History of Erdreja

Unknown

The Dreaming, the time before time.

"A dragon may sleep for a time to dream

But when it awakes, you shall hear it's scream

Would you have me tell you a tale?

A story of another world, a place of mystery and magic, where many kingdoms stand or fall. Down the long years we hear the echo of their voices, the crying of those who were lost. Great civilisations crumbled into dust and from their ruins rose a dozen lands, each ruled by a bloody handed King. Yet even in this dark time there was hope against the darkness of the land there was yet a single light. A pact sworn upon parchment brought the beginning of peace. So fragile to hold, so easy to break and yet the charter stood… Would you hear tales of such a time? Then draw closer to the fire and hear my words. For I shall tell you a tale so real you will think you had been there when the lost children of Erdreja came together, at the time and place they called the Gathering…"

An unknown Sage

The history of Erdreja is split into two periods by the calendar of man. Before the Founding and After the Founding. The Founding refers to the day the new empire of man was formed.

Before The Founding

The elder races lived long and peaceful lives on Erdreja. Elves, Dwarves and Fairy Folk, all lived in relative peace for millennia. When the younger races came to the world this peace was shattered. Within a few centuries of their arrival, the Race Wars began and many thousands of lives were lost within just a few decades.

During the wars, the younger races developed a device that was powered by the magic of the elder races. Although normally long-lived, the elder races aged quickly and died while they continued to use their incantation magic.

The device was hidden from the elder races. In a desperate attempt to counter it, the elder races performed a mighty ritual, banishing the knowledge of incantation magic from all Erdreja. Only the Dark Elves were unaffected, shielded as they were by the miles of solid rock between their underground home and the surface. They guarded the knowledge of incantation magic against the time when it would be needed again on the surface of Erdreja.

The Founding

The banishing of incantation was one of the last, desperate acts of the elder races. The Fairy Folk had retreated to the unseen court, the Dwarves and their kin had fallen back into the far south and only the Elves were left to fight the younger races. Kingdom by kingdom, the Elves were gradually overrun and pushed eastwards, where they made a final stand. Over a thousand years ago, the younger races defeated the last elven army and the few remaining elven lords took the last of their people into hiding.

The wars were finally over and the younger races stood victorious. Cities were built and a great civilisation was created. Tebron, who was the greatest warlord of the younger races, was declared Emperor and ruled from the great city of Tebronia, that bore his name. The empire of the younger races was founded on the day that Tebron first sat upon his imperial throne and the calendar began anew with the first year AF (After Founding). After Tebron's death the capital was re-named Malkarn and it remained so until its destruction.

The elemental colleges, as guardians of the empire's knowledge, created a great library in the north, built on the ruins of an elven city once renowned for its learning. The city of Norhault grew up around this library, which became the greatest seat of learning in the known world. The library was formally opened one year to the day after Tebron was crowned; The first day of January in the year 1 AF. For several centuries the empire prospered, and peace returned to the lands.

The Cataclysm (of Water)

Just before 500AF, a great cataclysm took place. A ritual was being performed in the capital's great ritual circle to bring rain to the drought stricken southern farms. It is still not known how this ritual was disrupted, or by whom, but it seems that the unexpected disturbance released all the magic within the circle.

This uncontrolled power flowed to every other known ritual circle, shattering many and killing hundreds of people. Violent earthquakes rocked the land, mountains were smashed and the capital Malkarn itself was dragged beneath the waves, as the whole of the Imperial Heartlands sank. The waters of the great seas rushed in to separate forever the northern and southern continents. Albion, Cymrja, Erin and Western Norsca (now Orkneyjar) became islands as the land around them disappeared and the seas flooded in. Whole communities died, including the emperor, his family and most of the ruling lords of the empire.

The end of the empire began a period of almost six hundred years of war between the remaining nobles, over who would rule the new lands. It soon became apparent that none of them could achieve total victory. The empire was gone forever and instead the Heartland countries became small independent nations. They were ruled over by lord generals, who warred continuously with each other over the borders of the disputed lands.

The Gathering Treaty

In 1091 AF, the last true battle for the city of Norhault was fought and the lord general of Caledonia took back control. This was also the year of the formation of the grand council, an alliance composed of representatives from all the factions. After much discussion amongst the people of the Heartlands, most agreed that they had fought the last war and looked forward to a new age of peace.

