The Third Age v 0.1Download link coming soon.Story thus far:The First AgeTime of Peace:Little is known about this time. All that is recorded is the five elder races lived in harmony and formed the elder council. The Dragons ruled the skies and mountains, building enormous marble spires in the sky and expanding their mastery of magic. The Xecti ruled the deserts and badlands, turning the desolate wastelands of the world into marvelous glass cities full of beauty. The Sylvan ruled the forests and marshes, keeping watch over the plants and beasts of the world and serving as mediators for any disputes that might arise. The Old Ones ruled the underground, building massive fortresses where they could expand their mastery of technology. And the Giants ruled nothing, tasked with shaping and molding the world, the Giants traveled all the lands creating and destroying where necessary and held mastery over the elements.
Time of Strife:The time of strife began when the Dragons discovered the Alfar, a lesser race that had begun to show magical prowess over a new sphere of magic. The elder races were amazed to see a lesser race that had powers that they did not. The Old Ones and Xecti demanded that the Alfar be destroyed, for they believed that they were abominations and would tip the scales of balance. The Dragons refused to let harm befall the Alfar and so broke all treaties with the other elder races and left the elder council. In response the Old Ones rekindled their work into the animation of stone and metal, which was previously forbidden by the elder council, in hopes of returning the balance. With the help of the Giants the Old Ones were able to create the Brimir, beings of stone and metal that commanded the forces of the elements, but had no ability for growth and progression. Unhappy with results of their creation, the Old Ones experimented endlessly on the Brimir, continuously digging through the earth in hopes of finding a new element that could increase their creations abilities. It was through this rapid digging that they found the precious metal Adamantine. With this magical metal they were able to transmute stone to flesh and give true life to their creations. Now capable of truly living, the Brimir were able to rival the Alfar in raw power and potential, but the discovery of this rare metal spurred the Old Ones to expand their empire and search for even rarer more powerful minerals.
Time of Turmoil:The aggressive expansion of the Old Ones started the time of turmoil. The Old Ones were convinced that the mountains the Dragons called home held powerful metals that gave the Dragons their supposed immortality and control over magic. Neither race was willing to attack the other out right, but several skirmishes began to breakout along the mountains. Mainly fought by the Alfar and Brimir, deaths were rare, but inconsequential to the elder races, who viewed the lesser races as little more than tools. The Sylvan and Xecti refused to take sides in the conflict, instead trying to reform the council in the hopes of restoring peace. It was during these skirmishes that the Old Ones found Cuendillar, a metal even stronger than Adamantine. They were only able to find small amounts of it scattered deep underground, but with just the small amount they found they were able to construct colossal metal creations that could rival even the Dragons mighty powers. In their greed to find more Cuendillar they began digging as deep as they could, soon finding a vast supply of it forming an entire layer deep underground. As they excavated it they began rebuilding their underground fortresses with this new metal and again experimenting on the Brimir. But they dug too deep.
The Breaking:All records from this time have been lost. The stories say that the Old Ones, in their haste and greed, dug through the Cuendillar, looking for more powerful minerals. But what they found was beyond anything they could have imagined. As soon as the breached the last layer of Cuendillar the world shook, volcanoes erupted, mountains fell, and a great evil was unleashed on the world. Chaos flowed out of the small crack they created and began to expand the hole between the worlds. Soon demons and other monstrosities poured out of the rift, killing and corrupting all they came across. At first the other races ignored the Old Ones calls for aid, stating that it was their own fault, but soon the rift broke through the underground and the demons flooded the world. The Xecti were the first to fall. Their marvelous glass cities turned to dust, the few surviving members fled deep into the wastes in hopes of escaping the demons notice. The Sylvans knew that if they did not act fast they would be next, and so, using their powerful connection with the plants and beasts of the world they hid themselves in protective groves, hoping to be spared the demons assault. The Old Ones tried desperately to bring the remaining elder races together in an alliance to stop the demons, but the Dragons still ignored their cries for help, thinking themselves stronger than any demons. On the day that the first dragon died it is said that the entire sky cried with anger, and the Dragons joined the newly formed council of three.
