a dream he received convinced him to welcome the Ananhel with open arms. The meeting between the Men and Elves was not very long, lasting mere months. A friendship was formed, but the Elves had to move on. They visited many other city-states, but were not welcomed by all. Some viewed the Elves with suspicion, and some with open hostility. Most, however, received the Ananhel with a warm welcome.
Things began to change more rapidly in these lands after that. Wars between city-states on the seaboards decreased, and friendships were slowly formed by those who had but recently been enemies. Great ships began to be built by seafaring city-states, and trade grew between the various cities.
In what are now Rathain and Caldera, some small nations of Humans first began. Rathain was the first Kingdom to thrive, and it was not long after its rise that Caldera too began to unite. There was much bloodshed during this time, and the Elves watched in great sadness and horror as the Humans' passion for power often got the better of them. Kings were born, and Kings were slain. The Elves blamed Raughir often for this, but in truth his affect was not as great as the Elves still believe.
The Sylvanhel and Valanhel during this time were desperately seeking to find a way to stop the fighting between the various Men, and in the end wound up being drawn into the battles themselves, and many found themselves the brunt of hatred by both of two warring factions.
Raughir watched the struggles of Men in Rathain and Caldera, and the subsequent precarious positions of the Sylvanhel and Valanhel. The Ananhel too were busy east of the Terraspinum, and Raughir knew that his time had come.
The Demon Lord and his Captains, the Great Fiends, had been teaching many Men and Women the Dark Arts, and filled them with hatred for their 'former masters', the Elves.
Raughir struck swiftly and surely, at the very heart of Khendrajan's kingdom. The city fell within thirty years of warfare, and Khendrajan never forgave his brothers for their inaction. Hate swelled in the heart of Indrejan's second son for all Mortals, whom he also blamed for the War, but even that hatred was pale by comparison to his infinite hatred of all Raughir's minions. After the ruining of the Jewel of Eretha, as the Nomanhel called their city, the Nomanhel disappeared entirely. To this day they harbor their grudge deep in their hearts and patiently await the time when they can fulfill their own agenda.
Rise of Two Nations
After the destruction of Khendrajan's city, there followed nearly a hundred years of warfare in Rathain and Caldera. The Valanhel never gave up on Rathain, and when the wars ended, Rathain was united peacefully under one King.
Soon thereafter, Caldera too united, if for no other reason than the existence of a common threat, and a desire not to join Rathain under the rule of the Rathainian King. The Servants of Raughir were quick to capitalize on the short memories of the Humans, and the truth of the Sylvanhel's previous hospitality was warped, and the Sylvanhel in these stories became cruel masters who would have dominion over all Mankind. So it was that a war broke out in Caldera, Man against Elf. The Elves could have easily vanquished the Humans, but rather than do that, Alandriach ordered the evacuation of their city. The Calderans were quick to take the city as their capital, and they gave it a name which at times was synonymous with greatness, honor, and nobility, but now embodies the principles upon which it was founded. The city's name: Carnac.
The City-States
Throughout much of the land east of the Earth's Spine, things did not change much since the Era of Hospitality. Farming villages and fishing villages grew in size, but little changes were made. Boats became more sturdy both along the rivers and along the coastlines. In the mountains, very little changed for a very long time. Little skirmishes and wars broke out over territorial claims, but for the most part there was relative peace and tranquility. Caldera had not claimed any lands east of the Great Divide, and the people knew nothing of nations or nationality. The Elves and Dragons still walked, in disguise, through the lands, dispensing some knowledge here and there that would make the lives of the people easier.
Only along the seaboards did great changes take place. In Miranis especially the changes could be seen. King Orick of Gharin and King Carvis of Miranis had began trade with each other, and both nations profited enormously. Further East along the seaboard, fishing and farming advances were made, and it was not long before great cities of stone and wood arose, larger and grander than had ever been seen before in this part of the world. Land and sea became extremely valuable property, and wars broke out most frequently in this area.
The Unveiling
The wars between the city-states disheartened Tarindal and his people greatly, and their aid was given only rarely now. Were it not for the peace and prosperity of Miranis, it is doubtful that the Ananhel would have continued their aid any longer. Tarindal had long watched this particular city-state, and he admired the justice and mercy with which the Kings ruled.
Tarindal watched the city-states quietly, and saw that the violence would continue to increase, and all the while the threat of the South still remained. So it was that Tarindal decided to reveal his presence to the Men whom he had watched for so long.