During the discussions of the grand council, the Gathering Treaty was drawn up and signed by all the lord generals of the Heartlands. The treaty stated... and still states... that the Grand Council would discuss disputes between the factions in a civilised manner. Should a dispute not be resolved by diplomacy then, at an annual Gathering, representative forces of the disputing factions would fight a battle under a magical ritual of peace. This ritual would allow combatants to subdue, but not to kill, each other. The victory conditions for these battles would be determined before the combat took place.

1092 AF

The first Gathering took place. Hosted by the Family Karlennon in the City of Norhault, a contested city in Albion. Six Factions attended the event. The Bears of Caledonia, Dragons from Erin and cymrja, the Gryphons of Estragales and Lyonesse, Lions of Albion, the Wolves of Orkneyjar and the kingdom of Norsca, the Vipers, Teutonian nationals living as refugees in the Gryphon lands and the Cobras, the current rulers by force of arms of Teutonia.

All disputes were set aside when the host of The Gathering, Lord Elias Karlennon (of the Lions) was accused of conspiracy to murder a master mage. Karlennon opted for trial by factional combat. Supported by the Lions, Gryphons, Wolves and Vipers, he won the battle but was murdered as he left the field.

1093 AF

The Gathering Treaty now well established, Lord General Garth a supporter of the Bears Faction hosted the Gathering, once again in an area of Norhault. Two new Factions joined the Grand Council this year.

The Tarantulas comprising mainly of the Drow and those sympathetic to their cause, and the [[Unicorns], a Faction of traders who pledged allegiance to no country. Their leader was Lord Cynewulf.

The Dragons leader Lord Fig handed over leadership of the cymrjan Dragons to a cymrjan. Lady Katrina de Venoir. Grand Master of the Mages, Floris Illias’s leadership of the Mages Guild was disputed by a mysterious Mage named Brand. The Lions, Wolves, Gryphons & Unicorns supported Floris Illias, whilst Brand won over the factions of the Bears, Tarantulas and Dragons. The Vipers remained neutral.

Floris’s supporters won the day, partially due to the Tarantulas withdrawing from the field during the battle. The Lions used the Gathering to retake Norhault.

1094 Af

The Dragons Faction under Lord Fig hosted the Gathering in Erin, with one new Faction attended. The Cobras - led by King Kreuger of Teutonia. They claimed to be the official representatives of that country.

The Lions leader, Corvus declared himself King of Albion. By doing so, he split his Faction in two. Thus the Harts Faction was formed under the leadership of Lady Elspeth Karlennon, Corvus’s niece. The Vipers too had a new leader - King Gustav. He had led the Vipers back to Teutonia and was occupying the north of their country. The Bears, Vipers, Wolves and Dragons sided with the Harts in Victorious civil war against the Lions who and their allies in the other Factions. Angus McTwatem died during the battle and King Kreuger of the Cobras was ‘reported’ as killed on the field, leaving Gustav to retake Teutonia.

1095 AF

Hosted by the Wolves and Lord General Wolf on Orkneyjar. The Cobras, nearly wiped out by King Gustav’s Vipers in the intervening year, did not attend the Gathering. The Lions and Harts attended as two separate Factions, and were determined to stay that way. The Lios Alfar Elves arrived and gained the Factions help in riding themselves of the Mordred device and the ageing disease. A Gathering Treaty battle then took place between the forces of the Bears, Dragons, Harts, Unicorns and Vipers who had some minor disputes with the Lions, Wolves, Gryphons and Tarantulas. The Bears claimed Orkneyjar as theirs, but the Wolves argued that the islands were not part of the dispute put before the Grand Council, and so refused to give them up.

The Dragons appointed a new temporary leader for the cymrjan half of the Faction - Lord Arcane of Southern Cymrja.

1096 AF

King Gustav and the Vipers hosted. Lord Corvus of the Lions, left Albion in a shroud of mystery and treachery. Lord Edmund Vipernoir took over. Within weeks, a large Dæmon named Golgomoth took Lord Edmund. A new, new leader, Jaddvor Erland of Bristol was appointed. The Harts won a battle between themselves and the Lions for control of Albion. The Lions agreed to leave Albion to populate the mystical country of Avalon. Again the command changed with a Dwarf called Rhino taking the title as Lord General. A long time dispute between Lord General Fig of Erin and Baron Lachlann, a ranked member of his command, resulted in a duel taking place between them. Lachlann had managed to get hold of the fabled Spear of Lugh, which he used in the duel. The duel was fought under the ritual of peace and so Lachlann promised that he would not use the spear point, breaking this oath cost them both their lives.

