History After the War of Golla and Marada (0 CA to 1040 CA)
In the aftermath of the War of Golla and Marada, a new dark age consumed the world. New empires struggled to arise from the ashes, and in time civilization rebuilt itself. Barbarian hordes gave way to feudal kingdoms, and feudal kingdoms developed into republics and empires. The march of progress began again, and once more the world gave witness to marvels of science and technology--for better or for worse.
Third Age of Darkness
In the aftermath of the War of Golla and Marada, a new dark age consumed the world, known as the Third Age of Darkness. The end of the War was considered "0 CA", the first year of the Common Age. It was a time of chaos and anarchy on Mythania, when monsters roamed the land and tyrants fought for the meager remnants of a fallen empire.
King Solomis
Around 320 CA, a young warrior-prophet named Solomis acquired the sword Warbringer. By word, strength, and deed, he founded the Holy Kingdom of Glaven and ushered in a new, monotheistic religion dedicated to Valoth, the One True God (according to his theology). A religious institution formed around Solomis' theology and came to be known as the Archidoxy. Solomis died in 334 defending his kingdom from barbarian warlords, and, without its holy leader, Glaven fragmented around the year 400.The Imperial Republic
From their heavily defended monasteries and abbeys in Celaphania, the Archidoxy sent scores of Holy Paladins and Missionaries to bring civilization back from the brink. By 480 CA, the Archidoxy had succeeded in calling together the flag of seven of the most powerful tribes and selected from among them the Temporal Reig, a king to rule for a term of three years, with terms to be shared among all kings.By 520, the 7 kingdoms had grown to 12 and began to consolidate their military forces and economies under the guidance of the Archidoxy. Worship of "other gods" was tolerated, but the Archidoxy worked to establish Valoth as the One True God. In 550 the Holy Imperial Republic was officially founded by the creation of the High Council and the formation of the Republic Senate.
The Temporal Reig was replaced by an executive government run by two Consuls and the Senate. The Republic had two capital cities: the political capital in Falmore-Glave (where Solomis was born) and the religious capital in the new city of Valaria, where Solomis perished in his final battle two centuries earlier.In 645 the Archidoxy instituted "the Doctrine of 645", which stated that all heathen religions were the work of evil, thus condemning all followers of the "Old Ways" (including everyone in Tarrona). Thus began the Great Scourging: 100 years of persecution of all who did not obey the Archidoxy or worship the One True God, Valoth. The Republic began a campaign of conquest, sending fleets and troops to Tarrona. Though it took nearly 20 years, most of western Tarrona eventually fell under their control. Thousands were killed in the name of Valoth as the Archidoxy worked to eradicate the Old Ways. From 670 to 730, the Republic continued its war on Tarrona, but met heavy resistance from the armies of Suddaea and Antaria. Eventually, in 730, the Republic generals made a truce with Suddaea and Antaria, ending the hostilities. The Archidoxy disputed this decision, forming a fatal rift in the government that led to the decline of the Republic.
By the Common Year 750, the military might of the Holy Imperial Republic had waned and their leaders had become gluttonous and wealthy. The Scourging had all but ended, though the Archidoxy remained severely intolerant of other religions. Even in its decline, the Republic entered a Golden Age of science and discovery, ushered in with the mysterious arrival of Soren. For the next hundred years, the seemingly immortal Soren unveiled wonder after wonder, sponsored the creation of a fabulous new Academy in Valaria, and guided the world on a path of technological progress that avoided the fatal pitfalls that doomed Marada.
The Great Tyranny
Though long ignored by the Republic, a great empire had been taking shape even as the Republic declined. In the year 830, the armies of the Triclops Empire invaded Megonia, the large island-continent south of Tarrona. Then, in 842, their forces stormed into Tarrona, both from the south (from Megonia) and from the Barbarian Kingdoms of the north. The knights of Tilsha, Antaria, and Suddaea fought back with bravery and valor, but they fell within months. Within a year, over half of Tarrona had fallen under the control of the Triclops Empire.All the while, Soren readied Celaphania for an inevitable war with the Triclopes. With Soren's help, the production of cannons and firearms grew by leaps and bounds. In 844 the Triclopes stormed through northern Celaphania, bringing the Republic and Archidoxy to its knees. In the sub-continent of Mesoria, however, the tyrannical armies met their match against Soren's well-armed forces.
