The Collapse

No one knew why Gloria and Etalia left, and probably no one will ever know. Everyone however knew that they left, and that people need to finally forge its own destiny in this world. In this first period after takeoff civilization grew like grass after rain. Most of them rose and fell to quickly to be anything other than footnote in historical book. Many managed to establish its countries and kingdoms, that lasted many years, but as tides of history turned they too ultimately became just mythological realms. Two of most well known in present are empire of Yugr, and Empire of Drache. They were almost exact opposites of each other. Evil Yugr enslaved all of north, and under its ruler ship made earth itself bleed frozen tears, while Drache peacefully united all of Midlands, and established rule of law and justice. Many myths tell tales of wars between two empires, but all of them agree that destruction of both came from within. Yugrians mastered icecraft and frostcraft magic, but even they couldn’t stop ice age that frozen most of the north. Knowing that they retreated into their home valley, and in one night Yugr stopped existing in eyes of rest of the world. This region quickly fell into obscurity, with once slaves, now masters fighting each other. Dwarfs, Elves, Humans and most importantly Trolls all fought for power. Many war chiefs rose and fall, without achievements of note. Drachne on another hand was so focused on fighting abroad, that they ignored growing darkness inside. One of tribes of forbidden crater created new forbidden art of magic – necromancy, and after mastering it, managed to breach barrier of death, and achieved lichdom.

With this corruptive power they quickly attacked the Empire, and destroyed it city by city. When they stopped by gates of capital of Drachne, it was agreed, that no matter what happens to empire, necromancers have to be stopped. With great power and magick long forgotten Drachne mages destroyed armies of enemy, but in process cursed the land. No normal life could continue there, earth turned into mud, in some places no matter the hour sun never rose, in another it never fell. Everywhere humans fell to sicknesses, and in matter of years empire fragmented, and then fragmented more until it was no more. Few of royalty tried to recreate its Empire in the west, near the mountains, but no one knows what happened to them.

Some civilizations not only survived few centuries, but managed to become founding stones for future kingdoms. Many of them were nomads, like the many ordas on great steppe, or Canne people that conquered northern Ram’s Head, and assimilated native Kappara and Old Radmir civilizations. Different kind of nomads existed on Black Sand Islands. There existed sea people like no other on the whole world. They spends their lives almost only on ships, traveling from island to island only to resupply. They finally were united by king, but even then they never accepted sedentary lifestyle, founding cites, but still having incredible connection to sea. Different growth was seen in Westrasi. Following departure there was created one nation unifying whole continent, or at least that’s how westrasi like to remember this period. All nations unified under one banner. However there is no historical accounts of such creation, just oral tradition reinforced and written down after creation of Church of Gloria Estalia in middle Antique age. In fact historical writings from the period, from Celestial Empire describe this region as divided, and no less barbaric than rest of the world.

Finally there are three civilizations that not only have their roots in third era, but its well documented. First of them is what eventually became the Celestial Empire. Souxi-Dan Dao people at first were just Souxi, Dan, and Dao, each nation with its own small kingdom, and each unified in culture, technology and language by end of era. As time progressed, many other small kingdoms emerged in the Celestial Subcontinent. Two other regions were influenced by the what was happening in the Celestial Subcontinent. The Qi-Fu in the north-east (who descend partially from ancient Suoxi migrants) began copying cultural achievements in the Celestia Subcontinent around the end of this era by unknown means. In different situation was the Treant Empire, that back then was just jungle to the south, that slowly grew outwards. After their first contact with human civilizations, the Treants understood importance of politics when dealing with mortals, so it was first time they started to use vassal tribes to extend their influence.

Historians consider today that this age ended with violent, fast and unexpected expansion of Treant empire in all directions.