Custom world backstory

I found this (an ANCIENT world back story and foundation notes) while cleaning out my email. LOL

The Age of Emergence


It was during the Age of Emergence that the first races of the land were given a measure of life and sent forth in the world. Little lore remains of the first races, but what little remains points at powerful beings with extended lifetimes. The writing of Erasafiel, one of the first Elven scholars, tends to indicate that there were at least five greater races. What little information remains about the deities themselves is extremely sparse, indicating that a pair of deities created each of the early races and that each pair split over creative differences. The five pairs of deities seem to be centered on the elements, though it is with conjecture alone that the southern deities are labeled as “spirit” deities.

A sentient race of plants (or trees, the wording is difficult to decipher) rose in the northlands inhabiting the forests and swamps. In the east plains a race of humanoids emerged, gifted with superior speed and endurance. The western mountains gave rise to a race of diminutive but incredibly strong elemental humanoids. It was in the west that we see the first indications that the races would further evolve and split into sub-races, as these golem like creatures split into both an earthen and a fiery sect. An intelligent race of seaborne mammals was born off the northern shores, and traveled along the north and east coasts of the land. Only a few scraps of lore remain about the last race, which seems to have ruled in the southern mountains. These scraps point to a dark and twisted form, though no mention of their nature can be found.

Evolution in and of itself played but a small role during the initial formation of the races, as the first deities themselves toyed with and altered their creations. The pair of Fire deities in the west argued and fought over how best to shape their joint creation, each desiring a different form for their ideal race. In the end, the deities split the numbers of fire and earth golems between them so that each could shape their base race to their tastes. From this alteration four new races were created, leaving none of the original race. The precursors of Goblins, Giants, Dwarves, and Gargoyles were crafted during this time, though each would continue to evolve on their own when the deities ceased their meddling.

The Air deities in the east worked together much more closely, and as a result their sub-races were very close in form and temperament to the original race. All of the sub-races tended to be turbulent and flighty in nature. Several subspecies of humans were created at this time, though only two remain to this day. Humans, and their more primal brothers the barbarians, are all that remain of the early tribes. Some of those races that failed to survive this age were a race of men capable of living beneath the sand, a race mixed with the horses of the plains, and one mixed with the birds of the plains. (Copiers Note: These creatures *still* exist, having gone into hiding when the humans and barbarians began to develop extremely warlike tendencies).

The Water deities lived beneath the waves of both the northern and eastern coasts, traveling as the seasons changed. Their sub-races were the closest to the original race, only spawning a few variations of water-breathing humanoid creatures. It is not known why these two changed so little in their children, but these two were the last of the deities to leave the world during the next age.

Within the deepest thickets of the great forests the Earth deities hid, dramatically shaping each new sub-race different from the last. The races of Elves, Dryads, Treants, and Trolls emerged from these experiments, as different in temperament as they were in form. The first conflicts between sub-races were found within these woods, as the more plantlike creatures clashed with the more humanoid types who used wood in their structures.

The last of the known deities seem to have been exiled far to the south, for none of their creations were near those of the other deities. These two seemed to focus on the spirit of the creatures already inhabiting the land, twisting and shaping those spirits to their own ends. Hate, fear, death, anxiety, aggression, and more of the basest and most primal emotions were the fuel for their abominable creations. Creatures that would later come to be called demons were born here, twisted of form and spirit, and rose to a dark dominance over the land around them. The other major breed of creatures were not in fact living, but were a fusion of spirit and the bodies of those already dead. The undead first walked during this age, though they had no intelligence to speak of. They were fueled by emotions alone, such as aggression, and directed by territorial instincts gained from the animals they once were.

The Age of Emergence ended abruptly when a race of creatures not created by the deities of Tierdrial arrived and tried taking control of the land. The truth behind their coming is hard to determine, yet all know of their name and utter ferocity. Dragons.