To say it was a shock to the Men of Miranis to see the white sails come out of the North would be a severe understatement. At first, King Cartis the First of Miranis prepared for an attack, but a dream he received convinced him to welcome the Ananhel with open arms. The meeting between the Men and Elves was not very long, lasting mere months. A friendship was formed, but the Elves had to move on. They visited many other city-states, but were not welcomed by all. Some viewed the Elves with suspicion, and some with open hostility. Most, however, received the Ananhel with a warm welcome.
Things began to change more rapidly in these lands after that. Wars between city-states on the seaboards decreased, and friendships were slowly formed by those who had but recently been enemies. Great ships began to be built by seafaring city-states, and trade grew between the various cities.
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TetNak
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AD History: Ancient
Wrath of the East
Raughir was not idle during these many years. Aside from squelching uprisings within his own land, the Demon Lord began to raise a great army, of humans, goblins, ogres, trolls, and many other monsters.
When Raughir saw what the Ananhel were accomplishing, he knew he must act quickly or face a united enemy whose might would surely surpass his own in the future.
The greatest of Raughir's Fiends, Mornaur the Fire Lord, struck quickly. With no warning, the mountains between Tadkar and the plains of the Great River belched fire and ash into the sky. Men, Dwarves, Elves, and any living creature close to the area were burned or buried. Entire cities were buried, and the seashore turned to black. All living things were slain.
No sooner had the lava and ash cooled that the great army of the South cut deep into the land, destroying village and tribe day after day. Though the Ananhel had given the people great knowledge, they did not give them any knowledge of weapons or armor which they had. The inferior tactics and weaponry of the humans proved to be ineffective against the horror of the army of the south.
Miranis still held out under the fearless leadership of King Arathis, and the Dwarves of Gharin under King Balwain came to reinforce the Human city. Together the peoples stood against the tide. Raughir's army did not push further east at this time, but rather concentrated its attacks on the ancient city. Miranis held fast, but would never have survived were it not for the Ananhel, who came like a terrible hurricane with their Dragon friends. The wrath of the Ananhel was so terrible that many Men believed them to be Gods. The enemy army was utterly routed, and peace returned.
Triple Alliance
The War against Raughir's forces was over, and standing back together in Miranis at its end were three Kings. King Arathis of the Men of Miranis, King Tarindal of the Elves of Calnas, and King Balwain of the Dwarves of Gharin had returned together as victors. There in that time the three Kings swore an unending alliance between their peoples that has remained to this day.
The three nations at that time entered into a time of bliss and prosperity. For nearly a thousand years, the South remained penned in the South, many hundreds of miles from the three nations. The Ananhel trained the Men in the way of warfare, and the three Peoples forged one great weapon as a gift for Arathis: the legendary White Sword.
Eastern Dark Age
With his defeat at the combined hands of Men, Elves, and Dwarves, Raughir realized that his attack had been the catalyst to a very undesirable reaction. The last thing he needed was an enemy that was united against him. While the Humans in this vast land were fighting, the Uruadum Empire had little to fear. But an allied group of Men with a common enemy would be a fearsome foe indeed.
The Demon Lord knew that time was on his side. He knew that Men were quick to be born and die, and as a people quick to forget both friends and foes. With well-placed agents, Raughir began to once again sow the seeds of disquiet and discontent. Within a few mere generations, the city-states were back to fighting each other once again.
During this time, not all was in unrest. In the fabled city-state of Miranis the beginnings of a true nation were showing themselves, as nearby cities swore fealty to King Arathis. Arathis had wedded the daughter of a great Ananhel Lord, and the new citadel and city of Miranis were rising high into the sky.
Perhaps it was their preoccupation with building this majestic city, a visible symbol of the eternal friendship which had been sworn, that kept so many eyes from the actions of the Demon Lord. By the time King Adelhel Half-elven, son of Arathis and Lonthiel, noticed what his distant neighbors were doing, it was too late.
The Three Kings sent out diplomats to the city-states nearby them, only to have their emissaries turned away at the door. Nowhere were they welcome, and peace seemed impossible. The Ananhel once again turned to their secret disguises to try and bring about peace, but to no avail. And so it was that the Ananhel departed the mainland of what was to become Durnalis, and only kept open relations with the Men of Miranis. To the East, the incessant fighting continued, and things looked bleak.
Early Durnalis
Note: year zero, AR, began on Daymont, exactly 1900 years prior
to year zero, PY. AR stands for 'Anno Regum' or, in the year of the
Kings. Year zero, AR, was 2300 years prior to year 400, PY.
During the Dark Age which the land which was to become Durnalis experienced, the rays of hope were few and far-between. For hundreds of years the men fought and killed one another for little other than property and territory. Some small feudal states arose and fought each other, and fell just as quickly as they had arisen. But in the midst of all of this, a new hope had arisen.
To many city-states and small feudal realms they came, calling themselves prophets of the true Gods. In most cities and great halls they were turned away, but some Kings were more willing to accept them. The Chronicles of Miranis report these first incidents, and that the prophets were welcomed into the city, and their words were heard.
Even to the King of Miranis, and even to the Ananhel King himself, the prophets refused to reveal their place of origin, though both Kings marvelled at the teachings, which seemed to Tarindal to be quite in fitting with that which the elves had been told so many millennia ago.
These prophets were often killed brutally, frequently at the hands of a disguised servant of Raughir who perpetuated the age of darkness. But in some cities, as it has already been told, the teachings were accepted. In a city ruled by a man named Durnalis, the prophets were welcomed and heard. Durnalis pondered their teachings in his heart. Those in his land who he found to be promoting war for glory or any unjust cause, he removed from any office of power, and the worst he exiled.
To the Kings of nearby cities, Durnalis sent emissaries and diplomats. A common law required that they be accepted in peace, and the Kings had little choice in the matter. Durnalis proposed to them a unique idea: a Nation of Cities, each city ruled by a King, all of whom would be equals. This Nation would fight together, and never against itself.
This Nation of Cities enraged Raughir, and he sent against it a great force. Wars raged for hundreds of years, but in the end, Durnalis was victorious. As a sign of their blessing, the Gods had given Durnalis longer life, so that he would be able to accomplish what he had begun. In the end, however, he too died. It was then that the other Kings broke their scepters over their knees, and declared themselves loyal Lords of Durnalis. The great empire was born.
Another Kingdom
With the fall of many city-states on the Eastern seaboard which Raughir had used as unwitting puppet states, the new nation of Durnalis entered its first years of prosperity. Meanwhile further west of Durnalis, but still east of the Terraspinum, the disquiet grew and grew. Some nations attempted to follow Durnalis' lead, but their efforts were less than successful.
Most 'nations' were really nothing more than the domains ruled by a dominant warlord, and feudalism there bred more wars and more destruction. Still the strange prophets arrived here and there throughout the lands, and occasionally a King or warlord would welcome them in. One of these Kings was named Ervine, and the land he ruled was known as Baligoth. So it was that a new nation arose.
Raughir was not idle during these many years. Aside from squelching uprisings within his own land, the Demon Lord began to raise a great army, of humans, goblins, ogres, trolls, and many other monsters.
When Raughir saw what the Ananhel were accomplishing, he knew he must act quickly or face a united enemy whose might would surely surpass his own in the future.
The greatest of Raughir's Fiends, Mornaur the Fire Lord, struck quickly. With no warning, the mountains between Tadkar and the plains of the Great River belched fire and ash into the sky. Men, Dwarves, Elves, and any living creature close to the area were burned or buried. Entire cities were buried, and the seashore turned to black. All living things were slain.
No sooner had the lava and ash cooled that the great army of the South cut deep into the land, destroying village and tribe day after day. Though the Ananhel had given the people great knowledge, they did not give them any knowledge of weapons or armor which they had. The inferior tactics and weaponry of the humans proved to be ineffective against the horror of the army of the south.
Miranis still held out under the fearless leadership of King Arathis, and the Dwarves of Gharin under King Balwain came to reinforce the Human city. Together the peoples stood against the tide. Raughir's army did not push further east at this time, but rather concentrated its attacks on the ancient city. Miranis held fast, but would never have survived were it not for the Ananhel, who came like a terrible hurricane with their Dragon friends. The wrath of the Ananhel was so terrible that many Men believed them to be Gods. The enemy army was utterly routed, and peace returned.
Triple Alliance
The War against Raughir's forces was over, and standing back together in Miranis at its end were three Kings. King Arathis of the Men of Miranis, King Tarindal of the Elves of Calnas, and King Balwain of the Dwarves of Gharin had returned together as victors. There in that time the three Kings swore an unending alliance between their peoples that has remained to this day.
The three nations at that time entered into a time of bliss and prosperity. For nearly a thousand years, the South remained penned in the South, many hundreds of miles from the three nations. The Ananhel trained the Men in the way of warfare, and the three Peoples forged one great weapon as a gift for Arathis: the legendary White Sword.
Eastern Dark Age
With his defeat at the combined hands of Men, Elves, and Dwarves, Raughir realized that his attack had been the catalyst to a very undesirable reaction. The last thing he needed was an enemy that was united against him. While the Humans in this vast land were fighting, the Uruadum Empire had little to fear. But an allied group of Men with a common enemy would be a fearsome foe indeed.
The Demon Lord knew that time was on his side. He knew that Men were quick to be born and die, and as a people quick to forget both friends and foes. With well-placed agents, Raughir began to once again sow the seeds of disquiet and discontent. Within a few mere generations, the city-states were back to fighting each other once again.
During this time, not all was in unrest. In the fabled city-state of Miranis the beginnings of a true nation were showing themselves, as nearby cities swore fealty to King Arathis. Arathis had wedded the daughter of a great Ananhel Lord, and the new citadel and city of Miranis were rising high into the sky.
Perhaps it was their preoccupation with building this majestic city, a visible symbol of the eternal friendship which had been sworn, that kept so many eyes from the actions of the Demon Lord. By the time King Adelhel Half-elven, son of Arathis and Lonthiel, noticed what his distant neighbors were doing, it was too late.
The Three Kings sent out diplomats to the city-states nearby them, only to have their emissaries turned away at the door. Nowhere were they welcome, and peace seemed impossible. The Ananhel once again turned to their secret disguises to try and bring about peace, but to no avail. And so it was that the Ananhel departed the mainland of what was to become Durnalis, and only kept open relations with the Men of Miranis. To the East, the incessant fighting continued, and things looked bleak.
Early Durnalis
Note: year zero, AR, began on Daymont, exactly 1900 years prior
to year zero, PY. AR stands for 'Anno Regum' or, in the year of the
Kings. Year zero, AR, was 2300 years prior to year 400, PY.
During the Dark Age which the land which was to become Durnalis experienced, the rays of hope were few and far-between. For hundreds of years the men fought and killed one another for little other than property and territory. Some small feudal states arose and fought each other, and fell just as quickly as they had arisen. But in the midst of all of this, a new hope had arisen.
To many city-states and small feudal realms they came, calling themselves prophets of the true Gods. In most cities and great halls they were turned away, but some Kings were more willing to accept them. The Chronicles of Miranis report these first incidents, and that the prophets were welcomed into the city, and their words were heard.
Even to the King of Miranis, and even to the Ananhel King himself, the prophets refused to reveal their place of origin, though both Kings marvelled at the teachings, which seemed to Tarindal to be quite in fitting with that which the elves had been told so many millennia ago.
These prophets were often killed brutally, frequently at the hands of a disguised servant of Raughir who perpetuated the age of darkness. But in some cities, as it has already been told, the teachings were accepted. In a city ruled by a man named Durnalis, the prophets were welcomed and heard. Durnalis pondered their teachings in his heart. Those in his land who he found to be promoting war for glory or any unjust cause, he removed from any office of power, and the worst he exiled.
To the Kings of nearby cities, Durnalis sent emissaries and diplomats. A common law required that they be accepted in peace, and the Kings had little choice in the matter. Durnalis proposed to them a unique idea: a Nation of Cities, each city ruled by a King, all of whom would be equals. This Nation would fight together, and never against itself.
This Nation of Cities enraged Raughir, and he sent against it a great force. Wars raged for hundreds of years, but in the end, Durnalis was victorious. As a sign of their blessing, the Gods had given Durnalis longer life, so that he would be able to accomplish what he had begun. In the end, however, he too died. It was then that the other Kings broke their scepters over their knees, and declared themselves loyal Lords of Durnalis. The great empire was born.
Another Kingdom
With the fall of many city-states on the Eastern seaboard which Raughir had used as unwitting puppet states, the new nation of Durnalis entered its first years of prosperity. Meanwhile further west of Durnalis, but still east of the Terraspinum, the disquiet grew and grew. Some nations attempted to follow Durnalis' lead, but their efforts were less than successful.
Most 'nations' were really nothing more than the domains ruled by a dominant warlord, and feudalism there bred more wars and more destruction. Still the strange prophets arrived here and there throughout the lands, and occasionally a King or warlord would welcome them in. One of these Kings was named Ervine, and the land he ruled was known as Baligoth. So it was that a new nation arose.
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TetNak
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AD History: Ancient
Forging of an Empire
The prosperity of and friendship between the two nations, Baligoth and Durnalis, gave Raughir cause indeed to worry. His attempts over the last thousand years looked to be on the very verge of failing.
The attack on Baligoth was swift and merciless, coming once again from the land of Tadkar, and sweeping through what is now Dremanow. Baligoth found itself losing these wars, outnumbered and overmatched. King Herdain of Baligoth called upon King Ascanius, beseeching the Durnalian King for help.
Help came. And from more than just the King of Durnalis: the Allied Kings too lent their aid. Once again Raughir was defeated, but this time the defeat was not complete. The peoples of the plains fled east, west, and north, for this time the Enemy had poisoned the very river itself, and the land was made uninhabitable for several years to come.
At this time, the King of Baligoth was Edwin son of Herdain, and the King of Durnalis was Ascanius the Second, son of Ascanius. The two Kings were young, and their fathers had been slain together on the field of battle.
The Holy Church was at that time ruled by a very wise pair: the High Priest Amberion, who had in his youth established the fabled Knightly Order of the Light; and the High Priestess Constancia, who was deemed by many to be the most wise of all the people of her age.
At the suggestion of both Amberion and Constancia, Edwin and Ascanius agreed to follow the teaching of the Church. Edwin's daughter was to be married to Ascanius' son. So it was that the Kingdom became, in truth, an Empire. It was not long after, a mere hundred years, that the Lords of the lands south of Cynnadol appointed their own Prince, and as a Princedom, petitioned to join Durnalis. The Empire grew yet again, and its sea power became a thing of legend. With its new Great Wall, its vast fleet, and its professional and well-trained army, Durnalis had become one of the great powers of the world.
Calderan Expansion
During the time after the poisoning of the River Lusternos, the people of the land which was fed by that great river fled in all directions. Many went north to Miranis, many east to Durnalis, and many west to the unclaimed, vast mountains south of Gharin. These mountains were home to many people, most of whom were shepherds and farmers. Highlanders, some called them.
The Highlanders were not alone when the Men of the plains arrived. Even Goblins can not live in a land devoid of food, and just ahead of the Men of the plains came outcasts from Raughir's army by the thousands. The Highlanders blamed the Men of the plains for their plight, and did not welcome them.
The Goblins, or Grunlings as some called them, multiplied very rapidly in their new mountain cave homes. They formed clans, and quickly went from being a mere pestilence to being an enemy. They attacked wherever they pleased, from ragtag settlements of relocated plainsfolk to the highlanders, even further west to the cities of Caldera itself.
The Calderans were quite successful in driving off the Goblins from their cities, but the King at that time realized that his nation would never have peace so long as the Goblins remained in the mountains.
And so began the War of the Earth's Spine. Calderan armies marched into the passes, and waged bitter war upon the Goblins incessantly. In these mountains the soldiers met the fierce highlanders and the plainsmen, and news of the settlements in the mountains reached Carnac quickly.
Not wishing to vanquish the Goblins just to have a new enemy arise, the King himself went into the mountains, and met with the prominent leaders of the new peoples. A treaty was written, and an alliance was formed. In the end, the Goblins were vanquished, and the highlanders and plainsfolk both were greatly impressed with the might of their western neighbor. The chieftains of the mountain people offered fealty to their neighbors in return for stewardship of their lands. Peaceful meetings ensued, and the highlanders were granted all the land north of the High Pass, and the plainsmen were granted all the land south of it. But all the people owed fealty to the King in Carnac, and the might of Caldera became great indeed. Elves once again began to visit Caldera, and a quite lengthy era of peace was begun.
Fall of Calnas
It was a long time, even in the eyes of the Anhel, that the realm of Eretha enjoyed relative peace. Durnalis grew and prospered, Caldera and Rathain did as well, and the Elves became quite powerful as well. It seemed almost that the Evil of the South was a thing of the past; that the Riftspawn were afraid to strike out on their dark quest of conquest. During this time the Sylvanhel prospered quietly, as was their wont, in their forests. The Ananhel built great cities in the North Sea, and began to withdraw from contact with the humans, whose rashness often resulted in border clashes, which the Elves did not understand, or want to understand.
The truth about this era of peace was far from met the eye, however. Though the Ananhel knew this, they could not have imagined how it would come to pass that their Queen would die, their King would commit a horrible atrocity that would forever be known as 'The Treachery of Tarindal', and they would be cast out, disgraced, from their blessed isle.
None are really certain where the Elven minstrel, Kachik, came from, even today. But what is known is that in the year 1212 AR (by Durnalian reckoning), this minstrel was admitted into the court of Tarindal. Kachik's singing and harping was the most beautiful in all the land, and he sang of the glory of the Elves, and of the blessing of the Goddess, and these earned him his lofty position.
Many years later, Queen Velina of the Ananhel had become quite enamored with this minstrel's tales, and she asked him if the reign of Good could ever be broken. The minstrel spoke quietly, and said that he did not know; it was she, not he, that was gifted with the vision of things unseen and future.
Together, Velina and Kachik walked into the garden outside the palacial castle, and Kachik whispered quietly that perhaps she should seek to look where none had dared to look before: south of the Carran Mountains, to the heart of Raughir's realm.
How it was that Velina was able to pierce the dark veil of secrecy with which Raughir had enshrouded his realms none are certain, but the sages say that it was Kachik's presence that allowed it. Raughir must have desired it.
