History of Leashivar

A brief history of the world of Leashivar, a short description of the Ages, as presented by the scholar Vor’El in his dissertation to his class at the College of Kestrel Banir circa Selana 14, 716 Imperial Reckoning, Third Age.

In the long forgotten past scholars believe more information and lore was known and held commonly among the people about the world and the celestial bodies that surround it.

However, that learning and lore is lost to us today, and though we seek to regain it, we must use what we have.

It is common that the world we live upon be named Aradan. Named so due to the belief in the Elder Deity Aradani. Who is of course the Goddess of Earth, Nature and Life. The planet we live upon is of a very large size for a celestial body if we are to believe the few surviving records from the Onari ancient civilization. If we take those records as truth, then the world upon which we live has 12 major land masses, or continents, and a multitude of islands numbering like the stars in the sky.

Around our sphere are the 8 moons of our Lady. The two major Moons and the six lesser moons, or sisters. As none but ancient Onari legends have ever traversed upon these homes of the Goddess, we shall leave the intricacies of them to a later study and simply name them and introduce their cycle briefly. The two major moons are Sehanine and Danae the twin sisters. Both are large moons on separate 30-day lunar cycles and are full on opposing schedules. While one is full the other is new, and vice versa. Only during certain rare eclipses are both either new or full at the same time, and these times are often events of rare and potent magic. The six lesser moons follow a more complex schedule and are often used to signal when holy days or festivals are performed.

## The First Age

It is also commonly held that the lands upon which we live today were not our original homelands. In times long past the world was in a primal state and the elder elemental gods ruled the world. Demons and devils ruled parts of the world and ancient evil races were spawned from the depths. Amongst this chaos was born the elder gods. Deities like Io, Moradin, Correllan and Denen. These powers sought to bring some order to the chaos around them. To forge a world upon which they could create and live.

We know that in the times before the first coming of the harbinger, there were wars and power struggles upon which the shape and face of this world were changed. In that time dragons Bahamut and Tiamat were formed from Io, and other deities we worship today were born. Little else is truly known of these times as the ruins and artifacts are hard to find at best. We do know that in the end of that primal age the Harbinger first appeared, and with it the swan song of the elder elemental beings. This time is often referred to by sages as the ‘Dawn War’.

Little study shall be done here upon this age as it is mostly saga and legend. Subjects like these are best spoken about in religious study.

## The Second Age

Thus, began the second age of our world.

It was afterwards a time of great creation and rebuilding. During this time was the first recorded finding of mankind. Dragons had already formed their first alliance with the immortal elves, the newly liberated dwarves had spread to forge new strongholds across the world, gnomes had laid down the first concepts of law, and the Migration of Man occurred. Though the world was huge beyond what we can comprehend the magic’s of the day made travel possible. If this is not lost today, those who have this power keeps it secret close.

The first war of the races would occur during this time. Often it was a war between the migrating humans and the already established elves and dwarves of the areas. The first skirmishes of a new threat were fought during this time though. Battles which often united the major races to curb the brutality of a race called the Kilemni.

Whatever wars were fought with the Kilemni, today paintings and the rare tome depict them as a savage humanoid race. Kilemni warred with all races and their origins were obscure. Thankfully these wars were fought until the Kilemni were thought of as extinct.

Centuries would pass while mankind settled and found their place in the world. Elves and dwarves adjusted to the presence of this younger race and through interaction found mankind to be acceptable. The Onari records say this was the time of their Golden Age, when their civilization outshone that of the Dragons and Elves. How or why they fell, none know. What is known is in the middle of this Second Age the Onari had a large civil war which began the decline of their civilization and the merging of it with the Phelani.

Histories tell us of some of the times prior to the Third Coming. When heroes like Rakirin and Re-Ana walked the earth. When Saurelain Core, the greatest artificer believed to have ever walked our world finished creating the sword called Eog, the Harbinger appeared in the sky. It watched as the sword was given to the King of the largest Phelan nation Shen-Ran. It watched as King Shen-Ran was then slain by the unholy child of the evil deity called Nachrys, and then this spawn made off with the sword Eog, to corrupt it so utterly it would be able to bring about a cataclysmic event.

This child’s name was simply Hate. Many mages debate over the fact this could not have been its true name, but no name better suited it. Hate then set about starting what has been called the Inhuman Wars, where the inhuman races of the foulest reaches of the world revolted against the races of the world both young and old. The war would rage for 126 years.

