Rise of the City States (K.A. 1-500)

In one numberless year, after a string of numberless centuries, something simple but remarkable happened. One of these new settlements, Garuta, desired to keep a written record of its history. A lowly scribe, Kyra Rundelsnark, was hired by the village leader to perform this duty. She started her reports at year one. Her numbering system quickly spread across Ardania. Thus, our yearly calendar begins when Kyra Rundelsnark, who incidentally had terrible handwriting, began her new job. As you know, our years are now called Kingdom Age, or K.A.

Of the many city states in Ardania, only two grew into prominence: Garuta and Rendishire. Garuta was a most impressive city built on steep, rocky spires. As the ideology of its citizens drifted away from Krolm, Lunord came into favor. The first Temple to Lunord was a massive structure capping off Garuta's great stone terraces.

Those men who fully dedicated themselves to Lunord were called Adepts. Lunord bestowed upon them a cup of his own devising, the Holy Chalice. This relic brought good health to the Adepts and was stored in the upper reaches of the temple.

Many days travel to the southwest lay the city state of Rendishire. In many ways, this settlement was Garuta's complete opposite. Rendishire was a grand sprawl, filling the valley at the base of the Hellfire Mountains. While this was not a well-protected position, it lay on a major trade route of the time. Soon a new race settled in Rendishire, with only a grudging welcome:

The people of Rendishire began to worship Helia. The women warriors who served Helia were known as Solarii. Helia granted them the Sun Orb, a scintillating magical relic that brought strength to the Solarii. It was kept in the temple's giant rotating solacranum.

By K.A. 300, these city states were each run by powerful monarchs. Meanwhile, many people yearned for the old ways, and they finally broke away from the city states to continue their nomadic heritage. They left the pace and pressures of the city behind, along with their belongings, once again bringing Barbarians to Ardania. Also at this time, Krolm regained consciousness on his path to recuperation.

It seemed inevitable that Garuta and Rendishire would fall into conflict — over trade, over land, or over religion. Lunord and Helia became outright enemies as they each struggled to become Ardania's most powerful deity. The battles between the city states began in K.A. 412 and lasted more than 80 years. This devastating war, later called the Ten Thousand Arrows War, took a great toll on the Humans of Ardania. Smaller city states were forced to side with one or the other. Whenever one side gained an advantage, the other took it back. Incidentally, it is certain that sprawling Rendishire would have fallen were it not for their industrious Gnomes. Both the Holy Chalice and the Sun Orb were lost during the war.

The Barbarians suffered the most, however. They were forced into service by the city states and routinely betrayed and used as disposable troops. Krolm looked on with growing rage and used what little strength he had recovered to send word to his Barbarian leaders. He told them to strike back at the followers of his children. The city states were weakened from the long war and too focused on each other to see the surprise attack coming.

The ensuing conflagration so weakened Helia and Lunord that the day and night skies dimmed and there was no season but winter for the next six years. The Barbarians fought against both city states, who in a last-ditch effort put aside their hatreds and united against the followers of their father. During this brief truce, Helia and Lunord sired seven children, four of them quadruplets. These children did not play a part in the world until much later. The Barbarians were victorious, and they shattered both Garuta and Rendishire in what we now call the Six Winters' War. They swore that never again would they ally with the followers of another god.

Near the end of the Six Winters' War, at the end of the Ten Thousand Arrow War, an ill omen for humanity occurred. The two-headed Vendral, now grown into adolescence, was seen for the first time. He destroyed an entire village in one hour. From that day until the present, every century or two, Vendral has awakened for a short time and caused terrible havoc.

In K.A. 500, all of the Human city states had been destroyed, with only small villages and outposts left clinging for survival. Barbarians roamed the land again, but in far fewer numbers and without the overwhelming power they enjoyed 500 years before. These were the darkest days for humanity, during which all may easily have been lost.