The Age of Serpents


In the deepest recesses of the southern lands, the deities who focused on the Spirit of creatures continued to toil away on their creations. Ever stronger and more brutal beings were shaped and pitted against each other in sport to test the viability of the deity’s creations. Nasratar, the deity focusing on animating the bodies of dead creatures, tried an experiment that he hid from his kindred companion Yaskath that involved animating the corpse of one of the twisted demon forms. His experiment was a success, leading to the creation of an undead creature with the benefits of both their disciplines. Nasratar's new pet easily defeated any and all of the creatures Yaskath could craft, leading to an intense bickering that last for decades. Nasratar, planning a daring and dark scheme, offered truce to his brother and declared that he would no longer animate the bodies of the demon forms. Yaskath agreed to the peace, and they soon began to work together again in their experiments. Nasratar had spent the last few decades crafting a small army of these undead demons and hiding them from Yaskath, in order to assist him when he attempted to slay his brother.

It happened on the night of the harvest moon in the fall, an act which brought the age to a bloody end and a burning new beginning. Nasratar invited Yaskath to his home for their latest tests while his hidden legion remained nearby. At the moment when Yaskath was busy concentrating his energy on crafting a new form, Nasratar summoned his legion and began attacking Yaskath. The fight was long and terrible, twisting the land around them with the power of their divine wills. The presence of the undead legion, which was partially crafted by Yaskath, allowed Nasratar to slay the distracted deity. Nasratar had planned to then perform his ritual on Yaskath, creating the greatest undead imaginable: one born from the blood and spirit of a deity. The death of Yaskath had a different result however, one that Nasratar could never have foretold. The release of divine energies caused a tear in the very fabric of the world, opening a gaping portal to another world.

Nasratar was studying the portal in an attempt to discern where the spirit of Yaskath had gone to when the first of many creatures entered Tierdrial from the portal. The creature was of immense bulk and size and had stretched the portal to even larger dimensions as it came through. The creature appeared to be reptilian in origin, though several thousand times larger than any known lizard in the world. The creature's scales were chromatic and flickered between hundreds of colors and hues. After observing its surroundings, the scales of the creature then shifted to a single color, Gold. Breathing fire and releasing great screaming bellows, the beast launched itself at Nasratar in an attempt to slay him. The Dragon (a term coined by the scholars of the Cerulean Elves) could not have known it was dealing with a deity when it attacked, but it was still a serious challenge for Nasratar to defeat. Weakened by the fight with the first dragon, Nasratar fled to the north when a second dragon began to emerge from the portal. He summoned the other deities together to inform them of what had happened, and of his misdeeds in slaying Yaskath.

Were the coming threat not so severe, the other deities would likely have sanctioned Nasratar and punished him for his crimes. As it was, they needed every drop of their divine blood to face the coming challenge from the south. The deities gathered their children to them in great armies to challenge what would surely be great numbers of the scaled beasts while they set their brightest minds to closing the rift. The dragons from the south migrated towards these large clusters of creatures and attacked them in waves. At first the dragons were few in number and easily defeated by the large hosts of creatures aided by their deities. With time, the flights of dragons grew ever stronger while the forces of the deities suffered from attrition.

The forces of the deities continued their march south, eventually setting up four base camps within striking distance of the portal. The portal had grown to immense size, capable of allowing a dozen dragons to enter at a time to assail the entrenched defenders. The numbers of dragons coming through the portals then trickled down to a handful a year, testing the resolve of the defenders. The defending races, fractious to begin with, soon began to open fight between each other due to be in such close quarters with races they despised or feared. The deities in their arrogance, or perhaps because they too had began to fight amongst themselves again, decided that they had "defeated" their foe and sent the bulk of their armies back to their homelands. Each of the deities left a token force in the eastern encampment with the purpose of killing the few dragons that emerged.

Nearly forty years after the portal had first opened and the dragons had slowly ceased their attacks through the portal, the threat of dragons returned with brutal force. A single dragon, far larger than any other that had emerged, came through the portal and destroyed the divided encampment. Soon after the great dragon emerged, more regular dragons follow in a number never before seen on Tierdrial. This new great dragon and his army ravaged the divided realms before they could amass again to challenge him. The deities, seeing that their children were unable to rally in time to defeat this new threat, chose to hide from the new threat to assist children in closing the portal.