The War raged on for the next five years as the Triclops Lords attempted to conquer Celaphania, but little by little, Soren pushed them back. In Tarrona, two new heroes emerged--Clovis and Azzard, who led an uprising against the occupying Triclops armies. Torn by internal conflict and fighting a war on two fronts, the Triclops Empire finally collapsed in 853. The Great Tyranny was over, the kingdoms of the world had been liberated, and Clovis, Soren, and Azzard had become heroes for all time.
Rise and Fall of New Antaria
With the Tyranny overthrown by the joint armies of Soren, Clovis, and Azzard, the human nations began to rebuild. Soren oversaw the reconstruction of the Kingdom of Glaven and the foundation of Armillia, Crethia, Cylinica, and Panora. On Tarrona, other heroes and kings rebuilt Tilsha, Antaria, and Suddaea. King Clovis, the Wielder of Warbringer, restored the Kingdom of Antaria. Together, New Antaria, Tilsha, Suddaea, and Armillia grew to become the dominant world powers and kept close alliances.Great technological advances continued for the next century, leading to the introduction of steam-powered ships, airships, and aerodynes (all of which had been experimented with during the War of Tyranny). However, all across the world, barbarism and chaos were also on the rise. Monsters prowled the forests of Celania, and dark forces threatened the borders of Glaven.
In 955, the Dark Kingdoms in the far north of Tarrona invaded Antaria without warning. The armies of Kaldea broke through the borders and sacked every town and village in sight. The army of Antaria, though powerful, could barely hold its own against the invaders. The attacking forces carved a line of destruction straight for the capital city, caring nothing for other cities or strategic locations. King Clovis was encouraged to flee, but refused, taking the mighty sword Warbringer in hand. The immortal king declared that he would stand by his generals and soldiers to face the coming darkness, and should his kingdom fall, he shall fall with it. And so, with the last of his army, King Clovis stood against the onslaught. In what was described as an explosion so great "it seemed as though the sun had descended upon the earth", the invading armies were obliterated. King Clovis's body was never found, and Warbringer had again vanished from the face of the earth. The Kaldea withdrew to their northern lands, but the Kingdom of Antaria was no more. Eventually, the nations of Ostarh, Dralia, and Bryland formed where once the territory of Antaria had extended. A New Darkness Dawning
In 965, a great Darkness swept through the lands of Celaphania. Plagues killed thousands, insects and rats infested every home, and monsters prowled every corner of every kingdom. Mystics and seers all pointed to the Azanian Jungle as the source of this despair, where "some unspeakable evil" had been born. By the year 1000, this Great Darkness had consumed the lands of Glaven and most of Mesoria. Adventurers and warriors alike made their way into Azania hoping to find and destroy the source of this terrible malignancy. Most who went in never returned. In 1024, Valtos (the new Wielder of Warbringer) and King Laeon of Armillia made a strike against the sinister armies controlled by the Darkness, which came to be known as Nightloch. In the final battle, nearly every soldier of Armillia was massacred, including King Laeon. Valtos unleashed the power of Warbringer against Nightloch, vanquishing him and his armies, but in so doing, Valtos perished.Birth of the Grand Imperium
By the year 1030 CA, Kendes had become a highly industrialized nation, and Kal'khemed (their capital) had developed into a city of mighty towers, spires, and iron walls. Their technology appeared to be well ahead of Tilsha and Armillia, and their military might grew with every passing year. Concerned, many of the world's nations began to build up their own fleets and armies to counter the Kendes threat.However, around 1037, a massive political upheaval occurred within Kendes. It is unclear to outsiders what happened, but the ruling regime of Kendes, the so-called Imperial Ascendancy, appeared to have been overthrown, and chaos fell upon Kal'khemed. Within months, a mysterious Power took hold. The Ascendancy was restored, no doubt a puppet to the new Power, and alliances were strengthened with Kaldea and Darmania. The three Dark Kingdoms pooled their armies into one great military force, and thus was born the Grand Imperium.
In the year 1039 CA, the Grand Imperium invaded Phana, Ostarh, and Leleka. So began the War of Wars.