Pre-Planebreak Timeline

The world of Myrex Anatornis has had a turbulent past. Much of early history has been lost to the ashes of the ages. However, the recorded events that still remain have been gathered and summarized here, in chronological form.

The most important calendar in the world is the Mundane Calendar. As such, it is used as a standard here. There are two important acronyms used on this page. Before the King, or BK, indicates the number of years an event took place before the official creation of the Mundane Calendar. Conversely, Mundane Calendar, shortened to MC, indicates the date that an event took place on the Mundane Calendar. All dates that predate the established calendar are estimations and approximations.

### Prior to 500 BK

At some point, humanity organized into small roaming tribes that wandered the plains that are found around the lowest point on the continent of Mundus.

A few strange occurrences involving the supernatural species from the other three continents led to the establishment of an early religion system. Many scholars tend to think that the extreme power displayed by these creatures caused the ambitious humans to try and emulate them, which led to a worship system. Certain tribes would dedicate themselves wholly to specific creatures, while others revere multiple. This leads to the establishment of several different pantheons across the Mundus, and several different conflicts between tribes relating to perceived divine superiority.

At some point, humans came into contact with several different species of humanoid creatures, including Elves, Gnomes, and a few other, less notable, ones. How or when contact was established is unknown, but from what few sources can be found, contact with these species was generally peaceful, though not exactly friendly.

### ~500 BK

The humans discover the dwarves, who had thus far remained isolated in their mountain holds. Scholars tend to agree that this event was what catapulted humanity forward in their technological advances, but many debate whether the technology was a gift from the dwarves, or if humanity simply stole the secrets of the mountain lords.

### 500 BK - 400 BK

Humanity progresses rapidly with the technology that they gained from the dwarves. Metallurgy, masonry, arithmetic, chirography, and cartography all seem to have stemmed from such teachings. As thanks for this, the humans begin trading resources such as furs, meats, fruits, and vegetables that are harder to obtain in a subterranean world to the dwarves.

These developments also lead to the establishment of what would go on to become the first true human city, Heartwynn. Built with the knowledge of the dwarves, this city serves as a trading hub for human tribes who wish to establish relations with the dwarves.

### 375 - 325 BK

The first recorded human sorcerer is born to one of the southern tribes. With no idea how to control his power, his young life is full of strange events and suffering, until he eventually overloads. The resulting explosion is purportedly seen for miles around, and no members of his tribe survive the event. Unfortunately, many more humans begin to appear with strange innate magics that they cannot control, and so the humans begin to implore the elves for help, as the mysterious isolationist species was famed for their mastery of magic. The elves, however, decline the requests for aid, leading to some discontent in the human tribes.

### 300 BK - 250 BK

A man by the name of Carroh Hulfrin, after the death of his sorcerous daughter, begins leading raids into elven territory, utilizing arms and armor stolen from the dwarves and elves alike. By interrogating prisoners and dissecting slain sorcerers, Carroh and the elders of his tribe finally piece together a ramshackle method of controlling the magic of the world. This art, while inefficient, is extremely potent, and has an unfortunate tendency to kill the spellcasters who wield it. Only Carroh, the creator of the technique, is able to properly utilize this power without being eventually slain by it. Even so, this method of spellcasting is ineffective for sorcerers, who continue to die from internal magical overload.

### 250 BK

Carroh Hulfrin is eventually cornered and slain by a small force of elves. This event is the first known show of arms performed by the elven species in history.

Carroh's technique dies with him because while a few others do know his art, none are able to survive it like he did, and so it is not passed down.

### 200 BK - 100 BK The Blood War

The human tribes who pass near the area of the Dawning Woods begin raiding the edges of elven territory, terrorizing the elves who live near the forest's boundary. After several occurrences, the elves respond in force, wiping out two human tribes and beginning what seems to be an organized effort to cull the humans from Mundus.

The human tribes suffer loss after loss against the united elven front, even losing Heartwynn in the century of war. Finally, though, the tide turns with the Battle of the Great Pass, where an ambush causes severe casualties for the Elven army. Worn and tired, the elves retreat to the Dawning Woods and do not renew their assault, though no sort of peace treaty is officially brokered.

### 100 BK - 20 BK

The humans gradually recuperate without any further contact with the elves. The decimated tribes are largely forced to remain moving, and so Heartwynn is not reclaimed and no official settlements are established. They do work with the dwarves to further develop their magical arts, hoping that such measures will allow them to prevail against another elven assault.

### 20 BK The Great Corruptor

A bright star plunges down from the northern sky, slamming into the southern ocean. Every creature that it passes over is horridly twisted by mysterious energies, creating a new breed of creature in the world. They come to be known as orcoids, and creatures such as orcs, goblins, and a few others are all included in this category. They are inherently evil creatures, but also intelligent. Many of them disappear into hiding, and those that don't are culled by others who come across them. Many of these new creatures organize into errant Warbands and clash against the dwarves and humans in several locations. Still, their lack of tactical sense makes their enhanced physical abilities count for little, and wherever they appear, they are driven back without much issue.