The dragons ruled the land for centuries, eventually developing the ability to communicate with the inhabitants. They had seized the world to be a breeding ground for yet more dragons, and so demanded that the inhabitants support them in this or be slain. With their deities in hiding, the races had no choice but to acquiesce and do as their captors demanded. They raised livestock for the dragons to eat, fought each other for their entertainment, and hollowed out caves for the dragons to lair in.

Nearly three thousand years passed, with the races continuing to evolve without the guidance of their deities and the dragons ruling the land with an iron claw. New breeds of draconic forms were born unto the world as the dragons were affected by the magic that shrouds the world. The individual races of the deities generally evolved into new breeds of their parent race based on the environments they lived in. It was during this time that the different races of elves, dwarves, and most creatures and wildlife were born. The children of the Air deities changed little, remaining true to their original forms but becoming ever more numerous.

The secret of the portal was finally cracked by a small group of Giant and Elven mages when they found a way to cause a small ripple in the portal with their magic. Though they had no idea what the effect would be on the portal, it was the first attempt that had actually affect the portal in any way. This small group of mages sent out messengers to try to awaken the deities, for it would take their power alone to affect the immense size the portal had become. The deities slowly began to arrive in the south, with one notable exception, along with the strongest of their mage children to assist them in closing the portal. The mages showed the deities what they had learned in their research, and the deities agreed that they must try it to end the reign of the scaled beasts. Focusing all of their power and gathering the power of their children to them, the deities attempted to close the portal to the dragon's world.

What happened next is barely documented, for none of those present survived the closing of the rift. A terrible explosion filled the land around it for miles with blue and black fire and causes the earth itself to rebel at the magic present. A great volcano rose from the earth where the portal had been, spewing fire and ash in all directions. The volcano remains active to this day, a reminder of the consequences of magic. The closing of the portal marked the end of the age, leading to a new age where the inhabitants of Tierdrial would overthrow their dragon masters. The Age of Ember and Ash had begun.



The Burnt Skull Clan


Entry 1:

Nestled in the heart of the Stormteeth Spires of the western world lie the beautifully savage and brutal tribe of Orcs. Created by the turning of the elves and humans into greater beings during the Age of Twisting, the orcs are a race of barbaric heroes with a burning lust for power. Many various tribes of orcs banded together under the Burnt Skull clan banner to constitute the largest concentration of our kind in the known world. Not even a ravaging horde of locusts pale can compare to the might of a full offensive from our people, though it is thankfully a truly rare sight. The squabbles and feuds of the tribes in the Clan make it nearly impossible for the tribal leaders to focus our military forces at their enemies.

The Burnt Skull Clan orcs could be (editor: and should be) considered at war with all of the civilized races, though two of them are the specific focus of the hordes anger. The Silver Shield Clan of orcs continue to be the most hated foes of our Clan, and this renegade clan dwells south in the mountains past the Incandescent Peaks. This war has come to be known as the War of Dominion, as it is a war fought over the ascension and place of Orcs in the world. The Silver Shield Clan orcs would dare challenge our position as dominant Clan among the orcs and even our plans to drive the humans and elves from the lands.

The Incandescent Peaks are a pair of active volcanoes of immense size and fury, who belch forth ash and fire with deadly frequency. These titans of beauty mark the change to the territory of the other primary enemy of our Clan. Far to the east at the foothills of the Stormteeth Spires and the border of the Toulas Forest lies this more treacherous enemy. This enemy is the Kingdom of Tirdan, who regularly sends patrols of tomb raiders into the mountains in search of lost burial grounds and crypts. The Clan has called this the War of Dusty Tombs, as it is a war to protect our dead from defilement.

A vague and oft overlooked treaty of tentative peace exists between the Burnt Skulls and the Dusk Elves, an accord that has only been in existence for thirty years. Known as the Treaty of Burning Night, it allows both races to travel freely in the realm of the other. Neither race has much contact with the other, but until the treaty had been created the two races fought whenever they did find each other. The Dusk Elves live beneath the surface or in a few outposts on the surface, so are of no consequence to the leaders of our Clan. All elves, being pale imitations of us before the turning, are of no consequence to the plans of the Clan.

