Gilder

## The Kingdom of Gilder

**The Kingdom of Gilder** is colloquially known as the "Father of Nations" amongst Human societies due to its incredible influence on the Human Kingdoms that stand today and still impacts the history of Mundassia to this day. Present day Gilder is known as the Wound where few dare travel as virtually all who venture there do not return, those that do are not the same upon return.

## History

### Preface

While it cannot be said that Gilder was the first Human Kingdom it is certainly the oldest known Human civilization and kept the oldest records on Humankind. Although, it said through scholarly tradition that Gilder did have historical records showing that there were others who predated them but like so many other things these manuscripts are now few in number today as most were destroyed in the Sundering.

### Nature of Society

Nevertheless, Gilder was ruled by powerful Kings and Queens who for the most part ruled according to strict Dogma that they established at the beginning of their reign and went through a delicate ceremony to alter whenever such alterations were required. The Kingdom was very much close to its population and they likewise to their rulers and this dynamic was able to birth many incredible discoveries through the empowerment of so many of its public to use their giftings and discover.

### Defender of Immorhia

It is also known that Immorhia played key roles in some of the greatest challenges of their Epochs. Including the arrival of the Elves in the 1st Epoch and the negotiation of terms with the new peoples they brought with them that resulted in some fey settling in Mundassia and forming the Empire of Omnieve. Amongst other things they also actively mediated disputes of the other Human Kingdoms and did their own share sending Royal Envoys across the seas.

## The Sundering

It was at the conclusion of what has since become known as the First Epoch that the Sundering that claimed Gilder occurred. At the culmination of the incursions from other worlds, never before magics being unleashed and blasphemy against the Potter of all Things resulted in what is known as the Sundering. The Sundering itself was a magical event that tore through the very foundations of Gilder and broke down reality until Gilder simply 'ceased'.

It is said that the Sundering may have been triggered by the Runic War, where the Runeborn were invading Gilder and that their presence may have somehow played a role in the destruction although the Sundering claimed both and would go on for several days before what was Gilder was reduced to what is today called the Wound.

What survivors on the frontiers of Gilder fled and reached the neighbouring lands for safety as the land behind them consumed itself. The refugees of Gilder without any way to return to their homes permanently settled across Mundassia until they fully assimilated into the local cultures.

## In the Present

Lifeless, imperceptible and completely broken as magic ripples against the anomaly that is the Wound, none who travel into the Ruins of Gilder return alive without incurable madness, fatal wounds or simply disintegrating. That happens to the fortunate ones where others simply never resurface which is almost always the case.

Yet, the Wound continues to evoke incredible research from powerful wizards and scholars across Immorhia who continue to unravel wherever they can the causes of the Sundering and the nature of the Wound as it is today. It is a wildly debated subject, but the curses that now afflict Mundassia are widely believed to have emanated only since the Sundering occurred. Very few do argue that the incursions themselves may be the reason but this does not explain why the curses are more than often localized to Mundassia.