History of the Realm

In the beginning, there was the One Who Is Not Named, the Creator. From the void, he formed the stars in the sky. Next, he saw that there was a place where His light would not shine, and he called this hell. He separated the hell from the stars of the sky, and formed a world of rock and dirt and water, and split the heavens from the hell. The denizens of hell, the Laenuri (or demons), tried to escape into this new world, so he placed a seal around the world and called it the sky. He knew the seal could be broken and demons could escape into this world, but the seal would keep their hordes at bay. But he was still lonely.

The One Who Is Not Named formed man from the ash of the world in three forms. One was human, one was dwarven, and one was elven, and man and woman of each race. His children began to multiply on the Aethar and split into peoples. He set down laws, which the humans were not able to hold to as rigidly as were the elves, and that the dwarves ignored. As the races mixed and bred, other races split off. The elves broke into High Elves, Wild Elves, Sea Elves, Wood Elves, Dark Elves, and Half Elves. The Dwarves, who refused to follow the will of the One Who Is Not Named, for they forgot him, were cursed and forced to walk in the bowels of the earth. They split into Mountain Dwarves, Hill Dwarves, and twice-damned Duergar. The humans split into Aetharians, Atlanteans, Kitangan, and Olympians.

As the transgressions of his children grew, demons began to slip into Aethar and laid with the children of the One Who Is Not Named. Monsters spewed forth from the rotten wombs of these women, beasts of every kind. The women were left ruptured and bloody, but their offspring spread as Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, and more.

Not all done by the children on Aethar was evil, and not all left the service of the One Who Is Not Named. A few followed his will and were rewarded. Granted Immortality by the One, those sought to better the husk that they once called home, and so many fixed their gaze upon its surface, molding it with hands now blessed with the power of Forging, while others sought to succor the fragile peoples of the world. Much time passed in this manner, and as the ages came and went, even some of the Chosen grew weary, and their forge-fires cooled. Some diminished, and faded from the Lands for Eternity, while others, seeking only slumber and rest, returned with a blessed vigor. Others, though, nefarious in deed and thought, their shadowed ways sought to bring malcontent, and ever were they please to see turmoil and strife. Of these records, not much remains, though it is said by some that the One flung them back to Hell, shackled and fettered with their own wicked devices, never to be seen nor heard again, save from those who walk the lower levels, and to whom they most resemble.

Ages came and went, and many deeds, both blessed and evil, were achieved by the peoples. Until the breaking. Few know the cause for such a catastrophe, for even those granted Immortality by the One Who is Not Named are loathe to speak on it. What is known, is that for a time, all the peoples slumbered, untouched and safe in the arms of the One. The lands about them, though, were not easily protected. During this time of unchecked reign, the monster, tyrants, and giants, unchallenged by the slumbering peoples, grew in might and power. Some where overthrown by their own brethren, while others attained godly might, as some were slain completely, never to walk this sphere again.

Upon awakening, the peoples, still groggy from their slumber, were slow to shake the sleep from their eyes, and weapons hefted did not have their usual comfort and grip. While seemingly unchanged, they sensed that the world around them was much different, and right they were. And so they ventured forth, to see what new foes arose during their respite, and what new powers they could gain from this cataclysm.

The first to receive the gift of Transcension and Immortality was Druiad, a lonely wanderer on the shores of a forgotten sea. Placed first among his future brethren, he was named the Father of the Gods. Next to follow were the twin gods Cyranis and Chamdar the Architect, whose minds forged the lands from the dull rock which was Aethar. Meemathal the Guardian was lifted from the masses and set over those new to the world, her goal to guide, protect, and serve. While the people of Aethar had a growing and beautiful world, they still lacked justice, so Fisben received the gift of Transcendence. As the Defender of Justice, he brought repayment to the law of the One Who Is Not Named. Several more gods rose over time, namely Caine the Forsaken, Validus the Unseen, and Regnar the Warrior Lord. Some ancient texts record more, but they are mostly forgotten by the people of Aethar. Amongst them are Shinwin, Rolex, Starry, and Folkien.

These gods forged, molded, cajoled, punished and forced the world into its form, the races into their societies, and people into their professions. Towns began to spring up, populated by various different races all over the southern and northern continents of the world, and even on the legendary Eastern Continent, of which there are only myths left to tell its tale.

...and now, the adventure begins...