The Burnt Skull Clan is positioned to be the strongest of all Clans, and to this end we have allied ourselves with our southern neighbor. The second greatest clan of orcs, they have a hatred for humans that rivals even our own. The treaty, called the Marrowfang Pact, was signed between our clan and the Bonepick Clan two centuries ago. Even now, twenty generations after the signing of this treaty we still have mutual respect for one another. It is surely a sign of the coming dominance of our race!

Enough of diplomacy, it bores me. Let me now turn my pen to the greatest capitol known, Ashterias. Known as the Citadel of Embers, it is a testament to the skill of orcean craftsmanship that the walls nearly top eighty feet in height. No siege by the hated Tirdan humans or Silver Shield orcs has ever breached the walls. No siege ever will. The entire Burnt Fist and Smoldering Skull tribes dwell within the walls of the Citadel. A few smattering dwellings remain for those who visit or those who have been given special dispensation to live within the glory of the hordes stronghold.

There are five Tombs and four Crypts that our Clan must safeguard from ravage, the ancestral burial grounds of our peoples. Further details must not be written to preserve them, though their names can be listed. The Tombs are resting places of five great progenitors of our race, though they were not themselves Orcs. These souls were Teardria, Nashtaz, Giltha, Kyra, and Tamras. The Crypts hold the bodies and entourages of our greatest Chieftans: Grumak, Gr’Trak, Gr’Narash, and Gr’Vargas. (Editors note: Gr’ is the prefix given to those males of our Clan who attain positions of authority in the Clan, Gs’ is the prefix for females)

The Burnt Skull Clan has little use for religion, it being a pathetic waste as the gods gave us our strength with our birth. Instead, we dedicate our Temples to the greatest of our Tribal Shamans and Mystics. These are our teachers, guides, healers, and mystics who assist the brawn of the horde. Three temples have been erected, the centers of study for Tribal magic (Editors note: tribal magic is primitive compared to the magics of the older races, but no less fierce and dangerous!). The Temple of Gth’Tharn (Editors Note: Gth is the prefix given to any mystic or shaman of our Clan) is dedicated to the greatest Shaman of our Clan. The Temple of Gth’Noval is decicated to the greatest Mystic of our Clan, while the Temple of Gth’Neras is decicated to the greatest Healer of our Clan.

The governing of the Clan comes from the eight members of the tribal council (who serve only to inform the Chieftan of the will of the eight tribes) who answer to our Clan Chieftan, Gr’Dagoth. He is a great chieftan, one who has managed to survive 22 Tests of Emberblood (Editors note: More on the Test later). Gr’Dagoth is the older brother of his family, with his younger brother being the Clan War Leader. The High Shaman is Gs’Grisa, a horribly scarred orc who is bitter of the humans who scarred her. Gs’Nisha is the soft-spoken High Mystic who directs the education of our people (Editors note: few of our people can read, the Mystics are trying to slowly change this) as well as teaching us the common tongue (Editors note: Know they enemy!). The Great Healer is Gs’Asha, an orc without a face. (Editors note: I shudder to attempt to describe her)

Our race has little in the way of written language, and this is mostly a new runic code that the High Mystic has created to try preserving our heritage. (Editors note: I was taught how to read and write common from a captured human slave and I continue to help Gs’Nisha with her goals) We do speak Orc of course, and common as fluently as any human in order to tell what their battle strategies and tactics are. (Editors note: It is truly great to hear the lamentations and screams of their troops and battle and actually be able to understand their pathetic mewling!)

Our Clan has four more Citadels spread through the Spires that house the remaining tribes of the Clan. The Citadel of Ravenfire houses the third strongest clan, the Raveneyes. Within the Citadel of Ironflame lies the next strongest tribe, the Ironjaw tribe. The remaining two Citadels, Leering Pain and Burning Grimace, house the remaining tribes of the Clan. New to the Clan is the position of Assassin Master, given to Gs’Vasha of the Ironjaw tribe. Her goal is to direct the elimination of key enemy personnel and those whose death would enable our Clan’s goals to be furthered.

My next journal entry will contain information on the crafting art of the orcs, as well as the artifacts and ruins that dot our realm. I will delve a little further into our military arm as well as the new military unit we have commissioned. The Test of Emberblood would be a good topic to cover, as well as the Prophecy of Hidden Scales given to us by the great gloomy one.

