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Hey everyone, hope you and your loved ones are well amidst this quarantine. I'm looking to spit ball ideas for a DnD campaign to run for my friends that takes place in Anthos. A few of them are past players, and a few of them aren't. For those of you who played Anthos, what are some story hooks you think would translate well to DnD. For those who didn't play back then, do you have any ideas for a smaller campaign to start, that would then lead into a larger world ending type arche. Also, any DMs in here that have advice for writing compelling, non railroady campaigns? I want them to interact and build there own story similar to what makes the server so great. But I also need things for them to do. I'm familiar with my source material here, and I want the first campaign to take place predominantly in the human realm. I have a good cast of characters I'm familiar with, and location wise I already have a lot written down. If I ever get this ambitious thing done and it goes over well with my players, I'll be sure to share it here for you to run with your friends, imaginary or otherwise. Cheers, love you.

THE LIFE OF SER NIKOLAUS KORTREVICH “The Most Distinguished Man to Live” By: Otto Kortrevich “A bull doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of cattle like yourself, Rodrik.” -Nikolaus to Rodrik Kortrevich, 1750 EARLY LIFE CHILDHOOD Nikolaus; born as Nikolaus Halldor, son of my uncle Henrik and aunt Lilliana. From the young beginnings of his childhood, Nikolaus held a tenacious bond with his father more so than his mother. He took prominent appreciation in his father’s expertise in swordsmanship which would later pivot his life in the direction that would land himself years subsequently. Throughout his adolescence he became well-educated on the simple fundamentals of wielding a blade, footwork and drawing a bow & arrow. His enthusiasm was mutual with myself, who together spent a great deal of time with each other as both of our fathers were distinguished within the first order of the Brotherhood of Saint Karl; both of which held the rankings of Master-at-Arms. Training amongst the four of us was commonplace during our early adolescent years as we fervently continued to get better at what we enjoyed most. Several hardships were inevitable and that laid true during both mine and Nikolaus’ childhoods, the major known conflicts that occurred at the time were the ever continuous Vaeyl Wars and The Third Atlas Coalition War among the two of them the Siege of Nordengrad (c. 1690) would take the lives of both my father and uncle. An already stalwart bond between the two of us later strengthened following our fathers passings. After numerous years following the deaths of the renown, heroic warriors of Lukas and Henrik, both Nikolaus and I sought to continue our common interest in following the footsteps of our esteemed fathers. By the time we reached the ages of eighteen[Nikolaus] and twenty-one[Otto] we quickly enlisted ourselves into the Brotherhood of Saint Karl under the direct commandment of Lord Marshal Rhys var Ruthern. Within prompt fashion, we rose through the ranks as we became distinguished in the brotherhood and made our names known amongst our fellow brothers. [see ‘Rise Through The Ranks’] MARRIAGE Through years of training a part of the Brotherhood and defensively taking part in countless raids and skirmishes against the Red City of Markev, the thought of marriage never came across his mind for a foreseeable acquisition but that opinion would soon shift when he was introduced to Lotte. On his excursion to the Imperial capital of Carolustadt he and I made way to the capital in aspiration to register to vote for the Imperial Parliamentary Elections of 1703. Upon our arrival to the capital of The Empire of Man both myself and Nikolaus would later be introduced to Lotte Rosendale who was merely a medic pondering the streets at the time. Soon after the meeting amongst the three of us, I suggested taking the conversation to the nearby tavern at the forefront of the city. Quickly thereafter, Nikolaus and Lotte would soon become well-acquainted and as time progressed their bond grew ever closer which would ultimately lead them to marriage the following winter. The wedding had a good showing as it was open to the general populace of Haense, featuring the attendance of His Majesty, King Robert I and Her Majesty, Queen Elizaveta with the added guard battalion of the Brotherhood and the Knights of Bihar presiding which featured the presence of notable figures like; Ser Henrik Ludovar, Ser Varon Kovachev, Ser Dominic Grimm and Ser Bjolfr Nord. The marriage between the two was unlike any other but faced victim to turmoil as any other marriage does but nevertheless their bond remained lusty and strengthened every day as their family began to grow day by day. BEGINNINGS OF HOUSE KORTREVICH The House of Kortrevich: ( Common: Kortrevich, High Imperial: Kortrevinus ) The House Of Kortrevich was once divided between two families; the Haldors and the Blackwoods up until it was revealed the two families had common relatives. Following this revelation made by my uncle Elijah Haldor, the two families assumed the common surname- Kortrevich{Kortrevinus}. Ever since the family’s first establishment in the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, the ménage has played a significant role apart from the Royal Military where we once held a rather large host of men and women who too bore the colors of Black & Gold. Since the dawn of the famed legends of my father and my uncle our family has held rankings such as Master-At-Arms up through Kaptain until my generation of the family arrived and embarked on our own ventures and aspirations. The generation of my kin would be the very individuals who would continue to hold a large presence in the Royal military and seek to obtain knighthoods, political positions and direct oversight in the Royal government that resided in the Dual-Monarchy. It was only shortly after our family made our name widely known which would be rewarded by the titular enfeoffment of the Barony of Koravia by His Majesty, King Marius I, following our leal service to the crown and the insurmountable amount of due diligence in regards to leading the Kingdom’s army, Kingdom’s knightly system and help aid the Kingdom’s very function within the Duma halls. Our household itself has continued to praise the idealism of remaining committed to the crown and ever-fervent to serving the crown directly by any means necessary. [see ‘House Kortrevich’ post for more information] (*coming soon*) “I’m not questioning your honor nor your merit, Darius. I’m denying its existence outright.” -Nikolaus to Darius Ault, 1699 The Siege of Arberrang, 1691 RISE THROUGH THE RANKS When Nikolaus and I were of our adolescent years we looked to be enlisted soldiers in the Brotherhood of St. Karl in the likes of our fathers. It was only until Nikolaus reached eighteen years of age and I, twenty-one years of age where we would actually be recruited by the young Prince Marius and Lord Jakob Ludovar himself and bare the colors of Black & Gold. Our rise through the rankings was swift in fashion as our expertise with swords in hand outmatched those less skilled. Nikolaus took particular liking to being on the direct front-lines while on the contrary I took to rising through the ranks to become an enlisted officer and have oversight from the rear-lines. Our household during this period of time had a large presence in the standing military at the time which garnered us the respect of the already established nobility houses that have stood for generations. Nikolaus and I continued to rise through the ranks and receive promotions up through till I was granted the honor of being named Lord Marshal by His Majesty, King Robert I for eighteen years where at that point, Nikolaus sought to finally achieve knighthood and bring honor to the House once more. From the very beginning, where both Nikolaus and I were young children, our aspirations were common but despite this being the case we both chose different yet similar paths which would land ourselves years subsequently. KNIGHTHOOD Ever since Nikolaus was but a mere teenager his aspiration to become a Knight became well-known to that of his friends and family. Nikolaus, while fortunate to be born into a rather large common-born household wasn’t privileged to the natural-born right to squire and because of this he sought to prove himself by any means necessary. Varon Kovachev, the incumbent Paramount Knight at the time was one Nikolaus sought to personally prove his worth to yet, it was only until His Majesty, King Robert I himself placed a set of quests and adorous trials for Nikolaus to complete for him to then later be recognized years later by the populace of Haense as a Northern Knight of Hanseti-Ruska. WARS & BATTLES ★= Commanding role Third Atlas Coalition War: >Siege of Arberrang (1691) >Siege of Kal’Tarak (1692) Vaeyl Wars: >Battle of Last Hope ★ (1704) War of the Two Emperors: ( 1715 - 1721 ) >Battle of Upper Rodenburg ★ >Battle of Lower Rodenburg >Battle of Helena Fields >Siege of Helena ★ >Battle of the Rivers >Battle of Leuven >Second Battle of Leuven >Battle of Silversea >Battle of Koengswald Three-Month War: ( 1725 ) >Battle of Tal’Short >Second Battle of Tal’Short Lorrarinian Revolt: ( 1729 - 1730 ) >Siege of Guise ★ War of Orcish submission: ( 1731 - 1737 ) >Siege of Krugland Rubern War: ( 1740 - Present ) >Battle of Hangman’s Bridge >Battle of Reza “Never forget who you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to impair you.” -Nikolaus to Ulric Vyronov, 1716 The Siege of Helena, 1716 THE TROUBLES RODRIK’S BETRAYAL Upon the eruption of The War of the Two Emperors, our cousin Rodrik had his allegiances swayed in full support towards the Imperium Renatum as opposed to his sworn oath and once full-fledged support towards the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, the very Kingdom he himself swore to protect. Following this revelation to the populace of Haense, the once praised Knight Paramount was perceived entirely differently and was now sought to be an oath breaker and one not to be trusted in the slightest of means. Immediate backlash from the denizens of Reza was imminent towards our House as the once esteemed Knighted figure was in actuality part of our nobility household; the Kortrevich ménage. Several prominent figures who dealt with the backlash first hand were; myself, Nikolaus, Duncan, Erik and Martin but from other perspectives within the family, this sudden betrayal of Rodrik’s saw changes in the way some members of the family lived- Sarah, Lotte, Primrose, Emaline and Arabella took more heedful precaution when travelling within side the city and took notable wariness when obligated to travel outside the city to the noble landings of Ayr and Nenzing. Among the many challenges that occurred throughout Nikolaus’ long life, this among any other obstacle was one that would later pivot the outlook on the future of the family. ROYAL ORDER FOR THE APPREHENSION OF RODRIK Rodrik, the incumbent Knight Paramount of Haense at the time before his betrayal was one of if not King Marius’ closest confidantes which was known as Rodrik took attendance in many of the Aulic council meetings during his short-tenure. With this being said, when Rodrik’s allegiance swayed entirely to that of the Imperium Renatum it was imminent that our House would undergo an insurmountable amount of backlash as the once esteemed Knighted figure bared the names of turncoat and traitor by the denizens of Reza at the time. Nikolaus while recently being promoted as Knight Paramount following both Rodrik’s betrayal and the unfortunate death of Ser Dominic Grimm it was Nikolaus’ task as Rodrik’s cousin to carry out the charge demanded by His Majesty, ‘to return Rodrik back to Haense where he’ll receive the proper punishment for treason against the crown’. The order itself came from the words of King Marius and would finally be fulfilled thirty-years subsequently when the two estranged cousins’ crossed paths for a final time. [see ‘Fulfilling a Promise’ for continuation] TUTELAGE OF RODRIK’S CHILDREN Following Rodrik’s immediate dismissal of his own kin during The War of the Two Emperors, Rodrik’s own children were kept under captivity under his sole guardianship. His mind was severely clouded which serves as adequate reasoning for him not allowing his own wife, the mother of his two children the ability to cater to them and raise them amongst a loving family in Haense as opposed to the war-riddled city of Helena under the guardianship of solely Rodrik and his twin brother; Cassius. Each of our family members, especially Nikolaus made it their priority to eventually retrieve the children from captivity despite the ongoing war that scarred the Arcasian plains. It was only a matter of time that Rodrik would retort something in response to the many missives sent by Nikolaus and the family and soon enough upon one early morning two dragon knights arrived swiftly to the gates of Reza on horseback where the two Kortrevich children and one barbanov bastard could be seen being pulled by the trio of stallions. The escort was not in the slightest bit small as accompanied with the two dragon knights, an entire battalion of Red Knights and Ordermen from the Order of the Red Dragon surrounded the escort all the way from the imperial capital of Helena to ensure their safe arrival. Upon their arrival to Reza the children were quickly placed in front of the gates where a singular guard then shouted to the nearest guardsmen in Reza: “Call for Ser Nikolaus, these children are of Kortrevich blood and Ser Rodrik wishes for their utmost amount of safety. . . Ensure they are brought to the hands of Nikolaus.” [!] Attached to one of the children’s baskets would be a tattered parchment signed by his Imperial Excellency, Ser Rodrik Jozsef Kortrevich, "I, Rodrik of Kortrevich hereby give full tutelage of my children to my cousin Nikolaus of Kortrevich, current Knight Paramount of Haense - this message will arrive sooner or later, but I might already be gone, I've sailed, away from this realm, away from this war and away from the fray - I care for the safety of my children and I understand that even after what has happened you all do as-well, The deal is very simple, you may raise them, teach them your ways and treat them as yours, but if anything happens to them, or I hear that they're being treated ill and they do not feel safe with you, the Imperial Crown of the Kingdom of Cascadia shall retrieve them. In brief. allow them to explore, teach them of the perils, but more than anything - let them be free." “So many promises…they make you vow to uphold. Defend the sovereign. Obey the king. Preserve his confidence. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Safeguard the weak. Respect the Gods. Be law-abiding. It’s too much. No matter what you do, you’re forsaking one vow over another.” -Nikolaus to Otto Kortrevich, 1706 Lotte Kortrevich laying on her deathbed, 1729 HEARTBREAK DEATH OF LOTTE, 1729 Among the many things that Nikolaus was met with during his life, the death of his dear wife Lotte was one that struck him like no other. Their marriage had its hardships and blessings but one thing that remained true up and till the end was their mutual love for eachother and their children they brought into the world. The eternal bond between the two was recognized by their kinsmen and the extended families abroad which ultimately made her truly one that was arduous to leap over for all who knew her closely. While the tailend of their ever-fruitful relationship did encounter sour turns they remained resilient with each other for the sake of their children, even if that meant for them to live apart from each other for years at end. Both Nikolaus and Lotte had their evident flaws that I personally can list out but despite these flaws at every corner moment they sought to deal with them and overcome the many obstacles that covered their common path. By the end of Lotte’s joyous life, she remembered nought but the few names of those closest to her; Nikolaus and Primrose which saddened her to the longest ends. I myself grew a deep sense of sadness when the day arose when Lotte, a good friend of mine, my cousin’s wife, didn't recall who I was. Despite her sickness, Lotte’s passing was peaceful where she bore no physical harm but the harm of heartbreak. Her death transcended quickly through word of mouth where the likes of many who knew her tried to comprehend the reality that was in front of them. Nikolaus most of all along with his two daughters, Primrose and Emaline were in complete disbelief but ultimately came to a common understanding of what she sacrificed and accomplished throughout her simple life. Memories would be shared but the lasting impact of Nikolaus’ only love ascended to the skies that flew above further struck him down to a pitiful sense of hopelessness as the wars still raged on and saw no end in foreseeable sight. EXECUTION OF ERIK, 1725 Following the unfortunate death of Ser Ulric Vyronov, Erik would soon be held accountable for his death and brought to trial on the felony charge of Involuntary Manslaughter. After the quick guilty verdict by the Lord Justicar; Ser Gerard Stafyr would sentence Erik to death. Just following the verdict was declared to the general public, Nikolaus made an urgent plea to Andrik to be the one to carry out the sentence as he didn’t want to witness his cousin publicly executed in front of what would’ve been a large turnout of commonborn and nobleborn alike witnessing a man pay for his crimes. Andrik would graciously agree to Nikolaus’ request and soon enough moments later Erik was carried down to the cells in the guardhouse district with the assistance of Prince Otto Sigmar and Lord Lerald Vyronov. [4] (embedded link to map) where he then faced his sentence while letting out no last words before his execution. Years subsequent to Erik’s execution, Nikolaus’ initial reaction to his cousin’s beheading was demoralizing to see witness to. While Erik and Nikolaus did not retain a close bond they too were in fact cousins connected by blood which made it truly difficult for Nikolaus to overcome what he was entrusted to do. I noticed a change in his disposition also immediately as he began to remain distant towards his kin which grabbed my attention, the families attention and eventually the King’s attention which resulted in his removal as Royal Executioner after it was made abundantly clear he was in no place to be entrusted with that responsibility. The position itself remained vacant up until Lord Karl Vyronov took seating as the Royal Executioner until he himself was killed and the position remained vacant until recently, where Ser Jonathan Frostfire now stands. KNIGHTLY RECONSTRUCTION Well before Nikolaus took seating as Paramount Knight in Haense, the knightly orders were in a state of royal disarray as they all saw no clear structure and most importantly had no real basis on how exactly a man or woman achieves knighthood. Nikolaus saw immediately the condition of the knightly structure in Haense and sought to completely rework it to an adequate working condition. His first task of business was to clearly outline how one man or woman is able to be knighted. Soon after he outlined how exactly one achieves knighthood he made it well aware to King Andrik that he had avid interest in establishing a new Knightly Order within Haense that acted as a separate entity from the Marian Retinue which would take precedence as the primary Knightly Order in Haense as opposed to before having just the King’s royal guard in function. Nikolaus worked with many people to accomplish his aspirations. Among the lengthy list includes; King Robert I, King Marius II, King Andrew III, King Andrew IV, the grand knights of the deplorable Ser Darius Ault, the vile Ser Uthred Gromach and finally the righteous Ser Dominic Grimm. The many changes Nikolaus would make to the knightly structure in Haense would influence the other human nations and directly influence the construction of new ones under Nikolaus’ personal advice. [see. The Order of the Crow for more information] “THE ORDER OF THE CROW” KNIGHTLY OBLIGATIONS EDICT BOOK OF THE MARIAN RETINUE REAFFIRMATION OF OATHS "You think my life is such a valuable thing to me, that I would trade my merit for a few more years... of what exactly?" -Nikolaus to Rodrik Kortrevich, 1750 The Kortrevichbowl, 1750 FULFILLING A PROMISE Thirty years had passed since the conclusion of the War of the Two Emperors but no remorse was shown by our cousins, Rodrik and Cassius following their betrayal that would lead to the demise of hundreds. Out of all of us who sought to seek revenge for the treacherous actions Rodrik inflicted on the family and the greater Kingdom, it was Nikolaus who was tasked to apprehend the traitor and bring him either dead or alive to the Royal City of Reza on King Marius’ due directive. Decades would pass and the promise taken in my Nikolaus would be forsaken as the war neared its end where Rodrik eventually embarked away from the fray, and away from the likes of his kin. As the coward he was this was a given but nevertheless Nikolaus never sought to forsake his vow he took oh so many years ago. Many missives sent by myself, Duncan, Erik, Martin, Alexander, Sarah and even the likes of my nieces; Primrose and Emaline sent missives to Rodrik where we all plead and demanded he return to his homeland and face the countless punishments for his crimes so our family could finally seek closure. It was only till one day where Rodrik obtained a missive by Nikolaus himself which would finally lead the old-Imperial Knight to beckon his armor once more and ride north to his homeland. [see ‘Summoning a Sojourner’ for continuation] SUMMONING A SOJOURNER A handful of years had passed since the final missive was sent but eventually the arrival of Rodrik would soon stand outside the towering walls of Fort Korstadt. The host of men on either side of the wall stood still as the two estranged cousins shared few words before they would eventually sheath blades of their own and deal out justice for a final time. A period of time later would pass where the two bodies of Rodrik and Nikolaus laid; soon after the fight the garrisoned host of Brotherhood foot soldiers sallied out to motion for Rodrik’s once closest compatriots to disperse. Out of everything that I’ve experienced throughout my long life, to witness my two cousins bring each other to their pitiful end is among the many experiences I will naught forget. Nikolaus lived a fair life, one that retains more accomplishments than many well-renown field-commanders of the past. His legacy will forever live on and be remembered forevermore by the likes of our kin and our nation. Nikolaus and I shared our bountiful amounts of arguments but never did we leave a conversation without a smile on either of our faces. May Nikolaus be remembered as one of the most illustrious men to ever live. May Nikolaus be remembered for his many achievements. May Nikolaus be remembered for every vow he never forsook. My cousin, may he be remembered for the love he shared with his dear wife, Lotte and the family he raised despite his prolonged duties as the Paramount Knight for over thirty-years. My cousin, may he be remembered as one of the most honorable knights in Haense to ever bare the colors of Black and Gold. . Ave Nikolaus, Ave Haense. [see ‘Kortrevichbowl’ for more information] KORTREVICHBOWL “It's the family name that lives on. It's all that lives on. Not your honor, not your personal glory, family.” -Nikolaus to Primrose & Emaline Kortrevich, 1748 Ser Nikolaus Kortrevich “The Strong” (1680 - 1750) Knight Paramount of Haense (1716 - 1750) FULL TITLE The titles of Ser Nikolaus Kortrevich were; The Right Honorable, Ser Nikolaus Kortrevich, Knight Paramount of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, Commandant Knight of the Marian Retinue, Meyster Knight of the Order of the Crow, Royal Champion of King Andrew III. Published by the House of Kortrevich Written by Otto Kortrevich