This is also when tieflings first being appearing. Many confuse them for orcoids, and they are executed the moment their fiendish traits begin showing themselves.

Under the wake of this falling star, a child is born, though he seems untwisted by the tainted celestial event. He is named Astyr by his parents.

### 5 BK - 4 MC

Astyr rises to lead his tribe at the age of fifteen, either through coercion or force. In a daring move, he then takes his people and resettles Heartwynn. Afterward, one by one, he goes to the other tribes and brings them into his fold with promises of revenge against the elves who had so wronged humanity. A few tribes do resist, but eventually he unites humanity as one. He revitalizes the infrastructure of Heartwynn, and of humanity as a whole, and begins trading with the dwarves once again. Finally, he creates the Mundane Calendar with which to measure and record events. By the age of twenty, he has created a united human tribe stronger than any human group that had predated it.

The most notable of the human tribes to resist Astyr's efforts is the Korskan Clan. They are a rigid people native to the southern Dagger Tooth Mountains, and their knowledge of the terrain makes them a truly formidable foe against the young Warlord. Eventually, after shows of good faith and force fail, Astyr turns his attention away from the tribe, not wishing to deplete his numbers further with a war of attrition in the dark mountains.

### 5 MC - 7 MC The Vengeance Crusade

With humanity revitalized, and armed with equipment bought from the dwarves, the united human army mobilizes in force. Spurred on by Shaman devoted to the Bloodsinger, the army becomes something more akin to a band of savages, blinded by an intense battle rage. The Vengeance Crusade, as it was to be called later down the line, is a relatively short one. The elves are taken largely unawares by the tide of enraged human soldiers, and their outer defenses are crushed. Following a crushing victory at the Fal'enandoril River, Astyr leads his forces into the capital. There is rampant bloodshed in the streets as the berserk human soldiers slaughter the unarmed elven civilians.

What happens next is hotly debated by many scholars to this day. Astyr and his commanders enter the elven palace, purportedly to force the Matriarch to surrender. However, after several hours, Astyr's most trusted friend and right hand, Jorn Hulfrin, emerges with few others, claiming that the elves fought to the last. Astyr was slain in the battle, and so Jorn calls upon the human soldiers to lay the entire blessed forest to waste. The next year is spent destroying the Dawning Woods, turning them into what comes to be known as the Black Forest.

As the final elven village succumbs to the flames and is reduced to ashes, the sky splits open, dispensing a tide of liquid fire into the heart of the forest. This flame surges outward, scouring the remains of the forest, as well as the human army. Most of those who remained in the Black Forest are wiped out by the strange fire, and the remaining survivors of the human army retreat back to Heartwynn.

### 8 MC

Jorn Hulfrin and his remaining soldiers are beset by nightmarish beasts the entire way home. Blackened silhouettes that defy the mind emerge from the hills on all sides, dragging away those they can and striking down others. By the time the army makes it back to Heartwynn, news emerges that these attacks are widespread, stemming from the western and southern hills. Humanity is forced to abandon the villages in those areas, retreating to the plains and forests found elsewhere on Mundus.

Shortly after Jorn's return to Heartwynn, the dwarves cut off trade. When the humans seek to investigate, they are met with only silence.

### 12 MC

After a turbulent few years full of attacks from the hills, Jorn announces the establishment of the First Astyrian Dynasty, a style of government based on the Dwarven cultural hierarchy. With this proclamation, he declares himself High King, naming several Tribe leaders as his Lords. His orders and ordinances send the people into a fervor, and he uses this to rally more troops for his army that had been decimated at the end of the Vengeance Crusade.

### 15 MC - 27 MC

The Astyrian Dynasty begins with a campaign to fortify their few remaining settlements. The army establishes several camps along the edge of the hills, where they hold back the foreign threat of the shadows. The Kingdom then begins the construction of great walls and fortresses across the plains in an attempt to hold their own. Jorn calls upon the dwarves for aid with both the masonry, and the stone for the walls. Unfortunately, though, the dwarven empire refuses for an unknown reason, sealing their cities and cutting off communication from the humans.

The effort is largely a waste of lives and effort without the backing of the Dwarves. Still, the humans attempt to hold on for as long as they can, managing to construct a few fortresses along the newly established King's Road. Humanity is unfortunately forced back to Heartwynn by the year 27 MC, despite the partial completion of their plan.

The Sacred Conclave is established from all of the most venerated Shaman in the Kingdom, tasked with petitioning the gods for aid in these dark times.

### 30 MC

As the humans begin to finally succumb to starvation and infighting, Jorn and the priests of the Conclave reveal that they have received a message from the gods. Through this divine word, they have been ordered to sacrifice half of their population in trade for salvation. Unsurprisingly, this leads to a short civil war, in which many people resist against the idea of killing off half the population. Still, Jorn's forces win out, and many of the opposition are captured. On the Day of Salvation, as it comes to be called, the sacrifices are made. A blinding light overtakes the city, followed by a massive earthquake. A monumental chasm opens up around Heartwynn, almost a mile wide on every side, and several hundred feet deep. Humanity, though, is distressed by this. They have no method of reaching the mainland, and still have no food.