In penance for the creating of Eog, Saurelain was commanded by the god Denen to create a counterpart of this weapon and turn it over to a hero of the gods choosing. Saurelain did as he was commanded, and in the end, gave his life to temper the blade he named Kregora. It was then turned over by Rakirin to the Prince Re-Ana, a great warrior and prince in line for the succession of the kings’ throne. He was bound to the power of Kregora, and this power was then bound to the land by a pact he made with the gods. Thus, Re-Ana became the first High King of the Phelani.

Re-Ana rallied the pitiful remnants of the world, of all races, and under his war banner they marched upon the inhuman armies. Records tell differing stories of the fight between Eog and Kregora, but all agree that battle last for a full lunar cycle of 30 days. After the turn of both moons, Re-Ana finally won through, and Hate had been slain and banished. The Harbinger left the skies, and the world set about to recover.

## The Third Age

So began the Third age, and the Dark Age. It took the world centuries to recover from the famine and disease. Some races were entirely lost to us. Civilizations simply disappeared. Others took their place and would grow stronger in time.

Two great empires rose from the earliest days of this age. The first was a human empire named Bael Turath which rose from the lands of the south. This empire would rise and in time succumb to darkness and evil. Eventually forging infernal pacts with devils that would forever taint the blood of their people, the empire turned almost wholly to darkness.

By the time Bael Turath had risen and began their infernal pacts, another kingdom of light and promise rose to the North East. A kingdom named Arkhosia. Arkhosia was a kingdom raised by the dragonborn people and as a shining light of its age. As it expanded its influence the kingdom came in to direct conflict with the fiends of Bael Turath.

These two titans clashed in a long war. This war would find itself ended in a cataclysm that destroyed both empires. The cataclysm came in the form of the tolls wars take on kingdoms and people. After a century of warfare Bael Turath fell to the armies of Arkhosia. Not long after, moral decline and the tolls of famine and disease from the wars, and some scholars will claim the curses of devils; the Arkhosian Empire would decline and fall completely.

Out of this decline civilizations would rise that had been in the shadows of the two warring giants. The Ceaelestas Alliance still would reign in the South East, the Celestial Empire of the Tahree ruled the great Middle Sea, and the Phelan Empires would rise and fill voids in many areas of the world using the remnants of the previous states.

So, it is nearly five hundred years since the Harbinger was last in our skies. The world around us has been shaped as it is for a long time, and with few changes. We have recovered, but not recovered all. So, it is I hope to find and entreat you young adventurers to go forth and find our past, our future, and to help us prepare for what may come next when the Harbinger comes to our skies.

Just a note on a few things that are important to our current tracking of history. We currently use the Imperial Standard calendar among most of the empires of the world for ease of commerce and trade. Almost every race or long-lived kingdom has its own calendar and dating system.

Also, a note on the Harbinger, it is one of the great unknowns of the universe and no deity or entity in any age has ever commented upon it or its origins. All that is known is that at the change of every age the Harbinger has arrived and been witness to the cataclysmic events that defined the end of one age and the beginning of the next. It is known that the shape it takes it always the same. A huge manta ray shape with the tail of a scorpion arched high over its back. It is larger than most islands and flies and soars in the skies simply observing and never taking part in the events it is witness to.

* Leashivar (Lee-ash-i-var) – name of the world
* Onari (oh-nar-ee) – oldest race of humans who founded one of the first human empires
* Sehanine (seh-an-een) – goddess of beauty, moon, illusions and dreams
* Danae (dan-ay) – goddess Fate, Destiny
* Kilemni (kill-em-neye) – Savage race of humanoids who ravaged the world
* Phelani (fay-lawn-ee) – Most common race of humans in the world
* Eog (ee-og) – Named of a legendary sword corrupted to evil
* Saurelain (sar-el-ayn) – Legendary artificer
* Kregora (kregg-or-ah) – Name of the legendary sword of the High King of the Phelani
* Denen (den-en) – god of chivalry, honor and war
* Rakirin (rack-eer-in) – Ancient Phelani King
* Re-ana (ray-ana) – Wielder of Kregora and first High King
* Bael Turath (bay-el tur-ath) – ancient tiefling empire
* Arkhosia (Ar-koze-ee-ah) – ancient Dragonborn empire
* Nachrys (nock-riss) – god of nightmares, plagues, disease