At first it appeared the alliance was working, the Dragons hunted the demons down one by one and slaughtered them as the Old Ones and Giants set about constructing fortifications to protect the rift. But the fortifications were not enough to stop the corruption of Chaos from spreading over the lands. As more and more land became corrupted the demons appeared to grow bolder and gain strength. While at first they simply had to defend against one or two at a time, now there were four or five, then ten, then thirty, then the gates were overwhelmed, and the land grew dark with demons. The dragons did their best to deal with the demons, but they were now strong enough to fight back, and dragons began dying in droves. The council decided that the only way to win this war would be to close the rift. The Old Ones developed a plan, using the combined might of the three elder races and the Alfar and Brimir as conduits they believed they could use the Adamantine to re-seal the rift. In order to by them time the Dragons decided to make the ultimate sacrafice. Every able bodied dragon would fly directly into the rift and hold back the demons. It is said that on that day the sun was blacked out by the hoard of dragons that descended on the rift. Combining the Giants shaping powers with the Alfar and Brimir the Old Ones constructed giant pillars of Adamantine that could carry the energies needed to seal the rift, and using their own life force as the trigger all of the remaining Old Ones withdrew into their fortresses and completed the ritual. In one giant flash of light the rift was sealed, with the Dragons on the other side. The Cuendillar had been mutated into a pitch black rock, harder than any metal, and impossible to penetrate with the fortresses sealed in the same rock. As the Alfar, Brimir and Giants surfaced from the rift they found the world broken and corrupted, but free of demons...
The Second Age:Time of Wandering:With the disappearance of the Dragons and Old Ones the Alfar and Brimir were left to fend for themselves. They turned to the Giants, the last remaining elder race, for guidance but found that the Giants had no interest in being their masters. Instead the Giants set out to purge the corruption of Chaos that had spread across the world and so left the two lesser races to their own devices. In the beginning the Alfar and Brimir lived together in the ruins of the once great cities. but ideological differences quickly emerged and they began to wander the world, hoping to find their places. It is during this time that the two races began to fragment. The Alfar split into the Orcs, Elves, and Drow and the Brimir split into the Gnomes, Dwarves, and Goblins.
Time of RebuildingDuring this time the six new races of the world, the young races, began rebuilding themselves. Each found their own niche in the world. Also during this time the Sylvan were reawakened and so the world once again had two of the elder races. Little conflict is reported during this time as the young races had plenty of room to rebuild and they still felt some sense of camaraderie. This was until the Goblins began to attack the other races.
Time of ExpandingThe Goblins had been corrupted beyond recognition by the Chaos of the rift. Their attacks broke the last barriers of peace that existed between the young races and started a time of several wars as the newly founded civilizations began to expand, and their need of materials grew. This was a time of much bloodshed and growth, but ended with a tenuous peace between most of the young races as they established well defined boundaries and borders. With the established peace, the races began to trade and communicate again. Several members of the various races also formed together to create the Mages Guild and Hunters Guild, groups of individuals who share commonalities outside of their race.
The QuakeThis peace was again disrupted by the great quake. The origin and cause of the quake is unknown. What is known is that the quake opened up the northern mountain passages and a path to the sea.
From the north a new race came, the Humans. Descended from neither the Alfar or the Brimir the Humans brought with them a new civilization, with powers not before seen by any of the young races. Worshiping strange gods they are capable of manipulating life and death. Because of the Humans strange new belief system and culture the young races were again plunged into conflict as these outsiders forced their way in. Several Humans also joined the guilds, further upsetting the young races. From the sea came the desert dwelling Ashari. A strange mix of beast and man, the Ashari are often ignored because none of the young races will live in the desert.
The quake also brought the Giants back into interaction with the other races. Previously moving from one corrupted place to another and purging them, the Giants had no civilization. Now, for the first time in recorded history they were constructing a civilization, The young races were unsure how to handle the Giants as they still had a large amount of admiration and respect for them.
The Third Age:The Third Age began with the return of the Xecti and the arrival of the Dragon Priests.
Time of the Return:The young races were unprepared for the return of the Xecti. All of the stories they had heard of this elder race were ones of peace and beauty. But the Xecti they saw now were ruthless, emotionless, and vicious. They quickly destroyed all the settlements near their territory. Killing everyone and everything in their way. The survivors say they saw huge, monstrous creatures leading the Xecti, but the few who did survive were so traumatized and injured that they died shortly after being found. Currently the Xecti seem content to stay in their territory, but any who get too close are never heard from again.
Along with the return of the Xecti a new secretive group has arrived. Calling themselves the Dragon Priests, they wander the lands converting members of every race into their Dragon Cult. The origin of the Dragon Priests is unknown, but one thing is certain, their are not members of any known race, and they have tremendous powers.
This is the time you find yourself in. A leader of a new group of Dwarves, setting out from your mountain home, you are tasked with starting a new stronghold for your civilization and finding out as much as you can about the Xecti, the Dragon Priests, and the Quake. Good luck!