After several days, a waterfall appears on the south west edge of the chasm, spilling water from some unknown source into the depths of the pit. After some time, the pit does finally fill, creating a lake around the city.

From this event come six blades. Their make is unlike anything the humans have seen thus far. Jorn declares that these weapons were given to them by the gods in order to allow them to defend themselves against the shadows. The swords are unnamed, but the priesthood entitles the collection of weapons "The Hands of Salvation".

### 30 MC - 47 MC

Jorn is succeeded by his son, Fergus, who immediately reignites the campaign to retake human lands. The army breaks into six groups, with the Commander of each group wielding one of the Hands of Salvation. It is found that the sacred blades are especially effective against the shadows and will absorb any of those creatures that they slay.

Following this revelation, the humans manage to reclaim and fortify two villages. Once again, they attempt to reestablish contact with the dwarves, but, as before, they are met with silence.

It is discovered that the mysterious new river that feeds water into the lake around Heartwynn is an extension of the Fal'enandoril River, which is said to flow from the sacred cradle of life, deep within the mountains. The waters are saturated with sacred magic, the likes of which can be found nowhere except the Ethereal Sea.

Several years after Fergus is coronated, Jorn disappears. This event is largely swept under the rug, but he is never seen again.

Some of those who opposed the sacrifices made on the Day of Salvation survived, and they depart from Heartwynn, travelling north until they reach the coastline. From there, they travel as far away from the hills as they can, finally establishing their city of Memoria on the Quiet Coast.

### 48 MC - 101 MC

Due to the Hands of Salvation, humanity finally manages to find a moment of respite. The Order of Horrad is established to guard and wield the blades, and thanks to their stewardship, an extended moment of peace is enjoyed by humanity. The attacks do not stop, and because of the diminished size of humanity's population, expansion seems out of the question, but they are capable of holding their ground now.

Memoria establishes contact with the dwarven fortress nearby, reviving trade with the Dwarven Empire. Thanks to the resources they receive from their trade, and the relative safety of their location, Memoria begins to become increasingly self sufficient and isolated from the other humans, even going so far as to begin worshipping a different pantheon of gods.

The Korskan Clan of humans is finally forced to make a mass exodus from the Dagger Tooth Mountains. The constant attacks from the shadows and orcoids prove too much for the wily warriors, who, without any sort of weapon to match the Blades of Salvation, have been reduced from thousands to only a few more than a hundred. The survivors continue to maintain their staunch independence, though, and settle a bit north, in an area of the Cold Peaks that breaks up the two halves of Toradi's Spine. They discover a great valley in the heart of these mountains, and establish their new settlement of Korskar in its heart. After some time, they establish connections with the nearby Dwarven Empire, and begin trading. With few resources to spare, the Korskan Humans barter their labor and combat prowess to the dwarves with specialized contracts, essentially selling themselves into carefully outlined servitude for months on end in trade for a constant stream of resources from the children of the stone.

### 102 MC

The number of humans in Korskar has swollen far beyond the numbers of the original clan. Humans from Astyria, outcast Dwarves from the Empire, and anyone else who wishes to sell their services have gathered in and around the humble settlement, and many different factions have arisen in their midst. These factions have begun to argue and fight each other for resources and contrcts, so the chieftain of the Korskan, Albrecht Verrich, gathers the most notable and powerful leaders of these new factions and establishes them as the Mercenary Houses of Verrich. The leaders of each house are each granted control of some of the land in the valley surrounding Korskar, and are charged with maintaining those territories, on the condition that the new Houses answer to the chieftain, and abdicate to his judgement when conflicts arise between houses. Many agree to this pact, but more than a few resist this subservience. A conflict erupts in the valley, but after a series of swift and brutal battles, Albrecht's tribesmen subjugate and exile the dissenters.

### 105 MC

The humans of Heartwynn establish a settlement on the coastal edge of the Shifting Mountains named Greydust. This town's distance from the hills, as well as the surrounding mountains, ensures that it rarely comes under attack. Despite its safety, the surrounding desert makes it a very difficult place to live, and so very few people actually move there. Still, access to the Ethereal Sea allows for a new source of food and resources that were untouched by the main towns of Astyrian Kingdom.

### 106 MC - 142 MC

The peace continues, though Memoria and Heartwynn grow increasingly distant with one another. Strange sightings have begun to crop up from the Forest of Eld, describing twisted creatures that are different than the shadows. Still, there is no substantial evidence that these rumors are anything other than errant monster stories.

### 135 MC

The elderly Albrecht Verrich of Korskar dies in battle against a warhorde of Orcoids on the outskirts of the Dagger Tooth Mountains. Traditionally, according to Korskan tradition, his son would have taken over his position. However, many of the Houses resist this tradition, claiming that the Korskan Clan had been given their time to lead the Houses. A short conflict occurs, but it is resolved by Albrecht's heir choosing to abdicate his claim to whoever the Houses elect.

This choice finally cements the Mercenary Houses of Verrich as a sovereign body over the valley of Korskar, and from that point forward, the Mercenary Lord of Verrich is chosen by general consensus from among the heads of the Houses.