A Good Night’s Rest The stone of the mountain halls of Urguan was cold, the paths leading to Ironguita lit only by the lava pools boiling in the cracks of the deep earth the dwarves call home. A dwarf would be making his way home, the end of his cane clacking against the hard stone with a resounding tap… tap… the sound echoing through the almost endless cavescape. Grandor Irongut would be leaning heavily on his cane with his right hand, holding his lower chest with his left. The dwarf would groan, his face distorting as he would speak “Wot is ‘appenin to me” Confusion would resound in his voice, the halls echoing his worry as he would continue his slow stroll home, before finally arriving at Irongut Hold. As he would make his way to his office within the library, a sound would begin to speak in the back of his head, the words of his previous assailant, the one whom had done this to him “There is power, and knowledge unlike any known” The voice would persist, being echoed by screams of moonspeach, the dwarf would drop into the chair, rubbing his temple from the endless screeching. It had been days now, the screeches would not visit often, but every time they did they would grow louder, almost more personal. There was no escape, if the dwarf slept, the creature's voice would follow. There was no place to hide, nowhere he could run to escape the monsters within his mind The dwarf would scream out in rage, tossing the papers and books that had gathered on his desk onto the ground as he would yell “Oi will nay work for ye ya sick bastard! Ye will nay take moi moind!” he would go to attempt to flip the table he had been working at, though his muscles simply could not muster the strength. He would sink back into his chair in defeat, the sound of the voices returning to the dwarf. His breathing would begin to slow as the adrenaline would fade from his veins; his eyes beginning to flutter. It had been several days now since he last slept, and he could feel his eyes closing, slowly, the sounds of the gutteral screeching almost lulling the dwarf to sleep... His eyes would close, only to open and be met with the behemoth, the voidal creatures thousand of eyes almost staring into Grandor’s soul, the dwarf could not speak, his form frozen just as it had been when he was corrupted. The behemoth was huge, towering into the darkness above it, it would be covered in eyes, its purple tendrils the size of mountains, caressing the black night. The sound of the screeches of moonspeach from what could be thousands of monstrosities sounding around him, all the dwarf could do is simply stare up to the creature, and look into its eyes. In his mind, he would hear a simple call, the monstrous moonspeach that would speak would be clear to Grandor. It would simply say: I̷̧̨̹̻̦̣̺͉̻̊̌̀̿͛́͊͆̌͆̈́͋͝ ̴̨̢̢̰̠͓̼͍̙̦͓̣̗̤͖́̍̉̎̋̐̈́̐s̸̨̭̹͔̖̭̏̈́̈͛͒̽͑͌̈́͂͌̋̐̕͠ẽ̵̜̥̼̥͙͓̺̺͊͌̅̽́͝͠ͅe̸̢̖̟͙̮͔̻̬͇̤͍̰̹͋͆̐͑̍̽͐͒̚͝͝͝ ̸̡̛̼̩̤̮͔̰̐͐̏̈́͒̀ͅy̴̛̭̹͗̾̏̃͒́̕͝͝ợ̶̧̧͕̯̱͕͐̉͒͐̊͠ͅũ̸̞̳̫̼̒ͅ The dwarfs eyes would burst open, the clock on the wall revealing to his freshly awakened mind that it had been three hours. The dwarf would silently decide he had enough sleep, going to stand, the voices seemingly ceasing for now, and make his way back to the capital city and grab a pint, muttering to himself “ᚹᚺᚨᛏ ᚨᛗ ᛁ ᚷᛟᛁᚾᚷ ᛏᛟ ᛞᛟ” the hardly awake dwarf speaking in moonspeach without realizing, as he would slowly rise from his chair, he would close his door and make his way back through the twisting underground path, the cane slowly clacking with a tap… tap... resounding through the caves, as he would return. I got bored so i did a thing to document character growth pls no flame i luv you ❤️ Also if you metagame this i'll be the big sad So don't do that ?

A book sits on a pedestal in the library of Aegrothond, the home of the Lorekeeper Maehr’evar. It is emblazoned with the devices of Almenor, the seven stars of the Mariner and the Crown of Malin in silver inlay. One would note upon opening the tome that most of the pages remain blank, save for the very first few- evidently this is to be a work in progress, so that one might read the entire history of Aegrothond at some far date in the future. The pages read as follows: A Chronicle of Almenor, 1753 As Recorded by Belestram Sylvaeri, Prince Emeritus A Breath of Life, and Fair Skies upon the Horizon For many years the Crown and its representatives have remained silent in our isolated citadel of Almenor, for we are not a people easily inspired to advertise our presence, nor to seek glory in word rather than deed. Amid a tumultuous world prone to bouts of ceaseless conflict, it is often preferable to recede to quietude- especially for a dwelling-place which concerns itself primarily with the preservation of the history and moral integrity of Elvenesse. But it is a foolish thing, to look behind and not ahead- for the future grows closer with each passing sunset, and the forges and shipyards of the Almenodrim are never truly quiet. They labour, the smiths and Oathblades, sailors and shipwrights, so that Aegrothond is not consigned to the ignominious pages of perished history as many, even today, believe it has been. Our future is as bright as the crimson sunrise, and the secret fire which burns at the heart of our city is not so easily extinguished. It is therefore the desire of the House of Sylvaen to initiate a chronicle of history for the Isles, so that posterity may read them and know that the hands of the Almenodrim were not idle, but rather toiled and built a greater land for their heirs. It shall honour the labourers, the knights, and the Lords who make this citadel our home, and work every day to make it a better place. Those who have kept faith with the Sea Prince and the House of Sylvaen will be honoured greatly by future generations, for they have stood beside the Realm in a dark and unsteady time. From the ember you have held close to your heart, a great inferno shall be ignited- from the sacrifices you have made, of blood and sweat, you shall reap a thousand times the reward. The forges are lit. The fires are burning. Thusly speaks the Crown. Aegrothond Prevails. The Flame of Silma is Lit The Keeper of House Silma, which stems from the great Elvish hero Siol, has taken up his duties again in full- he has caused the beacon of Silma to be lit in Aegrothond once more. The Flame of Malin, as the House terms it, is a symbolic representation of their devotion to the King of All Elvenesse; a mark that the home in which it burns is a harbour for all Elves who wish to warm themselves by its light. They have taken residence near the Oathblade barracks, and intend to transform the old building into a Hearth and home for all Silma and wandering Elves. The Elder House, which was the second such House to join the great citadel of Aegrothond, is highly regarded among the citizens of the Isles of Almenor. Despite great odds and no small amount of danger to their own wellbeing, the family and its leadership joined the fight against the Usurper King from the Atlasian island. For this reason, they are given the rank of Great House in perpetuity and honoured with the title of Lord Keeper. Citizens of Aegrothond (and indeed all Elves of any nation) are encouraged to seek out the young Haust Silma, or the elder Elros Silma, for more information about the venerable and legendary House. It is understood that this is to be the beginning of a new era in the history of their family, one which has lain dormant for some years. Old Roots Give Rise to a New Vintage A new vineyard has been established upon the western horn of the bay, behind the great statue of Eleron Stormheart, and planted with a special batch of seeds from the forests of Old Malinor. Carried and preserved through the lands by members of the House Sylvaeri, they are believed to have been acquired from the vineyards of the Telrunya Family- a famous wine indeed. The Crown and its representatives now seek a capable and practiced winemaker to take up the formidable task of growing these vines to harvest and fermenting its fruit. The seeds were planted by Feanor Kaeronin, and the ground was blessed by the famous Druid Gi’garun, otherwise known as Brother Pine. The Druid was heard to say that he looked forward to tasting even a small part of home, and the sentiment is shared even by many Elves who never saw the trees of Malinor. An Order of Elves Among Men Reports have reached Aegrothond of a group of exiles and city-elves dwelling in the Orenian Capital of Helena. While information is fairly scarce, it is understood that the group claims to have a Malinic creed which does not conflict with the Tenets of Aegrothond, but the truth of this matter remains to be seen as only two Elves of this organization have found their way to our shores. The Seed Elverhilin is known to play a part in the leadership of the Order.

Origin: The creation of this instrument follows suit, The Amber Cold of 1740 was upon the land of Arcas. Tinkering in his little cave abode, Goilard Costa Olivera the Second, alongside his manservant, created what he would call “The Accordion”. Months prior to this, Goilard had been researching and brainstorming ideas on how to make a new instrument. Being a Bard and a musician, his love for the piano heavily influenced his creation. The idea was to create a sort of portable piano, but also not making it a piano at all. When Goilard drafted up the plans on a strip of leather, he brought it to the trade master of Sutica, Mr. Uialben. Once the plans were explained, Mr. Uialben gave a gracious donation of 100 minas for the creation of this new instrument. Appearance: This portable instrument has two almost circular wooden disks being held together by what looks like the folding part of a fire bellow. Embedded in one disk is a miniature piano. On the other disk is several small buttons laid in a few rows and a hand strap. The size is around that of an orc’s skull and can fit comfortably on the lap or in the hands of a regular-sized male highlander ((It resembles more of a concertina, which still falls under the category of an accordion. Sound: The small instrument gives off a rich, reedy, and organ-like sound unlike any of its time. Its sound can envoke emotions of happiness and glee, making the player seem more charming. Purpose (OOC): I have been on LOTC for a long time now and I have never heard or seen someone with an accordion and I have not found 1 post of anyone actually inventing it. I also thought this would add more character to my Bard if he made/played a new instrument. If someone claims to have had an accordion before this post I do not discredit them, this is just an official unofficial post.

Catherine held tight to her sides. She rocked back and forth, eyes glued to her bare toes. Tears were starting to escape her, though they were strangely not accompanied by any sound. She was just sitting there on the wooden floor, cold, lost, face wet. That was her existence at the moment. And she didn’t think too much of it. All she could see was his face. His dark skin, his curly hair, his spectacles. His laugh echoed in her head and she shook out of fear. She could imagine his hands closing in on her; she could still feel his fingers on the back of her head, pulling her closer. That’s when the first sob escaped. This boy...this creature...Catherine couldn’t even bear saying his name. He had violated her and she felt like she was no longer in control of herself. She felt dirty. She felt like she was no longer human, but rather a rag doll. And that’s all she was to him. That boy. She was just a doll. A disposable one, at that. The shaking became more violent. Her face burned and her nails dug deep into the palms of her hands. She was now muttering to herself, trying to stabilize and ground herself from what she knew would become a moment of reliving the past if she didn’t pull herself out of the trance fast enough. Alas, unfortunately for Catherine, it was too late. Once again, she was living two months ago. They were at a pond together, sharing sweet nothings and kisses. But he had more plans in store. Oh, how Catherine had escaped her mind, how she had tried not to exist during those few seconds when he did as he pleased, but she couldn’t help but cry. The water was burning the back of her neck. She gagged. And once again, she was back to reality. The present. Her tears had dried, her shaking had ceased. She was all alone, once again. The End

Elijah and His Hole Elijah was never one for war. In fact, he had a strong distaste for it. Swords and bows and battleaxes and whatnot would send him straight to the nearest compost bin. So, when he heard that there was to be a draft to fight against the enemies drawing nearer and nearer to his humble town, Elijah picked up all his belongings he could fit into a small cloth bag and marched out the door. Elijah was also not a man of directions, nor schedules and plans. For days, he wandered aimlessly, stopping occasionally to sit and eat whilst glaring at a squirrel, as if challenging it to make a slight towards him and his meal. It was when Elijah made it to a clearing that he realized he had found a new place to stay. Quiet. Empty. Peaceful from the edges of the forest to the calming riverbank. And, lucky enough for Elijah, the ground was soft enough to begin digging. So, he started. Minutes upon hours upon days, Elijah ceaselessly dug away at the ground. He had to stop often to get the sweat out of his eyes, but would then continue as if he had never taken a pause. He dug. And he dug. And he dug. On the fourth day of digging, Elijah collapsed. His fingernails were packed with mud. His clothes were completely stained beyond repair. But Elijah just laughed to himself under the stars, the low chirps and murmurs from inside the forest seemingly celebrated with him. Elijah had escaped war. And he had dug himself a new hole to call home. The end.

I'm new to roleplay and am looking for a little help in creating my character for the application. I'm a little lost on where to find information and where to start with my character, I have no idea what I want her back story to be- where she's from and all that. I know her name is Muya and she's a wood elf. I tried going through the lore but it's a little difficult knowing what cities are being used currently and what lore to include in my backstory as it's hard to know when everything happened and what year the role play is currently in. I'd appreciate any and all kind of help so please, either reply to me here or my Discord is Kytux1103 #3061 Thank you in advance.

