History Aratea

Volume I

Written by: Logan Rogers

Contributors: David Anderson and Brennan OCallaghan

discard them entirely, in clothing

meant to invoke passion.

Chapter I: The Creation of

the World and the Gods.
The Grace of Gods: Zntathul gave
each of the beings a name and domain to
which they would preside in Aratea, thus,
the Gods where born
Izenar, The Father: The first, and
most powerful, of the Gods created
by Zntathul, Izenar is the God of
Wisdom and Protection. Known as
the Father of Man he also is
responsible for the creation of the
Humans. His worshipers often erect
temples dedicated to offering
sanctuary to those in need. Often
taking the form of a kindly old man
with snow white hair and strong
features, clothed in either scholarly
robes or knightly armor.
Uzarae, Mother of Dragons: Born
of fire and passion Uzarae embodies
passion, motherly love, and chaos.
Through her passion she bore the
Dragons unto Aratea, and with them
the art of Pyromancy. To worship her
is to worship the pure essence of
passion and thus she is often said to
watch over young lovers. Often
appearing in her Dragon form, a
large crimson dragon, or in her
mortal form, of a beautiful red-haired
women with wings garbed, when she
chooses to wear clothing rather than

Ynena, The Sylvan Queen: Mother

of the Elves and the Beastfolk;
Ynenas domains are those of nature,
healing and love. The most active of
the Gods Ynena frequently appears
to her those who would seek her
guidance appearing in many forms.
To a human she might appear as a
beautiful woman from within a lake,
while to a centaur she may appear as
a motherly centaur, whatever
comforts her worshipper.
Unnir, The Weaver of Fate: Unnir
is the most reserved of all the other
Gods and the only God who refuses
to assume different forms than his
own, a creature comprised with the
top half of a blind old man and the
lower half of an enormous spider, to
interact with mortals. From his
domain he weaves the web of fate
itself.
Erudur the Sly: The God of
trickery, theft and chaos. Erudur is
worshipped by thieves, pranksters,
and all other neer-do-wells. Legends
speak of Erudur joining his
worshippers on midnight heists or
particularly mischievous pranks
unbeknownst to them, in the guise of
a young boy or wiry man.
Ogros, Smith of the Gods: Ogros
crafted the world, laying the
foundation for his kin to sculpt upon.
Governing Craft and the Law, he

created the Dwarves and the Giants.

While at one time as active as his
sister Ynena he has grown reserved
in recent eons after his first children,
The Giants, attempted to destroy all
he had built. When he does appear to
mortals it is most often in the form of
a dwarf or half-giant.
Naktune, Bride of Death: Naktune,
the Queen of the afterlife, Goddess
of Protection and Death. Often
appearing to dying mortals as a
beautiful women to comfort them
until her beloved Death comes for
them. While she did not create them,
the Dark Elves have since turned
their favor to her instead of her sister
Ynena.
Azeron the Defiled: The Second
most powerful God created by
Zntathul, Azeron was once the God
of Law, Protection and Justice. When
the Gods turned against their master
to save Aratea it was Azeron who
paid the ultimate price. Struck down
by Zntathul he was corrupted by the
Elder Gods power, twisted into a
God of Malice and War. The Gods
where shocked to find their brother
returned and where unprepared for
the havoc he would wreak upon the
world he once defended. He appears
to mortals in forms meant to terrify
them, from horrendous demons to a
heavily armored black knight.
The Gods and what their domains:

Izenar- Knowledge and

Protection
Urzarea- Love and Chaos
Ynena- Life, Nature, and Healing
Unnir- Fate, Magic, Knowledge

Erudar- Thievery, Trickery,

Chaos
Ogros- Craft and Law
Naktune- Death and Protection
Azeron- Malice and War

when the Gods finished crafting their

world they looked to Zntathul and he was
pleased. He went about populating the world
with monsters to prey upon the mortals his
children created. His utter contempt for their
creations enraged the Gods and they fought
in defense of their creations. The battle was
fierce but in the end they were able to drive
back Zntathul and his Elder Ones, but at the
cost of their brother Azeron.

The Age of Strife: The time after the

Gods defeat of The Elder Ones was one of
peace. This period of peace for Aratea was
not to last however, as thousands of years
later the return of Azeron the Just, now
Azeron the Defiled, would send the world
into chaos.
Azerons return was marked by the skies
over Aratea turning blood red as he ripped
his way back from the Twisted Expanse. His
mere return caused massive tectonic shifts as
the very world itself was torn apart and
reformed. What was once one continent was
now several and the people decimated. It
was soon uncovered by the Gods that their
very essence is what kept the world from
falling apart, and thus they were unable to
slay their fallen brother.
With his return achieved Azeron set about
twisting his siblings creations into his own
perverse children. Eager to see the world
corrupted as he was

Chapter II: The History of

Kartha

The Elvari Empire: Two-thousand

years after Azerons return on the newly
formed continent, Kartha, the High Elven
Emperor Ilthyn began his conquest from
their capital in NyrenThalor. The other
races where weak an in quick succession the
High Elves moved through the continent
conquering everyone they came across. 100
years after the Age of Strife they had
conquered most of the continent and
enslaved most of the other races. Only the
dwarves and anubits remained powers. After
500 years their control over their conquered
enemies were solidified beyond reproach.
Their long lifespans compared to that of the
nonelves made them seem like immortal
conquerors to their nonelven slaves. The
Elvari Empire was at best indifferent to the
so-called lesser races. Viewing them as tools
to achieve their destinies. Arrogant, selfimportant and incredibly powerful the Elveri
Empire for all its flaws, look as though it
would never fall.