The horrors that she saw shocked Velina terribly. Though she knew Men could be cruel and senseless, the abject evil of what Men - not Demons - in Uruadum could do horrified her, and she turned away.
For many years she did not return to her lake of seeing, not wishing to see what she had seen, ever again. But one day, as fate would have it, she was alone and speaking with Kachik again. "How can you hope to defeat an enemy you do not know?" he would ask her. "You alone are most blessed with the visions of the Goddess, and the Ananhel were not given this Isle to rest idly upon whiles Eretha is consumed by Evil." Velina consented that this was true, and though in her heart she knew that these visions would haunt her for eternity, she went with the minstrel to the lake, and turned her eyes southward once more.
And so it came about that Velina would go to the lake, always thereafter alone, forbidding even her husband Tarindal from going with her. There she would turn her gaze southward, and to the future. At first she would return to the palace and speak of her visions with Tarindal, but after many, many years, she would speak of what she saw no longer. She was becoming withdrawn, quiet, and quite unlike the vivacious, powerful woman that she was.
As time passed, and though she had become with child, Queen Velina began to lose her will to live. Such horrors she saw that she did not wish to raise a child in a world such as the one she saw as the future that might be. The chronicles of the Ananhel relate that even as she gave birth to the young Ananhel princess Miryenne, Velina spoke quietly to her husband, saying that if he had a heart within him, he would kill the child rather than let it live in the world that was to be. Those were the last words that Velina ever spoke. She died after their daughter was born.
Tarindal, always an Elf of great passion, was torn to pieces. His love of nearly a dozen millenia was dead, devoid of any will to live. King Tarindal refused to bury his wife, claiming that this must be a most foul trick, and he blamed Kachik entirely for it. In cold blood, Tarindal slew the minstrel, and then raced north to the mountains, where he demanded the White Tower be vacated upon pain of death.
The Ananhel who were within the Tower, priests and sages mostly, refused to admit Tarindal into the Tower with the body of Velina. Every one of them who stood in Tarindal's way died. Not a one of them would even think of bringing their holy magic against their king, and though many tried to subdue him, the Ananhel king was far too powerful. Blood still on his blade, Tarindal raced to the top of the Tower, where he cried out to the Goddess to revive his wife, to give her back the life that had been stolen away.
But the Goddess had turned her back upon Tarindal, and he received no reply. Cursing her, and cursing Calnas, the King bore her body into the innermost pinnacle room, and there he began to chant the phrases he had heard so often in battle against the Fiends. He attempted to raise her from the dead. The Goddess was infuriated, and decreed that for his crimes, the Ananhel should be forever banished from their home. Great winds whipped about the Tower, so powerful that Tarindal could hear their rage, even in his sanctum. Realizing that the Goddess meant to destroy Calnas for his crimes, Tarindal became suddenly full of remorse for what he had done. Weeping, he bore his wife to the top of the Tower, and placed her on the parapet, where he knelt and begged forgiveness.
Moved by clemency, the Goddess ceased the storms which had begun to ravage the island, but she maintained that his treachery was so great that he must be forever banished from Calnas. And so Tarindal returned to his palace, and there made his last appearance as King of Calnas. He told those gathered of what had befallen, and begged their forgiveness. An Ananhel Knight of the Red Rose, captain of the Dragon Knights, swore that his fate should be his King's. Others followed suit. Soon Calnas was emptied, and the Ananhel turned toward the south, where their allies were waging a pitched battle against Raughir. Calnas was fallen, and the Ananhel were thirsty for vengeance.
The Great War
Specifics to come. Also known as the second Rift War. (Basics - This tells all about the Great War. The destruction of Rathain and then Caldera, and the attack on Miranis and the Great Wall of Durnalis. It tells of the bravery of Anadel, and the great forces of Men marching west and south against the Demon Lord. It tells of the refusal of the Dwarves to march with their allies when their own home was in grave danger. The story ends with the drive south of Anadel, Tarindal, Alandriach, and (need a name for the King of Durnalis), and of Anadel's and Tarindal's deaths, as well as the coming of the insanity of the Mad Dragon, and the Dragon's subsequent destruction of the Dwarven armies, the victory of the Goblins in the Terraspinum, and the exile of the Dwarves to their temporary island home.)
The prosperity of and friendship between the two nations, Baligoth and Durnalis, gave Raughir cause indeed to worry. His attempts over the last thousand years looked to be on the very verge of failing.
The attack on Baligoth was swift and merciless, coming once again from the land of Tadkar, and sweeping through what is now Dremanow. Baligoth found itself losing these wars, outnumbered and overmatched. King Herdain of Baligoth called upon King Ascanius, beseeching the Durnalian King for help.