Despite the development of Verrich into a legitimate state, Astyria still refuses to recognize them as an equal. They view the faithless mercenaries as rabble and riffraff, and the Sacred Conclave does as much as they can to tarnish the name of their new sister Nation. Despite this, the contracts of Verrich continue to spread among the peoples of Mundus. Eventually, the Mercenary State does work for all but the haughtiest of humans.

### 153 MC - 154 MC The Corruptor Revealed

The Southern Fortress comes under attack by a host of sinister creatures. It falls quickly, with only a handful of survivors escaping. However, it seems that the escape was permitted, as the attackers follow the survivors back to Astyr's Crossing. The following battle is swift and bloody, though the attackers are defeated. The Sacred Conclave dubs these creatures demons, a name that was passed down from their gods, stating that they are evil incarnate, in the same way that the divine messengers of the gods are the incarnations of their tenants and ideals.

The Astyrian Kingdom rallies its armies and invades the forest of Eld, with the Order of Horrad at the forefront. Unfortunately, the demons are intelligent, and the coming Battle of Eld is a disastrous, pyrrhic, victory, in which the humans lose most of their forces. Three of the six Hands of Salvation are either lost or destroyed, but eventually the humans manage to push to what has come to be known as the Eldian Gate. Several of the remaining survivors lose themselves by simply standing in the presence of the waygate, and so it is that the army is finally routed by the last few demons. Humanity retreats from the forest with as much dignity as they can, but once they return to the Crossing, they witness a bright white glow emanating from the forest. The demons never renew their assault, though any parties that venture into the woods never return, either.

During this time, the humans of Memoria send out several parties to establish new coastal settlements in the same region. Heartwynn's government, which has thus far suppressed any of Memoria's attempts to do such things, are in no state to intervene this time. These two new settlements bring in more money and resources for Memoria, which only furthers the resentment between the two largest settlements of Astyria.

### 155 MC - 167 MC

The Sacred Conclave of Heartwynn begins to preach that the demonic invasion was the work of the heretics within Memoria, and that the bright flash within the forest was The Purifier's intervention to right the wrongdoing. The resentment deepens to the point where pogroms against those sporting any symbolism of Memoria or its pantheon become common. Though the King and his counselors do take steps to mitigate the violence, their measures are petty ones, and change very little.

Finally, in 167 MC, one of the remaining three Hands of Salvation is stolen from the Order of Horrad's inner sanctum. The Conclave whips the people into a frenzy, pinning the theft upon Memoria. A massive riot overtakes the city, in which neighbors turn against neighbors, accusing each other of involvement with the sister city. Many are killed before the guard are able to gain control and institute martial law.

### 168 MC - 170 MC Holy War

Spurred on by the beliefs of the Conclave and the people, King Marond Hulfrin, current king of the Astyrian Dynasty, organizes a disciplinary taskforce to march to Memoria and punish the denizens of the city. He calls upon the Sacred Conclave, as well as his most elite guard, who are normally reserved for protecting the highest Orders of Heartwynn, to provide soldiers for the war effort, as the army proper still had not properly recuperated from the demonic invasion. All of the Orders of Heartwynn answer the call, with the exception of the Order of Horrad. Despite the theft, they assert that it is their duty to protect the Hands of Salvation, and they do not wish to lose the two that remain. Despite their protests, Marond presses them into service, berating them for neglecting their duty. Unsatisfied with the number of forces he was able to rally, Marond goes so far as to legitimize the Houses of Verrich, offering them recognition and coin in trade for their service in the war. A fair number of the Houses respond to this offer, almost doubling the size of Astyria's Taskforce.

The army sets out at a brisk pace, and arrives at the Quiet Coast by the end of the year. However, that is as far as they manage before the come under attack. A sizable force of Memorian humans ambush the army, striking from the hills on all sides of the road. The ambushers are eventually forced back, but the losses they inflict are substantial. Among the dead is Marond's only son.

The King, utterly blinded by rage, marches upon Memoria. He drives his men like dogs, marching at a pace that would kill most ordinary humans. His Astyrian soldiers manage to fulfill his wishes, but the mercenaries of Verrich are left far behind the main force. After a solid day of absence from the ones who hired them, the mercenaries simply turn around and go home.

Marond arrives at Memoria with a much smaller and exhausted force, but despite the loss of the mercenaries, they still outnumber of the defenders of the city. Due to their superior numbers, the attackers manage to break past the city's walls, setting the city within aflame. The Fall of Sanity, as it comes to be called, follows, where the denizens of the town are gathered up and, one by one, thrown from the great walls of the city. Any who survive the fall are taken to the bay and forcefully submerged in the Ethereal Sea for a few seconds at a time. They lose themselves gradually, eventually becoming empty shells. Once this happens, they are chained and loaded into carts, then sent back to Heartwynn. The King and his elite guard stay behind to ensure the city is reduced to ashes.

Unfortunately, that choice proves fatal. The Dwarves arrive to support their allies, but are unfortunately too late. Filled with rage, their impressive army takes vengeance upon the King and his men, who are vastly outnumbered by a fresh force with better equipment and training. Those who surrender are sent back to Heartwynn carrying Marond's head. This is the end of the first Astyrian Dynasty.