The Dark Elves: During the height of

the Elvari Empire a sect of their Sorcerers
began to experiment with magics thought
perverse by the High Elven Regime. When

their forays into these arts were made public

the Elvari Council exiled the practitioners
from their Empire.
Lost and without a home, these Elves
wondered for a time before being
approached by the Dwarves. Looking for
any advantage against their Elven enemies
the Dwarves offered the Exiles sanctuary in
the form of underground cities build. From
this act the bond between the groups was
forged, only growing stronger as the ages
went by.
The Exiles would not return to the surface
for half a millennia and when they did, it
was not as they had left it. Their time spent
in the Underworld combined with their use
of Shadow magic had changed them. Turned
their skin to an ashen color and their hair as
white as snow. Most strikingly of all
however, is what it did to their eyes: a ruby
colored glow now emitted from their once
iridescent yellow eyes.

The Dwarven Alliance: While not

a single united Empire like the Elvari
Empire the Dwarven Alliance is no less
united. A series of City-States with wildly
varying cultures and beliefs the Dwarves of
Kartha are only united in times of war or
celebration. United they are a force to be
feared.
They are divided into four separate Clans, or
Kaers: Kaer Volst, Kaer Dural, Kaer Igni,
and Kaer Mora.

The Anubit Empire: Long ago in

what is now The Scorched Wastes lay the
Plains of Onathawe. Ruled over by the
Centaurs it was a verdant and placid land.
This all changed when the Anubits arrived
with the Orb of Sek. This magical orb
channeled the power of the sun to power the

technology of the Anubit Empire.

Unbeknownst to the Anubits the orb had a
heating effect on the immediate area.
Turning the once verdant plains into dry
savannahs and the surrounding lands around
their City into a lifeless desert.
At the edge of this desert along the coast is
the city-empire of Khenei. A tiered city built
of sandstone, the acropolis stands thousands
of feet above the earth. During the height of
the Elvari Empire it was the Anubits and
Dwarves who stood un-enslaved. While the
Dwarves fought against the Elvari, the
Anubits allied themselves with the High
Elves. Gaining increased power from their
alliance they were able to make leaps and
bounds in technology. Creating Automated
Construction systems that allowed them to
build entire war fleets in a week, elevators to
descend and ascend their acropolis in
minutes and even automatons to defend their
home.
Their relationship with the Elvari brought
with it the Elvari arrogance and proclivity to
take slaves to the Anubit people however,
and by the Elvaris fall their ways had been
completely reinvented to mimic the Elvari.

The Tribunal: Before the fall of the

Elvari Empire the world was filled with
Sorcerers of each and every race, with each
having the potential to obtain near-god like
power. It was only natural that these
individuals would congregate. Thus the
Tribunal was formed.
Based at the Tribunal Seat deep within the
southern jungles of Aratea they ruled on
matters of magic. Though thought by the
Elvari to be under their control the Tribunal
in reality stood neutral to many of the
worlds political troubles. Instead simply

collecting Arcane Knowledge to further their

powers.
This neutrality would soon change however
with the advent of the Spell Wars.

The Spell Wars: The Elvaris misuse

of Arcane Magics ripped a hole in the fabric
of the mortal world. Allowing Zntathul and
the Elder ones to spill through and begin
devouring the magical essence from the
world. Within one year 25% of the Elvari
Empire was torn asunder as when Azeran
returned.
The Tribunal convened, the situation was
dire, the Elder Ones where showing no signs
of stopping and the Elvari empire was all but
decimated. The Tribunal decided they had
but one option: to create a schism between
the Twisted Expanse and the mortal plane.
With heavy hearts they set about their work.
It would take a mass discharge of magical
essence to create this schism.
They convened at the Tribunal Seat and
began casting. Drawing on the magics of
every Sorcerer in the world they began
separating the worlds and forming a barrier.
The Elder Ones attempted to stop them but
where held back by The 5 Kingdoms
Legion, a force made up of the 5 major
Kingdoms. The spell was successful... But
the price was high. The great amount of
Magical Essence needed for such a task
utterly drained 99% of the magic wielding
population, killing them as the schism
formed.
What was left of the Magic Community was
looked upon in fear for what their comrades
had wrought upon the world. As time passed
however the hatred lessened and turned to
fear. Now 300 years later, with the Schism
in place magic is rare to materialize, and

Magic-Users are almost non-existent. When

they do surface they often find their ways
into seats as royal advisors and hedge
wizards/witches. While not hated...most of
the world looks upon them with fear for
their mystical ways shrouded in mystery.
The Schism did not work as well as intended
however and Zntathul remained. From his
death-like slumber beneath the ruins of the
Tribunal Seat he dreams. Recovering his
power for the day when he will rise

The Dawn of a New Age: After the

havoc wreaked by the Elder Ones arrival in
Aratea Karha was torn in half. With the
southern portion being rendered horrifying
colorless wasteland filled with mutant
horrors. While in the northern lands the
Elvari Empire was in shambles. Unable to
defend themselves when the Dwarves
incited a rebellion amongst their slaves they
fell farther and farther from their once great
empire. From their ashes new Kingdoms
would be forged

The Humans of Ederan: While

most Humans take to whatever Culture they
live near, the Humans in the land of Ederan
are mostly secluded from any large culture
and thus free to establish themselves.
They developed a feudal monarchy in which
the villages and cities within the Kingdom
pay taxes to the King and in return he serves
them to the best of his ability. Providing
Protection and Law. Beyond their system of
government the people of Ederan have also
developed a strong cultural identity. Famed
for their heroes, especially their MonsterSlayers, they have a truly legendary history.

The Wood Elves: