Lost Realms

Much of what occurred prior to The Time Of Mage Blight has been forgotten, misinterpreted, or removed from historical records during the holy purges that followed. Here we recall some realms that survived or sprouted from The Time Of Founding yet fell before, or during, The Time Of Warring Giants:

### Rhuul

One of only four human realms to emerge from The Time Of Mage Blight (the others being Yenrad, Pharid, and Lo'Quai), Rhuul encompassed much of southern Arkhos and the riverlands of northern Thaedia. Rhuul was governed by the matriarchal Shae'farhuul of each clan, druidic warrior-women who chose to follow a philosophy of spellcraft similar to the high sorcery of the elves. They wove benevolent charms to safeguard their people and influence the weather, ensuring hardy folk and strong harvests, even as the wicked wizard kings in surrounding realms careened towards destructive anarchy. The villages of Rhuul were notable for the way they wove around natural features rather than displacing them, as is so common in modern human realms.

### The Yenrady Domin

Yenrad was a human culture on the western border of The Weft, at around the same time that Rhuul was ascendant. They wore armor adorned in feathers, and stood as self-appointed sentinels against threats from the Inner Weft. They bound powerful elementals as servants and guards for their most precious sites. In 113MR the Yenrady migrated deep into The Weft, abandoning their kingdom. Whether they fled or pursued some higher purpose is still unknown.

### Jindris

A realm founded on enormous gold mines, Jindris sat along the edge of The Jungle Of Claws, facing toward The Crosslands (known then as Sogdul). During the Pharidae War, Jindris was conquered, it's people forced to serve Pharid as vanguard soldiers and living shields. As the Pharidae retreated, the last of Jindris' citizens were thrown upon the spears of Thaedia. Legend has it that their gold-laced armor still lies deep beneath The Dunes Of Blood And Gold, where the horrid massacre took place.

### Gorgondin

A decadent city built upon The Bay Of Fate, Gorgondin was ruled by ruinous cults. During a heated clash with Arkhos over the right to claim abandoned Rhuu lands, the Gorgonites unleashed demons and fell sorcery. Unwilling to forgive such actions, the Arkhosians laid siege to the city. Within the walls, the cults turned on each other until none were left but gibbering hellspawn. Arkhos left the city standing, as a monument to their vengeance. Generations later a surge of arcane power allowed demonic hosts to emerge from the ruins and lay waste to Arkhos and Green Fang Forest. Arkhos sent thousands of knights, led by The Sanctic Dame, to level the city once and for all.

### Felqôg

After defeating a herd of giants, several human villages in the foothills of the Thunder Peaks declared themselves the kingdom of Felqôg. Four years later the king led an ad-hoc crusade of giant-hunters into the peaks... only to be soundly defeated by an even larger herd of giants. Leaderless, the kingdom fell apart. Almost a hundred years later, the kingdom was briefly reformed, when a local leader drummed up support to reconquer Grengulak for humanity. This second crusade was picked apart by orcs, trolls, and other monsters, becoming lost and ending up on the doorstep of Brokenstone. The suspicious dwarf residents, seeing a small army approach, drove the humans off. Adding insult to injury, the survivors returned home to find a blight upon their crops. To this day the name Felqôg is rarely spoken, the hill folk choosing to actively forget it. It should be noted, that few if any halflings dwelling in the region added their might or support to either rendition of the kingdom.

### Sogdul

Once a subterranean realm of bandits who wore grey shrouds (all the better to strike from the morning mists), Sogdul pestered the caravans of Jindris, Thaedia, and Rhuul. Thaedia eventually tired of their interference. They launched an invasion... only to discover that the Sogduli were ruled by a dragon named Quargorlaax The Smog Bringer. Over the course of several battles, the dragon was trapped and slain. Any surviving Sogduli were taken back to Thaedia as indebted, leaving only desolate silence in what is now called The Crosslands.

### Baos

A small island realm off the coast of Lo'Quai, the people of Baos built temples from the ruins of elven sky towers, and chose to venerate Taeyaloo. This all changed when the realm was invaded by fallen elves. The suffering population were rescued by Lo'Quaim Emperor Kapo Xing (a devotee of Lianda), and gratefully allowed their realm to be absorbed into Lo'Quai. The islands now form the Princedom of Misaki. The folk there retain many temples to the sun goddess.

### Chertlan

Spread across The Sabre Isles, this realm was ruled by human and orc cultists of The Narga, particularly those dedicated to Gorgos. The bloodthirsty populace opened a portal to Ruin upon a mountainous shrine, unleashing a swarm of demons upon themselves. The ensuing orgy of sacrificial bloodletting wiped out Chertlan, leaving only broken shrines and pools of bubbling blood that have yet to dry up. It is whispered that the portal may still be active, awaiting those foolish enough to seek it...

### El'himshar

Once a proud seafaring city, El'himshar boasted the swiftest of all human fleets. When they began to encroach on trade between Lo'quai and Maphotepsis, the jealous sultan allied himself with a fleet of fallen elf corsairs. Together they razed El'himshar. Their agreement provided The Fey Ring Isles with hundreds of slaves, while gifting Maphotepsis with a battered but still impressive fleet, making them a naval power in the east.

### Tirgoth And Wërgun

Two kingdoms that formed in Vylkland and lasted far longer than most in that frosty land. Tirgoth was ruled by King Ulgr Axeborn, whilst Wërgun belonged to King Eirgild Bjordinson. Ulgr was willing to marry his daughter Krofti to Eirgild's daughter Sofeig, both heirs to their respective kingdoms. Alas, Krofti was killed on her way to Wërgun. Grief stricken, Ulgr laid blame for the death on Eirgild, sparking a vicious war. Both kings met in single combat, slaying each other. As is the way in Vylkland, the kingdoms devolved into factions, each supporting a new jarl. All that remains of the kingdoms are two villages bearing their names, and scores of tragic drinking songs.

### Pharid

Advanced far beyond the petty tribes around them, with arcane and alchemical knowledge envied even by modern Scy'kadians, the Pharidae sought to undo death. Turning from the Gods and the Narga both, the ruling pharaohs devoted themselves to eternal earthly life. They dabbled in necromancy, earning the mistrust of their neighbors, many of whom attempted to wage war on Pharid, only to be met by skeletal hosts or the terrifying effects of a disease known as Scarab Rot. After centuries of experiments, the Pharidae Tomb Prince Kalomesch (an ancient lich) finally developed methods of converting large swathes of a population into undead whilst maintaining the intellect of key advisors and generals. The Pharidae started with their own people, then attempted to conquer all of Scy'kadia. Some Fraelite cities avoided conversion by swearing fealty, yet continued to sabotage the undead advance when they could. The forces of Arkhos and Thaedia led the push back against the Pharidae, eventually destroying their forces. Kalomesch himself was beheaded by Centurion Cassius Lergor. The Pharidae cities were then torn down by Fraelite devotees of Kree... except for their pyramid monoliths, still protected by insidious necromantic power.