Naval Storyline Become a confidant of the sea and sail across the Arcadian Ocean with your ship and a faithful crew, life overseas is not easy and requires preparation, navigation and equipment ... not to forget the food on deck is required in large supply, and that's where the delicacies such as sea-fruit are found. Sailors whisper of a taste that comes from the depths of the seas … Explore the depths of the Sea Ruin and discover a world of water and the home of an ancient civilization ... The ocean itself has preserved this place and protected it from the torrents of time, much of the ruin could have survived ... It does not only awaken the treasure hunter instincts but also those of every fisherman, the first who dared to dive beneath the surface... Go under and face the forces of nature ... Descendants have always been made to live on land, but curiosity is like a blade piercing the sea, reaching deeper and diving recklessly. Conquering the deep is a trophy to each and every category, be it by arcane arts, research or even through sheer mind and will! A genius mind will reward their fellowship with the treasure of the deep, and a title to hone their tinkering skill Reveal what lies beneath the depths and ... In a place without light, life is a lantern ... Time is torn, swept between the tides changed the people T̷h̷e̷ ̴H̵y̷d̶r̴a̷ ̴r̶e̶b̸o̶r̴n̵,̶ ̸d̵e̶s̷c̶e̵n̷d̸a̴n̶t̵s̸ ̴c̴r̴e̶a̴t̸i̷n̴g̷ ̴a̵ ̷n̷i̴g̶h̶t̶m̸a̴r̵e̶ ̷o̷f̸ ̸t̶h̷e̴i̶r̴ ̵o̷w̸n̸ ̸…̴ ̴I̴n̷ ̷t̷h̵e̶ ̸p̸a̷s̸t̷,̶ ̶t̷h̶e̸y̴ ̶l̵i̷v̴e̸d̸ ̶i̷n̴ ̶h̷a̵r̶m̷o̴n̶y̸,̴ ̷p̵e̷a̵c̴e̴ ̴a̵n̷d̵ ̵f̶r̷i̷e̷n̸d̷s̶h̸i̷p̶ ̸w̸e̵r̶e̵ ̶o̴f̴f̵e̶r̵e̴d̵ ̵t̵o̴ ̷a̴l̶l̵ ̷w̸h̵o̷ ̵w̶e̴l̸c̷o̸m̸e̷d̷ ̴i̴t̷.̵.̷.̴ ̸b̷u̵t̷ ̴a̵n̵ ̸a̶g̷g̷r̴e̷s̸s̶i̴v̷e̸ ̷f̵o̸r̵c̸e̷ ̸s̷w̵a̸l̶l̶o̴w̸e̵d̵ ̴t̸h̴i̶s̶ ̴a̷g̴e̸ ̶o̴f̴ ̵f̷r̴e̴e̴d̵o̷m̵ ̵…̷s̵e̴a̸l̷e̷d̸ ̶b̸y̴ ̶a̵ ̵g̷u̶a̵r̵d̶i̵a̴n̷ ̵o̴f̷ ̶i̸m̸m̷e̸n̶s̸e̸ ̶p̵o̸w̴e̵r̸.̷.̴.̶ ̶ The great unknown... Discover new life and beings who were born in the deep, pelagic flora and amphibious ocean dwellers alike. The aquatic creatures seem to exist in a miraculous cycle and are in harmony with nature and the Descendants. In the tropical area near the Wildlands many creatures live in different ways and in different planes. Even for those who are not interested in science, the ruin is a beacon of life to ocean dwellers. ...Ultimately, every descendant can just discover for themselves what is behind the horizon for them ... Already have wet feet? Spoiler! Final Boss of the Storyline! If you’re interested feel free to leave a nice RP post! Thanks!

First ‘proper’ ship seen on the expedition. Circa 1715 “The smallest landlubbers, callin’ themselves the halflins received a bounty that would lead them to the shipwreck, as they ventured out from brandybrook’s decks they would quickly find out the shipwreck was no fluke and that another ship had been shattered to pieces there while trying to retrieve the much acclaimed treasure… Was it the aggression of other ocean-travelling folk or just another casualty of the forceful tides that often brought a wet demise to unsuspecting sailors… ? The warning remained, but with the demise of the other ships a lucky group of landlubbers have taken the opportunity to check out what sweet loot these remains had to offer. They were greeted with relics of long past lives and the unwelcoming otherworldly presence of an apparition that had formed from the many lost souls that drowned or died any other horrible death upon the ocean. Seeing that everything eventually sinks down to the ocean floor to ultimately rot away, the shipwreck preserved itself as a warning to all those who are foolish enough to venture out into the unknown seas unprepared. A storm was coming... Luckily the Pirates were giving the landlubbers who received the bounty missive instructions and cared for their safe travel across the seas. Although with the whole population of ocean-dwellers on the line they had no other way but to cooperate with the main-land centric descandants, who were currently in the turmoils of war. Cap’n Octatre’ was send out with a small but dedicated crew to establish contact with the crews that were able to sail out far into the ocean. Far behind the high tides, where rocky formations would carve the floor beneath the surface, a menace would slowly inch closer. It was a sinister creature that would devour everything in its vicinity. As the creature was a very slow organism, the ocean-dwellers & descendants alike wouldn’t know about it at all until its large unsaturated hunger would mess with the whole eco-system. of the uncharted seas Large amounts of flat, marbly bone substance would wash up from the depths of the sea. It was completely dead material, preserved in form, but devoid of life. Once a living organism was turned to dry bones, the salvaged lifeforce would be absorbed by the creature. With the now established contacts to the mainland the pirates hope to salvage the ancient remains of the precursors of the Arkos seas to put an end to this terrible creature, and hopefully free the ancient civilisation trapped beneath a blanket of bones….” *The old man would sign the book, on the last page was a drawing of the shipwrecks at sea. He went to the library of dragur to publish his observation upon sea.*

Finri: The Lost Race Of The Ocean. The History: According to the legends scrawled by walls underwater, when the four brothers ruled every corner of the earth, there was one more sibling that the first man and woman could not bare to tell their children; the helpless case of their last child, Newx. He was an elf-like creature with blue skin, four arms, webbed fingers, three eyes, and an eel-like body. His voice was nothing more than high pitched squeals. His behavior was like an animal. But his intelligence was stunning, able to solve puzzles in a matter of seconds. The first man and woman had to sacrifice their child to the sea, for they quickly learned that Newx could not survive on land. Down into the depths did he thrive, his high pitch squeals allowing him to communicate with dolphins and other forms of submerged life. He would be the one to rule not the earth, but it’s vast oceans. It was then did he have four heirs. Gi who governed the Trenches, Mol who protected the Reefs, Bow who guarded the Emptiness, and Wiklo who reigned the Shores. These were the four realms of the ocean, these were the four daughters of Newx, these were the first Finri tribes. Gi—who thrived between earth, water, and darkness—was the inventor of sea lanterns and the discoverer of prismarine. From chunks of these crystals, grains of sand, and blue lava from submerged volcanoes, did she forge the new light source for her sisters. Mol on the other hand, discovered how to herd yummy cod and plant food. The dolphins her father befriended taught her how to hunt. The tropical fish showed her how to farm kelp, sea grass, and coral. And through their knowledge did Mol learn how to tame pufferfish, breeding them to become later on, guardians. Bow traveled alone through invisible currents that were only touched by venturing fish and migrating turtles. Their corpses lend her scute armor and the materials needed to help Gi forge tridents. Wiklo lurked near the shores, learning from the salmon leaving rivers about magic and how to wield it. She taught these arts to her sisters, who used the ability to gain greater technology, like the conduit. Then came the first sailors, who roamed upon the ocean’s surface with their wooden vessels. Their nets stole their food, their ships lingered above their homes, and their crewmembers stole any belongings they could find. Using every magic at their disposal did the sisters attempt to scare the seamen away, but to no avail. They hired mages to block their spells, and the finri did not wish to be discovered; for they cannot breathe air, bringing them to a swift disadvantage. Hence began the worship of Mother Moon, deity of secrets, darkness, and slumber. As the sisters slept, she visited their resting minds, blessing them with her powers on one condition. They must build an altar of peace and promise to never destroy it. The sisters agreed, mastering the power of transforming into shadow and entering dreams based upon the moon cycle. Together they gaslighted the mages on board these well-guarded boats, whispering in their ear while in shadow, giving them nightmares, and using lullabies to make them sleepwalk off the docks. Once their magical defense was down, the sailors left, marking the areas of the sea they should stay away from. A few centuries later--after the sisters died peacefully--a group of finir heard of the high elves and their philosophy. Believing that now is the time to kill the weak and breed the strong, they used each tribe’s pride against them, a tool of mass destruction. The descendants of the sisters--once loyal to each other--rained hell, redding the ocean with blood. An abysmal war for supremacy broke out, and in the final battle, the tribes decided to set the fight at Mother Moon’s temple in attempts to prove their worth to her. Their answer came when her shrine was destroyed in the process, each finir flesh stripped from bone and transformed into shadow. Now their ruins lie, temples crumbled, technologies unused, and kelp-woven scrolls eaten by fish. As Mother Moon awaits her next prophet, the corpses littering the deep’s floor hope to be discovered once more. OOC Explanation: Basically, there was a hidden race that once lived in the sea but went extinct thanks to an abysmal war. This war is currently unknown in the roleplay lore, the only thing that is known is their extinction. This race called the Finir built ocean monuments, discovered prismarine, breed sea animals, and used lost magics. Their curse was their animal like behaviors and their blessing were their extreme intelligence. Purpose: The purpose of this lore is used to explain the reasoning for the existence of ocean monuments, guardians, wrecked ships, and other sea-based items. If this lore is accepted, it could also be used to explain a new form of magic and deity--as seen above--I am planning on sharing. I hope this contributes to the wonderful RPG community we have! Spoilers: https://wikia.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Ancient_History Moon Worship and Magic influenced by moon phases inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender

Sweet Beat Bread These perfectly made buns of bread are made for commoners and royalty alike. The bread is made out of very smooth flower, sieved to perfection. The flower is so smooth, it rolls off one's fingers without feeling a thing. The yeast inside is so fine that one can see that is has been harvested with much love and care. The honeyed water inside is so special, only one has the knowledge of how to create it. The honeyed water is said to be the best mixture of both honey, ale, and water. Made into a dough with almost godlike hands, grabbing every piece of it as it is done. Sodium chloride as small as one's hair is found within the bread, harvested from the south sea only. Several powders are also used in the baking process, but that knowledge is only for the maker to know. After the dough is finished it goes into a hot and wet chamber where it will be laid to rest. After is done in the chamber, several buns are to be made with such precision and love it is said that the gods made them. Then they will go back into the chamber to rise to twice their size. It is covered in egg yolk and egg white as it goes out of the chamber, such fine sugar is powdered on top that it is to smelt in the mouth. The perfect combination of love, hate, and skill went into making these pieces of bread. The combination of sweet and savory makes most water their mouths if they enter a tavern or ones home. Every bun is so special and precious that it is to be wrapped in paper with care to protect it. Currently, the only one who knows how to make divine pieces of bread is a high elf by the name of Melkor.

Vinir Orothell Physical Information Height ⊸ 6’1 Weight ⊸ 150 Skin Tone ⊸ Pale Gray Eye Color ⊸ Blue Hair Type ⊸ Short silver hair Race ⊸ Dark Elf Gender ⊸ Male Personality Information Strength ⊸ Very agile, has a strong goal to survive. Weakness ⊸ Ashamed of his past choices. Silver-Tongue ⊸ Has a very “persuasive” way of talking when he needs to. Ambitious ⊸ Vinir wants to do what is best for him and his companions, he will do whatever it takes to protect their bonds. Adventurous ⊸ Spends time talking and seeing the ways of others. This includes studying cultures, learning the different languages of the world, and even some information on the different religions. Other Traits Job ⊸ Sellsword Closest Kin ⊸ Nilnir Orothell Story/Biography [1653-1698] Vinir was a young elf that was born into the Orothell family. He was born in Sutica in the year if 1653. When Vinir was a young elf, he would roam the streets and would always spend his younger days making makeshift weapons with his brother, Andeosi. Andeosi and Vinir would spar day after day just to better themselves for anytime that they would have to fight in the future. Vinir always wanted to be the greatest warrior in all of southern Arcas and he did not plan to let anyone stop him. Vinir’s life was going great, he got to spend time with his family, watch the guards march in and out of the city after doing their prosperous work of protecting the people that reside in Sutica. However, one day when Vinir was waiting to see the guards walk by at his usual spot by the bank, he noticed that the sun kept going down and down, and no guards where coming in. Vinir finally got tired of waiting for the guards so he headed to the nearest wall access, and climbed up the wall. Only to see that there was a conflict outside, that started to gather many people that seemed to be all dressed in the same uniforms. As Vinir was watching, he heard a man scream in pain out of the middle of the conflict only to then later, see him fall to the ground motionless. Vinir was young, but he still knew something was wrong. He quickly ran to get help at the nearest guard-post he knew of but found them all empty. Vinir kept wandering the city looking for help, but he was to late. He saw the vicious men from outside start pouring in the city, as almost as to save himself, he ran to the nearest dock and dove into the ocean. [1698-1707] Now, Vinir was not the best swimmer but however, he knew how to keep himself afloat. To the best of his ability he swam one direction, he became very tired and grew exhausted (which he later found out was West) he became very tired and grew exhausted eventually passing out from swimming so long. He lay, floating on his back drifting with the current. The current took him to a desert island that he has never seen, but one that he has only heard of in silly stories. Upon arrival Vinir only knew little of what his older brother told him that involved survival. Vinir ventured deeper into the island and even found a place in which he could harvest the fruit and drink from the water. At the time Vinir was 45, still a young dark elf, was ready to survive whatever the gods would throw at him. Vinir would go on to survive here for 9 years. He would sleep in a cave that held all the resources that he gathered, a bed of leaves to sleep on, and had a spring at the back of it that he had drunk water from since his time there. Now, Vinir did not plan to stay for long, he had a heart for adventure and wanted to cross the ocean and find the next place that he could. So he did just that. Vinir had so much faith that he left all that he had just to swim towards, what he thought was Arcas. [1707-1715] Vinir walked towards the ocean and started swimming, he began heading in a somewhat straight direction. However, this swim took him to a rather, interesting place. Upon arriving he was greeted by a man that towered above him in a dark black armor. “Welcome to the Principality of Vira’ker”. Vinir had happily entered the city upon being greeted, he spent time wandering around and even saw many eviction signs. Upon seeing one recently evicted house, it caught his eye. He then went to the local steward and even slept that night in his new home. Vinir would spend many nights here before seeing the man the greeted him at the gates his first day there. Vinir later became friends with this man and even found out more things about him. The mans name was Daichia, Hortiator of the Div’Cruan, later known as the Vihai’ker. Later on into their friendship Vinir would challenge Daichia to a duel. Being the agile warrior that he is, he was able to move swiftly around the towering man and even defeat him. Vinir would go on to impress many people with his great agility. Daichia saw Vinir’s talent as he was dueling the prince on the beach and he was even placed Vinir into the military, days later even made a Ordinator. [1715-1720] Upon joining the military, Vinir began to travel. He spent many times escorting citizens and royals to their locations. Upon arriving at one location, Vinir saw a rather familiar face, his brother. After being reunited, Vinir and his brother spent a very long time travelling down the road catching up with each others past lives. Vinir even invited Conall to join him at Vira’ker. The two brothers then stay together as much as they could, who knows what the gods have in store for them, but I guarantee, nothing will stop the Orothells. [1720-Present] After leaving the lands of the Mali’ker. Vinir would visit Krugmar to see his friend Noka’Lur from time to time. After that he still continued to go on anger filled sprees of killing people. He did this for some time until one day, he came across a eagle. Upon following it around in the forest, he had arrived at the things nest where it had been living, in a forest near Fenn. Only to discover the broken eggs that lay in it. Perhaps it was just from a prey the eagle had discovered, so Vinir left and would return days later. When he returned though, the eagle had been laying lifeless on the forest floor. Vinir rushed up to it cradling it in his arms, as he sat there with it. While he did this, his bond would grow strong with the eagle, and soon he named it Tathvir.

