The Realm

The Realm is an encapsulating term of the Lands of Arcanium, the events that have taken place, and all those inhabiting it, past and present.

## History of the Realm

### Before Men and The Dawn War

Before the time of men, many Gods and Titans ruled the many Planes of Existence. Though over time the two incredibly strong powers grew to hate each other. This eventually spawned the Dawn War, a great war between the Titans and the Gods. In the wake of this war, the Material Plane was created, a land for the Gods and Titans to fight. Many Gods were killed during the Dawn War, but their collective power allowed them to seal away the Titans in the Abyss, a Lower Plane. The Gods emerged victoriously and took control of the Planes of Existence.

### The 1st Era - The Era of Creation

After the Dawn War, only a handful of the gods remained, many dying in the war at the hand of the Titans. The gods remaining became known as the Dawn War Deities and as their first act was creating the First Ones, the first men to roam the Material Plane, and thus started what became the 1st Era of Men. The First Ones were an intelligent, powerful race that roamed the Lands of Arcanium in search for more knowledge. Other races were also created as time went on, such as the Elves, Humans, Dwarves, and Orcs, but the First Ones remained the most powerful. During an event which became known as The Great Calamity, all of the First Ones were eradicated by the Gods, after learning the First Ones had stolen many of their secrets. After The Great Calamity, the 2nd Era began.

### The 2nd Era- The Era of Darkness

With the extinction of the First Ones, the other races inhabiting the Lands of Arcanium grew more powerful while gods began creating more. During this time the Gods' views began separating, filling the spectrum of good and evil. Gods began creating servants to fulfill their need, in particular, dark or evil gods filled the lands with an assortment of monsters to terrorize the world.

The became commonplace during the extent of the 2nd Era and the monsters that wandered that lands grew stronger and stronger. What ended the 2nd Era was due to the actions of four great heroes, who eventually became known in folklore as just "The Heroes." These powerful beings fought off many of the most powerful monsters within the Realm sealing them away in the Plane of Shadowfell and the Feywilds. In the end, The Heroes sacrificed themselves to create a barrier between the Realm (and Material Plane) and all other Planes. The only thing that could penetrate this barrier was the will of the Gods. This begun the 3rd Era, The Era of Men.

### The 3rd Era - The Era of Men

As the monsters dwindled away and no more were terrorizing the Realm the powerful races began focusing on prosperity. Wars broke out between the different major races controlling the land, the Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs. As these races fought for years upon years minority races fled for safety, searching for other lands. This cycle continued of a millennium until the Pathian Conquest began. Started by Alexei Pathian, who's origins few truly know, founded an army of outcasts and peasants and took control of the major continent in the Lands of Arcanium.

The conquest ended when the newly founded The Pathian Empire failed to take away the land of the Orcs and peace was made between the two nations. This ushered in an era of peace, the start of the 4th Era.

### The 4th Era - The Era of Peace

While the 4th Era is not free from violence or war, no major event has occurred that has caused hardship worldwide. The Pathian Empire ruled its land for many years, the Orc Nations formed a more cohesive society, and smaller countries began forming. The only major notable event so far in the 4th Era would be the Gothias Revolution, where the Wood Elves succeded from the Pathian Empire and formed the Gothias Union. Though this war was small and not bloody compared to those of the past. Since the revolution peace has prospered between the Realms nations.