Help came. And from more than just the King of Durnalis: the Allied Kings too lent their aid. Once again Raughir was defeated, but this time the defeat was not complete. The peoples of the plains fled east, west, and north, for this time the Enemy had poisoned the very river itself, and the land was made uninhabitable for several years to come.
At this time, the King of Baligoth was Edwin son of Herdain, and the King of Durnalis was Ascanius the Second, son of Ascanius. The two Kings were young, and their fathers had been slain together on the field of battle.
The Holy Church was at that time ruled by a very wise pair: the High Priest Amberion, who had in his youth established the fabled Knightly Order of the Light; and the High Priestess Constancia, who was deemed by many to be the most wise of all the people of her age.
At the suggestion of both Amberion and Constancia, Edwin and Ascanius agreed to follow the teaching of the Church. Edwin's daughter was to be married to Ascanius' son. So it was that the Kingdom became, in truth, an Empire. It was not long after, a mere hundred years, that the Lords of the lands south of Cynnadol appointed their own Prince, and as a Princedom, petitioned to join Durnalis. The Empire grew yet again, and its sea power became a thing of legend. With its new Great Wall, its vast fleet, and its professional and well-trained army, Durnalis had become one of the great powers of the world.
Calderan Expansion
During the time after the poisoning of the River Lusternos, the people of the land which was fed by that great river fled in all directions. Many went north to Miranis, many east to Durnalis, and many west to the unclaimed, vast mountains south of Gharin. These mountains were home to many people, most of whom were shepherds and farmers. Highlanders, some called them.
The Highlanders were not alone when the Men of the plains arrived. Even Goblins can not live in a land devoid of food, and just ahead of the Men of the plains came outcasts from Raughir's army by the thousands. The Highlanders blamed the Men of the plains for their plight, and did not welcome them.
The Goblins, or Grunlings as some called them, multiplied very rapidly in their new mountain cave homes. They formed clans, and quickly went from being a mere pestilence to being an enemy. They attacked wherever they pleased, from ragtag settlements of relocated plainsfolk to the highlanders, even further west to the cities of Caldera itself.
The Calderans were quite successful in driving off the Goblins from their cities, but the King at that time realized that his nation would never have peace so long as the Goblins remained in the mountains.
And so began the War of the Earth's Spine. Calderan armies marched into the passes, and waged bitter war upon the Goblins incessantly. In these mountains the soldiers met the fierce highlanders and the plainsmen, and news of the settlements in the mountains reached Carnac quickly.
Not wishing to vanquish the Goblins just to have a new enemy arise, the King himself went into the mountains, and met with the prominent leaders of the new peoples. A treaty was written, and an alliance was formed. In the end, the Goblins were vanquished, and the highlanders and plainsfolk both were greatly impressed with the might of their western neighbor. The chieftains of the mountain people offered fealty to their neighbors in return for stewardship of their lands. Peaceful meetings ensued, and the highlanders were granted all the land north of the High Pass, and the plainsmen were granted all the land south of it. But all the people owed fealty to the King in Carnac, and the might of Caldera became great indeed. Elves once again began to visit Caldera, and a quite lengthy era of peace was begun.
Fall of Calnas
It was a long time, even in the eyes of the Anhel, that the realm of Eretha enjoyed relative peace. Durnalis grew and prospered, Caldera and Rathain did as well, and the Elves became quite powerful as well. It seemed almost that the Evil of the South was a thing of the past; that the Riftspawn were afraid to strike out on their dark quest of conquest. During this time the Sylvanhel prospered quietly, as was their wont, in their forests. The Ananhel built great cities in the North Sea, and began to withdraw from contact with the humans, whose rashness often resulted in border clashes, which the Elves did not understand, or want to understand.
The truth about this era of peace was far from met the eye, however. Though the Ananhel knew this, they could not have imagined how it would come to pass that their Queen would die, their King would commit a horrible atrocity that would forever be known as 'The Treachery of Tarindal', and they would be cast out, disgraced, from their blessed isle.
None are really certain where the Elven minstrel, Kachik, came from, even today. But what is known is that in the year 1212 AR (by Durnalian reckoning), this minstrel was admitted into the court of Tarindal. Kachik's singing and harping was the most beautiful in all the land, and he sang of the glory of the Elves, and of the blessing of the Goddess, and these earned him his lofty position.
Many years later, Queen Velina of the Ananhel had become quite enamored with this minstrel's tales, and she asked him if the reign of Good could ever be broken. The minstrel spoke quietly, and said that he did not know; it was she, not he, that was gifted with the vision of things unseen and future.