The captured and erased Memorians are pressed into labor upon their return to Heartwynn. They are a new class of humanity, the slaves, with no real sense of self. They are treated with little dignity, and while they are only capable of basic tasks, they are required to do those tasks well, or they are executed. Going forward, during a certain time of year, the Keepers force the slaves to breed with each other, then, when the children reach the age of five, the keepers take them of the city of Greydust, where they repeat the process that was forced upon the first slaves; they repeatedly submerge the children in the Ethereal sea for seconds at a time, until they have been erased in the same way as the others. It is through this method that the slave class is forced to continue.

### 171 MC

Following the death of Marond, the Kingdom, which had thus far been united under a single lineage, shatters, as the royal Hulfrin bloodline has no proper heir, since the only remaining child of the former King is a female. A number of claimants to the crown appear, spouting any manner of ties to the King. The cities of Heartwynn, Astyr's Crossing, and Clirev are all the decided territories of the three most notable candidates. When none of the three show any intention of backing down, they all split from each other, calling themselves the true ruler and denouncing the others as pretenders. The Sovereign Princess Vilora Hulfrin, of Heartwynn, The Grand Duke Gerrard Kaloran, of Astyr's Crossing, and High Forgemaster Korrick Belestan, of Clirev. There are minor skirmishes along the borders of the three new segments of the former kingdom, but due to the losses suffered during the attack against Memoria, none of the three groups really have the forces or resources to try and attack the others' heavily defended cities. Most conflicts are fought using soldiers hired from Verrich, but before long, even the coin begins to run dry, and the mercenaries stop fighting.

### 172 MC - 203 MC

The three states maintain something of a peace through the years. The Memorian settlements along the Quiet Coast resettle their ruined city, rebuilding with the aid of the dwarves. After the reconstruction has concluded, they declare themselves independent from Astyria, creating the Pantheonic Theocracy of Memoria. They are led by the Circle of Seers, a group consisting of a representative from each of the gods of the Memorian Pantheon. Most notably, they also incorporate the revered dwarven ancestor, Okardin the Wise, into their pantheon, as he was the first High King to have diplomatic contact with the humans, according to the dwarven records. At the same time, they officially recognize the Circle of Ash, as well as the Circle of Thorns, as agreeable religions, despite their practitioners being based in the distant Black Forest and Eldian Forest, respectively.

During this time, the humans of both Memoria, Astyria, and Verrich become aware of the city of Tala'ril, a coastal settlement situated upon the Torn Shore. The settlement is human, though it sees itself as independent from the rest of humanity. The Heartwynn and Astyr's Crossing declare them infidels and traitors almost immediately, though Memoria and Verrich establish relations with them. Clirev does not seem to care about their existence.

### 204 MC

The elderly Grand Duke Kaloran passes away in his sleep. While he has no descendants that are connected by blood, his adopted son, Adreas Kaloran, is named as his successor.

The forces of Heartwynn seek to capitalize on the moment of weakness brought on by the loss of the Grand Duke. With all the might they can muster, they crash down upon Astyr's Crossing, but in a twist of fate, the walls of the city are able to hold. Adreas reveals that he bears one of the Hands of Salvation that was lost during the demonic invasion, and that he had reclaimed it from the Forest of Eld with his own hands. Using the power of the blade and the stalwart strength of his soldiers, he pushes the soldiers of Heartwynn back to the Astyrian Woods, where he breaks off his assault and returns home. Weeks later, Heartwynn renews its assault, this time with the Sanctum Master of the Order of Horrad leading the charge, one of the sacred blades in hand.

A climactic battle follows, with the outnumbered defenders refusing to give ground against the attackers. Adreas meets the leader of the enemy army on the field of battle, and in a catastrophic clash, the two bearers of the Hands of Salvation cross blades. The result is the loss of Adreas's eye, but with a wild surge of magic from deep within his being, he empowers his Hand of Salvation, and when the Sanctum Master parries, the Knight's blade gives way to the Duke's. The sacrosanct weapon is destroyed, and the Master of Horrad is slain. After the display, the attackers lose much of their moral, routing back toward Heartwynn. Barely pausing to address his injuries, Adreas gives chase. When they arrive at Heartwynn, he unleashes another blast of chaotic magic, drawing upon the mana within the lake surrounding the Great City. A massive bridge of frost surges across the gap, overtaking many of the ferries that were carrying retreating soldiers, and completely covering the open gate in a solid layer of ice. The true cost for this spell was the backlash, though, as Adreas's hand becomes a black and gnarled claw, the very life leeched from it by the hungry magic. As he takes the throne of Heartwynn for his own, he is redubbed Adreas Frostclaw. He takes Vilora Hulfrin's first-born daughter as his bride, allowing the Queen to retain her title of Queen-Mother, but he ousts her puppet husband.

This begins the Adric Dynasty, though Adreas leaves the name of the Kingdom the same, as homage to the unifier of humanity.