1097AF

Timothy de Wilfsbane and the Gryphons Faction, hosted the Gathering at Moon haven in the Shambles, Western Estragales. The main contention was over the small outpost of Rockholme. Built on the site of a Dwarven stronghold, the placing of which, put it on the borders of the Dragons of Cymrja, the Harts of Albion and Bears of Caledonia. A well chosen strategic keep. Strangely enough with the main point of the Gathering over the land dispute of three Factions and another half dozen interested parties all the Factions managed to not only keep their heads, but there lord generals kept theirs as well.

In the end with the dispute going nowhere, Rockholme was placed in the hands of the Unicorns factions. To be used as a neutral place for trade and as a traveller’s rest point. Held between the three Factions borders, creating a interesting but unstable pact.

1098AF

This year saw the strange return of the Heartland games a series of tests of skill and endurance held upon Roak island and organised by two ologs, Orkus and Spittle. Started under the royal decree of the first emperor, it seemed to all these two have been alive some time, beyond that of there races normal years. The two spoke of a time lost in the Void.

Lord Seduraed of the Unicorns and in an arrangement with the Wolves Faction hosted the Gathering on Orkneyjar.

The year leading up to this Gathering was plagued by unliving and Maar, the now freed General of Satuun. The Fey of Albion slayed the once Black Mage and dozens of others in Gloucester in the Early Summer.

A generally peaceful Gathering disturbed by the Vipers and Dragons, arguing over the Vipers supposed treachery towards them. Lord Seduraed stepped down and Lady Adelena became the Lord General of the Unicorns.

The Gathering battle took place to settle the disagreements between the Vipers and Dragons. This started in a chaotic way with many mass fears effecting the battle lines.

The battle finally ended with a strange and uneasy truce between the factions of the Dragons and Vipers.

1099AF

A year of turmoil for all the Underdark, who played host to the Gathering with the Drow allowing a rare chance for the surface dwelling Factions to actually enter and see a little of the beauty of the Underdark.

The wording of the Gathering Treaty came into dispute with some of the Factions, the Vipers and Dragons split themselves off from the other nations after destroying their copies of the treaty.

The main battle ended with contention as two Factions had employed creatures whose abilities and powers went against the very nature of the battle.

Lord Ash was removed from the battle by an assassination attempt that left him lost from his people and sealed hidden below ground for almost a month. His saviour, being his ability to commune with his Ancestor Fig the late Lord General of Erin who led rescuers to him.

1100 AF

A strange year once again, the Gathering was to be hosted by the Harts of Albion and indeed the Harts did host, but in the neutral land of Aegyptus at the bequest of the Pharaoh or more the insistence some of his priests. The Gathering was held at En’esh near the great Pyramid.

The Factions were all invited or some would say coerced to attend by the pharaoh. The supposed kidnapping of several faction dignitaries from the Harts, the Lions and the Unicorns forcing the issue.

Late on Sunday night, a group entered the ritual circle and summoned into the circle an amount of void magic far beyond there ability to control. The actual reason why they did this was unclear, but the out come lead to the destruction of the Tome of Fire and cause the well spring in En’esh to crack. In turn this created a chain reaction of pulsing magic that started to effect the very fabric of magic on Erdreja.

One of the effects of the pulses was that any one carrying more than four magic items at one time were adversely effected by vibrations, the item heating up and in some cases exploding.

The battle of this year was over the issue of slavery but was dwarfed by the outcome of the final ritual on Sunday night, and tales of the coming cataclysm of fire.

1101 AF

1101 saw the Wolves start to expand and colonise the Northern Wastes of Erdreja. Finding a lost temple to the Morrigan, the Wolves invited the Bears to join them and co-host upon their lands and to reopen the temple at the Gathering.

The year also saw the return of the Lions to Erdreja. Cast out from the realm of Avalon, they literally crashed back into the seas of Erdreja on their island. The crash landing of the Holy Isle caused the lands of Lantia to re-surface and formed the new landed location for the faction.

