Pre-Cataclysm History
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Before The Vale several races had their own history.
Contents
Human History(top)
Prior to the cataclysm, the Kingdom of Elland was a relatively minor dominion on the extreme western border of the Republic of Qadaq. The capital of the Republic, Remus lay some 1500 miles to the east. The Republic was the most powerful nation the world has ever known, ruling the lands surrounding the Inner Sea from the Northern Wastes to the Great Desert in the south.
In so far as the people of the Kingdom are concerned, the Republic is no more. Where the Kingdom connected with the province of Sobek to the east a strip of land between 100 and 150 miles wide remains, beyond that is the Great Escarpment, the lands of the Lich Lords, now known as the Lichfells and infested with their Undead legions. During the Days of Fire the Great Escarpment simply appeared complete with the Necropolis' of the Lich Lords and their forces ready to do battle.
The Republic was a mighty military power but it grew from a much smaller city state, Remus. The people of this city developed a system of law and government which proved highly successful but more importantly they developed an unrivalled system for their military and became the basis for the great armies of the Republic. They did not permit religion to form a part of the organs of state and new advances in science and engineering were matched by development of culture and the arts without the intervention of superstition. Magic also advanced considerably with the famous School of Mental Focus in the capital dominating magical training and thought throughout the Republic. Mind magic was the main style taught although there was constant experimentation to expand magical theory and to develop new techniques.
Religion was certainly widely practised but it had no formal place within the government or legislature of the Republic. Many different gods were followed although in the capital the Designer was fashionable as was the Queen (a goddess of hedonism and pleasure). It was widely known by people of all walks of life that demons exist and could contact you, especially in your dreams. It seemed that those with the greatest magical potential were also the most likely to be contacted, so magic wielders were routinely trained to recognize and fend off their advances. Prayer and supplication to the gods was an effective method to prevent the demons from attacking and so most people paid at least lip service to one god or another.
According to The Priesthood of the Father in The Theocracy, it was the lack of faith within the structure of the Republic that lead ultimately to its downfall. Without the guidance of the gods through The Priesthood, the magic wielders became lax. They experimented where they should not have, exploring magics that man was not meant to know. It was this that let the demons into the world and it was the experimental magics of careless and arrogant magicians which brought about the cataclysm. Now the demons are among us and have brought their servants the orcs and goblins and the necromancers and Undead. Most people have come to accept this explanation and have flocked to the Faith for guidance and protection, congregations have grown and an irreligious attitude is regarded by many as a danger to all.
Following rapidly on the heels of the Days of Fire a group came to the ruler of the Kingdom of Elland, King Marcus, with a proposition. They had managed to recover a great deal of specialized knowledge of magic, both spell casting and creation techniques which they were willing to share. However, there were conditions. They insisted that they would only proceed with the approval of the Faith and that a guild structure be created so that the knowledge could be controlled to avoid further damage. Each guild would appoint a guild master to manage it but subject to the oversight of a body called the under-council, a body which would ensure moral rectitude.
Four guilds were created: The Alchemists Guild to teach refining techniques, specialist healing and the manufacture of potions; the Warsmiths Guild to teach metal working and the manufacture of specialist tools of warfare; the Magecrafters Guild to teach the techniques of manufacturing focuses, talismans and magical material supplies; and the Swordmasters Guild to teach the weapon techniques that the new weapons would permit. Shortly after this a Fifth guild known as the Academy of Magic was raised to teach spell casting of Mind, Spirit and the three Elemental forms; Fire, Ice and Lightning.
These guilds were formed by special royal patent and only exist in the Kingdom. Rival guilds and crafting communities exist in other lands, but none have the new knowledge of The Guilds of Elland. It is certain that these competitors are jealous, coveting the secrets that Elland possesses - but the monopoly on these methods is a closely guarded secret, that the Kingdom will not give away without a price...
This new system was all well and good, the new skills would help the war effort and the oversight would prevent another cataclysm, but all of this required magical materials which were in very short supply. Resources were found in minute amounts in the bottoms of deep caves and mines and competition was fierce to own them. In the last few months The Guilds have managed to locate a place where these materials are common, forming naturally but very rapidly because of the intense magical energies present in the area. Unfortunately these same energies make it generally impossible to enter the area in order to recover the resources as tremendous energy storms rage across the area. After further research, it was determined that there were short periods of only a few days when it was possible to enter the area, a lush forested valley. There would be no point trying to build permanent structures as these would be destroyed by the energy storms and the areas where the materials would be present would vary as the storms did. Know one truly knows where this place is and only the Academy of Magic have the skill to open a portal to this place now named, the Vale.
