History of Leveria

Leverian history was broadly divided into two ages: the Age of Sanctity, marked by the presence of divine powers within the Prime Material, and the Age of Desolation, marked by their departure and abandonment. Most records of pre-spellbreak Leverian history were derived from the *Collected Works* of Saint Pygmalion.

## The War of Creation

 — Saint Pygmalion
, Creation 1:1-8, The Collected Works of the Second Saint of Mount Lyra, Volume 1

The War of Creation was a war waged by the first three divine beings (Solas, Luna, and Mikrul) against the Insensate Chaos that made up the world. The first divines were born of the Insensate Chaos, but unlike the demons who populated the world were cognizant and aware- and so decided to bind the Chaos away to separate planes in order to cleanse the Prime Material. The War of Creation lasted for many centuries, and led to the creation of the Planes of Existence as we know today.

Near the end of the War of Creation more divines were born of the Insensate Chaos: the Divine Twins Tassia and Tyyrgysh, as well as Kelvanna, Barbados, and Trystan. These new divines participated in the close of the War of Creation and assisted in the creation of a new world.

### The First of the Kith

 — Saint Pygmalion
, Akbar 3:10-12, The Collected Works of The Second Saint of Mount Lyra, Volume 1

Elves, dwarves, orcs and humans were the first four Kithfolk to be created by the divines, to serve as their agents on the newly sanctified Prime Material. These four races also fought alongside the Divines in the Dawn War against the Titans that occured soon after the War of Creation. Theywere therefore referred to as the *First of the Kith.*

## The Dawn War

 — Saint Pygmalion
, Akbar 3:13-20, The Collected Works of The Second Saint of Mount Lyra, Volume 1

The Dawn War was fought soon after the first mortal races emerged on Leveria, as the primordial Titans went to war with the divines. Many important events occurred during this War, although since the Collected Works do not mention any particular order, their exact chronology is a matter of some dispute.

The only divine casualty in the Dawn War was Haesgarath, who was struck and killed by Sel-Vonnir atop the mountain Needlepoint, then known as Skaal'nora. However, Sel-Vonnir's victory was short lived, as Bahamut and Tiamat sprang forth from Haesgarath's corpse, and after a protracted fight slew the Lord of Hate.

Solas, the Lightbringer, tore apart the sun, and from its core extracted the embers that would fuel the Prime Spark, allowing the Forgemistress Tassia to craft weapons and armour for the divine and their armies. Solas and Tassia themselves led the host of mortals against the arrayed demonic horde.

After being severely weakened by Tyyrgysh, the near-immortal Gargash was transformed by Luna into a goose, before being fettered and bound to the Dread Warden's belt, where he would remain evermore. However, wounds sustained in this war against Gargash would forever mark the Dread Warden, causing his left hand to wither and blacken till only bones remained. After this, Tyyrgysh took on the title *Dead-Hand*.

Seren and the Nightmother fought for a fortnight- a battle that ended when the Leviathan consumed the moon itself, robbing Luna of her powers. However, the Leviathan's victory would be short, for she was soon after tricked by Kelvanna, who bound poisonous weeds to her legs before allowing herself to be defeated and consumed by Seren- causing the Leviathan to belch both her and the moon out. Thus weakened, the titan was trapped beneath the Pale Beyond by Barbados and the restored Luna.

The Dawn War ended when the Deceiver defected to the divines, bringing with him the knowledge of the titan's weaknesses. The remaining titans and primordials were either killed or locked away, and for his service the Deceiver was granted station alongside the divines- though his name was stripped in penance for his crimes.

## The Age of Sanctity

### The New Divines

Over time, during the Age of Sanctity, the divine energies and the desires and prayers of the mortal races gave birth to two new Divines: Malial and Jakhan. The goddess Jakhan was born of mortal passion, and the god Malial of mortal pursuit.

During this time, many mortals attained apotheosis, becoming the first of the exarches; many more were born of unions between gods and goddesses. The divines were ever present in the Prime Material, which they molded in their own image.

### Birth of the Beastfolk

Soon after his birth, Malial attempted to cross the Grand Gates into Celestia, but was stopped by Tyyrgysh. This led to a fight between him and the Dread Warden, a battle that lasted many days-, during which Tyyrgysh manages to grievously wound the Hunter. Malial's blood spilled onto Jassal and turned its residents into the first beastfolk.

### Advent of the Blood War

During this time of relative peace the Insensate Chaos, now contained within the endless layers Abyss, spilled forth new demonic hordes led by the Obyrith Lord Obox-ob.

To counter this new threat the Divines created the Archangels, with the exarch Asmodeus at their helm. Asmodeus and his angelic forces drove back the demon hordes, and succeeded in bringing the invasion to a stalemate.

This event heralded the beginning of the Blood War, as the Angels laid the foundations of what would go on to become the Nine Hells to act as a buffer between the Abyss and the Prime Material.

### War of the Dragons

At some point in the Age of Sanctity, Bahamut and Tiamat argued over which one of them was the rightful successor of Haesgarath. The argument led to a fracturing of ties between the two, with both claiming the other a pretender. This schism eventually brewed into a war that threatened to rend the world apart.

The conflict was eventually brought to an end when Solas and Luna joined Bahamut and imprisoned Tiamat within the first layer of the Hells.

