Arkha

## Age of Dawn

The beginning of History, in so far as the collective memories of sentient beings can reach. In Arkha, this Age is known of almost exclusively thanks to oral transmission, through the tales of the first folk or the songs of sâvurin. Little is known of the true-gods or their appearance on this world. Some names have disappeared, though artefacts may remain, and others still cast fear in the hearts of modern beings.

Even less is known about the arrival of Man. During their meeting in the Realm between Realms in Into the Dawn, Sâvudai tells Valmyr :

> There is a power in Men that we cannot oppose,' the god extended a large finger and tapped the side of his head. 'In there. Whoever *made* you, if indeed you were made, created beings far too ambitious for the world of old. God after god has tried and failed to stop you… and I am the last one on this side of the world. Even Hadra the Unlit fell to your kind, leaving only his children behind.'
>
>

Where the other races inhabiting the world seem to originate from powerful, albeit mortal, beings, the origins of Men are yet unknown. Even true-gods such as Sâvudai seem to have no knowledge of their whereabouts or their potential creator. It is believed that the Age of Dawn begins with the arrival of the first Man in Arkha, a continent which is believed to be the first to see life thrive. Many centuries later, the sâvuqen developed other theories as to the creation of Man, but their quest for truth is still stymied.

In collective memory, the Age of Dawn is said to have lasted thousands of years and saw the awakening of the world. Most beings ignored the existence of others and struggled in their own corners of Arkha to survive against the elements and ancient beasts. This Age ended with little ceremony and much bloodshed as Men grew bolder, finally summoning the strength and courage to fight back against the giants and the drûhn.

## Age of Man

For a time, Men survived as they could in small nomadic clans. Too weak and too few to fend for themselves against mightier foes, they eked out a miserable existence in the fairer corners of the world. Slowly, however, their grasp of tongues and their desire to build helped them grow in strength. Somewhat assisted by the peaceful sâvurin, they rallied behind the Thane of the Sun, a nameless warrior who is said to have stepped out of the shadow and into the light of the sun with a shining blade. He smote Mhânrath, lord of giants, on the plains of the Vauk and it is said that his blade Câlodraa shattered the very earth and carved the Windrift from the land.

As Men multiplied and gained confidence, the giants retreated into the icy wastes and the drûhn hid in their burrows. Thousands answered the summons of the Thane of the Sun and joined his cause, worshipping the Flame above all else. Temples and settlements were built throughout the world, spreading from the Dawnwood to the Great Sea, and the Flame burned its way into the hearts of all Men. Despite the strength and power of the Thane of the Sun, it was in the nature of Men, however, to war and quarrel and destroy. How long these wars lasted is unknown, as most memory of this Age was lost forever.

Legends and tales differ as to how Men came to ruin themselves. Some say the Thane of the Sun was slain by a brother, a few that he fell in love with a woman descended from the summit of the Aerast, and yet others that he simply vanished into the dawn. His disappearance wrought much turmoil and strife in the hearts of Men, causing ceaseless warring, and it was not long after that the yhdra struck. Centuries passed and the yhdra consumed more and more Men. Civilizations that had taken generations to build were decimated. Mankind finally returned to a state of primal fear and savagery, leaving behind nothing but sorrow, death and ruins.

## Age of Shadow

What foul evil spawned the yhdra is still a mystery to many, but there was no doubt as to its power and its malice. Within centuries, it ravaged nearly all that lived and breathed in Arkha.

In this Age did the first folk discover their true and mortal foe and named them the old kin. The daemonkin emerged as entire generations survived beneath dark skies without once seeing the sun. Rivers turned foul, small woods withered and countless species perished, never to be seen again. The icy wastes spread south, devouring land and sea, while once lush plains became blistering, poisonous steppes. The forest of the Dawnwood, its trees as old as the world itself, somehow survived the Shadow and gave refuge to the first folk.

The first folk songs tell of the return of Father Fyr in their hour of deepest need, as Mankind teetered on the brink of extinction. The god descended, walked among mortals and gave them the Flame. Revived and renewed, Men began to hope again, to fight again, to live again. There are many tales of this Age, of the rise of the fallen race of Men. Powerful bloodrings in the Dawnwood, powerful thanes in the Vauk, Men hungry for vengeance, thirsty for light and warmth. By the strength of their will and their hope, Men pushed the Shadow back and gave themselves a second chance.

It is said that at the end of this Age, Hadra was sent to the Realm of Nothing by the mortal incarnation of Fyr.

## Age of Fear

With the return of the light, Mankind and the world was faced with the daunting task of closing gaping wounds and rebuilding. But the Darkness had taken its toll. Trust, loyalty and mercy were values that no longer existed in the hearts of Men turned savage once more. Throughout this Age, violence ruled supreme as warlords and thanes vied for power. Winters passed and the cycles of bloodlust and vengeance turned with ever-greater speed. To survive, warriors banded together in clans and either killed or waited to be killed. The Vauklings came to exist, sundered in countless tribes throughout the Vauk. Hill-thanes, storm-thanes, wind-thanes and others rose to power before being turned to dust.

With such needless violence, knowledge, poetry and spirituality churned to a bloody halt. There was time for little else but war. Men had forgotten their runes, had forgotten how to tame the earth and the beasts of the world, and even their gods were long forgotten. Savagery and fear were the only constants. How long this era of violence lasted is unknown, but it peaked when the first Vauklings scratched shards of bloodsilver from the earth and discovered the Hallowed Gate. It is said that a mad-thane by the name of Vangrûl peeked behind the veil of the Gate and discovered the one true God, Kathor. V