### 205 MC - 214 MC

Adreas launches a campaign to subjugate the upstart Forgemaster of Clirev, the venerable Korrick Belestan. The distance between the two states is larger this time, so the conflict is a bit more difficult. The resources that Clirev has access to makes it difficult to overpower them, and the martial hierarchy that Korrick has established leads to fine strategists leading the armies.

After a long and arduous conflict, Adreas manages to lay siege to the city of Clirev proper. However, the defenders are able to break the siege, and this pattern continues for almost three whole years. Frustrated with this, Adreas challenges the elderly Korrick to a duel, with both of their titles and honor on the line. The Forgemaster accepts, as Adreas expected, and before the gates of Clirev, presided over by two dozen clerics of various gods, the duel is fought. Despite his age, Korrick puts up an impressive fight, but the strength of youth wins out, and Adreas claims victory. Still, rather than executing the old man, in a gesture of good will, he helps him to his feet. Together, they forge a pact that allows Clirev to maintain its sovereignty as a separate state, rather than being folded back into the Astyrian Kingdom, in honor of the struggle that the state was able to present. Korrick is elevated to the position of Forgeking, and a trade contract is established between the new nation and its neighbor. As a symbol of good will, Adreas even presents Korrick with his Hand of Salvation, properly backing up the pact between the two.

After nine long years on the front, Adreas returns to Heartwynn. He is assassinated that evening, in his own bed.

### 215 MC

The Queen-mother claims sovereignty from her daughter, claiming that without an heir, she is in the best position to represent the Queen.

Adreas's brother, Ander, who was not adopted in the same way as Adreas, comes under attack by assassins, who apparently seek his head as the last living blood relative of the dead King. He flees to Clirev, seeking sanctuary, but instead, Korrick rallies his armies and marches to Heartwynn, dragging Ander along with. He proclaims that the Queen-mother was the assassin of the king, and calls for her head.

### 216 MC - 217 MC

Korrick's agents sneak into Heartwynn with merchant caravans, weeks before the army even begins its approach. When Clirev's army begins crossing the lake, the agents sabotage defensive fixtures on the city walls, allowing the attackers to approach without much resistance. They go so far as to sacrifice their lives to throw the gates open from within, allowing the soldiers to enter the city. The fighting is intense, but the new plate armor that the smiths of Clirev had mastered proves to be much too strong for most of the weapons wielded by Heartwynn's soldiers. On the steps of the palace, the advance is stopped by the Order of Horrad, who's leader is wielding the last of Heartwynn's Hands of Salvation. He clashes with Korrick, and unfortunately, after an extended duel, the blades shatter upon each other, their immutable power creating a shockwave of magic that kills both of the weapons' wielders. As the invaders advance, some of Korrick's men gather up the shards of both blades, taking them back to Clirev with them after the battle.

Ander confronts Vilora in the heart of the palace, but whatever happens within is a mystery. What we know, however, is that Ander later emerges from the palace, bloody from battle, with very few of his men remaining. Rumors appear from those who survived, stating that the Vilora had become one of the shadows, that she had become a beast with seven reptilian heads, or that she had summoned a great demon to defeat her attackers. Whatever the case, Vilora is never seen again, and Ander takes the throne, taking up his estranged brother's surname of Frostclaw, and continuing the Adric Dynasty.

Thus ends the line of Hulfrin. However, some do claim that the bloodline may have survived, through some illegitimate offspring, though these rumors are never substantiated, and none rise to claim the reigns of the formerly royal house.

### 218 MC - 237 MC

A tense peace overtakes the continent, with each of the sovereign states coexisting in some way. Clirev and Astyria both seem to ignore the existence of Memoria and Tala'ril, despite several diplomatic efforts from the two countries.

During this time, Halflings emerge from the Twilight Woods. This is the first time the race had ever been seen before, so the first humans to come across them mistook them for strange dwarves. In fact, the peaceful halflings had been proliferating in the forest for some time, but their nature had not driven them to expand or explore, so they had simply remained in their forest until a human hunter had stumbled across them. Somewhat intrigued by his stories of the outside world, a few brave halflings had set forth to establish contact. It is unknown how the halflings came to exist, even by them, as their vocal tradition was far from perfect. Still, those few who felt the call of wanderlust quickly became embroiled in the various merchant guilds of the realms of man.

Despite their friendliness, the Halflings were still very careful with their traditions, and to this day, not a single one has revealed the exact location of their homeland within the vast Twilight Woods.

### 238 MC To reforge a legend

The blacksmiths of Clirev had finally managed to establish contact with the dwarves, who seemed more than willing to communicate with them once they learned that the nation was now independent from Astyria. Notably, the Clirites were not so interested in trading resources, but rather, the secrets of dwarven smithing intrigued them. A conclave was organized at Deepmount, where both the humans and dwarves could meet on equal ground. The primordial forges of the ancient mountain were refined with the secrets of the human and dwarven smiths, and together, they sought to surpass the work of the gods; They would reforge the shattered Hands of Salvation that were broken during the latest siege on Heartwynn. However, their goal was not to repair two blades, their purpose was deeper. They would take the two weapons, and from them, they would create one, removing any flaws and weaknesses in the process. The smiths seal themselves within the mountain, and do not emerge again.