Entry 2:

The future of our Clan is always determined by the Test of Emberblood, the selection process by which our Clan Chieftain. Every third full moon of the year all of the tribes of the Burnt Skull Clan gather below Ashterias to hold council. During this weeklong celebration, the Clan Chieftain holds series of fights filled with those who desire to be the Clan leader. The fighters pair off throughout the gathering of tribes and fight for the benefit of the onlookers repeatedly until a single champion remains. This new champion directly challenges the Chieftain in combat for the possession of Grendaelax, an Axe that symbolizes the power of our Clan. Gr’Dagoth has won the test consecutively twenty-two times, a feat never before accomplished among the orc tribes.

The military might of our clan is nearly unsurpassed in the known world, though we are so rife with inter-tribe conflict that we can hardly ever direct the might of the Clan at a single enemy. Most often we direct a few of the tribes at a given enemy, allowing us to engage enemies on multiple fronts with little fear of losing. Though we have no decisive victories to date in the last few generations, we are slowly pushing back the inferior races. Each tribe fields a Legion of troops constituting all those of age and capability to fight that are not needed to guard the slave races and our citadels. In addition to these eight armies we have a special Legion culled from the best members of each tribes forces. The Ashen Eyes Legion represents the greatest champions and our Clan, and only takes the field when an enemy threatens Ashterias. It acts as an honor guard for the Clan Council and Chieftain, as well as guarding the crypts and tombs of our lands.

Those orcs who have failed in their duties at one time or who commit acts deemed criminal and against the will of the Clan are pressed to serve in the Leering Skull Company. These troops are the shock troops of the Clan, those who are the first to enter and the first to die in battle. All who wear the patch of the Leering Skull are expect to serve the will and whim of any other orc, having no rights of their own any more (Editors note: Ha hah. No orcs have rights as the Clan Chieftain rules all).

A new unit has been formed (Editors note: I despise these half breeds, they will be death of us all if they are not destroyed) at the last Test of Emberblood to allow those of mixed blood to serve the will of the Horde. The mixed bloods clamored for a unit with which to serve in order to show their devotion and love for the Clan, so Gr’Dagoth agreed and created their unit. A hard life awaits all who join the unit, and many of the mixed bloods are being forced to join for voicing their opinion over that of the true bloods.

I guess I should detail what the mixed bloods are, though it is a waste of good slave blood. The mixed bloods are those who were born without some of the blood of the Turning. Centuries ago during the Age of Twisting, the races of men and elves began to evolve into a better race of beings. These beings were the orcs, stronger and more brutal than our progenitors could ever have been. Now and then, one of our people gives birth to an abomination that defies the blessing of the Turning. They are half-breeds, being only half orc and either half human or half elf. They are often directed to simply guard the slave races, though a few of our people fear that putting them in contact with those that share their blood will eventually lead to an uprising. I hope to see this day, as I would love to see their blood spilt for defiling the blessing of our blood.

There are three prophecies that are known to directly address the Orc nation, each given by a drastically different source. The great Shadow Dragon Shar’Keltoth gave the “Prophecy of Hidden Scales” to us nearly two centuries ago. It speaks of a day in which the Dragons will return and offer us a place with them as they seek to burn down the races that drove them from this world. (Editors Note: If the Dragons are truly gone, then why did a Dragon give us a prophecy so long after they seem to have left?!) Shar’Keltoth has not been seen since the time he gave the prophecy, leading many of the Clan’s Mystics to simply discount the tale as a myth designed to bolster Clan unity.

The second prophecy is a more ominous one, and has been given by Gr’Dagoth himself. He has said that the Forge of Cinders has spoken to him, whispering of a day when the Light will return from the Veil to punish the Darkness for its banishment. (Editors Note: This seems to be just another variation of the same prophecy the shadow dragon “gave” us.) Gr’Dagoth has decreed that no one shall use the Forge to craft weapons of power any longer, as all skilled weapon and armor smiths are needed in these dangerous times. A Forge that speaks!? Ugh.