Together, Velina and Kachik walked into the garden outside the palacial castle, and Kachik whispered quietly that perhaps she should seek to look where none had dared to look before: south of the Carran Mountains, to the heart of Raughir's realm.
How it was that Velina was able to pierce the dark veil of secrecy with which Raughir had enshrouded his realms none are certain, but the sages say that it was Kachik's presence that allowed it. Raughir must have desired it.
The horrors that she saw shocked Velina terribly. Though she knew Men could be cruel and senseless, the abject evil of what Men - not Demons - in Uruadum could do horrified her, and she turned away.
For many years she did not return to her lake of seeing, not wishing to see what she had seen, ever again. But one day, as fate would have it, she was alone and speaking with Kachik again. "How can you hope to defeat an enemy you do not know?" he would ask her. "You alone are most blessed with the visions of the Goddess, and the Ananhel were not given this Isle to rest idly upon whiles Eretha is consumed by Evil." Velina consented that this was true, and though in her heart she knew that these visions would haunt her for eternity, she went with the minstrel to the lake, and turned her eyes southward once more.
And so it came about that Velina would go to the lake, always thereafter alone, forbidding even her husband Tarindal from going with her. There she would turn her gaze southward, and to the future. At first she would return to the palace and speak of her visions with Tarindal, but after many, many years, she would speak of what she saw no longer. She was becoming withdrawn, quiet, and quite unlike the vivacious, powerful woman that she was.
As time passed, and though she had become with child, Queen Velina began to lose her will to live. Such horrors she saw that she did not wish to raise a child in a world such as the one she saw as the future that might be. The chronicles of the Ananhel relate that even as she gave birth to the young Ananhel princess Miryenne, Velina spoke quietly to her husband, saying that if he had a heart within him, he would kill the child rather than let it live in the world that was to be. Those were the last words that Velina ever spoke. She died after their daughter was born.
Tarindal, always an Elf of great passion, was torn to pieces. His love of nearly a dozen millenia was dead, devoid of any will to live. King Tarindal refused to bury his wife, claiming that this must be a most foul trick, and he blamed Kachik entirely for it. In cold blood, Tarindal slew the minstrel, and then raced north to the mountains, where he demanded the White Tower be vacated upon pain of death.
The Ananhel who were within the Tower, priests and sages mostly, refused to admit Tarindal into the Tower with the body of Velina. Every one of them who stood in Tarindal's way died. Not a one of them would even think of bringing their holy magic against their king, and though many tried to subdue him, the Ananhel king was far too powerful. Blood still on his blade, Tarindal raced to the top of the Tower, where he cried out to the Goddess to revive his wife, to give her back the life that had been stolen away.
But the Goddess had turned her back upon Tarindal, and he received no reply. Cursing her, and cursing Calnas, the King bore her body into the innermost pinnacle room, and there he began to chant the phrases he had heard so often in battle against the Fiends. He attempted to raise her from the dead. The Goddess was infuriated, and decreed that for his crimes, the Ananhel should be forever banished from their home. Great winds whipped about the Tower, so powerful that Tarindal could hear their rage, even in his sanctum. Realizing that the Goddess meant to destroy Calnas for his crimes, Tarindal became suddenly full of remorse for what he had done. Weeping, he bore his wife to the top of the Tower, and placed her on the parapet, where he knelt and begged forgiveness.
Moved by clemency, the Goddess ceased the storms which had begun to ravage the island, but she maintained that his treachery was so great that he must be forever banished from Calnas. And so Tarindal returned to his palace, and there made his last appearance as King of Calnas. He told those gathered of what had befallen, and begged their forgiveness. An Ananhel Knight of the Red Rose, captain of the Dragon Knights, swore that his fate should be his King's. Others followed suit. Soon Calnas was emptied, and the Ananhel turned toward the south, where their allies were waging a pitched battle against Raughir. Calnas was fallen, and the Ananhel were thirsty for vengeance.
The Great War
Specifics to come. Also known as the second Rift War. (Basics - This tells all about the Great War. The destruction of Rathain and then Caldera, and the attack on Miranis and the Great Wall of Durnalis. It tells of the bravery of Anadel, and the great forces of Men marching west and south against the Demon Lord. It tells of the refusal of the Dwarves to march with their allies when their own home was in grave danger. The story ends with the drive south of Anadel, Tarindal, Alandriach, and (need a name for the King of Durnalis), and of Anadel's and Tarindal's deaths, as well as the coming of the insanity of the Mad Dragon, and the Dragon's subsequent destruction of the Dwarven armies, the victory of the Goblins in the Terraspinum, and the exile of the Dwarves to their temporary island home.)