Northern Ludwag

Northern Ludwag is where the setting of "Legends of the Aether: Amnisica" takes place in. It's one of the most varied regions in Azura, supporting a large variety of plants and animals. It is home to Elves, Drows, and Humans, however also is home to many thriving minorities.

## ***History***

Early on in Ludwags history, before the formation of Pyros and other advanced kingdoms, Ludwag was dominantly inhabited by Elven tribes. Many of the tribes shared cultural and religious similarities and over time would unite and eventually form governments, the largest and strongest being the Republic of Pyros.

BC = Before Collapse

AC = After Collapse

### **The Expansion Era (~515 - 481 BC)**

Pyros was once a great elven civilization republic spanning most of North Ludwag. It had successfully conquered four other nations during a series of expansion wars; the Meridian (mountains, now partially swamplands), Electi (eastern plains, now Lattish territory), Silvic (forest), and Tesca (eastern taiga, now Nix territory). Over many years of Pyrosi military occupation, those nations and their ruling class would be integrated and split into different states based on religion and culture.

Pyros was doing extensive magic experimentation during this era. The Snowy Mountains were a large block in the way of Pyros expansion to Southern Ludwag, and the seemingly random maelstroms and jagged rocks along the coast near the Snowy Mountains made travel by land the only plausible path. The Republic of Pyros conducted a vast quantity of public and confidential magical experiments. Some discoveries led to quality of life improvements for all, while others led to more conflict. The Pyrosi culture came to celebrate a specific class of scientists called the Voyagers, who led many of the more daunting magical experiments.

### **Era of Prosperity (~480 - 1 BC)**

Pyros during this period entered an era of relative peace and prosperity. Resources were abundant and crime was low, and advanced concepts such as organization of the mancies into schools and the establishment of the practice of Alchemy were formed during this time.

Pyros had spent decades constructing a hardy and protected roadway through the Snowy Mountains. They eventually encountered Humans when they approached North Ludwag, however the road was never completed.

### **The Era of Chaos (0 - 1055 AC)**

The official start of The Era of Chaos occurred on the Day of Solstice at the end of the Pyrian year. The sky flashed with green light and most Pyrians near the capitol building had been killed. Historians deemed this event as the start of the "AC" calendar, which is commonly used to this day.

After the sudden collapse of the entire central government of Pyros, the states broke down into infighting over who should succeed the Pyrosi state. All of Northern Ludwag was put into economic ruin by the war, and the barbarians to the south noticed this. Barbarians moved past the mountains using the Pyrian Roadway to plunder the riches of Pyros, and the remnants of Pyros and the states were subsequently demolished by the wave of chaos engulfing Northern Ludwag. Entire villages were completely wiped out, and the elven population suffered severely as poverty and infighting fluctuated through the entire subcontinent. A few Drows bought passage to Trepheon during these years.

For over 1000 years the surviving Elves rebuilt and fought over the remains of the land. The Western plains gradually changed into swamplands and desert. The Meridians were almost totally massacred by a conquest from an Aridian and Tescan alliance in the year 89 AC. The 7 Old Gods vanished from Azura sometime around 600 AC. The Electi were wiped out entirely in the year 714 AC by an Aridian & Tescan alliance; Aridians being descendants of pure Pyrians. Two merchant companies from Trepheon made quarterly voyages to North Ludwag starting in the year 984 AC. They avoided South Ludwag after losing a ship in a maelstrom. They were forbidden by their local kingdoms from selling weapons, however that ban was to be lifted in 1060 AC. A barbarian group of Humans had migrated over the mountains from the far South to seek new land and engaged in a war with the Tescans and Silvic. Silvadomus managed to fight off three organized sieges from the barbarians between the years 1048 and 1053 AC, as well as an Aridian & Tescan invasion in 862 AC. Tescali endured two sieges as well during those years. The invading barbarians were wiped out in 1053 AC, ending Human presence in North Ludwag, but the Tescans suffered heavily. The Great Shift occurred shortly after in the year 1056 AC.

### **The Era of the Eternal Storm (1056 - 2340 AC [Today])**

The Great Shift is not well understood, but most understand that the Spirits of the world vanished and the 7 Old Gods returned in 1056 AC. The high seas many miles off the coast inexplicably turned black with eternal storms over that year, cutting connection between Ludwag and Trepheon. Although the storm did not affect the continent itself, the high seas became nearly lethal to travel. In 1141 the first Leviathan appeared. The eternal storm grew closer to North Ludwag until a colossal, writhing black mass the size of a small mountain pulled itself onto the shore. It approached the city of Tescali and devoured the entire city within a few hours. Those who escaped in time integrated with the Aridians in Aridam. The Leviathan crawled back into the sea. For most of the intervening years, the remaining Elven towns of Aridam and Silvadomus fought off a series of Barbaros sieges originating from the Taiga. In the year 1741 AC, it is believed that another Leviathan devoured a city in South Ludwag. A tribe of Humans known as the Mons managed to survive the deadly trek through the Snowy Mountains. When they arrived at the edge of the Taiga, they stayed for a few years. They eventually split however, one group staying in the cold region and the other invading further North into the plains. They quickly setup a small town they dubbed Latteras, on the coastal plateau near the ruins of Electatem. These coastal Mons adopted the title of Lattish while the group at the base of the Snowy Mountains adopted the title of Nix. The Lattish fought a series of border wars with Aridam as well as a few skirmishes with Silvadomus. Around the year 2141, a series of ships from the ancient continent of Trepheon arrived bearing refugees from a Leviathan attack. Latteras accepted the refugees, however shortly thereafter built a walled city for the more noble and wealthy Lattish to live in. Nearly a year after the Trephians arrived, the Corruption appeared in the Northern Jungle. Nobody knew what it was or where it came from, but it quickly spread across the Jungle. The Runic Guild quickly constructed the Great Shield to halt its advance.

### **Modern Day**

Until it was finally cured by a man named Higg Sigmund, a plague slowly decayed the kingdom of Latteras over the course of an entire year. This lattish turmoil prompted the kingdoms of Arcenix and Aridam to both invade the fertile plains. Both kingdoms were defeated by Latteras and were forced into an uneasy peace. The Silvic constantly send raiding parties into the Corrupted Lands under their Guardian program in an effort to slay corrupted beings, discover the truth behind the Corruption, and assassinate the Corrupter; a being believed to be behind the Corruption. The surviving Trephians either live lives of poverty in the countryside, or roam the lands as Trodai. With the Runic Guild's members missing, the Great Shield decays; one day it may collapse.