Before I document this third prophecy, I believe I should elaborate on the Forge of Cinders more. It is a twisted caricature of a great forge, though it is imbued with power beyond the understanding of most orcs (or other races, for that matter). Any smith who crafts at the forge creates an item of power based on their natural skill in their craft. This great gift is not without its price though, and the price is indeed terribly high. Any smith who works at the forge is stricken with a burning fever and a degenerative skin rot that kills them within three days after they complete the item.

Orc crafting in general is a work of art, being both brutal and functional at the same time. Our armors offer much higher protection than human or dwarven crafts, though their weight is prohibitive and hinders the wearer’s movement. Still, it is better to be slow and alive than broken and bleeding before the might of the Horde! Our weapons are generally heavier and not as balanced leading them to be more inaccurate than the other races, but they make up for this with the heavy damage they deal.

There are many ruins that reside within our borders that are avoided by our Clan. The Reliquary of Neza’Astuul is probably the darkest of these places, with shapes mimicking the forms of orcs have been seen prowling around at night. Near the Incandescent Peaks lies the Plateau of Unrest, a place where the spirits of fire roam freely and burn the living with their hatred. The Spires of Whispering Night are decreed to be unapproachable, for they speak to our minds of dark promises and desires. At the foot of our northern border lies the Tower of Malaise, a dreary place that slows the will and body of all who approach it. At the Tower’s base lies the great waterfall that flows from the Wellspring of Temperance (Editors Note: a paltry dwarven name, but one that has never been given a true orc name).

While I am thinking of true orc names, let me at last speak of the slave races. As we are the true children of the Turning (many other races were created during the Age of Twisting, most were destroyed by the lesser races) we have taken to enslaving the lesser races that can be useful to us. Those races that we can find no use for, we put to the sword and burn their lands to the ground. Only three races have survived our expansion throughout the Stormteeth Spires, a testament to their usefulness.

The gnomes are used to mine the ores with which we turn into armor and weapons, and to craft the intricate devices such as locks and pulleys that we need. They are diminutive and lack the spine to stand up to us, so require little guarding. The halflings we have been enslaved to tend our underground mushroom plots and livestock pens. They are also small, though are a bit feistier than the other short stock. They nearly eat as much as they harvest though, so care must be taken by our guards to ensure they work twice as hard to make up for the food they consume.

The last race to have been taken for our Clans rise to power is the goblins. Bred in cages isolated from all other races and food sources, the goblins are kept in line with the harshest of violence and mistreatment. They serve as the fodder of the army, as scouts, and as our manual laborers. A cowardly and cowering race, the goblins breed with abandon so we can afford to expend their lives as needed for the cause.

I can think of no more to add at this time, our history is ever growing as we march forward through the Spires seeking dominance.

-- Grovak, Clan Historian



The Cerulean Elves


Race: The Cerulean Elves
Nation: Lazuline Empire
Society: Matriarchal

The Cities:
Azuria - The largest of the underwater city-states in the Empire.
Athala - The home of the High Priestess, an underwater city-state.
Thera - The oldest of the surface city-states, the Prince was born here.
Cytheria - The newest of the underwater city-states, Cytheria is also the fastest growing.
Cocheydra - The newest surface city-state, home of the High Admiral.
Tormalia - The Tourmaline city, created with huge tourmaline crystals beneath the surface, birthplace of the Empress.
Caeruleum - The oldest underwater city-state, it is poorly kept for a city-state.
Indanthrone - The home of the High Marshal, an underwater city-state.
Leithner - The surface outpost nestled at the foot of the Faerel Fens, the only land bound city-state

Construction proceeds on the new city-state Ciradriel, intended to be the new Capital of the Empire. Currently the birthplace of the Empress becomes the capitol for the century she rules the Empire. In order to provide a greater sense of stability for the nation and to ease the coronation process; a new capitol is being constructed in the center of the empire. Four new Veydra will elected once the city-state has been finished, a task currently assigned to the Imperial Magistrate. The Imperial Magistrate, Ker'Dylune, was appointed to the position by the previous Empress Cer'Celune.