It was discovered during the year that the destruction of the tome of fire had released Satuun's pattern from where Floris Illias had bound him.

In the late spring of this year Maar the faceless' involvement in many of the troubles was uncovered, by the form of a past master incantor Pape, Who him self had turned to evil. The joint forces of the factions stood against Maar and Lord Gustav of the Vipers fought him one on one matching dark arts, till now rumoured to be at Gustavs command. Maar was defeated by Gustav and those in attendance this day, and destroyed.

The Aegyptians and other people of the Southern continent, hosts of a previous Gathering attended, as guests within the Unicorns Faction.

During the event, an amazing discovery was made in a ice cave behind the temple to the Morrigan. A very ancient and ornate set of balanced sixteen-way scales. The scales were encased in magic and looked like they were almost alive, set within a scene. Old and wise people stated that they seemed to measure the ebbs and flows of Erdreja.

The Tome of Fire was reformed after one ritual which tried to bring it back failed and killed the ritualist, indeed the ritual only succeeded in summoning and enraging Golgamoth whom slayed the ritualist. Later a second ritual then took place, completed by the Mages Guild. They reformed the tome later that evening, this caused the pulses started the previous year to weaken.

During the Gathering Lord Gustav stepped into the Void with a small retinue stating he had other matters to deal with now. Those left who were close to him believe he will return.

The battle itself was a held to decide whom would host the next years Gathering much like a grand melee.

The two facing armies were uneven in size. The side of the Dragons, Gryphons, Harts, Lions and Unicorns had superior numbers and started by advancing across the battle field to meet the opposition.

The smaller army held its position and with some great leadership tactics on the part of the Bears, Tarantulas Vipers and Wolves, this lead them to a victory. Declared hosts for 1102 were the Factions of the Vipers and the Tarantulas.

1102 AF

A 2nd decade of Gathering Treaty now starts, overall the first one was not that bad. Ten years of minor wars, disputes, outside interference and the odd assassination. But the Heartlands nations stood together and seem to be expanding and thriving.

In the spring of this year the factions gathered as is now common for the Heartland games upon the island of Roak, many new visitors were in attendance from the east, A land called Cathay.

It was during the games that the mage and incantors guild were robbed of an ancient artefact, the Orb of Spirit.

It was also during these games that the dark creature that had been disrupting the games for all along revealed itself and was then defeated in an extraordinary game of combat by the combined teams of the heartlands.

Now once again the factions question the treaty that brought them together the Harts pushed once more for revision. But is this the right time, all is not well in the lands of the Heartlands.

The immortal patterns were once again set free upon the face of Erdreja. Satuun and the Pendragon met, and sides were chosen by the people of the heartlands. Schadel took a new form and Mordred's power was taken by the Daemon Golgamoth. They met at the Gathering of this year and followed the path of Floris and Brand joining together in the backlash of their conflict and taking the form of a member of the Vipers Faction. Satuun spoke several times through out the year to all he could reach, taunting the incantors and finally scattering his pattern to the winds of Erdreja and where the pattern will land as yet to be seen.

Among all the turmoil that the immortal patterns always bring the pattern of Floris returned but not the combined forms of Ellias and brand. The pattern chose a new host in that of the mage Cullen Lochlan.

The Mordred device was reformed in the spring of this year and once again the elder races suffered. The Lios Alfar again came to the aid of the younger races and the device was once again deactivated by a combination of rituals.

The actions of the younger races brought upon them the attentions of the conclave a collection of powerful mages from the elder races who still harbour the hatreds spawned during the elder wars.

Once again the Emperor Joshrum the second was seen to walk the Heartlands of Erdreja his appearance shocked many but still he claims to rule these lands. As such he requested the return of the imperial provinces under the control of the current factions. While disregarding the more barbarian celtic nations of Dragons, Bears and Wolves. Will any take him up on his offers?

This year also saw great losses among some of the Factions, lady Adelana of the Unicorns fallen at the hand of one of the Unicorn factions greatest foes, only to later be raised as unliving against them. Lord Digby of the dragons gave himself to the wild hunt during the early winter. The former Master Healer Stefan Louis of the Lions, was slain by assassins on the first day of the last month of this year.

1103 onward

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