It all started that night, an Emperial night, a night of loss, death, torture, and hell. That night was her end, that night was the night I started. It had all started that night. The winds were blowing thundering past every house, a march was heard as all the happiness drained. The dogs, were howling, fire. Fire from the hatred of the Emperor, his torches burnt, many fled. The blood was shed. That night was the night mother said her farewells, to me, to sister, to this world. Her sickness had grown, she could no longer walk, so she packed our bags, gave us the locket her mother had given her. She stayed, smiling, yet crying as the people pulled us away. Fire. Blood. Cries. Death. The Emperor had already won. Darkness fell, I fainted. Only to wake up, Urguan being my new setting, the only words coming out my mouth being “S- s- sister?!?!” “Yeh sister beh wi'd 'e Elves Lad, sheh beh safe t'ere.” spoke a man, a small man, he was a dwarf. “Meh name beh Flynn Treebeard, Urguan 'nd 'efrumm Med'ehc. Yeself'ns?” “A-I I'm Adrian DeLaForesteNoir.” he answered, scared, bewildered and lost. That was the first time a dwarf had been across from my eyes, and the first time sister and mother weren't smiling with me. This was the first time my eyes truly became a waterfall of misery and loneliness, a secret place showing himself, I screamed, I cried, the realisation that mother was gone crossed my mind at last. That night, that night was finally over as I fell asleep in the arms of Flynn. That night was over and I knew I'd meet sister again. I had fully turned towards Anbella. Me, a human now called myself a dwarf even without the blood throughout myself. That night had changed my life, whether for the best or the worst, I am still unsure, but that night was my tragedy, and my new joy. That night, I am now thankful for. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hi! That was part one of my story! The first story I've ever made! I hope I can make the next one! And thanks for reading!!!!!!!!! ❤️ I hope you all enjoyed this! ❤️❤️❤️

Finri: The Lost Race Of The Ocean. The History: According to the legends scrawled by walls underwater, when the four brothers ruled every corner of the earth, there was one more sibling that the first man and woman could not bare to tell their children; the helpless case of their last child, Newx. He was an elf-like creature with blue skin, four arms, webbed fingers, three eyes, and an eel-like body. His voice was nothing more than high pitched squeals. His behavior was like an animal. But his intelligence was stunning, able to solve puzzles in a matter of seconds. The first man and woman had to sacrifice their child to the sea, for they quickly learned that Newx could not survive on land. Down into the depths did he thrive, his high pitch squeals allowing him to communicate with dolphins and other forms of submerged life. He would be the one to rule not the earth, but it’s vast oceans. It was then did he have four heirs. Gi who governed the Trenches, Mol who protected the Reefs, Bow who guarded the Emptiness, and Wiklo who reigned the Shores. These were the four realms of the ocean, these were the four daughters of Newx, these were the first Finri tribes. Gi—who thrived between earth, water, and darkness—was the inventor of sea lanterns and the discoverer of prismarine. From chunks of these crystals, grains of sand, and blue lava from submerged volcanoes, did she forge the new light source for her sisters. Mol on the other hand, discovered how to herd yummy cod and plant food. The dolphins her father befriended taught her how to hunt. The tropical fish showed her how to farm kelp, sea grass, and coral. And through their knowledge did Mol learn how to tame pufferfish, breeding them to become later on, guardians. Bow traveled alone through invisible currents that were only touched by venturing fish and migrating turtles. Their corpses lend her scute armor and the materials needed to help Gi forge tridents. Wiklo lurked near the shores, learning from the salmon leaving rivers about magic and how to wield it. She taught these arts to her sisters, who used the ability to gain greater technology, like the conduit. Then came an secret abysmal war. Almost each tribe has invented a new form of magic and had the instinct to claim their territory. Gi invented Umbra Phasing, to manipulate and transform into shadow. Mol made a type of magic known as Siren Callings, allowing her children to enslave sailors and wreak their ships. And Bow discovered Taint Marking, to claim an environment with runes that control the area. After the death of the four daughters, in the final battle, Gi’s descendants casted a spell that transformed all Finir into shadow, stripping themselves into nothing but bone, dead before the world even knew they existed. The only thing that remains of them now are their ruins, their guardians, their technologies, and their corpuses littering the sea. OOC Explanation: Basically, there was a hidden race that once lived in the sea but went extinct thanks to an abysmal war. This war is currently unknown in the roleplay lore, the only thing that is known is their extinction. This race called the Finir built ocean monuments, discovered prismarine, breed sea animals, and used lost magics. Their curse was their animal like behaviors and their blessing were their extreme intelligence. Purpose: The purpose of this lore is used to explain the reasoning for the existence of ocean monuments, guardians, wrecked ships, and other sea-based items. If this lore is accepted, it could also be used to explain new forms of magic--as seen above--I am planning on sharing. I hope this contributes to the wonderful RPG community we have! Spoilers: · https://wikia.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Ancient_History

((This post contains reference to content that others might find triggering or emotionally upsetting. Read at your own desire.)) Daichia Jusmia, was truly no one. His father, Gusiam Jusmia openly denounced the ancestors. Claiming that older Ker used it has a ploy, to brain wash the young into false beliefs and a fear of death. Daichia was born in 1561, his mother was but a simple servant that happen to get caught upon the roads by a bandit. This bandit would come to be his father. A murderer, thief, and heretic. He had a nasty habit of forcing himself on women. His mother was no different, but she took seed. And soon, was with child. But soon after his birth, his mother met an ill fate. Smothered in her sleep, the bab Daichia stolen away into the night by his father. Gusiam held no desire to stay where he was. And soon boarded ship, heading outward towards Atlas. Taking the growing Mali’ker with him. They would come to make a home deep in the southern part of Atlas, where Daichia knew little of his fathers past. He lived a simple life growing up. Maintaining their home, adding in securing food. Truly it was a simple life. And Daichia was raised, blissfully ignorant to his father’s crimes. There was little talk of religion between them. As it was only when Daichia started to venture forth on his own did he discover that his people had a faith. This sparked many debates between the two, as father and son bickered over the matter. In the end, Daichia would move onward before becoming of age. His father would fall ill soon after. His body was never found, and it was generally agreed that wolves had broken in and dragged the corpse out of the cabin. From here, he spent his days hunting game. And living off of the land, offering his service as a sell sword to those with coin. Truly, he was content with being no one. But, fate never leaves anyone out. And it sunk its claws into Daichia. The Mali’ker would come across a town called Belvitz in which he met a human whom he’d never truly forget. His name was Pandir, a charming lad, spastic. But a good heart. Truly, the elf felt at home, as they humans had welcome him with open arms. This lasted for a few years. The Imperial change in attitude towards elves looked dire to him, and Belvitz’s jolly mayor had stepped down. A Marshall took control of the town. And the ker promptly left. He would come across Fenn next in his journey through life. Taking up the title of banner men once more beneath them. Even cut off the tail of a horrid undead wyvern during his stay. Daichia respected the Mali’fenn, but he was hardly personally close to any. It was when their prince declared that all citizens and snow elves must come to worship their deity, did he leave. He would come to take up arms with a small group called the Wyvern Fang company. Hired blades, but the group lasted for a few years. Before the majority of them had been hunted down by Darius Ault. Daichia survived, by simply leaving at the right time. From here, Daichia had herd word of a group of ‘ker gathering. He would make their way to their encampment, and witness the wedding of Xavis Ashwood, and Wren Ashwood. He did little to get involved with their matters, and spent his last days on Atlas hunting game in the woods. It was upon Arcas, that Daichia would invest himself into Vira’ker. From staying within Aegorthond. To their small fort where he took oath beneath Avurak Syllar, where he would see the coronation of Avurak. Daichia would come to make close personal connections with several that also called Vira’ker their home. And he would watch Vas Vincrute make a choice one hardly ever returns from. But nothing last forever, Vira’ker was raided, and Avurak killed by the hands of Renatus. He would see Vira’ker join Fenn and Aegrothond in an Elven Union. And was starting to gain mantels and titles. Ones which he knew little what to do with. He would live to see the Orcs betray their promise to the elves. Watching Valen Syllar take the throne after Avurak’s death. But in his last years, he would live to see the re-birth of the Oren empire. And rode with Vira’ker and Fenn. to rally with Oren and meet Renatus upon the field of battle. He would live to see the birth of Vaelor Syllar, and he would come to enter a throne room. Forsaken by his royalty, the crown left upon the throne. And for the first time in a long time, Daichia fell to his knees and wept. A document declare himself, Dak’ir Des’Nox, and Necor Illaka upon a regency council. Daichia would come to meet the Oren Emperor, something he’d never expect in his life. After all, he was no one. To secure Vira’ker ties with Oren He would live to see Lucius Daemyr lay claim to the Vira’ker throne, and lived to see Lucius crowned upon the throne of Vira’ker. In this time, he had taken but two lovers. The first, he believed to be dead, a Ker by the name of Sanvi. They would have a daughter. a daughter that would no longer have a father. The second, was Kelia, the daughter of the Shade Lockezi. Who was with child, who also will never know the sight of their father. Daichia would meet his death not far outside Vira’ker. At the hands of Vinir Orothell, where the two engaged in combat. In an emotionally heated fight, words were exchanged, and blows were traded. But Daichia would fall to the younger ker. Dying silently, with no words. Death was silent History would not remember dead men And Daichia would lay lifeless on the ground. In his final moments, he was joyful. For truly, he believed he’d prove his father wrong and end the debate that was never settled.

What the absolute **** is up, it’s me Dingo, the NEW ST Event manager and here to make some bounds and leaps onto the server. I’m going to be personally pursuing some changes in how events are done and removing the former stigma that the team was associated with. This will be a short and sweet announcement, I’m here to simply advertise that the ST Event Sect are looking for more members, specifically two or three depending on the quality of the candidates (you can apply here: click me). If you were denied in the most recent run, please do not apply again. Otherwise, I’m really excited to see those who have wanted to make a true impact on the server come over and help with the plans I have in store. A rough gist of what I’m aiming to have roll out over the next few months are - - Bounty Board Reforms - Ambient Event Chains (It’s obscure for a reason) - The beginning of world/narrative events written and driven by @Xarkly himself. With this in mind, feel free to shame me if I don’t deliver on at least one of these promises. I’m really looking forward to doing some hopefully good **** on this server. Once the team is completely operational, we’ll be expanding into other areas to make the world seem more alive. A big objective for my management. Also welcome the first wave of new ST-Actors. Most are veteran ETs and will do great. @Werew0lf @TheGayGuardian2 @Cracker@Temp @SpodoKaiba @Treshure