The Empire is currently composed of the nine city states, and is ruled by the Empress Cer'Lysia of Tormalia. Every century the Empress chooses her successor from one of the nine Princesses, an appointment which lasts the tenure of her rule. Each city-state is ruled by one of the Princesses while being assisted by one of the Prince-Consorts. The Empress then chooses her mate, one of the Prince-Consorts, to become the High Prince. When the Princess becomes the Empress, she chooses her replacement as the leader of the city-state from the nobility. This princess is known as the Princess-Regent, to indicate that she rules her city state for the Empress who now rules the nation. The High Prince follows the same procedure, with the title Prince-Regent being conferred to the new Prince. The capitol is moved to the birth state of the Empress, and the High Prince joins her there.

For the general administration of the city-states, the Veydra (high council) run the affairs at the behest of the local Princess and Prince-Consort. For matters of national emergency the Veydra meet and cast their vote, helping to indicate to the Empress the will of the people. Power ultimately rests with the Empress, allowing her to either follow the advice of the councilors or to chart her own path. Many conflicts have occurred between the Empress and the Veydra, who believe that the Empress should bow to the will of the people.

The Imperial Magistrate is responsible for the planning and construction of the newest city-state which will eventually become the permanent capitol of the Lazuline Empire. The High Priestess advises the Empress on Religious matters, and commands the priestesses of the city-states. The High Admiral is responsible for the maintenance, creation, and control of the Imperial Navy while the High Marshal is responsible for the Imperial Army.

Largely a unified nation, the Cerulean Elves have at times been fractured by civil wars between Princesses when an Empress dies suddenly (or violently) without having cast her consent for a successor. They are a relatively peaceful nation, trading with many of the land nations when the opportunity arises. They are engaged in a bitter war with the Skarten for possession of the Faerel Fens.

Names of the Cerulean Elves are given by their family name, followed by their personal name. Nas is the House of Nas, and Sheras is the Princess of the of city-state of Leithner. The naming convention would then tender her name as Nas'Sheras, Princess of Leithner.

Notable Personas:
The Empress: Cer'Lysia
The Prince: Cel'Vynarn
Princesses: Nis'Alexis, Nis'Kimia, Ni'Crystia, Nor'Krista, Nyr'Nysa, Nov'Teri, Nyv'Sheri, Nas'Sheras
Prince-Consorts: Bel'Ashas, Cyr'Tornan, El'Mathrad, Hys'Bregan, Jan'Trinan, Kor'Kortak, Mar'Adras, Rys'Nevras
High Admiral: Cek'Nadran
High Priestess: Ny'Dynar
High Marshal: Shi'Nathas
Prince-Regent: Cek'Vishan
Princess-Regent: Nyr'Lyda
Imperial Magistrate: Ker'Dylune

Zer'Kadran - rules the black market and the thieves guilds (named the Black Brine) in the Empire with an iron hand. The family name of Zer is taken by all who have been disposed by their families, indicating bandits and those without honor.

Zer'Lithia - first officer of Zer'Kadran, she schemes to steal control of the Black Brine from him and ultimately kill him.
Zer'Atakor - insane mystic born without the magic inherit in the Cerulean Elves. Though poor of sight in the physical world, many insights come to him when he slips into a trance to observe the Veil. Note: All Cerulean Elves are born with the ability to grow gills on the sides of their necks when they are immersed in water. As the Elf leaves the water, the gills fade from sight until needed again, allowing the elves to fully breathe both under the sea as well as above it.



The Races of Tierdrial

The Elves
Cerulean Elves

Dusk Elves
High Elves
Wood Elves

The Dwarves
Magradar Clan
Khadak Clan
Hrothtan Clan

The Humans
Baradan Alliance
Kingdom of Tirdran
Kingdom of Gilthen
Cliffshear Tribe
Plains Runner Tribe

The Orcs
Burnt Skull Clan

Soot Eye Clan
Silver Shield Clan

Other Major Races
Skarten Tribe
Bonepick Clan



The Timeline of Tierdrial


The Known Ages Duration of Period
Age of Emergence
(No documents exist)
Age of Serpents
1 Sr - 3491 Sr
Age of Ember and Ash 1 Em - 749 Em
Age of Binding 1 Bn - 251 Bn
Age of Artifacts 1 Ar - 443 Ar
Age of Sundering 1 Sd - 20 Sd
Age of Regrowth 1 Rg - 626 Rg