Entities: Extinct Races: These races are no longer present in the game, but are often mentioned.
- Alfar: The Alfar were discovered by the Dragons sometime during the Time of Peace. They were one of the many lesser races that existed in the world, but were the first to show an aptitude for magic, and so the Dragons named them first of the lesser races. The Alfar were not masters of magic like the Dragons, but did have an innate connection over the arcane sphere, which no other race, besides the Dragons, possessed. Drow, Elves, and Orcs are descended from the Alfar.
- Brimir: The Brimir were the Old Ones response to the Alfar. Unlike the Alfar, the Brimir were actually stone creations of the Old Ones, not one of the lesser races, but through science and engineering the Old Ones were able to turn stone into flesh, and with the help of the Giants were able to imbue the Brimir with a connection to the elemental sphere. This earned the Brimir the position of second of the lesser races. Dwarves, Gnomes, and Goblins are descended from the Brimir.
- Dragons: The Dragons were the largest and most powerful of all the elder races. They held dominion over the sky and mountains and were masters of magic. Each Dragon was born with a specific school of magic bred into them, and from an early age could summon this magic at will. Because of this innate mastery, their magic was often more unpredictable and uncontrollable than other races, but always far more powerful. The vast majority of the Dragons disappeared from the world when the rift was closed with them on the other side. The few remaining members of their race have lost their once noble nature and now attack all lesser races on sight, these are now known as elder dragons. All dragons born after the breaking have been much smaller, and hold less command over the spheres of magic. These dragons are little more than powerful beasts.
- Old Ones: The Old Ones were not large, powerful, or magically talented, but they were smart. They embraced technology, and created some of the most remarkable inventions the world had ever seen. Their cities were populated by mechanical constructs and moving stone, and they were even able to create life from stone at the height of their civilization. During the breaking the Old Ones sacrificed their life essence to power the machines needed to close the rift and seal it forever. However, it is rumored that some of the Old Ones still travel the underground, twisted and corrupted by their exposure to Chaos, they are no longer anything more than monstrosities.
Races: The various races you will meet in this world
- Ashari: The Ashari are a strange mix of beast and man. Their origins are unknown, but they began arriving sometime after the quake from across the sea. They are a nomadic race that makes their home in the desert (whether it be the desert of the land or the desert of the sea). They value precious gems and metals above all else and are ruled by a council of twelve merchants. Theft is perfectly acceptable to the Ashari and is seen as nothing more than survival of the fittest. Their beast like nature makes them masters of stealth, and they are some of the worlds most proficient thieves and deadly assassins. They have no innate magical ability, but are able to manipulate the mental sphere after years of practice.
- Automaton: The Automaton are the constructions of the Gnomes Clockwork Guild. For some unknown reason the automatons rebelled against the Gnomes, slaughtering most of the Clockwork Guild in the process. They are now a semi-sentient race of machines that lives beneath the Earth, and attack all organic creations on sight. It is unknown who leads these machines, or why they rebelled, but it can't be good, whatever the reason.
- Drow: Descended from the Alfar, the Drow have been perverted by the power of Chaos and now seek to re-open the rift in order to capture that power for themselves and to rejoin with the dragons. Living underground their society has formed around the worship of Chaos and is ruled by priests and priestesses. They still command considerable arcane power, but have begun experimenting with new spheres of magic, particularly the mental sphere.
- Dwarf: Descended from the Brimir, the Dwarves are the only worshipers of the Old Ones left. They enjoy living underground but have made many settlements outside as well. They embrace their power over the elemental sphere and are masters at smithing and crafting. They are ruled by a monarchy and are born with certain unique traits. While any Dwarf can do almost anything, some are much more suited to certain tasks than others.
- Elf: Descended from the Alfar, the Elves now live in the forests amongst the Sylvan. After the breaking the Elves wandered the land seeking refuge and guidance, which they found when the re-awoke the Sylvan. Through years of teaching by the Sylvan, the Elves are now able to tap into the nature sphere of magic and command plants and animals. Some Elves still practice the arcane sphere as well, and some have even been able to combine the two spheres for greater affect. It is these few Elves who lead the others, although some would suggest that it is the Sylvan who truly rule the Elves.