THE HISTORY OF ORCS THE AGE OF CREATION DAWN OF AEGIS (Est. 1 - 700 BCW) 1 BCW: The Four Brothers are born into the lands of Aegis: Krug, Horen, Malin, and Urguan 2 BCW: The descendants battle in the fateful war against Iblees and the Undead 3 BCW: Krug becomes scarred and burned by Iblees touch and cursed with bloodlust after the Arch-Daemon was defeated. In return, the Aenguls blessed Krug and his kin with Honor and Valor as contribution after the war. 4 BCW: The Four Brothers split into separate ways raising great families and unique civilizations. 5 BCW: Krug takes upon many mates creating vast amounts of sons and daughters, but the children of Grahla whomst was Krug’s life mate was recognized to be the most popular. These children went by the names of Rax, Dom, Gorkil and Lur. 6 BCW: Krug’s children triumph in many battles and obstacles earning great respect to their names. 7 BCW: Krug wages war against the Empire of Horen. While the Orcs sieged the city, Krug is challenged to an honor duel by the Emperor. Horen is swiftly defeated by Krug who planted his war axe into his brother’s skull. CLAN WAR (Est. 700 - 1300 CW) 1 CW: The Orc Clans came about when the children of Krug began having descendents and eventually they separated into different families, or Clans. These Clans would have many differences and would respect their Clan Father and die for Him. 2 CW: These Clans would eventually start following Clan fathers, and there were two who possessed the most appeal; The Great Warrior Tythor, Slayer of the Kar'ak Scorpion, and The Great Shaman Orta, who could call down whole lightning storms. 3 CW: Two major Mega-Clans of the time were the Rax Clan led by Tythor’Rax and Dom Clan led by Orta’Dom. 4 CW: The Clan Wars tear through the lands of Krug between the Clan Dom and Clan Lur 5 CW: Warlord Veruk’Gorkil leads a campaign against Warlord Tythor’Rax in the Battle of Nomad Plains leading 500 Gorkils riding their fastest war boars against 1,200 Jabbernacks that Tythor’Rax brought to battle. The Gorkils tore through the Rax cavalry while the Dom’s sent lightning crashing from the sky into the center of the Rax forces. At the end of the battle, Tythor’Rax retreated with 150 Jabbernacks while Veruk’Gorkil only lost 30 War Boars and even fewer Gorkils. 6 CW: Tythus’Rax is pronounced War Lord of the Rax Clan after Tythor’Rax falls in battle. 7 CW: The Clans of Krugmar are exposed to the truth of the dark shamanism utilized as a weapon by Dark Shamans of Clan Dom after slaughtering through the numbers of Clan Lur. This causes Clan Gorkil and Clan Rax to join Lur and face the Doms. 8 CW: Warlord Tythus’Rax led many victories over the Dominus Clan and in one fateful battle, the High Shaman Orta tried to use Dark Magic to win. Krug, in anger, showed his displeasure for the weak and sent down lightning bolts to aid Tythus. Orta was killed and the Dominus Clan was eliminated, many showing fealty to Tythus soon after. 9 CW: War Lord Tythus’Rax leads a great victory over the Elves, taking their ruined city and establishing it as the capital of the War Nation, San’Jazel. THE AGE OF BLOOD AEGIS (1305 -1349 IG)[2011 - 2012 IRL] 1 CW - 1300 - Aegis began. Although the realm had already existed for a long time. 2 CW - 1305 - Tythus’Rax unites the Clans after the end of the Clan Wars and establishes the first Rexdom of Krugmar 3 13XX - Bein’Lur suggests the formation of an Orcish Army and Rex Tythus grants Bein the title Dominus. 4 13XX - A Nomad Village was land granted to the Dominus of Krugmar by Rex Tythus 5 13XX – Dominus Bein’Lur scouted a village near San’Jazel that was called Riverside. After some interactions and conflicts the Dominus waged war upon Riverside. The details of the battles are foggy, but the Orcs prevailed and the Dominus reconstructed the ruins forging a new city called San’Har. 6 13XX - An Orc named Petri bought a home in Kellogg but began building an army in a short span of time. It was brought to the attention of Dominus Bein’Lur and as Petri was confronted a skirmish broke out and left Petri’s army scattered and demoralized. 7 13XX - The Orcish Horde was reformed and construction of Fort Krug is completed. 8 13XX - Orta the Dark Shaman returns from death with the help of Iblees after being cast to the Nether by Krug for using Dark Magic. Dominus Bein is captured but after numerous attacks upon Orc cities he is defeated and killed by a group of Orcs in the Battle of San’Jazel. 9 13XX - Dominus Thyst challenges Tythus for the title of Rex and was mortally wounded in the battle. He suffered from his wounds and eventually was sent into the afterlife of the Stargush’Stroh. 10 13XX - Many of the Clans despised the leadership of Rex Tythus and united together to overthrow him in a revolt. 11 13XX - Just before the Assault of San’Jazel many of the clans became conflicted amongst themselves. Many laid their support in the Chieftain Mogroka’Gorkil while others supported the Lower Dominus Gorefang’Gorkil. 12 13XX - Mogroka and Gorefang decided it could only be settled through a duel. The duel lasted for three days and nights but neither got the upper hand. On the fourth day, after dehydration and starvation begins to set in the two Orcs land a solid blow upon each-other ending the duel without a winner. 13 13XX - Many feared that bloodshed and civil war would soon break out without a winner and just as each side prepared for battle they were interrupted by The Wandering Wizard who convinced the Clans to re-unite to their cause to prevent the Undead from reaping their lands. 14 13XX -A prophecy is told by Elder Shaman Krink’Gorkil that two brothers would lead the Orcs to victory and it would be the Orc’s Golden Age. 15 13XX - Mogroka and Gorefang together set out for San’Jazel to meet the Rex and challenge him for the Rexdom. Rex Tythus arrogantly accepted both challenges at the same time and was defeated leaving Mogroka and Gorefang to share the Rex title. 16 13XX - Shez’Lur, son of Bein’Lur, destroys San’Har and opens rebellion against Mogroka’Gorkil believing him to be a Usurper since he had never held the title of Dominus. Rex Mogroka acted quickly and had the rebels in full retreat as Shez’Lur was killed in the fighting. 17 13XX - The Great War began with a series of skirmishes between the Orcs and Dwarves outside of San’jazel. 18 1336 - Rex Mogroka’Gorkil of Krugmar and Prince Mylas of the Holy Princedom of Malinor, accompanied by Hochmeister Gaius Marius, marched on the capital of the Grand Kingdom of Urguan, Kal’Urguan 19 1336 - The Wandering Wizard falls defending against a horde of Undead 20 1339 - Grand Councilor Valen Blackaxe of Kal'Urguan and Warlord Mogroka of Krugmar end the Great War with a peace treaty, allowing Kal'Urguan to join the United Aegis Coalition. 21 1343 - The Dwarves begin work on a new coalition made up of Kal'Urguan, Renatus, Malinor, Hanseti and Krugmar. 22 1349 - Aegis falls 1 The Verge - Explored and colonized towards the end of Aegis, the Verge was a collections of islands that the people of Aegis fled through a portal to when Iblees' power became too great to contain. There they built ships to travel to Asulon. ASULON (1351 -1414 IG)[2012 IRL] 1 1351 - The orcs ventured to Asulon with the other mortal races and saw a boost in their population. 2 1351 - An idea spurred that the Rexdom of Krugmar was not working for the orcs, and thus the War Uzg, a nation of violence, was born. 3 13XX - As a result of the new found strength, the War Uzg aids the Hanseti in raids against the Kingdom of Renatus 4 13XX - War eventually breaks out with the orcs and Hansetians on one side and the Kingdom of Renatus on the other side. The war is stalemated after the orcs take over the fort of Das Boot. 5 13XX- After these tensions, the War Uzg set it's eyes on the Silver City of the High Elves. Within time, the orcs had burned down the Silver City after weeks of raiding. After the sacking of the Silver City, the War Uzg sat dormant for a while, until a new political advance in the War Uzg occurred. 6 13XX - The first Rex Klomp of the War Uzg occurs between the standing Rex Mogroka’Gorkil and Warlord Pok of the Ugluk Clan. After a fierce battle, Pok’Ugluk emerges the winner and becomes the Third Rex to ever hold the title. 7 13XX- Rex Pok quickly turns relations with the nation of Salvus for the worst and forms four powerful alliances 8 13XX - The War Uzg declares war on Salvus, backed by the coalition Pok had formed. The coalition consisted of Alras, Renatus, Hanseti, and Malinor as well as some larger guilds and a rebellion lead by a Human noble. 9 1414 - The Descendants depart from Asulon 1 Elysium - A collection of islands that the people stopped on during their sea trip from Asulon to Anthos. 2 Kalos - A big island which the people stopped to restock on supplies between Elysium and Anthos. ANTHOS (1420 -1454 IG)[2013 - 2014 IRL] 1 1420 - The Descendants reach Anthos 2 14XX - The Orcs of the War Uzg occupied the capital of San'Orka. 3 14XX - The dwarves push back the orcs, after a victorious battle at Storm's Crossing, ending the war between the two races. 4 1440 - The War Uzg is disbanded and the Orcish desert is called the Orcish Badlands. The Orcish Clans become the center of Orcish political life. 5 1454 - A new land would be discovered by the descendants, known to most as the Fringe, a peculiar land seeming near ancient as Anthos itself, with a sprawling temple of marble with a peculiar obsidian portal, seeming much like the ones once used in Aegis by the Undead around roughly a century ago. 1 The Fringe - Explored and colonized towards the end of Anthos, the Fringe was a land surrounded by very high mountains, with weird natural land formations. The people escaped here through a tunnel when Anthos was flooded. 2 Thales - When a harsh heat passed through the Fringe, the people took a portal to Thales, where they stayed there until finding a more suitable land of Athera. THE AGE OF IRON ATHERA (1470 -1513 IG)[2014 - 2015 IRL] 1 1470 - Power struggles existed each and every day, orcs had no honor towards each other. This occurred over the span of Athera, until an ancient and experienced orc known as Vrograk'Gorkil took it upon himself to fix things and declared himself Rex. 2 1470 - The Iron Uzg was established 3 14XX - Rex Vrograk'Gorkil orders construction of a capital city, Kodar'Goi. After years of construction, the fearsome city of violence was completed - arguably one of the most defendable places in Athera. 4 14XX - Skirmishes soon broke out naturally between the dwarves and the orcs. Primarily, the dwarves were angered by the shaving of dwarven beards by the Rex, Vrograk'Gorkil. 5 14XX - The Grand Kingdom of Urguan issued what was known as The Treaty of the Red Sands, which angered many orcs. Without second thought, Vrograk'Gorkil used the treaty as toilet paper - his faith in his newly revived orcs higher than ever. Soon after, both nations mobilized their armies in preparation for a bloody war. 6 14XX - A battle is won decisively for the Iron Uzg as they then marched to Kal'Ekknar - the Grandaxe Village. 7 14XX - After a long battle at Kal'Ekknar, the Dwarves utilized a strong flanking route and sent the Iron Uzg in a full retreat back to their original land. 8 1491: After a several year long conflict, peace has been made between the Kingdom of Akovia, Mardonic League, the Dwarves and the orcs. 9 1513: The Orc-Dwarf War comes to an end, and within a few months a giant worm destroys most of Athera. The descendant races then move on to The Isles of Vailor. VAILOR (1513 -1570 IG)[2015 - 2016 IRL] 1 1513 - Shortly after the arrival into Vailor, Rex Vrograk'Gorkil fell fatally ill - later dying, but not before naming his son, Vrogrash'Gorkil, to be trained to be the Rex of the Iron Uzg. 2 15XX - After some years it was realized that Rex Vrogrash'Gorkil never truly lived up to his father's legacy, and he later left the Iron Uzg. 3 15XX - In his place, surprisingly, the first non-orcish rex in history - Phaedrus'Yar took over the Iron Uzg as the Rex. At first faced with opposition, Phaedrus quickly proved he was an orc in an elf's body - truly the most vile elf to ever live. 4 15XX - Under Phaedrus's rule, the clans were reunified after a brief period of seclusion, tribute to the rex was expected from all clans, a holy warrior of the Church of Canon was slain in a duel, and most surprisingly - outlawed slavery and declared an era of industry. 5 15XX - Phaedrus'Yar was later defeated in an honorable duel by the orc known as Kahn'Braduk, an orc more ancient than Vrograk'Gorkil himself. 6 15XX - Briefly, the Iron Uzg was a part of the Southern Vailor Coalition, but Rex Kahn believing the Chancellor of the coalition, Aelthir Tundrak was trying to control him, took his nation out of the alliance and left the heart of the great beast the Fleugal at their feet, challenging them to seek retribution. 7 15XX - The Iron Uzg had brief skirmishes with the combined armies of Urguan and Fenn, but did not react until the Southern Vailor Coalition broke up after the vassalization of Aeroch Nor by the Holy Oren Empire. 8 1527 - The Iron Uzg begins advancing towards the Princedom of Fenn as an act of retribution to prior threats. 9 1528: The Iron Uzg wins against the Ivae'Fenn outside their city, and prepare to siege Tar'sil, the Princedom's capital. 10 1529: The Princedom of Fenn with Dunamis support bests the Iron Uzg in a siege against the Princedom of Fenn's capital. 11 15XX - Regrouping his forces, Rex Kahn'Braduk attempted again and conquered the Snow Elves. He ultimately fell ill, and was challenged by his friend Targoth Ubba'Ugluk who would go on to become Rex and reform the Iron Uzg as the War Uzg 12 1560 - The Iron Uzg collapsed and is reformed into the War Uzg 13 15XX - Rex Ubba’Ugluk falls ill and grants the Rex title to his friend, Snoop’Azog. 14 15XX - The clans showed dissatisfaction for their newly elected Rex, Snoop’Azog and was defeated after entering an honor duel with Kharak’Raguk. 15 15XX - The Shaman Rex Kharak’Raguk leads the War Uzg on the Orgonic campaign. During this time much of the land became blighted or tainted with disease. 16 1570 - The Descendants flee Vailor through a Spirit Portal after the Great Spirit of Disease, Orgon, tainted the land and created an imbalance of nature ultimately destroying it. AXIOS (1571 -1642 IG)[2016 - 2017 IRL] 1 1571 - Vailor falls into destruction while the Orcs sail through the magical sea corridor into the lands of Axios eventually splitting from the mass of Vailoric Ships and anchored at the Jungles of Asul in the city of San’Garath. 2 1573 - Rex Kharak’Raguk dies at the hands of a mysterious spirit, and Kulgarok’Lak, a notable shaman, succeeds him. 3 1574 - Kulgarok constructs a new city, San’Kharak, in the swamp not far from San’Garath. San’Garath is promptly abandoned. 4 1576 - Rex Kulgarok’Lak is challenged by Malgunuz’Raguk, who handily defeats Kulgarok and takes the title of Rex. A group of Orcs known as the Sarnites break off from the Uzg and establish their own settlement across from San’Kharak, claiming themselves to be the true Rexdom. A civil war erupts between the Sarnites and the War Uzg. 5 1577 - The Order of the Angathgul is formed and separates from the Uzg, making its home on Ceru, by Sutica. Later that year, The ‘Ivory Mandate’ is signed in Oren, stating that all Orcish tusks brought to the crown will be rewarded with a hefty sum of minas. 6 1579 - John I Owyn, Emperor of the Holy Orenian Empire, declares war on the War Uzg. As a response, the Sarnites reunite with the War Uzg and their disagreements are put aside in order to stand up against the Orenian menace. The first major engagement, known as ‘The Battle of Atlay’, is a decisive Orenian victory. 7 1580 - Vorgo’Yar claims Rexdom after Malgunuz’Raguk is imprisoned by the Skygods. 8 1581 - San’Kharak is evacuated right before Oren encircles the city and begins to siege it, the only people left to defend it being Vorgo’Yar, Dominus Khargak’Raguk, and the honorary Morka’Vorgor. The city quickly falls, with Khargak being slain at the battle, and Vorgo and Morka being brought to the Johannesburg Courthouse for trial, ending with both of them dying. Afterward, the War Uzg is disbanded and the remaining Orcs hide across Axios to try and recover from the devastating genocidal war they have battled. 9 1582 - The surviving Orcs begin to reunite and sail to the desert of Urguan as provided refuge by the Grand King of Urguan, Torvin Grandaxe, and founded a camp in the wasteland of Azaghol, where the Orcs lived as a loose band with little in the means of government. 10 1589 - Kulgarok returns and briefly claims Rexdom. However, very quickly he is challenged by a returning ancient orc, Drokon’Ugluk, who beats Kulgarok and reforms the Orcish society into the War Nation of Krugmar. 11 1591 - A Warzone erupts between Urguan and Azaghol versus Orenia and the Dominion of Malin after Wood Elf scouts found Orcs in Azaghol also known as ‘The Battle of the Gray Peninsula’, which ends in a loss for the Orcs. 12 1593 - Rex Drokon’Ugluk helps form a Coalition alongside The Grand Kingdom of Urguan, The Kingdom of Courland, the Ivae’fenn, and Norland to fight against the warmongering Orenian Empire. 13 1594 - The Orenian Empire attempt to cross through a valley in the desert but are defeated by the Coalition forces in a fight known as ‘The Battle of the Gorge’, marking the first battle the Empire had lost in over a hundred years. 14 1595 - The Coalition battles for the unstable county of Lorraine which is famously known as ‘The Battle of Goldfield’. 15 1596 - Drokon’Ugluk is severely injured after a hunt, only being saved due to both a surgery performed by Murgosh’Raguk and some magic by the dark shaman Kulgarok. Drokon is severely altered by Kulgarok’s magic and the Rex goes a spree of killing many Wargoths and other Orcs who he believes are conspiring against him. Soon after, Kulgarok reforms the Clan of Dom, bringing with him a new era of dark shamanism. 16 1597 - Drokon is returned to his right state of mind, ending his reign of terror. 17 1599 - Rex Drokon’Ugluk, out of shame for what he had done and the countless he had killed, hands the title of Rexdom over to Orgoth’Braduk. With this abdication, the clan Ugluk is decreed to be absorbed into clan Gorkil. 18 1602 - The Clans Braduk and Raguk, in an attempt to shore up their lacking numbers, merge to form the Clan Braguk. 19 1606 - Rex Orgoth’Braduk abdicates Rexdom to Gurak’Yar. 20 1608 - A coup is attempted by the Wargoth Kuntklobbera’Raguk at a feast, leading to a short battle that ended with Kuntklobbera being stripped of his status, yet still in Orcish society. 21 1612 - The Braguk Clan breaks up, reverting to Clans Braduk and Raguk. 22 1614 - Gurak’Yar steps down, leaving a void in the leadership that is filled by Kulgarok’Dom. Immediately, Kulgarok is challenged and defeated by Eath’Lur, and is once again banished from Krugmar. 23 1615 - Rex Eath’Lur steps down and hands the title over to Kuntklobbera’Raguk a bit before the World Cactus Festival. 24 1617 - A Coalition is formed between the War Nation, Urguan, Veris, and Norland to fight against the newly reformed Oren. 25 1619 - Anti-Laureh’lin sentiment rises immensely, with a spree of raids and taunts from the Rex and other Orcs, leading the two nations to the brink of war. The tensions did not result in any major conflicts, but they persisted for years afterwards. 26 1620 - The Shamanic Fellowship is founded. 27 1621 - Kuntklobbera'Raguk, in order to show his devotion to Leyd, changes his name to Leydluk'Raguk. 28 1642 - The Isles of Axios sunk into a deep thanic winter while the Orcs and other descendants escaped by sea. THE AGE OF DARKNESS ATLAS (1643 - 1705 IG)[2017 - 2019 IRL] 1 1643 - The Descendants reach the shores of Atlas after spending some time sailing upon the sea. 216XX - Orcs enter the first half of the Orc-Elf War and shortly into it Rex U’la’Yar is captured by mercenaries and executed by the Dominion of Malin. 3 16XX - Leydluk’Raguk reclaims the Rexdom and leads the War Nation of Krugmar 416XX - Rex Leydluk’Raguk involves the War Nation in the Courland-Renatus War 5 16XX - Rex Leydluk orders the construction of Fort Stronk bordering the lands of the Dominion of Malin 6 16XX - Several skirmishes and conflicts occur upon the roads outside of Fort Stronk 7 16XX - Rex Leydluk’Raguk relieves himself of the title and raises the Targoth Puknaak’Lak as the next Rex of Krugmar. 8 16XX - Krugmar enters the second half of the Orc-Elf War as Rex Puknaak orders a re-design of Fort Stronk. Many battles continue to happen between the Elves and Orcs. 9 16XX - Puknaak’Lak enters and honor duel with the Prince of the Dominion as suggested by Emperor Aurelius of Renatus-Marna which concluded with Rex Puknaak’s defeat and death. 10 16XX - Morlak’Lak rises as Rex when the clans decide upon him after his brother, Puknaak’s, death. 11 16XX - After Rex Morlak’s death, the clans fumble for the Rexdom and an honor duel is declared between Falum’Lur and Blogus the Black. After a decisive brawl, Rex Falum’Lur reigns over what remained of Krugmar and San’Kala which was shortly stripped away and granted to the Dominion of Malin. 12 16XX - Rex Falum’Lur departed for some time leaving Krugmar after San’Kala was taken and left the Orcs in great unrest. When he returned, Warlord Shakul’Gorkil claimed himself as Rex backed by a newly elected Warlord of Braduk. Shakul challenged Falum and dueled each other in a close match until the Gorkil claimed victory and earned the title as Rex Shakul’Gorkil. 13 16XX - Rex Shakul’Gorkil settles the orcs in the lands of the Frostbeards of Kaz’Ulrah for some time but eventually reclaims San’Kala then facing the conflict of the separate Orc Horde of Thagurz’Grish and resolves the situation by assimilating the Horde into Krugmar and allowing them to continue their ways. 14 16XX - Many Clans become unsatisfied with Rex Shakul’Gorkil as he often referred to making intolerable actions in the view of the Clans of Krugmar. 15 16XX - Glottgut'Raguk and Rognor'Lak lead a revolt of the clans in hopes to overthrow Rex Shakul’Gorkil which then phased into a Clan War. 16 16XX - After several battles, Rex Shakul’Gorkil is defeated and the Warlords choose Rex Gilgamesh’Braduk, son of the late Kahn’Braduk, to reign. 17 16XX - The War Nation of Krugmar is reformed into the Rexdom of Krugmar 18 16XX - Rex Gilgamesh vanishes from the lands of Krug and Warlord Murak’Gorkil rises to the occasion claiming the Rexdom. 19 1700 - Clan Raguk gets banished from Krugmar by Rex Murak’Gorkil 20 1705 - The inhabitants of Atlas escaped to Arcas. ARCAS [(1705 - SA 0) 1705 - 1796 IG]{2019 - 2020 IRL} 1 1705 - The Orcs and other Descendants reach the lands of Arcas after escaping Atlas. 2 17XX - Relations with Clan Raguk are repaired by Rex Burbur’Lur, but remain separate entities. 3 1715 - Rex Burbur’Lur gives an order to begin reconstruction of San’Strohk. 4 1732 -The Battle of Lowveld was fought between the forces of the Holy Orenian Empire and the Federation of Mokh-Uruk. The battle proved to be a victory for Mohk-Uruk 5 1734 - The Holy Orenian Empire declared war against the Federation of Mokh-Uruk. 6 1796: Arcas was destroyed and people settled on Almaris. Some people started to mark this as the beginning of the Second Age and reset the year to 0. ALMARIS (SA 0 - SA 128 IG)[1796 - 1924 IG]{2020 - 2023 IRL} 1 SA 35 - The Grand Kingdom of Urguan issued a declaration of war against the War Nation of Krugmar. 2 SA 39 - The war between Urguan and Krugmar ends in an Urguani victory. 3 SA 72 - After failed negotiations, the Orcs of the Iron Uzg declare war on the Kingdom of Elysium for apparent racism, sparking the Orc-Elysium War. 4 SA 76 - The Siege of Elysium transpired concluding with an Iron Uzg victory 5 SA 78 - The Elves of Malinor send an ultimatum to The Horde, demanding that they withdraw from their Haelun'orian lands. The Horde refuses, and sparks the Malinor-Horde War. 6 SA 83 - The Kingdom of Haense & The Grand Kingdom of Urguan declare a joint war against The Horde, sparking the Almaris Coalition War. 7 SA 83 - With the mitigation of the Kingdom of Oren, the Horde and Malin'or finally sign a peace treaty, ending the Malinor-Horde War. 8 SA 85 - The Almaris Coalition War ends with the signing of a treaty 9 SA 102 - The Iron Uzg declares war on those who use "Dark Magics" and launch an invasion of The Synods. This sparks the Orcish-Synod War.