The King met with his councillors to decide how to proceed. The Academy would only be able to transport a small number of individuals to the Vale so those chosen would need specialist skills to recover and refine the materials and work them in the Vale. They would also need warriors to protect them while they did this. All the King’s nobles recognized the tremendous opportunity that this represented and vied with one another for the right to control the expedition. Eventually the Dowager Duchess Elsbeth of Tarren gained the royal patent to exploit the Vale. The King, however, has the right to revoke this patent at any time should production be insufficient. The other noble families all look at the chosen nobles with envious eyes and are doubtless waiting for the chance to take the initiative from the Duchess and seize advantage as soon as possible…
Elf History(top)
Origins(top)
Note: This is the history according to the elves. This is not a view that is voiced if an elf wants to stay out of prison or worse...
Long ago things were not as they are now. Men and their gods have not ruled over the world since the beginning as they want to believe. Once there were no men, the elves reigned and all the other races were subservient to them. Elven ancestors were explorers, travellers and adventurers. They left the secure heartlands and travelled to the borders to seek out new lands and expand the frontier.
Everything about the elves and their culture was beautiful and perfect. Their cities and buildings reflected their outlook. Legend tells of such places as the Grand Citadel at Endesari, and other great cities such as Caris Caelthyr, the City in the Clouds. The elven settlements were built at the summit of mountains and are described as floating in the air.
Elven society was extremely advanced compared to that of the other, lesser races. Each elf was accorded the rank of nobility and while some were above the others all recognized their superiority to the lesser beings who served them. The race produced marvellous works of science, engineering and magic, the likes of which are unknown today. It is said that in those days an elf did not pass until he or she desired to and their lives were measured in the ages of the world. The great sadness today is that longevity has been lost to modern elves, whose comparatively brutish lives last little longer than the lives of men.
The race of elves was never as numerous or fecund as the lesser races. Being long lived, they had no need to reproduce rapidly. Their rule was guaranteed by their superior knowledge and individual prowess; they ruled the other races who provided servants, soldiers and the like. At some point in the long past, the outer colonies lost contact with the homeland and the ancestors became isolated from the rest. It was during this period known as the long dark or the great separation, that the other races rose.
The rise of the humans spelled the end of the Elven Culture. History speaks of the much more numerous humans developing their arts of magic and war while the elves lost much of their knowledge due to their separation from the elven homelands. It was inevitable that the far more numerous humans would overcome the elves.
Elven lives have become shorter but fortunately their unions have brought forth children in far greater numbers, although still less so than humans.
Today - The Elves Divided(top)
Humans have always distrusted the elves and over time they have forced them to merge with Human Culture. Most elves now live among humans as a subclass within their society, denied access to the noble ruling classes and shunned by the human faith, they are unable to fully integrate. Elves refer to these city dwelling kin as the Ethrin, which means the People. These elves see the war as an opportunity. Instead of living as second class citizens, they have a chance to show their true worth to the humans and in turn, raise their status in human society, so that one day, they may truly be free.
Some elves have refused to live within human society but have chosen instead to live outside of it. Referred to among the elves as the Feralian, they are named for their originator Morath Feralian. These elves band together for security and friendship, travelling through the lands of man, unable to remain in any one place for long. As a result their lives are often poor as they struggle to raise livestock or grow crops. Humans consider these elves to be even lower in their society than the Ethrin and they are frequently accused of being thieves and brigands. These nomads have lived for many years by keeping away from others as much as possible but some believe that now is their chance to receive acceptance from the humans by fighting with them against their enemies.
Since the Days of Fire, a third group of elves has emerged. When the war began and humanity found itself fighting a new adversary, this third group, called by the elves, the Haiesti, meaning, the Traitors, saw an opportunity to further their own goals. During a single night eight years ago, known by the humans as, the night of blood, they abandoned the human lands travelling to the orc held south lands and swore allegiance to the Great Khan and his demon patrons. These elves hope to find true acceptance in the violent meritocracy of the Khanate. It is also their chance to put an end to the supremacy of the humans that they hate so much.