### 239 MC - 302 MC A new age

The Astyrian Sacred Conclave begins to ponder questions about their gods and their origins. According to their own scripture, their gods had not been seen in physical form for almost a millennia. However, what they do know is that their gods dwell upon the outer three continents, found at the north, east, and west sides of the world. However, no human had ever actually dared to venture to these locations, and rightfully so, as the ethereal sea was an extraordinarily dangerous place.

These questions brought the Conclave to finally acknowledge Memoria and their Circle of Seers. Seeing as how Memoria was a costal realm, the Conclave opens up diplomatic relations with them to offer a joint expedition to explore the lands of the gods, hoping that the highly religious Memorians would be as curious as they are. It pays off, as after some delay, the Memorians finally respond with an affirmative. Working with Clirev to supply the proper resources, the two groups quickly prepare a set of voyages, which are provided with magical parchment that will allow them to writings back to their superiors on the mainland.

These expeditions go on for many years, sending back much of the information that we now know about the three divine continents. However, near the end of the last expedition, a storm blows the convoy off course, into the sea of blades. The last coherent messages from the captain of the expedition describe a dark continent on the south horizon, one that, until now, the humans did not know existed. Strangely enough, his final writings are a jumbled and incoherent, with the phrase "We are all sinners" being repeated many times over. The last thing that appeared upon the page was "Our hubris oversteps" before all contact ceased. The convoy never returned, and none were sent after it. However, through the use of familiars, some wizards did manage to get a better look at the dark continent, describing it as a land of fire, smoke, and dark rivers of blood. The truth of these statements was never truly confirmed, but the actual existence of the continent has been hotly debated by scholars and religious persons alike since the end of the expedition.

During this time, a plague known as the Crimson Pox sweeps through Greydust. Fearing the contamination of their other cities, the Astyrians cut off all contact with the coastal settlement. After the town succumbs to the plague, the Astyrians attempt to resettle it, only for the disease to appear again. This happens two more times before they decide that the city is lost and abandon the Shifting Mountains in their entirety. Some wandering humans do take up residence in the ruins, and a small community forms. They do well enough for themselves, but the town is mostly used as a waypoint for anyone who is venturing through the area.

In 301 MC, Forgeking Cilamir Ashhand is coronated in Clirev.

### 303 MC - 315 MC

The Shadow attacks, which had already been tapering off, thin at an increasingly fast rate, until, in 308 MC, the attacks stop completely. The Astyrian humans begin to tentatively expand, settling more of the areas around their fortress cities. First, more bastions are created for the kingdom to use to stave off invaders. Next come small farming towns, which are free to settle in the best areas, rather than the safest ones.

### 316 MC

King Arneit Frostclaw is coronated in Heartwynn.

### 322 MC

Ferra Thornheart, the current High Seer of Tira, seeks to make peace with Astyria by inviting the King and the venerable Order of Horrad to participate in the tournament of Tira as guests of honor. Zacharius the Echt attends on behalf of the Order, while the King sends his daughter, Lilis, in his stead.

The events surrounding the tournament are strange, with little being known even to this day, but it is believed that dissidents within Memoria were incited into a riot by a group of saboteurs. The dissidents killed Princess Lilis, while the Astyrian forces managed to overpower Ferra Thornheart. The Astyrians insist that the riot was started by the Memorians, and the Memorians insist that the Astyrians were the ones who struck first. Resentment grows between the two nations over the deaths of Lilis and Tira, as both of the two were loved greatly by the people of their countries.

After the attack, General Miklos Athlastan, the creator of the Blades of Vassalage, which are apparently Memoria's answer to the Hands of Salvation, is called from Whitestead to secure and investigate the ruins of Tirac. He departs from his main force and moves ahead with a smaller group, desperate to secure the town of his birth. Unfortunately, he runs across the saboteurs responsible for the attack on the road. He attempts to arrest them, but they respond with force, killing him and several others, and badly wounding the rest. Only because of Miklos's sacrifice do any of his men manage to escape to tell of the encounter. However, after this, the group of saboteurs vanish without a trace.

### 323 MC The War of Nations

War breaks out at the beginning of the year. Memoria is the first to attack, crossing Clirev's wastelands and burning several villages on the Astyrian border. Astyria responds by moving a great number of its troops to the border and requesting aid from Clirev. Clirev provides weapons and armor to its ally but asserts its need to stay out of the conflict, citing some sort of internal issue within their own country.

In a surprising move, the Memorians also go to war with the dwarves, managing to take hold of several dwarven holds within the Cold Peaks, utilizing the element of surprise, magic, and their own dwarven citizens to devastating effect. They begin mining operations to fuel their war efforts on both fronts.

The Clirite masons hastily begin construction on a great bastion to protect their land, creating the massive Wall of Clirev. With the Northern Fortress at its center, the lands of Clirev become even more closed off from the outside world.