Gods and Men ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ((Link to Roleplay Forum--- Gods and Men Basics In Gods and Men, you take the form of one of the gods, fighting and creating, learning and forgetting, possessing kings and nobles, and the most important, fighting and working together with the other gods. There are two ways of winning: 1: Creating a pantheon Afraid you might not be able to win? Want to play it safe? Well then, my friend, you've chosen the right path! In order to create a pantheon, you and your allies must be the sole remaining gods. If all enemies are defeated, you and your other gods rule the world, and over the races of the world. 2: Becoming the Ultragod Yes, that is what I'm calling it. Not one for alliances? Greedy as can be? Well then, my friend, you've chosen the right path! In order to become the Ultragod, you must destroy the other gods, claiming the throne for you, the one true king! Sadly, there is more to it than fighting the others. The path of the gods is not an easy one. There is much micro-managing involved: You have to take care of your people, nurturing them and helping them as much as possible. The others will obviously try and stop you, but you must prevail! Cities will fall in glorious battles, and new ones shall rise through the hard work and labor. But, be weary, for the only thing keeping you a god is the peoples faith in you. If they do not worship you, you simply fade. If none cares for you, you have none left to help. It's game over. You lose. The others can try and send missionaries and priests to convert your populace, but you may do the same as well. Keep your people happy, and they worship you as the righteous god you are! Torture them, and they shall turn you into a demonic figure. Send prophets to increase faith in your populace, missionaries to destroy your enemies, and inquisitors to remove the plague of heresies! But, you will not take this path alone. On your explorations, you will discover the others, and what route you take depends solely on...well, you! You could introduce this new god to your people, showing him as a great and glorious figure, or cast him into the abyss, slandering his name as the face of chaos. If you do decide on an alliance, there is benefits, and there is consequences. The benefits are increased worship all around. With more people, the more faith you inherit. But the consequence to this is that you must share it. It is dangerous, but necessary for a pantheon. An equally powerful enemy wouldn't prove too powerful, right? Alternatively, you could also destroy this enemy. The benefits are obvious. You gain lands, riches, and get to keep the faith all to yourself. Plus, you could inherit his/her symbols. The rewards are great, but the risk you take is not one to take lightly. Although you could win, there is a possibility you could lose. Losing means you become a taboo figure, losing all your power and your kingdom. You become nothing more than the god of a deranged cult, therefore eliminating you from the game, or fading you. There is also corruption. Corruption in your kingdom grows in the governments you do not pay close attention to. Too much corruption, and the people may go so far to rebel! At first it starts as unhappiness and unrest, but grows and spreads as your people anger. Perhaps you've heard me speak of micromanaging, and you wonder how you, such as yourself, could possibly even begin. This is where possession and creation come in place. You may create a hero, and observe your kingdom from it's political powerhouse. Create a peasant and control your kingdom from its rotten underbelly. Either way, you must be able to observe your kingdom, and you must be able to regulate laws. You may wonder "What's stopping me from making it illegal to not worship me?" and I will tell you. Nothing. But, be warned, if the people feel controlled, they may begin to grow unhappy. And do you remember what happens to unhappy people? Rebellions. Mass suicide to prove points. Uprisings and plunderings. Do you really want that? If you didn't notice by now, I have yet to use the word "Humanity" because there can be more than one race. You may create any race, and show them your ways. The only thing keeping you apart is a slight application. I'm afraid we can't have everyone going around creating new races. The way this works is you can take one of your pre-existing races, and modify them to your hearts content. Then post the application here, and wait for acceptance. Now you might be wondering how I might handle all this by myself. Truth is, I can't. I can't make events for everyone at the same time. That's where the playerbase comes in. You can apply to be a Story Master and help struggling nations, destroy powerful ones, and help with all the minor stuff like judging a nations corruption levels, happiness, riches, food, and advancement rate. I will need at least 3 Story Masters before we start, and a few nations. There are 3 stages during this roleplay: 1: The Growth Age During this age you have just founded a shard, world, etc. and you create your first people. You begin to grow your nation, and help your people prosper from barbarians and savages, to villages and twons. 2: The Discovery Age During this age you begin to explore, and discover the other gods. You find competition and friends. Your people begin to become civilized, developing a culture now. 3: The Peoples Age During this age, your people are now mature and play a major role in your survival. You begin to fend off the others, and join with other factions. This is the longest age, and ends when someone/a group wins. Note: Although I explicitly speak of faith to destroy your enemies, you must realize you may also destroy the others by destroying their kingdoms and nations. With no people, they will not survive. Now that all that is covered, time for the applications: God App Name: Symbol (Water, plants, fire, etc): Race (Default human): Nation Name: Nation Symbol: Nation Terrain (Plains, desert, etc): Race App Name: Originating Race: Features (hair colors, etc): Skin Color: Story Master App Do you have a god?: What experience do you have with leadership?: Give me a minor event for a prospering powerful city: Give me an event for a weak, failing city: Why should I pick you?: Do you promise to not cause events to your own nation, if applicable?: Please note that anyone breaking the rules will be warned. If it happens again, they will be blacklisted and are stripped of their characters. 1. No PG/PE/MGing 2. Be nice and respectful 3. Do not or try not to base your religion around IRL religions 4. Keep numbers realistic. If we find you are unable to do so, a Story Master will be assigned to give you the numbers. 5. Have fun! 6. You must follow the age limits. First age, no talking with the other gods. This isolation is so you can develop you're cultures. Second age, minimal meetings are to be held. These are strangers to you. In the third age, we are not restricting any meetings. Talk as you like Feel free to leave any questions in the comments. This is, after all, OOC. All other OOC posts will be posted here. There will be a few more coming, so please make sure to check in or Follow the post. Accepted Gods Re’Moara Kazotar Mhoric Birrh Repaiup Qhul Ark Accepted Races Sentori Naevian Muintiri Arginians Ternesian Arkelon Story Master List Kaun The Elder Stephensj Map (Will be continuously updated) Gods and Men 5 Maps My Information as example: God App Name: Re’Moara Symbol (Water, plants, fire, etc): Rebirth, Rejuvenation Race (Default human): Sentori Nation Name: Reju’Vena Nation Symbol: A flowering plant Nation Terrain (Plains, desert, etc): Open plains with plateaus, lakes, and rivers with forested areas at the edges. A singular mountain near the center of the terrain. Race App Name: Sentori Originating Race: Human Features (hair colors, etc): Naturally dyed hair with flowing colors and patterns. Enhanced lifespans and enhance birthrate. Physically weaker, but large numbers. Skin Color: Tan skin, occasionally pale/albino. Seen as a blessing. God App Name: Ark Symbol (Water, plants, fire, etc): A Mirror Race (Default human): Arkelon Nation Name: The Arks Nation Symbol: A Pillar of Salt Nation Terrain (Plains, desert, etc): A mountain range island surrounded by forest. The terrain is hard and difficult to traverse, and difficult to survive. Race App Name: Arkelon Originating Race: Golem Features (hair colors, etc): Stoney figures with humanoid features. They have no hair or mouths. Their eyes are emerald. They speak telepathically. Skin Color: Pure white quartz.

The Armitage Institute, Reborn The Researchers And Innovators For A Better Tomorrow, A Better Future The Catalog (Menu) -Story & Background -Research & Studies -Ranks & Roles -What We Seek (Goals/Expectations/Requirements) -Payment & Punishment -Application Story & Background ~2nd of Snow's Maiden, 1708~ On this day, a person named Kuvira Percy has given him/herself a new title unheard by the world, “CEO”. And with the kind help and funding of a steward of Adria and Olbrecht Von Denhardt along with the X-CEO’s self entrusted title and honor, has established a new guild with the name of “The Armitage Institute”. An institute where biological warfare, viruses, mutational modification and medicine shall be explored to their full potential and used for the better good against all evil that delves and hides in the Realms Of Arcas. With that resolve, he/she started his short journey that soon came to his/her end. ~Unknown~ Facts were hidden,were lost, or perhaps washed away by time that is unforgiving. But on this day the founding members who are truly royal to the Institute has their heart broken, even shattered to pieces and grind to dust as they knew, their X-CEO no longer walked the same plane as them. The only things remained behind that is known by the members are the remains of the original “The Armitage Institute” and his/her resolve to explore all that is considered unknown,dangerous and unacceptable by other beings for the greater good, a better life for all descendants in Arcas, and to be the first one to make change. ~15th of The First Seed, 1715~ After much discussions and meetings held by the remaining members, an Executive (a rank in the Institute) with the alias, E. M. Bow-Blackmaer steps up and takes the role as CEO. As a new CEO is born, The Armitage Institute is officially back and hopes to lead everyone that believes in the Institute to one of the many possible futures that lies ahead. Along with that, changes have been made to see to The Armitage Institute’s better development and contribution to the realm of Arcas. Research & Studies There will be 3 branches of research & studies, based on the three adjectives, “Unacceptable”,”Dangerous” and “Unknown” that can be chosen from upon joining the Institute. If you want to focus on a more specific sub-branch, please do so after you’ve been enlisted into the Institute and consult the head researchers of each respective field, Executives who bears responsibility for said branch or straight to the CEO if you have evidence that prove you will be better off focusing on that particular sub-branch instead of the whole. A person can only be enlisted into 2 branches by most, unless deemed qualified by the CEO or half of the Executive members. ~Botany, The Unacceptable~ The study that revolves around plants. Members in this branch will learn and record characteristics, growth condition and etc of both known and unknown plants that exist in the realm of Arcas so we have more knowledge about plants that can be used in the near future. ~Zoology, The Dangerous~ The study that revolves around animals. Members of this branch are required to observe and gain information about all animals that exist in the realm whether they’re known or not because there is a chance that animals evolve and have different behaviour as they’ve moved from one realm to another. ~Geology, The Unknown~ The study that revolves around minerals. Members from this branch shall research and explore the underworld, consisting of underground ravines, caves and many more to record and make a list of ores and rocks found in their respective areas and zones. ~More To Come~ Ranks & Roles The ranks system that is implemented in the Institute are very simple as they are based on each individual’s level of access which are number coded. Starting from Level 1, which is the lowest until Level 3, the highest a person can obtain at the moment.This is said so because only the Leader of the Institute owns a Level 4 Access. ~Chief Executive Officer (CEO)~ Level 4, The only individual with near absolute power over the Institute, he/she will be the one in control of the main flow of the Institute’s development. This individual will oversee all Executives and make sure they’re doing their jobs efficiently and accurately, also the one that decides who can take the role of Executive that will aid and advice him on managing the Institute. ~Executives~ Level 3, Members who have contributed a lot to the Institute, they report directly to the CEO and are able overthrow him/reject his decisions when needed during the elven monthly meeting. They will voice the CEO’s desires and notices and enforces all contractors and researchers to follow the flow of development that the CEO has set. ~Diplomats~ Level 3, They are a group of members that are trusted by both the CEO and half of the active Executives. Anyone who hold this role should be proud of themselves as they’re entrusted with all the information that the Institute hold. Their job is to ensure friendly diplomatic relationship with all nations, whether it is big or small and tries to seek cooperation and help from all other guilds that also strive to maintain Arcas’ safety and peace. They are also tasked with keeping the Institute funded with money and materials so research and experiments can go smoothly. ~Enforcers~ Level 2.5, Skilled fighters that are royal to the Institute. These members will be expected to give up their all, including their own lifes (But not their treasured ones) especially when they’re ordered to eliminate abnormalities that can threaten the peace of the realm or traitors that got their hands on dangerous assets. They are also tasked to protect the VIPs (Very Important Poeple) from harm’s way and are in charge of the Institute’s security and military force. ~Contractors~ Level 2.5, They are the hands of the Institute, they are entrusted with the making and maintainance of devices, equipment and instruments that are needed for experiments and research. Their other jobs includes but not limited to expanding the laboratory, making sure all security measures are always in order, repairing and upgrading the gears used by the Institute’s security or military force. ~Guards/Militants~ Level 2, Swords and shields of the Institute. They are the only personnel excluding Enforces that are entrusted with weapons in the Institute. The guards are needed to be always be on guard to stop raiders from invading the Institute, maintain order and discipline aswell as prevent traitors and test subjects from escaping out of the Institute building. Whereas militants are required to show themselves when called upon to eliminate threats that show themselves in the realm and cooperate with other guilds with elimination and/or capture of hazardous mystical beasts. ~Researchers~ Level 2, The smarts of the Institute. They have devoted themselves into research and analysis of what they’re tasked with, according to their branch or higher ups’ wishes and orders. Making sure that we have the most up to date information on everything they have gathered over the time. They’re also in charge of what courses the teacher will teach to the newly recruited and or students that wish to learn more about a particular subject. ~Teachers~ Level 1.5, Members who are tasked with enlisting students into the Institute. They will also teach the students they have under them knowledge that is approved by the researchers,Executives and CEO. They will also take responsibility for the group of students that learn under his/her wing and report any findings on behalf of their students. ~Students~ Level 1, Those who are newly recruited or seek to learn knowledge about their particular branches. These members will be divided into small groups and put under experienced teachers’ wing. They will slowly but surely build their foundation here and know more about the Institute as they decide if they would want to leave with their obtained knowledge or countinue to serve the Institute. What We Seek (Goals/Expectation/Requirements) ~From All Individual Members (Students)~ One, to always follow your higher up’s orders and execute them as commanded. Two, to always treasure the knowledge learned and use them for good. ~From All Research Groups (Teachers)~ One, to guide the students under their wing through the whole basic course diligently. Two, invite and recruit potential students and members that are interested in our studies. ~From All Fields of Studies (Researchers)~ One, to provide the teachers and their higher up the most recent reports on the information they’ve gathered. Two, to confirm that their research bears fruit and none of them is leaked out to those who shouldn’t get their hands on it. ~From All Enforcers/Guards/Militants~ One, to be ready to sacrifice everything in possession to eliminate threats and traitors that would bring harm to the realm. Two, to stay on alert and physically fit at all times so they can execute their task efficiently. ~From All Executives/Diplomats~ One, to always think of the realm and the Institute’s benefit before oneself to avoid badly made decisions. Two, to give everyone a good impression of the Institute and make good relationship with all nations and guilds. Payment & Punishments ~Coming Soon, Haven’t Been Decided~ Application Roleplay Name: Race: Age: Desired role(s): Desired study(ies): Reason for enlistment: Do you swear to live up to the Institute’s expectation: OOC Username: Age (Optional): Discord Tag (Example#1996):

The Percy Family Our story begins in Atlas, there a dwarf named Telmarill esteemed member of the Azaghul and brother of Balrog first came to Adria. Upon his arrival, people started to notice that he was in distress. Telmarill came into their society as a mere dwarf but left as a master. He opened the first smith within Adria and he took in an apprentice of course. From that day forward the white smith he was named. Almost at the end of his life, he met a beautiful lady whose name was only heard in Atlas. The Percy name came from her side. Happily into their life, they had two children Henry Percy was his name and his brother Dwain. Henry was half a dwarf and half human, his life would be much longer than his mothers. Henry joined the legion of Renatus, not much later he was discharged by Aldis Chase. He started The Iron Legion and he got cursed along the way. The iron legion had a fortress above mynebor named the shard. The Iron legion did not survive the passage to Arcas. Henry now alone, desperate and no money sat out for Adria. The city of Ves welcomed him with open arms for they knew his father was one of their soldiers a time ago, he became a sergeant in the military. Dwain did not go that route, he became wild. Many years he spent in the wilderness of Atlas, surviving on his own skill. Not much is known after he left the comfort of his home. Henry got banished from Adria not much later by a man named Checkov, he packed his bags and went on his way. On the road, he got stopped and robbed by a man named Edward Marks. His rival for a long time saw that he was alone and he took his chance. He decapitated the man and portrayed him as a traitor upon the bridge to Helena. Kuvira, the third of the brothers was not born by the percy's but in the wild to unknown parents. He made his way into Adria and into the percy's not long after his seventh birthday, he arrived a short time after Henry went away from his parents. Kuvira saw a lot from his new father and became interested in smithing at an early age. He also survived the passage to Arcas. After his brother was killed he made for Adria, where he started The Armitage institute. He believed heavily in the Four, some men did not like that. A priest came one day and heard that he was not a canonist. he approached Kuvira. He said that Kuvira was a heathen for not believing the canon, Kuvira replied with the same thing but for the Four. Not long after that, he got arrested and killed for being a heathen. In his life, he met a man named Jack Rippler. He was not a good man, he had done a lot of wrongs. Kuvira took him in as a brother, Jack is now a part of the Percy family. Let the story of Jack begin. ((don't throw poop, this is a recap of my time on LotC))