Beastkin History(top)
There were no beastkin before the cataclysm. They appeared with the invader races.
No beastkin has any knowledge of a time before the awakening. They were born, they lived to fight the orcs and after short, brutal lives they died. There is no art or history. There are few stories from that time other than that of the awakening when the kin seemed to simply awake on a battlefield, fighting against the orcs. The kin were created by the gods to serve them in their eternal battle against the forces of the dark. They were to fight the minions of darkness, the orcs and their allies which they have done and continue to do.
The kin have always fought orcs and Undead since they were created by the gods. The stories tell of a day when your ancestors awoke battling against a large force of orcs and goblins when the sky was ripped asunder and the ground shook as if a great beast stirred beneath it. Your ancestors found that the land had changed and they soon came across armies of, what you later discovered, were called humans. The first meeting occurred when a group of canine kin were attempting to disengage from a larger group or orcs in a fighting withdrawal. They ran into a group of humans and both turned on the orcs and wiped them out.
It was contact with humans that brought the kin hope. Even though they are very different to men, they found that they had much in common. Men also served the gods and fought against the orcs and their allies. But men needed aid to fight and so they welcomed the kin with open arms. The human priests teach that the gods made man to serve them but when they knew that the troubles were coming they made the beastkin to fight beside man against their enemies.
The kin have adopted the religion of the humans and worship the same gods. The priests have told the kin of the gods instructions concerning elves, that they are not to be trusted, but most kin find it quite hard to tell elves from humans unless they are paying attention. Furthermore, most kin care very little about such things. Elves that fight with them are friends, elves that fight with the enemy must die.
Orc Oral Tradition(top)
“I Gulgrim, Shaman Lord to Kargun Khan, Great Khan of the orc nation, am tasked today to tell you the story of our people and what has gone before.
I speak of the time before. Once, there was only the land who was mother of all. She slumbered and dreamed. For how long we cannot say, for there were no days, and no nights, no sun and no moon and no means to mark the passage of time. There was only the land, and the land slept. As the land slumbered she dreamed and slowly the world came to be. The sun appeared in the sky and day was born. The moon chased the sun around the sky and brought the night into being. Together they both breathed into the world and mountains rose to the sky, rivers flowed from their hearts, life began to spread across the world. Finally, we the people were born as stewards and guardians, fierce and loyal to the land.
Then they came, the great ones. With their great magic and power they forced our people into slavery. Where once the people lived with the land and guarded it, now they were forced to scourge the land, to rip down her trees, to dig up her soil and mine out her mountains. They were forced to pay in blood and sweat or face the punishment of fire, ice and lightning. The dominance of the ancient ones was total and cruel. The people had to bend knee, never to face an ancient one but always obey.
Then they came to us, the voices in the night. Some call them demons, some call them evil. We call them saviours, our guiding lights. They showed our people that we did not have to bend our knees, we did not have to pay homage and tribute to the ancient ones, we could fight, we could wrest ourselves from our bondage and slavery. We could become free!
Our people rose up against the great ones. They fought and our saviours gave us great gifts to defend ourselves from the magic of our oppressors. Finally we were able to show them what it is to be one of the people, what it is to be an orc. Our greatest warriors led us to battle, the strongest of us became our leaders and showed us the way to freedom. During the war, as we began to see a chance of victory, the ancient ones brought forth their newest punishment. Legions of beastkin, who tried to force us back into slavery. Our leaders fought back, the battle was colossal, our losses were great. When we thought that the war was over and we had lost, the fires came. The very land rose up and was changed, the skies fell upon our great enemy and brought destruction to both sides but their leash was finally broken and our people were free. Some of the leaders went to the mountains to hide in case the ancients returned. Some went to the rivers and claimed the freedom of the water. Our people went to the great plains, back to our roots where we separated into many different tribes.
We travelled the land, following our great herds of yaks and goats. Some of our people established small trading posts, some embraced the land and worked farms but most of our people took on the life of the nomad. We lived free, able to wander and do as we wish, always hearing the words of our saviours telling us that one day the great enemy would return. Our leaders fought each other. Tribe fought tribe, warrior fought warrior in a never ending cycle of brutality and strength, but it was this that brought our people together. It was from this that our khans started to rise and from here that our Great Khan was born, the strongest the fiercest of us all. The leader that we all dreamed of united the Plains Tribes through warfare, guile and diplomacy.
