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History.

Posted by Game MasterFor group archive public
Game Master
GM, 2 posts
Storyteller/Arbiter
Reward Distributor
Sat 12 Jul 2008
at 17:00
  • msg #1

History

The history of the world is long and full of many victories and sorrows.  What herein lies is but a brief summary of what came before...

Legend tells that the world began long before there were ever gods.  Many thousands of years have passed since then.  First on the world were the common sentient species.  The tree dwelling jungle shepherds call the Anthros, the magical Invar, and the hardy Kradok.  These species lived in peace largely due to the fact that they rarely crossed paths.  Anthros prefer the humid jungles near the equator while Invar like cooler climes of the northern forests.  Ignoring both, the Kradok live wherever there is metal, rock, or gems to work whether in the caves of mountains and hills or at the edges of the small deserts.  Rather than conquer and take resources, they found it less wasteful simply to trade each other for what they wanted.  This peace lasted for centuries.

Unknown to the others, a fourth species existed.  It grew strong in the southern swamps, wastelands, and volcanic regions.  This species, known as the Unbular, were warlike and fought within itself between its races constantly for millennia.  Within that species exists the various races of goblinoid: orc, hobgoblin, ogre, and of course, goblins.  Many, even today, mistake the various races for completely different species, but all are capable of reproducing with each other. By chance, the Kradok were the first to discover this species.  They observed them for a hundred years learning the concept of weapons and armor, which they quickly improved on.  Eventually they desired to test their new creations so the Kradok revealed themselves to the Unbular and explained the concepts of bartering.  They took to the new weapons quickly and a whole new level of war ensued.  In passing the new species was mentioned to the Invar and Anthros who came to see as well.  Eventually the Unbular revealed a rudimentary adeptness at magic, though they preferred the quick, destructive spells which they modified for combat.  Through much longsuffering the Anthros eventually taught the goblinoids the meaning of honor.  The young species ceased its ceaseless war and turned to games and tournaments of skill.  At last the Unbular were civilized and life continued for another two thousand years unchanged.

Some time during this long peace, humans appeared.  None knew from where, but they quickly recognized that the pitiful species had little to offer, including threat.  Ragged, dirty, easily frightened and short lived, the humans were not even considered intelligent.  At first there only existed a few here and there and they built crude shelters out of whatever they could find, or whatever the older species gave them out of pity.  But the humans had something the other races did not expect.  Their short lives called for a massive reproductive rate and soon every land was filled with these vermin.  The Unbular use them for sport or hire them cheaply to do unwanted tasks.  The Anthros occasionally attempt to teach them stewardship of the world, but are often frustrated.  The Invar simply ignore them and use their powerful magic to ward the forests and keep the filthy beasts from cutting down their trees for lumber or firewood.

Six hundred years ago another species surfaced.  Still humanoid in the most general sense, this new creature struck fear in the hearts of many.  Cast in the simultude of spiders, with chitin-like skin, lipless mouths, and multifaceted eyes, the Echtinik brought the first inter-species war to the world [Private to GM: 420 years after the Echtinik became aware of the other races].  Their bodies were tough with natural armor and they had raw strength in their magic, a dark kind that weakened the spirit and made the heart faint.  Their first targets were the Invar, who they could easily match in power. Only the great versatility and unpredictable nature of the forest dwellers saved them long enough to call on their allies, the Anthros, who in turn enlisted the aide of the Kradok and Unbular and even a few mercenary humans of notable quality.  Even the raw power of the Echtinik's magic could not withstand the combined magic of the Invar's wizardry and the nature-based magic of the Anthros.  Add to that the forges of the Kradok, the brute strength of the Unbular, and the tenacity of the few humans who'd come along for the ride and the spider-folk had no chance.  The war lasted a mere 100 years.  The Anthros and the others joined only two years before it ceased.

In the end, however, it was not the strength of its enemies that caused the Echtinik to stop fighting, but the rise of a new king.  Dartikack the Lightchord defeated the current ruler, Thikaltric Xritokaan in combat debate and was elected ruler by more than 70% majority of the Echtinik people.  Immediately he approached the other species with an offer of peace and trade, submitting to various forms of voluntary sanctions including the education of one of each of his children under the tutelage of the rulers of each of the major species.  The self-imposed captivity worked well as the Dartikack's children were much like him in every way and soon showed the others species that the Echtinik could be civilized participants in the world.

Only one other major event has taken place, nearly fifty years after the end of the Echtinik wars.  Another species of beings appeared.  On beautiful wings of great power, the Evangiel arrived bringing their Message of unity in the face of an impending doom.  For thirty years these creatures have preached their Message, though mostly without success.  Part of this is due to the fact that, except for their wings, Evangiel look like humans; incredibly powerful, unbelievably beautiful humans.  Only a few thousand of these strange beings exist and none know where they hail from or where their main city is.  They reveal little about themselves and move about preaching their Message at sometimes odd places.  Many adventurers have found themselves on the cusp of death only to be saved by the "coincidental" arrival of a winged savior.

If the story these winged messengers bring is true, the end of the world is coming and only the unity of the races may stop it...

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:39, Fri 01 Aug 2008.
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