The Armitage Institute of medicine and warfare -Story -Programs and study's -Training -Roles -Secrecy of its study’s -Joining _______ ___________ Story 2nd of Snow's Maiden, 1708 Kuvira Percy, the first CEO of the institute founded it on the 2nd of Snow's Maiden 1708 with the kind help and funding of a steward of Adria and Olbrecht Von Denhardt. At that day the Institute of biological warfare. viruses, mutational modification and medicine was born. Otherwise known as The Armitage Institute. The CEO is a master in the study of all previously mentioned topic's. Studies -Biological warfare: This is the study of all living things. The institute makes sure none of these things rise to power outside of the Homo sapiens. They do this with other living things. -Virus: This is the study of all topic's related to bacteria or virus, certain pathogens are also treated within this study. Certain developed viruses will also be for sale, the Institute will have the only cure unless told otherwise. -Mutational modification: This is the study of all mutations, That means that the Flora and Fauna belong to this category. If a certain creature wants a modification to its body they need only come to The Armitage Institute and pay for the (X) modification. Then the process will continue and the creature will have the modification. -Medicine: This is the study of healing, The common healers would do good to come here so they can come to know more. Training The Armitage institute uses its variety of toxins and poison in warfare and matters that would go out of its guidelines. One may choose to become a master of the institute's arts of warfare. The institute has enough experience to utilize those toxins and poisons within an instance if needed, each trainee that finishes training will get a set of toxins and poisons. Every person who acquired this set might use if for everything that the person desires. The consequences are to be made by the guards if discovered using the set. The Enforcers will also be set to hunt the criminal down and execute their punishment as well. Defense of Arcas The Armitage Institute will use these studies to defend Arcas. Biological warfare will face the threat of creatures. The Virus department will deal with all bacteria and virus-related threats. The Mutant department will deal with all supernatural threats that Arcas throws at it. The Medicinal department will focus on healing Arcas in said circumstances. Roles Several roles are within the thick walls of the institute this is the small summary of those roles (others can still be added). -CEO -executive -Enforcer -Teachers -Students -Researchers Secrecy of study's Any of The Institute's enforcers or students that spill their knowledge about their study will be punished by that department, example: Kuvira told Henry how the rats inside the institute are mutated, Kuvira will then be punished with said rats until the message is clear. If the punished creature is then again proved to spill, more severe punishments will be allowed. ((OOC)) Name: Age: Discord: ((IG)) Name: Race: Age: Interested in a study: (desired role)

Alevaera sighs softly, wiping the beads of sweat forming on her brow with the back of her hand. The summers were always so dreadfully hot, and she’d always manage to break into a sweat while preforming her daily chores around the orphanage. She has been working there for so any years; it’s been what, thirty years now? Time sure seems to fly by while tending to the well-being of children. The orphanage she worked for had many, housing different races; some mixed, other pure bred like her, so she along with the few staff there had their work cut out for them. Standing from her knelled position on the ground, Alevaera inspects the garden before her, nearly vacant of any possible pesky weeds thinking that they can take refuge among the vegetables. Looking up to the sky, the sun appeared to be positioned around mid-day; she should help the head mistress with preparing lunch. Alevaera ties her hair into a tighter bun, pinning any loose hair up and out of her face. Carrying the tools along with her towards the storage shed, she avoids colliding with any children playing outside. Once the tools are put in their rightful places, Alevaera locks up the shed, so that the children can’t get into mischief. Inside the kitchen, she scrubs all the dirt and grime from her hands, attentive of the dirt under her nails. She inspects the head mistresses work, getting an idea of what she’s preparing as she begins helping. The head mistress is an elderly human woman, going on ninety-two. Her aged hands peal apples, preparing them for a pie. Alevaera has not naive or ignorant, she was well aware of the clash most races have with each other; how Snow Elves are greatly disliked, and how humans are prideful and greedy. At the orphanage however, none of this mattered. Alevaera was well appreciated by the children and the head mistress, and all were taught to be open minded toward others. “This old woman is getting on in her years, it’s nice to have young energetic workers like yourself to help around” The mistress says softly, her hands working without flaw or hesitation, but at a slow pace. “It is my pleasure to help around here. This place has been my home for so long, I couldn’t imagine myself leaving.” Alevaera replies in earnest. “I have a debt to repay you after all; for having taken care of me for so long.” The elderly woman frowns, waving off Alevaera’s last statement. “I was just doing my job; your parents paid me well enough to take care of you. You were never a burned.” Hearing this warms her heart; this woman was like a mother to Alevaera. While she had some memories of her parents, they were few, and far from perfect. She could remember them giving her up so clearly, she was only six at the time. She knows per parents weren’t the best people, but they were her parents, and she found it in her heart to love them regardless. Silence falls between the two women, as they prepare the pie and stew for everyone. Creaking floor boards, matching echoing footsteps running down halls, excited voices calling to one another, there was never a quiet or still day within the orphanage. It was comforting to hear the noise, because Alevaera knew that they were alive and well; that the children were happy and knew they were loved. A peculiar set of footsteps neared the kitchen, appearing in the door were two of the older boys in the orphanage; a Halfling named Elton, aged thirteen, and an Orc boy named Kurukk, aged twelve. The pair looked distraught, breathing heavily as they stand in the doorway. “Alvayra lady, please come help!” Pleads the Orc, though young, the Orc was almost as tall as herself. The boy was usually the last child to ask for help, always insisting that he doesn’t need it. So hearing such a worried request has Alevaera immediately worried. “What’s happened Kurukk? Is everything alright?” She inquires, wiping her hands with a dish towel. Before the Orc can reply, Elton jumps in to answer. “Wild dogs Miss Alevaera! They got Merph stuck up inside a tree! You always told us to come get you if there is trouble, so we ran here as fast as possible!” The Halfling rushes, “We were playing out by the front, when two wild dogs wandered over!” Alevaera tenses up at the mention of wild dogs; this wasn’t the first case of stray dogs wandering out towards the orphanage, no doubt looking for food. The orphanage has had a run in with them on multiple occasions, even when she was just a young girl, they’d come when you least expect it, and they attack without warning. Keeping her mind from wandering to a dark memory, there was an emergency at hand, she needed to be brave and stay focused. Her hands tighten into fists, pinned at her sides. “Out front you said? Are they by the large Oak?” She inquires, eyes wandering around the room for something she may use. There is a steel fire poker; it’s not very long, but it will have to do. “Yes ma’am! Will he be okay?” Elton asks, wringing his hands nervously; a habit he’d gotten from her. “Yes. But I need you boys to keep everyone inside, get everyone in the backyard inside. I want you to shut all doors and windows on the first floor, understood?” She orders firmly, picking up the fire poker with two hands. From the corner of her eye, Alevaera could vaguely see a look of horror on the Head Mistresses face. The boys nod quickly, and rush out quicker, going to wrangle up any children outside. Knowing the boys would do their job quickly put some ease to Alevaera’s mind; she could try and handle the dogs on her own, without worry of any other children getting hurt. “My dear child, you need not put yourself in harm’s way. I am sure that local patrols will come, o-or we can get help-“ The elderly human woman goes to grasp Alevaera’s hands, but retracts them when the Elf offers a kind and reassuring smile. “I am sorry Head Mistress, but we both know that soldiers do not patrol this far out. It would take far too long to get help; those two wild hounds will tear that boy to shreds if I stand around. I must try.” She says as firmly as she can, though there is uncertainty in her voice. She is not a fighter, she knows this well enough. But damn those dogs she’d give it her all, she’ll let nothing and no one hurt the children under her supervision. A defeated sigh leaves the elderly woman, hanging her head low as she allows Alevaera to leave. On her way out, Alevaera snatched up a hand towel, wrapping it around her fore arm before stepping out the front door. Immediately, she bears witness to the dangerous scene before her; Murph, a pint sized wood Elf, clings to a high branch of an Oak tree. The Elf is scraped up, with a bit of blood dripping from his arm. Just seeing this has Alevaera’s blood run cold, as she instinctively grips her own arm at the sight of the wound. Murph takes notice that Alevaera has left the front of the house, and cries out to her for help. His words are garbled and far from proper common, no doubt the child is scared out of his wits. Her cold blood comes to a boil at the sight of the pleading child, tears streaming down his cheeks. Alevaera had no time to be afraid; there were two beasts in the yard in need of being removed. With a tight grip on the fire poker, Alevaera approaches the tree with wide strides, fanning out her arms to appear bigger than she really was. With a deep breath, she fills her lungs, and expels the air in as deep of a guttural scream she can manage. Her voice carries, reaching the wild dogs instantaneously, their attention away from the boy and to her. Alevaera holds her shout, and breaks into a run towards the hounds, the hand holding the fire poker rising above her head, and ready to strike the animals with as much strength as she can. The surprised beasts are startled by the quickly oncoming aggressor, and hightail towards off the property. Alevaera doesn’t halt her chase there, she continues after them for a good distance, only stopping as the fiends are far out of sight. Finally standing still, the Snow Elf takes notice that she’s shaking like a leaf, her legs feeling flimsy and unsteady. This did not stop her from rushing back to the front yard of the orphanage, to make sure Murph was alright. Kurukk and Elton were at the Oak before she reached them, Kurukk helping Murph down from the high branch. Alevaera drops onto her knees, and inspects Murph’s wounds with frantic haste, her breaths wracking with the threat of sobs. “Thank the stars above; let us get your cuts cleaned up Murphy dear.” Alevaera sighs, lifting the small Elf into her arms with care. With soft eyes, Alevaera beholds Kurukk and Elton with gratitude. “You boys did well today; there are not enough thanks in this world to offer, your actions very much saved Murph’s life.” She lightly touches foreheads with the young boys, unable to offer a hug with her arms full. Elton shakes his head, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. “No need to thank us Miss, we only did as you asked. You were the one doin the saving.” The boy states, his expression bashful as he kicks a stone absently. “Short Murph needed help, and you would have been upset if we didn’t get you.” “We could have takin on the dogs, they were weak runts.” Kurukk crosses his arms over his chest, turning his gaze away with a grunt. “There was a lot of blud, my tiny brother might have been hurt worse if we made a mistake.” Alevaera smiles none the less, leading the boys back into the orphanage. She cleans and bandages Murph’s few wounds, they were thankfully not too deep, but they would leave behind scars. Lunch was served after the incident, with the other children buzzing with questions. The three boys were happy to answer the questions, and tell about their dangerous encounter with the wild dogs. Alevaera was just content with the even being over, with everyone safe and sound. She would put this whole ordeal behind her, and distract herself with her daily tasks soon enough. She has far much to do around the orphanage to let an accident hold her still.