- Giants: One of the elder races, the Giants are the appointed caretakers of the world. They help to shape the rivers, mountains, and all other lands. They were instrumental in helping the Old Ones create the Brimir by infusing them with elemental energy. After the breaking the Giants set about trying to purge the lands of the taint of Chaos. Since the quake they have come abandoned their mission, and for the first time in known history, have begun forming settlements, it is unknown what caused the change, but without their influence the tainted regions of the world have begun growing. Several of the Giants have also been corrupted by their constant exposure to the Chaos and now roam the lands attacking all in their way.
- Gnome: Descended from the Brimir, the Gnomes are the smartest of the young races. Following in their creators steps the Gnomes hold technology above all else. They are broken into several different guilds, depending on their talents, and are ruled by an elected official amongst the heads of the guilds. The Gnomish Clockwork Guild was responsible for the creation of the Automatons (which was to be the Gnomes crowning achievement). Gnomes have completely abandoned the forces of magic, and have lost most of their connection to the elemental sphere.
- Goblin: Descended from the Brimir, the Goblins have been almost corrupted beyond recognition by the Chaos. Peaty, vengeful, and just all around crazy, the goblins spend their time mixing technology and magic in strange and deadly ways. They attack everyone and everything that they can find, and are often found attacking each other over the most trivial of things. They are ruled only by the strongest and most devious of goblins and assassinations are a common place occurrence.
- Human: The Humans arrived from the northern mountains after the quake. Unlike the other races the humans had a large empire far to the north and were able to grow without conflict from other races or interference with the elder races. Sometime after the breaking the humans began worshiping various gods, and through their faith were able to tap into the divine sphere of magic. The group of humans that arrived from the north are just a small group of the northerners, but they have already managed to form a strong civilization amongst the young races, drawing much resentment and anger. They are ruled by noble born and wealthy individuals, with the majority of their populace being poor underprivileged peasants. Their worship of their gods is the core of their society.
- Kobold: No one knows what the Kobolds are. They have been around as long as the elder races, but are little more than squabbling beasts. Little is known about Kobold society (or even if they have one) but they are simply treated as pests and are only truly a danger to the undefended farmers and country homes.
- Orc: Descended from the Alfar, the Orcs live in the vast plains of the world, often choosing to live in the most savage and harshest environments. Their society is based on honor through combat, and they are often found out hunting. The more dangerous the beast, the more honor gained. Those who lead the Orcs are those with the most honor. Like the Elves, the Orcs have begun practicing the nature sphere of magic, but instead of plants and animals, they commune with the spirits of the world. They worship those warriors who die gloriously in combat.
- Sylvan: One of the elder races, the Sylvan are creatures of the forest. Often being mistaken for trees themselves, the Sylvan live in complete harmony with the forest. During the breaking the Sylvan retreated into the forests and hibernated, only being awoken by the Elves sometime after the breaking. They are an aloof and hidden society, with only the Elves interacting with them. They have remained largely neutral and uninvolved for the entire known history.
- Xecti: One of the elder races, the Xecti were thought destroyed during the breaking, but several members survived by hiding deep in the wastelands of the world. When they returned, they had been changed. No longer the noble race of stories, with their glass cities and wonderful works of art. The Xecti are now viscous killers, obliterating all who come close to their territory, and executing any emissaries sent to speak with them. Their motives are unknown, but if they decide to leave their territory the other races know that they will bring war.
Groups: These are conglomeration of races that have formed large independent groups (note that in game play terms all the races in the groups have been put into one creature, so you will see an Elf mother with a Human father produce a Dwarf child, etc...)
- Mages Guild: Formed before the quake, the Mages Guild is a place where any member of any race can come to learn and practice the arts of magic. Some show more aptitude than others, but all are welcomed to the guild. They are the self appointed police of magic, and are often called upon to deal with various concerns and crisis that arise. With the arrival of Humans and Ashari their ranks have been bolstered and the divine sphere has been added (reluctantly) to the taught practices, although it is still considered a lesser form of magic. They have begun researching the breaking in attempts to figure out how magic played a role in the near destruction of the world.
- Hunters Guild: The Hunters Guild was formed around the same time as the Mages Guild, but with a very different purpose. The Hunters Guild members join not for education or practice, but for personal fame and glory. Whenever a beast is terrorizing the land, the people hire the Hunters Guild to come and deal with it. The organization has only a loose hierarchy, and instead is reliant on many small chapters throughout the world.
- Dragon Worshipers: Since the quake a mysterious group of priests have begun appearing throughout the lands. These priests have been converting entire villages into fanatical cultists who worship the Dragons as gods. Their motives and origin are unknown, but they have been outlawed by almost all the races, and are considered a dangerous threat.