During the conflict, Tala'ril declares that its borders now include the formerly abandoned Black Forest. They also forge a military alliance with the Deadgrin clan, which is a small but competent clan of orcs in the far west of the Dagger Tooth Mountains. The sorcerers of Tala'ril aid the cunning chieftain of the clan, Grullak Bloodhowler, in defeating the other warlords in the area, allowing him to claim dominion over the mountains leading to the Cold Peaks. Surprisingly, the diplomats of Tala'ril manage to convince the dwarves to enter into a treaty with Grullak, as well, ending the border skirmishes between the dwarves and the orcs for the first time in history.

Spurred on by this, the combined armies of Tala'ril and the Deadgrin Clan smash down upon the Astyria's Southern Fortress, and the bastion falls within the month. Occupying the fortress, the invaders make ready to march toward Astyr's Crossing. Astyria is forced to split its impressive army in half, leaving some to defend their northern border and sending the rest to defend their south. Lucius Frostclaw, the second son of King Arneit Frostclaw, is dispatched to the south with the soldiers, given command of a vast army despite his relative inexperience.

### 324 MC

The forces led by Lucius Frostclaw manage to arrive at Astyr's Crossing before the invaders can launch their assault. In a massive battle outside the city's walls, the young son of Arneit displays his tactical ability by preying upon the greatest weakness of the invaders: their lack of unity. Despite being outnumbered and having no mages in their midst, the forces of Astyria manage to route the orcs and Talorish mages. The legendary defenses of the Crossing remain unbeaten. Lucius quickly rallies his forces and gives chase, bearing down upon the Southern Fortress.

King Arneit establishes contact with the Circle of Seers in Memoria, seeking to find a way to end hostilities between the two countries so that they may be able to deal with the other threats on their borders. The Seers are cautious but agree to the request. The King sends his eldest son, Dragos, as a sign of good faith, and the council responds by dispatching their Speaker and High Seer for the Ferryman, Welan Orastle, to handle the negotiations. The talks are held within the Northern Fortress, upon the walls of the unfinished Wall of Clirev.

However, during the talks, a Memorian force infiltrates Heartwynn and manages to Assassinate King Arneit. According to the King's attendant who held the dying man in his arms, the King named Lucius as his successor as he died, acting against tradition by passing over the eldest son. The news of Arneit's death arrives in the midst of the peace talks between Welan and Dragos, and, enraged by the apparent betrayal, Dragos kills Welan on the spot, along with his honorguard.

Dragos declares that the matter of succession must be some sort of trick, and so he declares himself the rightful King of Astyria and has his basecamp on the border of Clirev built up into a fortress that he can use to oversee the Kingdom and its defense.

In the meantime, Lucius also receives word about the death of his father. He accepts the mantle of King and rejects his brothers claim. He makes the newly recaptured Southern Fortress his base of operations and declares that once the southern invaders are dealt with, his brother will be next, declaring him to be nothing more than a pretender and criminal.

The widowed Queen-Mother of Astyria, Lariah, continues to maintain her position in Heartwynn, handling the mundane matters of the Kingdom and keeping the argument between the brothers from devolving into a civil war. Aided by her remaining daughter, Andreena, she barely manages to keep the peace of the Kingdom. However, the military is held by her two sons, so Lariah holds no real power. Only the Royal Guard still remain loyal to her, with almost every other House backing one of the two brothers.

### 325 MC

The war remains largely in stalemate for a long time. Memoria struggles to fend off the dwarves and the Astyrians, but they stubbornly hold their ground. Astyria struggles to deal a crushing blow to Memoria or the southern invaders, so little changes within the kingdom.

### 328 MC The return of the Elves

The wars leading to the destruction of the world were all orchestrated by the descendants of the elves, the Myradi, who sought to regain the elven forms of their ancestors. Their ultimate goal was realized when Vyr reawakened the heritage of herself and her followers during the ritual that caused the Shattering.
However, the dark sins they had committed, or perhaps the human blood in their veins, caused Cyesha to reject them, and their souls did not receive the ascension that they believed they deserved. Human souls in elven bodies, they quickly found that they were little better than they had been. They had no more magical might than before, and their physical capacity was only marginally improved. These creatures believed that they had been slighted by the nascent Great Tree, and so they resolved to take matters into their own hands.
These new Dark Elves invaded Cyesha and climbed to its highest boughs, seeking the elven souls held within the tree. The few High Elves that had been reborn were powerless to stop the enraged dark elves, who consumed many true elven souls in an attempt to ascend to the place that they felt they deserved. Vyr, who had been changed herself by all the power she had consumed in her mad quest, drank in countless souls that she believed were rightfully hers for the taking.

However, the Silver Tree was not defenseless, and with great anguish, it secretly tainted many of the souls around the feasting Dark Elves. Before long, the tainted souls were consumed, and the dark elves were afflicted by the curse of the tree. Many went insane almost immediately, driven into a bloodthirsty rage by Cyesha. They turned on their allies, their physical forms shifting and changing. Any that they wounded found the curse passed on to them, and before long, the entirety of the Dark Elven host was afflicted.

The invaders were consumed by infighting until the few remaining dark elves who kept their minds retreated from the tree.