## The Spellbreak

 — Saint Pygmalion
, Betrayal 13-15, The Collected Works of the Second Saint of Mount Lyra, Volume 2

Near the end of the Age of Sanctity, as more and more mortals achieved apotheosis, divine battles became more and more common. These culminated in the exarch of murder, the halfling Utgash, killing the Master of the Weave, leading to the Spellbreak- a period of around three years during which magic ceased to exist in the world of Leveria, plunging the Isles into disarray and uncertainty.

The moving city of Kandeska was lost during the Spellbreak, as the magic that kept it tethered to the Prime Material stopped working. Similarly, the Academy of Natural Sciences, which floated above the city of Wyssenweald crashed into the ground, nearly leveling the capital.

The Spellbreak eventually ended, though exactly how the Archdivines ended it is a mystery. The end of the Spellbreak was marked by the appearance of the Veil of the World upon the surface of the moon.

## The Age of Desolation

### **0 AD - 1000 AD**

#### The Pilgrimage of the Second Saint, 0 AD

In the first year of the Age of Desolation, the Second Saint of Mount Lyra, the prophet Pygmalion received a vision and embarks on a quest to compile and collect the holy works, written records, and oral traditions of the Archdivines into comprehensive religious canon, a quest which took the rest of his life.

#### The Defiance of Zariel, 435 AD

With a host of personally trained mortal allies, Zariel, Throne of Solas, descended into Avernus to bring an end to the Blood War in defiance of her superior’s orders; her forces were routed by the demons and her mortal allies fled in terror. Zariel herself was lost and presumed dead.

A small fort was later erected on the spot where Zariel gathered her troops before her descent; the fort was named Zarielkeep and placed under the charge of the remaining Illriggers.

### **1001 AD - 1500 AD**

#### Destruction of Dharrow, 14th of Gales, 1204 AD

An expedition into the Blightmark accidentally unleashed a large barrow of Blightmarked aberrations who emerged in great numbers and attacked Dharrow, threatening to overrun the garrison city.

The Ad Zaytnor managed to hold the fort against the horde for three days, taking significant casualties each day. Realizing that the Ad Zaytnor were far too exausted to resist the onslaught much longer, and that the Blightmarked would overrun the world if they were not defeated at Dharrow, the acting Corp Commander Anton Kelesky ordered the remaining Ad Zaytnor to retreat.

To buy the escaping soldiers more time Anton, along with a few of the most injured knights, elected to stay behind. They held back the attackers as long as they could, making their last stand in the armoury beneath Dharrow, and in the end sacrificed their lives to hold back the Blightmarked by igniting the fort's stores of arcanith. The resulting inferno decimated most of the Blightmarked hordes.

### **1501 AD - 1800 AD**

#### The Coldmorn Wars, 1545 AD

The Coldmorn Wars were a series of battles between Strysand and the wilderfolk from the Frozen Farlands. They ended with Strysand abandoning most of their outposts in the

#### Kalden's Coup, Seventeenth of Rains, 1557 AD

Dispirited by the corruption of the royal family, the Vigilant of Strysand, Argath Kainè Augustus Elizabeth-Martin Kalden embarked on a pilgrimage to the temple of Malial within the Skytouch Sierras. While there, he met with the Oracle, and received a prophecy that would shape the fate of the world.

Upon his return on the seventeenth day of Suns, he led a coup against the reigning monarch that would lead to the establishment of the Empire of Strysand, and crowned himself the Undying Emperor.

The day Kalden's victory would later be celebrated as the Festival of the Sashes.

#### The Korvark-Kalden Accord, 1564 AD

The Korvark-Kalden Accord was a treaty signed by Emperor Argath Kalden and the High Lord of Jærrar, Drovikarn Korvark, which signalled the end of open hostilities between the two nations as Krinkell became the first nation to join the Strysand Empire.

#### The Harvestide Rebellion, 1593 AD

In Harvest of 1593 AD, the city of Frostmoor rose in rebellion against the Empire. The soldiers of the City Watch imprisoned their superiors and hanged the Empire-appointed consul, Cyneric von Karadrim, and her family, then declared the mayor of Frostmoor, Lord Kultis, the rightful King of the City. The rebel forces then expelled all civilians and nonessential personnel from the city in preparation for a siege.

The Empire response was quick and brutal- the Undying Emperor himself led the forces, and brought with him prototype siege weaponry fashioned in Thimbletweed. The walls of Frostmoor quickly fell to cannon-fire, whose thunderous roar caused mass confusion and panic amongst the defending armies. The soldiers of Frostmoor were quickly routed and King Kultis and his family executed for treason and sedition. The city and its environs were formed into the Frostmoor Duchy and granted to the von Karadrim family in recognition of their services to the crown.

The Harvestide Rebellion marked the first use of gunpowder weaponry in war.

#### Annexation of the Weald, Twenty-second of Songs, 1681 AD

The Empire formally annexed the Weald in 1681 AD, after a five month siege of the city was brought to an end by a violent takeover by the Royal Steward Dagobar Beland who killed the royal family before surrendering control to the Empire.

The Verdant Bannerets left Wyssenweald after failing to protect the city, and formally disbanded soon afterwards.

## Appendix

### See Also

* *The Divines*
* *Calendars*