EN SENTVORIGEO EDLERVIK ON THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDER PEOPLE Written and compiled by BROTHER ALEXANDER OF THE FIVE LAKES, WHO, by the Grace of God, records these notes to chronicle the histories and myths of the Highlander People, to bestow upon future men the knowledge of their blood. May these texts be used for righteous intention, and any who pollute this message be cursed to eternal damnation, with their ashes grinded and discarded. ON THIS DATE 7 SE 1689 - Dedicated to Sofiya, my once love and now angel of the Skies, for which I don this habit and wield this quill. PROLOGUE Years -1000 to 0 TIME BEFORE TIME or The Four Brothers and the Curse of Iblees In a time before the Four Brothers and contemporary civilization, the world was shapeless and boundless, without form or purpose. Before there was man, elf, ork, dwed, there was His aenguls and daemons, who roamed the world freely and without constraint, and His First Beings, those who He had created yet had not granted True Life. The great cohorts of divine aenguls were said to have shaped the world in His Image, creating the mountains and the seas, while God Himself bestowed His Touch upon all corners. He did not stop till fish teamed every sea, till every valley filled with life, and till every mountain laid buried untold treasures. God left the aenguls and daemons to steward the realm as He created it, entrusting them to maintain what He had created. These angelic beings, however, held their own personal desires and ambitions, and while He loved all, these rotten aenguls quarreled unnecessarily. The greatest of rivalries emerged between His two greatest angels, Iblees and Dragur, who carried on year-spanning clashes in the clouds and enslaved mass armies of mortal creatures to attempt to overtake the other. These included the First Beings, man before sapience, who were nothing more than animals prone to crude and bestial desires, and knew not better the machinations of the aenguls. Specifically Iblees, the most vile of the pair, had forced great numbers to fight in slave armies, wantonly destroying all which He had created. This continued for some time till He Returned and saw the destruction wrought by his children. He saw the death of countless of His First Beings and the sin wrought by His celestial children, and so He punished them. Dragur, the more noble of the two, willingly accepted the punishment, but Iblees stubbornly relented, growing jealous of His Power and Majesty. To His First Beings, who ached from pain of countless deaths, He sought to never be pawns of such evil again, and bestowed upon them True Life as He did his angels. He created the First Man and the First Woman, and through them created the Four Perfect- Malianus. Crucus, Urganus, and the greatest of them, Horonius- to lead his nation known as Man. Each was given a fourth of the new people, where they founded the first great cities of the world. The sinful aenguls were instructed to work not above, but below Man, to teach them how to live and be faithful. The aenguls under Dragur taught Man the Flexio tongue, and worked as advisers and teachers. Dragur himself grew a great love for Horonius, who was the quickest of his brothers, and taught him many things, and Horonius would become even His favorite child. All four realms grew immensely, and the mortal beings all prayed and loved God, and paradise was founded upon the earth. Horonius founded the First City which God called Paradisius, and it became the Favorite of God’s People. All of the brothers took massive harems expect Horonius, who took a single wife Julia, the most pious of the women, and had three sons named Aeternus (Harren), Joraenus (Joren), and Gosvenus (Godwin). Iblees was furious to be subjugated to beings he once considered beneath him, and refused in rebellion. God, though His Love is great, could not be idle at the sinful nature of His son Iblees, and cast him out of the Seven Skies to the mortal plane to repent. In secret, Iblees conspired with his legions of unholy aenguls and daemons who were also defiant against Him, chiefest among them being Metizus and Aerial. Disguised as wanderers, the fallen children traveled to each of the four realms, intent on polluting their teachings with sin. To Malianus, who grew tired of each mate He created to sate his drive, they taught the sin of debauchery and sloth, bestowing upon him shameful lust. To Crucus, who grew bored of the mundane trials upon His world, they taught the sin of murder and blood-lust, bestowing upon him a drive of death. And to Urganus, who grew a hunger for power and and the mundane metals of the earth, he taught the sin of greed and envy, bestowing upon him to want nothing but the trivial treasures of the mortal realm. With each one falling prey to the demonic corruption, the realms quickly followed suit, and sin spread across the population like a plague. Iblees and his cohort were able to confront Horonius four times, each with a different coercion. First, they promised Malianus’ passion for the flesh, but Horonius had his wife Julia, and desired no other. Second, they promised Crucus’ passion for death, but Horonius had love for his people, and sought battle only for benefit. And third, they promised Urganus’ passion for wealth, but Horonius had his care for his realm, and desired only the fruitful bounty for his people. Iblees was wicked though clever, and the fourth time offered eternal life. Horonius at first laughed, for he was His creation, and would live eternally in God, yet Iblees continued, and offered it for his children, for he claimed the children were not of His creation but Horonius’, and that they would not be Loved. Horonius still refused, though he came to doubt God, and unknowingly was bestowed the sin of doubt and questioning the Power of God. In his doubt, he prayed, and God answered, sending Horonius to fast upon the Rock of Gamesh. Dragur and his party, including the beings Tersion and Micahelus, visited down from the Seven Skies, and after three days Horonius was given the heavenly laurels as a crown. God gazed upon His creation and saw the sins of Malianus, Crucus, and Urganus and wept, and so Horonius made covenant with God never to stray from His Love as his brothers had. Though in Horonius’ absence his realm came to be infested with unholy sin, and like its sibling tribes, soon became a haven of chaos. Through the guise of man, Iblees preached and taught the ways of wickedness to the pure tribe of Horonius. Julia, who kept the home in the absence, took the most faithful of men and protected the home of their family, and prayed to God for His son’s return. God heard the prayers of Julia and commanded Horonius to return with the aenguls to his decaying city of Paradisius, where he rallied those who had not fallen, including his faithful wife Julia, who eternally remained faith to God and her husband. Horonius gathered what forces were not under the taint of Iblees, and God granted him generalship of the armies upon the earth. For his position, the daemon Garumdus crafted the Great Axe and Sword of Horonius, embedded with divine power of the Skies. He and the faithful men of God cleared the streets of Paradisius of the wicked followers of Iblees, and restored the temple which laid burdened by heathenish false idols. By this time, Iblees had taken control of nearly half the world and wreaked havoc upon the earth below. His army consisted upon legions of fallen aenguls and daemons, who joined Iblees in horrid rebellion, as well as the corrupted tribes of the fallen three brothers.. The remaining aenguls under the cowardly Xanus, who cared not who won but how they would benefit, sat neutral in the conflict much to the displeasure of God. The war began first as daemons under the malicious Metizus attempted to storm the great doors to the Seventh Sky, only for himself to be cast down to the earth after a duel with the warrior-angel Micahelus. On the mortal plane, great battles were fought, and the world shook for months in great earthquakes and floods, as divine manifests clashed in crescendos of power. Entire cities were destroyed in flashes of light, and many people lost their lives in the ensuing fights of mortals and aenguls. Despite the bravery and valiant deeds of Horonius and his tribe, the corrupted forces of Iblees and the twisted clans of his brothers proved too much, and they made a last stand upon the gates of the Seven Skies. Horonius, who still loved his brothers, met them upon the field, and because of his love and wit, convinced the three to turn away from sin, repent, and follow the Way of God. This came a terrible blow to Iblees, and when Horonius began to chant the name of God, the gates of the Skies shuttered open. God Himself, who could not be seen by His sheer power else be blinded by his glorious light, shattered Iblees in a great deal, before grabbing hold of his unholy body and dragging him below. Before he left the earth, however, Iblees uttered a final curse to the people. To Malianus and his people, he cursed with infertility and for their hedonist desires to never be satisfied. To Crucus and the violent warriors, he burned to give them green skin and deformed teeth and an eternal lust for blood. To Urganus and the greedy miners of the mountains, he hammered each to be half-men and cursed with blinding avarice so no amount of gold would fill the void of their hearts. And finally, to the faithful Horonius and his people, he cursed with lives too short to experience the bounties of God, the greatest curse for the most pious of the brothers. These demented curses created the four modern races of man, elf, ork, and dwed. For five days, the world stood in complete twilight, for even the aenguls felt powerless without the presence of God, and the whole world wept in fear. He drug Iblees to the coldest depth, and instead of killing his son, for He Loved him despite such sin, he imprisoned for eternity in repentance. Many aenguls and daemons followed suit, locked in the void as prisoners, and those mortals who continued to follow Iblees despite all that occurred were forced to wander the void, becoming demonic spirits and unholy beasts. God’s Power radiate throughout the void during His five days, and it has remained in the void as pure energy, later to be utilized by magi in the form of magick. On the fifth day, God returned to the Seventh Sky, and the light returned to the world. The aenguls, daemons, and people rejoiced, and those faithful angels returned to the Skies in glorious triumph, where the heavenly halls lit in jovial celebrations. God allowed this for two days, giving us the seven day week, yet on the eighth day he stopped all and doled upon judgement. To the neutral aenguls of Xanus, he banished from the Seven Skies, to always walk the mortal realm or spend their days in the cold reaches of the void. To the three brothers who casted God aside, he did the same, though he bestowed upon them gifts of mortal longevity, as to enjoy the mortal realm till they suffer punishment in eternal solitude. To Horonius and his tribe, which he called Man, he favored as His Chosen People, and while He did not lift the curse of Iblees, instead allowed His Chosen People to walk the Seven Skies as He and His aenguls and daemons do. Horonius was honored, and God bestowed upon him leadership of the world, and the brothers were subservient to him. This grew a great jealousy between the brothers, for they were once equals, but for the coming decades peace was had. Horonius ruled as King of the World, advised by the aenguls Dragur and Tersion, and remained faithful to God. --- CHAPTER I Year 0 FALL OF PARADISIUS or Death of the First Prophet and the Calling of the Three Sons “And so Harren, Joren, and Godwin, the sons of the Chosen Himself, stood and watched the collapse of their home, by the hands of the once uncle of their kind. Harren cursed the Skies and above, the one of indulgence. Joren bellowed in rage, the one of wroth. And Godwin drank himself blind, the one of acedia. Soon Micahelus came down, the one which guided Horen years before. And he sayeth one phrase, before sending the children to each corner of the world; ‘So is the Darkness That Comes Before, and So is the Light That Comes After.’” -The Book of Saints, Unknown For twenty-five years, the world was at peace. Paradisius, the capital and home of Horonius, grew to immense sizes, with temples spanning to the sky, great halls stretching miles, and divine marvels unknown to our contempory world. Upon the Isthmus of Kramoroe, where Paradisius stood at its mouth, the city bustled, and Horonius’ tribe grew to great numbers and its members spread across the world from the barren north to the bitter south. Aeternus and Joraenus, the two eldest of Horonius’ children, were eventually granted tribes of their own, while the third-son Gosvenus remained steward under the eye of his father. The aenguls Tersion and Dragur remained at the court of the King of the World, advising its ruler and teaching the arts of science and law to Man. In the vastness of the Realm of the World, all paid homage to God, the King of All Kings, and in every corner His Touch reached all. However, Horonius’ brothers, the recently cursed Malianus, Crucus, and Urganus, despised the attention and favoritism given to him. They resented their weakness in falling to the false promises of Iblees, while Horonius prayed to God and remained true, and so many from the tribes of ork, elf, and dwed sought conflict with those of Man. Some even began to consort and pray to the fallen aenguls and spirits for help, who they called gods in mockery of Him. Malianus turned to the forest nymphs, who he took as wives and disrespected the sanctity of love. Crucus turned to the twisted followers of Iblees locked in the void, giving blood sacrifice in exchange for unholy power. And Urganus turned to the selfish aenguls who denied God’s call to war, delivering tribute of treasure in order to fill their meager coffers. But the humans of Horonius were pious and true, and they flourished with children spreading throughout the world. The siblings saw this and they resented the purity of their brother, and swore to correct what they perceived unjust. Crucus devised a devious plan, where under the guise of repentance, he would trick the noble Horonius and corrupt the holiness of Man. He wrote to Horonius about his great, feigned regret for the sins he committed, how he wished to turn back to God, and desired to unite both tribes in prayer and worship. Horonius believed in the goodness of his siblings, and accepted readily, for he wished nothing more than for all the races to live under the Love of God. Crucus promised no weapons, though Iblees cursed him with sinful cunning, and hid his tribal weapons in hay bales given to Horonius as tribute. He brought his son Gorcus, known for his weakness in spirit, to lead his vanguard when he reached the holy walls of Paradisius. Both of Horonius’ eldest sons were not within the city when Crucus and his tribe arrived, remaining in their own tribal lands, though the third-born Gosvenus remained. Julia grew wary of the size of Crucus’ party and warned her husband of her suspicion, feeling wicked intent in disguised piety. Horonius had great love for his brother, however, and denied every thought of believed treachery by a kinsman. Julia in her wisdom turned to the aengul Tersion, who agreed with her and went to the room of Horonius to convince him of the wisdom of Julia’s warnings. Again, since Horonius had great love for his brother, he denied the allegations of the aengul Tersion. Tersion, furious in righteous rage, turned only to the wisest of God’s servants, the Lord Dragur, who agreed on the risk of allowing Crucus such liberties. Dragur left for the room of Horonius, but again Horonius’ love was greater than the reason of the aengul, and he denied all. Julia grew upset, and under the advice of the wise-woman Philipia, she left in seclusion to the Cave of Ari with fifty virgins sworn to maidenhood in their love of God. Horonius held a grand celebration upon the arrival of his brother, where he led personally a great parade of the riches and splendor of Paradisius and the bounties of God. The parade lasted four days and four nights, where upon the fifth day Crucus and Horonius embraced upon the Rock of Gamesh. Horonius attempted to convince his brother soon after to fast with him for the coming four days, though Crucus denied vehemently. The love for his brother blinded Horonius, however, and he thought nothing of Crucus’ denial to prayer. Within the Great Temple of Paradisius, which expanded to the heavens, the brothers held a mass feast and union between the tribes. Man was weary of the green beasts, though they held loyalty to the King of the World, and took them with open arms as brothers. The feasting lasted for four days and four nights, with tables stretching to thousands of seats, headed by the fathers Horonius and Crucus and sons Gorcus and Gosvenus. During the feasts, sports and duels were had between both members of the tribe, and a great rivalry emerged between the weak Gorcus and the valiant Gosvenus. Looking to trickery rather than honor for victory, Gorcus turned to the magick of the twisted spirits, who bestowed upon him unholy strength. Gosvenus was pure and stooped to no ibleeic tricks, for he carried only his love of God, and trusted in Him. In the final bout between the two kinsmen, Gosvenus overcame Gorcus and forced him to submit, and though the dark powers clouded his mind, Gorcus saw the might and valour of Gosvenus, and swore upon him friendship. In a confusing rabble to Gosvenus, he claimed he could not stop what will occur, though his descendants would ‘forever look in companionship with his ilk’. These words troubled Gosvenus, who turned to his secluded mother Julia for guidance. Yet this occurred on midnight of the fourth day, and Crucus executed his diabolical planned attack upon the Tribe of Man. His orks gathered the hidden weapons while the drunken humans feasted within the halls of the Great Temple, and began butchering those who did not submit. Crucus stole the Great Axe crafted by Garumdus and used it to slay his brother as he slept. With the blood of Horonius staining the Great Axe, he called upon the twisted spirits and named the weapon falsely as the Axe of Crucus (Axe of Krug). His soldiers captured the gates of Paradisius, where upon they allowed great hordes of dwed and elves into the holy metropolis, all desiring to pollute the treasure with their sins. Gosvenus and Julia saw the destruction wrought by the three tribes and they wept in the seclusion of the Cave of Ari. Julia bestowed upon Gosvenus the Great Sword crafted by Garumdus, which she called the Sword of Horonius, and instructed to Gosvenus to lead the house of Man from the destruction of its brothers. The third son rallied the soldiers who had not fallen to the parties of orks, dwed, and elves, and left in great hurry to save the tribe from total destruction. Crucus himself led the sacking of the holy city, razing the great stone buildings and killing wantonly. He was assisted by Malianus, who captured men and women for his harems, and Urganus, who melted the great shrines to Him for statues in his own liking. They burned the holy books of the temple in a bonfire dedicated to the twisted spirits and fallen aengudaemons, sacrificing man, woman, and child in ceremonies to taint the holy power of God’s mortal city. Once he gathered the surviving people in the grand chaos, he returned to his mother, who he bade to join into retreating to the Valley of Aaun. Though Crucus had seen Gosvenus and his attempts and he gathered forces to hinder them from retreating. Julia claimed to her son that she must remain and guard the house of her husband, and sent him off. She was joined by the wise-woman Philipia and the other forty-nine virgins, and they prayed in the Cave of Ari. From his scouts, Crucus discovered the cave as the potential location of Gosvenus and the remaining humans and soon arrived, joined by his two brothers Malianus and Urganus. They laid short siege and took the cave with no fight, and rounded up Julia and the women. The three brothers demanded the location of her son and the Tribe of Man, but she refused, and no matter what words they gave, she stayed true to her vows. All three offered themselves as husbands to Julia and their tribe as suitors to the gathered virgins. Malianus offered passions and pleasures immeasurable, though Julia refused, for the only passion she desired was her husband’s. Crucus offered power and control over the lives of slaves and foes, though Julia declined, for the only power she desired was the peace of her people. And finally Urganus offered riches and splendor which rivaled that of the aengudaemons, though Julia refused, for the only wealth she desired was the bounty of humanity. All three brothers grew enraged by the piety of Julia, and offered the same to each woman of Julia’s company, who all stood by their matriarch. The sinful brothers butchered the women after their spurning, where Crucus beheaded Julia in the same fashion as he did to his brother Horonius. He ordered his son Gorcus to give chase to Gosvenus; however Gorcus had given oath to Gosvenus, and deliberately lost the trail of the fleeing men. Crucus claimed the spoils of the city of Paradisius for himself, which came to the anger of Urganus and Malianus, who both wanted the capital of the Realm of the World for themselves, and they soon quarreled. Both the dwed and the mali were cast out by the orks of Crucus, and for five years the three races fought for the spoils of their kinslayed brother Horonius. Tersion appeared to both Joraenus and Aeternus, who were ruling their own tribes in the north and south respectively, and told of what occurred. The three sons of Horonius eventually gathered in the Valley of Aaun, with Aeternus and Joraenus accompanied by their fiercest warriors, and Gosvenus with the remnants of the men and women of Paradisius. The warrior-aengul Micahelus appeared to the three in majestic splendor, and instructed them of the great struggle to come in reclaiming the City of the World. Aeternus, who carried great indulgence and pride, cursed the aengul and questioned why God did not stop the sinful takeover. Joraenus, who carried great anger and jealousy, demanded immediate retribution and march upon Paradisius at once. And Gosvenus, who carried great acedia, grew great sadness at his failure to protect his father and took to wine. However, when Micahelus blew the Holy Oliphant, the sons of Horonius listened, and when their immediate shock passed, planned for divine reclamation of their birthright. They would take five years to gather the armies of men from across the World, in plans of gathering the largest army since the great struggles of God and Iblees. Aeternus would be sent south, to rally the Desert Clans and the Clans of the Jungles under his banner, Joraenus to the north, to bring the Five Great Tribes of the Highlands, and Gosvenus would remain in the Valley of Aaun and call upon the Heartland Folk to gather in its confines. When the plans were made, the aengul Micahelus beckoned them off and gave upon them the graces of God. However, Aeternus, who despised the south and desired the bountiful north of his brother’s tribe, left northward as well, much to the anger of Joraenus, and would cause great conflict in the future. --- GLOSSARY Names, Terms, and Translations

Previous Stories: Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: We have reached Part 4 in this series, ending the first arc in the “Key to Oblivion” stories. Thank you for reading the storyline so far and I hope you enjoy “The Darkness Within,” the final story of the first arc. ~(+)=~=(+)~ Some stories don’t get to end with a joyous note. Others have far more twisted ends to them while the people are left with a sobering fact of life. We all can die and never come back. This was especially true to Karren Myrsta when his throat was slit back in the Druid Grove by Nivndil some years ago. He had left the world while the September Prince still roamed the land, terrorizing the population and leaving him with the sense of powerlessness that drove him to begging for death. Now, he resided in a world that offered no quarter with demons wishing to end his pathetic life so that he may never exist again. When his grandfather “dreamed” of seeing him as he was now, in the middle of transitioning into a beast of corruption and wielding dangerous magical power, he did not wish for him to see how far he had fallen and how close he was to turning into a being of pure hatred-tortured relentlessly by those that resided within the hellworld of The Pit. It was the one thing that he had wished to never lose-the good memories of him, tainted forever by how far that he had become-and the one thing that forced him to cling to dear life within this hellscape. To Jarsek, however, the sight of his grandson being a figure of pure heart and how he became something frightening was enough to break his very heart-shatter his core into millions of pieces. Ascended could not help him with this kind of problem as it affected him deeply to the point of wanting to die, but there was another force deeper within that fought to keep him alive. There was no other way for him to stay alive, broken as he was, besides taking up the darkness within his very being and letting it run free within him. Surging like wildfire and feeling cold to the touch, Jarsek would begin to learn about this driving force of Creation and even attempt to understand it through how it would react to certain situations, but however, something felt like it was being prevented from unleashing itself fully into his body, acting like a powerful restraint that would appear to be indestructible. Not a single clue on how to release that preventive restraint, Jarsek had only one option left to him at the time: begin to learn about the darkness within. This would motivate him into something that would either drive him into insanity or elevate him into power, depending on how fate had willed it. He wanted to know what this darkness was inside of him to the point of asking critical questions that would prove to be even more complex to answer as they simple to ask. “What is this feeling? Where did it come from? Is this part of our curse?” would three of the many questions that would plague his mind for years to come until he either gained a satisfactory answer or not. Critical questions that would endlessly plague him to the point that they would be burned forever to his core, questioning everything. Unbeknownst to even most High Elves, curiosity can be a powerful motivator for either the good or the bad choices made every second of every day, but Jarsek was the most afflicted in this case. Intelligent and witty, he would try his best to understand how this feeling within him worked and what it was truly... ~(+)=~=(+)~ While Jarsek had this feeling within him, something else was brewing in a currently unknown continent known as Arcas. Something that was not always so simple as the lands were brimming with life and suppressing that which was attuned to the darkness, keeping it in perpetual slumber. At least, for now...