Soon our Great Khan had all the people of the plains united under his great wolf banner. Kargun Khan united us and made us stronger. He showed us that that our saviours could be harnessed, that an orc could become more powerful than one of our saviours and could have them serve us not in bondage and slavery, but as equals. For only the strongest of us can lead. During this time, reports were received of raids from a new foe, the humans, raids and attacks which were clearly designed to test our strength, to force us into bondage and slavery once again. The Great Khan led our warriors to repel these attacks. With most sage advice from the shaman council, Kargun Khan finally agreed that all the people of mountains, rivers and plains must be united as one. This was the only hope of defeating those who would wish to enslave us once again. Many battles ensued between the different tribes but strength and will prevailed. With the help of the shamen, all the people of the many tribes were formed once again into a new nation. The Khanate. The shaman ordered the construction of the Pyre, a great portal for communing with the saviours and a city grew up around it and it became a holy place for all orcs and goblins.
Shortly after the people were united, there came another battle between orcs and humans. This battle was fierce and the struggle was great. Our forces were beaten back when the hated beastkin came to the humans aid. With the beastkin joining the humans we began to think that we would lose once again and taste the cruel whip of slavery. But new allies were found to help. The Undead lords from their land of bone and dust in the east joined in our fight and a mighty alliance was born.
From the north, elves who had rebelled against the human oppressors came to the Pyre and threw down their tributes of heads and skins, pledging their loyalty in the fight against the north. The Great Khan in his wisdom created the Blood Covenant. The covenant stated that any elf who would bring him such tribute could join the fight. Trust was still an issue however, but any who would fight against the humans was an ally.
Later in the Great Khans rule, one of our Saviours took a special interest in him. The Enticer sent her representative to broker a deal. The Great Khan and myself, as his first adviser, became more powerful as the strength of the saviours flowed through us. What the bargain is,we will never tell as we have sworn secrecy to the Enticer in letters of blood.
It was at this time that many goblins crafters, called tinkers, cried freedom and split from their tribes, breaking away from the Khanate, declaring themselves a free people in their own right and forming a new city, The Pit. Knowing that the Tinkers of the Pit were necessary to make the machines and weapons that the Khan needed for his horde, he took his one hundred claws and a full 2000 wolf riders and surrounded the city for thirty days. He did not attack but simply waited. On the thirtieth day the high tinker emerged and the two met in the plains outside the city. No one knows what was said between the two rulers but the goblin bent his knee to our Khan. With this alliance, we could now fight the war on even terms but still the conflict raged with no side being able to take the initiative to conquer the other.
And now once again our Saviours take a hand. The Enticer has shown our Khan a new land. A land through a gateway which she gives him the power to use. A land where there are resources which could tip the balance in our favour and allow us to finally be free for ever. It is here that you will go, it is here that our nation must prevail or we will fall back into slavery. Our fierce warriors of the Khanate will go to this place and make sure we will never be slaves again, no matter the cost.
Now step through the portal you chosen warriors, your Great Khan awaits you!”
Currency and Economy(top)
Before the Days of Fire there were many currencies used in the area now known as The Northern Alliance. The main Qadaq currency, the silver and gold Talent was a universally accepted Coinage that set the economy throughout the entire republic. At its centre in the capital of Remus, the republic mints churned out vast quantities of these coins and used them to fuel the vast economy of Qadaq. The Talent was always intended to be used for large scale transactions and as such many of the larger coins were actually oblong not round.
As you travelled father from the capital however, the many countries and nations that lived under the umbrella of Qadaq still had their own Coinage that was used within their own borders but this was almost always superseded in value by the Talent. Nevertheless it still existed alongside the stronger coins and generally found a way to work in tandem with exchange rates being set by the various governments, kings and warlords.
At the very furthest borders of the republic the Talent was still used but a greater number of other currencies existed and at the edge of Qadaq’s power they were less controlled and less tied to the Talent.
There are many local currencies that exist in the world and to name them all would take far too long. Suffice to say that this far from the centre of the republic it was always a matter of many nations and communities trading using a huge range of local and national currency. Each nation set rates of exchange that represented a fair and decent price for goods received.
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