History of Khaldun

Khaldun is a world shaped by the Creator, an omniscient and supreme being. While Khaldun was intended to be a splendid and perfect world upon which life would dwell eternally, it would eventually become the scene of raging wars and unrest. Khaldun is home to the Kohan and various other races.

## Khaldun

The Creator is aided by ten Saadya, immortal attendants that are considered the most powerful of all beings that were given life by the Creator. The two most powerful Saadya, Ormazd and Ahriman, were consulted by the Creator and tasked with creating their own plans for the new world, Khaldun, that was to be formed. After presenting their work to the Creator, Ormazd's design was considered superior and the rest of the Saadya were commanded to follow Ormadz in the implementation of his design. Ormazd took it upon himself to create the Kohan, immortal
beings that would forever populate the world of Khaldun. Ahriman created the forces that would sustain Khaldun and the remaining Saadya, who became known as the Overseers, would watch over Khaldun. Throughout the Ages, other (mortal) races and descendents from the Kohan would emerge and build their own civilizations. By the end and after having given up all his power to create the Kohan, Ormadz ceased to exist. However, his soul remains intertwined with all Kohan.

The rejection of his own design in favour of Ormazd's was much to the dismay of Ahriman, who found himself deeply humiliated. While he agreed to cooperate with Ormazd in the execution of his design, during Khaldun's construction he started plotting Ormadz's downfall. While Kohan society bloomed early on in Khaldun's history, it was destroyed during The Great Cataclysm when several Kohan desired to be free from the Creator's will. More Cataclysms would follow, which were Ahriman's attempts at seizing power. Whenever a Cataclysm occurs, a new Age starts in Khaldun.

## Geography

Khaldun consists of two large continents, connected by a land bridge, and a number of smaller islands. Prominent areas include:

* Dragonbone Isle
* The Dreadlands
* Evergreen Peaks
* Frostpine Glade
* The Gray Hills
* Isle of the Ancients
* Marble Hills
* Plains of Khalyr
* The Sinking Sands
* Spine of Khaldun
* The Throne of God
* Valley of the Saadya
* Valley of Shadows

## First Age

During the First Age, which was considered a time of peace and prosperity, the Kohan society was governed by the High Council. The High Council was said to be made up of the 100 greatest Kohan of the day, chosen to lead their people for their insight and ability. The High Council watched over the affairs of state, the arts and sciences. Although Kohan society was blooming, several Kohan nonetheless desired to free themselves from the Creator's will and became known as the Ceyah, the "dark ones". The Ceyah were defeated by the rest of the Kohan and subsequently banished from society. However, Roxanna Javidan, also known as Vashti, was particularly rebellious and slayed her husband Darius Javidan. This event became known as the Day of Betrayal, and was the first time Kohan blood was ever spilled. Solomon Ghaffar was the first to mobilize the military for the fight against the Ceyah and led the search for the treacherous Vashti. The Day of Betrayal was a key event in a series that eventually led to the first Cataclysm, also referred to as the Great Cataclysm.

## Second Age

Numerous major defeats were suffered against the Ceyah in the Second Age, including Ghalen Mordecai whose army was defeated by Sijansur's and Solomon Ghaffar who was slain battle by Melchior.

Ceyah would breed ferocious dragons, called Tah'mahr, for use in battle.

## Third Age

During the Third Age, it became apparent to Gavin Bahhrum, a Nationalist Kohan, that the Ceyah was gaining in strength and numbers. Being convinced that this would eventually lead to the downfall of the Kohan, he decided using the Mareten was the only way to effectively combat this threat. Knowing that many Mareten revered the Kohan as deities, he commissioned the raising of new temples in many Mareten kingdoms. Within these temples, he began to indoctrinate the Mareten with an overwhelming hatred for the Ceyah and all things touched by the Shadow. His temples and their teachings spread across many lands, and a new order emerged, the Discples. The Disciples were fanatic temple warriors, totally dedicated to the tenets of Gavin Bahhrum's religion. They were fearless and relentless when facing the Ceyah and Shadow forces.

## Quotes

**K:IS User Manual**

*"There came a time, in ages past, where the almighty Creator conceived the idea of a new, perfect world. He assembled ten of his most able immortal attendants, known as Saadya, and told them he wished to make a world of splendor and beauty upon which life would dwell eternally. He directed the two wisest and most powerful Saadya, Ormadz and Ahriman, to devise a plan for this world's construction and management.*

*After much planning and consideration, both Ormazd and Ahriman devised plans that they believed to be flawless. Together they presented their plans to the Creator. The Creator studied each plan methodologically, and at last announced his decision: Ormazd's plan best reflected the Creator's will. Ahriman, saddened and ashamed at his failure, nevertheless agreed to cooperate with Ormazd in the execution of his grand design.*

*The eight remaining Saadya assisted in the creation of the new world, which Ormazd named Khaldun. The Overseers - for this is what the eight Saadya came to be called - would be responsible for watching over Khaldun and managing the powerful forces that sustained it. Ahriman immersed himself in the actual creation of these forces, while Ormazd set himself to the grand task of creating the first inhabitans of Khaldun.*

*He created the Kohan, 100,00 immortal beings bestowed with the grace of divine power. The perfect inhabitans for the perfect world. To each of them Ormazd gave a golden amulet, a gift from the Creator.*

*As the masters of Khaldun, the Kohan tended their world like an immense garden. Their culture blossomed and reached a golden age of power and beauty. But Khaldun's summit of achievement also signaled its imminent decline. For beneath the gilded magnificence of Khaldun society, sinister forces were plotting to undo this celestial wonder... Brought about by the Shadow's plotting, the Great Cataclysm annihilated the towering grandeur of Khaldun. The Kohan struggled valiantly, desperate to save themselves and their cherished land, but it was in vain. The immortal Kohan were eclipsed by the Shadow, their world and lives devoured by the evil, they had fought so courageously to subdue.*

*Silent aeons passed. But now the Kohan are being reborn, awakening in a new world, seeking to rebuild their lost civilization, slowly preparing to return Khaldun to its former glory. There is once again hope for Khaldun. The final battle for the fate of the world looms on the horizon. The Kohan must remember what was lost and unite against the Shadow, for this is their last chance to reclaim the world."*

**K:AG User Manual**

*"It is said, in ages past, that there came a time that the Creator gathered His children unto him. Within the Saadya, those of His children considered to be the first amongst equals, He planted His idea to create a new world.*

*At the Creator's behest, Ormazd and Ahriman, foremost of the ten Saadya, set about working on His grand plan. Ormazd and Ahriman toiled on the task set forth by the Creator. At the end of their labor, they presented their work to the Creator. And the Creator was pleased. But it was Ormazd's implementation of this new land in the heavens that pleased Him most. Ahriman found himself bset by sadness and shame, feelings previously unknown to him.*

*And the Creator spoke unto the rest of the Saadya, commanding them to follow Ormazd and implement the grand design. So the ten Saadya labored on the creation of this new land of lands, called by Ormazd, Khaldun. Ahriman, though saddened by his failure, thew himself into the channeling of Aja, the power of the Creator that binds all of Khaldun as one. Ormazd set about creating the Kohan, the Creator's new children of heaven. The Kohan were glorious in their making, one-hundred-thousand beings who would never know the long embrace of death. And Ahriman was jealous, for while all must at some point end, the Kohan were spared even the touch of death. When the mortal incarnation of a Kohan would fall, they would be joined into the Great Dream where only those touched directly by the Creator had previously been allowed. And so it was, that by and through the grace of the Creator, Ormazd gave of himself until he was no more and the Kohan sprung to life upon the lands of Khaldun, their souls forever entwined with Ormazd's. And seeing what Ormazd had wrought, the Creator willed into being vessels of purest gold to forever retain the essence of Ormazd that touches the soul of each and every Kohan..."*

**K:AG User Manual**

"During the Third Age it became apparent to one member of the Nationalist Kohan that the Ceyah were gaining in strength and numbers, while the Kohan continued to dwindle. That Kohan, Gavin Bahhrum, became convinced that the only way to effectively combat this downward slide of the Kohan culture was to make use of the mortal race known as the Mareten. He had observed that they had not only managed to survive the last Age's Cataclysm, but were spreading their influence across Khaldun even faster than the Ceyah and their dark armies.

Gavin knew that many of these Mareten looked up to and even revered the Kohan as deities. Taking advantage of this spiritual association, he commissioned the raising of new temples in many of the Mareten kingdoms. Within these temples, he began to indoctrinate the Mareten who flocked to them with an overwhelming hatred for the Ceyah and all things touched by the Shadow. His temples and their teachings spread across many lands, and before long a new order had arisen, the Disciples.

The Disciples were fanatic temple warriors, totally dedicated to the tenets of Gavin's new religion. They were fearless when facing down the forces of the Shadow and relentless in their struggle to change the balance of power between the Kohan and the Ceyah, but their zealousness and dedication also spelled their downfall. They allow nothing to stand in their way: the kingdoms of the Mareten, the other mortal races, even the rival Kohan factions..."